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Todd McFarlane says Project Copernicus is coming this year

Matt Daniel — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST

Gamers got their first look at the Kingdoms of Amalur universe in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning earlier this year, but we here at Massively are still anxiously awaiting more details on 38 Studios' MMO branch of the setting, Project Copernicus. Thankfully, it looks like we won't have to wait too much longer.

In an interview with START, comic artist extraordinaire Todd McFarlane, who is providing art design for Copernicus, nonchalantly dropped news that the studio is aiming to release Project Copernicus "later in the year." He doesn't expound any further on when exactly we can expect to get our hands on the game, but with any luck we'll be getting some more details before long, so stay tuned folks. Oh, and the full interview is embedded past the cut in case you'd like to watch the full thing. The relevant quote hits at about the 11:50 mark, but the full interview is definitely worth a watch.

[Thanks to John for the tip!]

Continue reading Todd McFarlane says Project Copernicus is coming this year

Todd McFarlane says Project Copernicus is coming this year originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Diablo III releasing April 17th

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events, real-world, Launches, Rumors

The rumor mill is churning fast and furious today as heavy speculation is swirling about a possible release date for Diablo III: April 17th. This comes from Italian website mmorpgitalia, which reports that retailers are clearing space for their shelves on the 17th after a tip from Activision Italy.

Blizzard, of course, is declining to comment on the rumor, although Game Director Jay Wilson says that an "all-important announcement" -- most likely the release date -- is imminent. When asked on Twitter how soon the announcement would arrive (on a scale of 1-10), Wilson replied with a simple "9."

Tomorrow begins the CeBIT 2012 trade show in Europe, and Blizzard will be present to show off the Diablo III beta. If an announcement is to be made, this event might make a good a platform as any from which to tell the gaming world which day it's going to need to take off from work.

Rumor: Diablo III releasing April 17th originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diablo III sort of confirmed for Q2 2012

Jef Reahard — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items

Looking for a definitive release date for Diablo III? So are we, and unfortunately Blizzard isn't cooperating. The best the company can come up with is Q2 2012, according to Rock, Paper Shotgun.

The site reports on Blizzard's recent investors call, during which Mike Morhaime stated the obvious before alluding to the launch window. "Given the popularity of the action RPG genre, and the keen interest in Diablo III, we expect this launch to be a big opportunity for Blizzard. We can also confirm that we are targeting a Q2 launch for Diablo III. We expect to announce more details about the release schedule in the coming weeks," he said.

But hey, at least he didn't say "when it's ready."

[Source: Activision investor call]

Diablo III sort of confirmed for Q2 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funcom debunks The Secret World launch date rumor

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Horror, Sci-fi, Launches, The Secret World

Could we finally have a specific launch date for The Secret World? Yes, but more accurately, no.

While hopeful fans clung to possible news that Funcom had confirmed an April 24th launch date, the studio has issued a statement saying that this was "an internal production date" that was mentioned at a recent press event, and doesn't necessarily reflect the actual release date for the title:

Funcom has become aware of postings in various media stating that commercial launch of the online game The Secret World has been set to 24 April 2012. This date was communicated at a press event in the Funcom offices in Oslo today -- as an internal production date.

Funcom has previously announced the launch month for the game to be April 2012 and wants to stress that there is currently no change or update on the expected time for commercial launch of The Secret World. The company will announce the release date at a later stage through a stock notice and a formal press release when the date has been set.

The studio recently wrapped up a week dedicated to the Illuminati faction and revealed one of the game's spooky settings, Blue Mountain.

Funcom debunks The Secret World launch date rumor originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Star Vault memo reveals Mortal Online expansion date

Brendan Drain — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, MMO industry, PvP, News items, Mortal Online, Sandbox

Fansite Sandboxer.org reports that it has discovered the release date of Mortal Online's upcoming expansion The Awakening in a Star Vault report to investors. We had to do some digging to find the original Swedish document Sandboxer was referring to, but we were able to confirm that the memo does contain the expansion's release month and further as-yet unannounced information.

The Awakening is slated for an April 2012 release, with May and June dedicated to magic and balance updates. The company expects to break even on a monthly basis between July and August of this year and sign a deal with publishers in August. Star Vault's plan is to have the game published in China between July and September and then release an as-yet unannounced expansion in October, with another in April next year.

Star Vault memo reveals Mortal Online expansion date originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WAKFU releasing February 29th, stress test coming this weekend

Jef Reahard — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play, Sandbox

It's a big weekend for WAKFU fans. The free-to-play fantasy sandbox from Ankama has announced the worldwide release date (February 29th) in a posting on the game's official website. The team picked the leap year date on purpose as a way of cementing WAKFU's reputation for doing things "that little bit differently."

The devs have also released a new video diary focusing on the game's monsters and PvE gameplay.

Finally, there's a stress test going on this weekend to help Ankama prepare for the upcoming launch. Make sure you log in on Saturday and Sunday to help out (and to get your apprentice cloak bonus item)!

Continue reading WAKFU releasing February 29th, stress test coming this weekend

WAKFU releasing February 29th, stress test coming this weekend originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lineage II Goddess of Destruction and Truly Free transition coming November 30th

Matt Daniel — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lineage 2, Business models, Economy, Expansions, News items, Free-to-play

Last month, NCsoft announced that Lineage II would be making the transition to free-to-play (or, as the company likes to call it, Truly Free), but the studio has remained tight-lipped on when the transition will take place. Until now, that is. On November 30th, Lineage II's newest and largest content update, Goddess of Destruction, will be hitting the live servers. As soon as the update is live, players will be able to play for free, with "no zone, level, or player interaction restrictions."

The update also introduces a new feature known as Path to Awakening. Path to Awakening is "an exclusive leveling guide designed specifically for Lineage II," and it will provide leveling players with "buffs, time limited gear enabling accelerated progression through the game," and interactive maps to point players to the optimal leveling locations. For the full details, head on over to the new Truly Free Lineage II site.

[Source: NCsoft press release]

Lineage II Goddess of Destruction and Truly Free transition coming November 30th originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wish granted: Nadirim launching next month

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, Free-to-play

After 1001 Arabian Nights of beta testing, the Middle-Eastern-flavored Nadirim is finally launching on November 7th. The game will launch with three classes and a unique world full of mystical elements including djinns and flying carpets.

Nadirim is Twisted Tribe's first MMO, and the company is placing high expectations on its future. "We wanted to create a game that stands out among browser games and we are on the right path. We'll be rolling out features and expansions throughout the year. We're focused on bringing players a magical gaming experience," said Twisted Tribe's Balazs Sipocz.

As it is both a free-to-play title and fully playable within a browser, Nadirim is accessible as can be for the curious adventurer looking for a change of scenery. The beta process resulted in several changes and additions to the game, including PvP duels, better combat mechanics, and a bigger open world experience.

Twisted Tribe is holding a contest to reward players for inviting friends into the game, and will be handing out in-game currency as prizes. If you're curious about what Nadirim is like, make sure to watch our Rise and Shiny recap of it from August.

[Source: Twisted Tribe press release]

Wish granted: Nadirim launching next month originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Dawntide patch due October 17th, release date announcement to follow

Jef Reahard — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Dawntide, Sandbox

Hey kids, it's a Dawntide update! Yes, really. The fantasy sandbox from Working As Intended has been quiet since delaying its planned October 1st release date, but today the devs have issued a brief blurb on the game's official website that suggests a bit of hope for the future.

As it turns out, the delayed release was the result of a funding shortage, but now WAI has secured a new source and the team has "reassembled to resume development." A new patch is due October 17th, and a new release date announcement should roll in before the end of the month. WAI also takes a moment to tip its collective cap to Dawntide's hearty faithful. "Thanks for sticking with us through the rough times, and we still intend to release the best sandbox MMO out there," the site says.

[Thanks to Halldorr for the tip!]

New Dawntide patch due October 17th, release date announcement to follow originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Week In MMO: Conspiracy edition

Larry Everett — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Video, MMO industry, Opinion, World of Darkness, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Miscellaneous

It's a new week; It's a new theme song for This Week In MMO. As you know, every week, Gamebreaker.TV hosts a round-table discussion about the latest news in MMOs, inviting different hosts from different media outlets to share their opinions and speculation. This week, everyone's favorite host, Gary "Bing Bong" Gannon, is joined by Mike "the Chinhawk" B and Jason "Red Shirt" Winter.

It would not be an episode of TWIMMO if everyone didn't get tinfoil-hat hair. Starting with speculation revolving around the Star Wars: The Old Republic release-date announcement, two of the panel members were convinced that it was directly related to the Diablo 3 2012-pushback announcement. But that's not the only pushback that had our panelists theorizing. According to Gannon, End of Nations may be feeling the SWTOR pressure, too. The Trion Worlds MMO RTS was recently pushed back to 2012 as well. Keep your aluminum brain-barrier intact because our hosts also believe it is possible that CCP's World of Darkness MMO may be going free-to-play.

All of this, plus the biggest question on everyone's mind is answered: Could there be a Kim Kardashian MMO and would there be an oiler profession? Check out the full episode of This Week In MMO after the break!

Continue reading This Week In MMO: Conspiracy edition

This Week In MMO: Conspiracy edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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End of Nations not launching in 2011, aiming for 2012

Justin Olivetti — Sun, 25 Sep 2011 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Launches, Free-to-play, MMORTS

If the end of the world happens in 2012, then End of Nations might be the cause. Or effect. Or just an innocent bystander. In any case, Trion Worlds' MMORTS has moved its projected release window from late 2011 to sometime next year.

The news came at this past weekend's Eurogamer Expo 2011, where Trion demoed the game live to an excited crowd. The studio also showed off some of the in-game store options that players have to pick from, including unit colors and skins. End of Nations will be free-to-play with these optional microtransactions, but Trion promises that there will be no way for players to "pay to win."

Trion was mum when asked about End of Nations' beta at the expo. The studio announced last month that the title would be going free-to-play from the get-go, a move that it hopes will draw in prospective armchair generals by the droves.

End of Nations not launching in 2011, aiming for 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Sep 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BioWare announces launch date for Star Wars: The Old Republic

Shawn Schuster — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Launches, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

At the 2011 Eurogamer Expo keynote address, BioWare co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk announced that Star Wars: The Old Republic will officially launch on December 20th, 2011 for North America and December 22, 2011 for Europe.

The retail copy will include 30 days of subscription time, with further pricing as follows:

1 Month Subscription: $14.99 (£8.99/€12.99)
3 Month Subscription: $13.99 per month (one-time charge of $41.97/£25.17/€35.97)
6 Month Subscription: $12.99 per month (one-time charge of $77.94/£46.14/€65.94)

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

BioWare announces launch date for Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The agonizing wait for Star Wars: The Old Republic's launch date continues [Updated]

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Launches, MMO industry, Star Wars: The Old Republic

The multi-million dollar question that's been on every Star Wars: The Old Republic fan's lips can be summed up in one word: When? While we still don't know a precise date, we may be a step or two closer to finding out today.

SWTOR fansite Darth Hater combed through a recent EA Q&A session with investors to pull a few pertinent details from CFO Eric Brown. When asked about the launch date for The Old Republic, Brown replied, "We haven't given a street date yet. We won't do so for some time, possibly at our next upcoming earnings call towards the end of October." This earnings call will take place on October 25th.

EA also continues to stand by its backup plan of a launch delay if SWTOR isn't ready, giving the title room to possibly slip from holiday 2011 to early 2012. Brown explained the conditions that would trigger such a slip: "We did hold out a slight possibility that it could slip to our March quarter. And the factors that would cause a slip is, for example, us not being completely satisfied with the scalability testing, and wanting to tune it for several extra weeks."

[Update: SWTOR's Stephen Reid has posted on the forums urging fans not to read too much between the lines of investor calls. "We are still very much aiming to ship in the holiday 2011 window (AKA, before the end of the year)," he says.]

[Update#2: The transcript was actually done by Darth Hater, which Ask a Jedi copied and pasted. The correct source is now linked.]

The agonizing wait for Star Wars: The Old Republic's launch date continues [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Moonlight Online launching by the end of 2011

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Galleries, Launches, Moonlight Online

All right, fang gang, prepare to get your vamp on -- Moonlight Online is coming to a PC or coffin near you by the end of 2011.

Moving to capitalize on the final Twilight films, IGG announced that Moonlight Online will be launching its own version of vampires and werewolves before too long. Moonlight Online isn't just about well-worn horror concepts, but fresh ideas as well, such as strategic empire building, epic love stories, combat on the move, and fantastic creatures.

According to the forums, there will also be dynamic weather patterns that will shape the game world, throwing zones from a blizzard to an idyllic summer day as the seasons progress.

If you haven't already, make sure to sink your teeth into our dev diary, which gives a good overview of the game. We also have our very first look at in-game screenshots of Moonlight Online, which you can view in the gallery below!

Gallery: Moonlight Online

Moonlight Online launching by the end of 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DDO's Secrets of the Artificers crafts a release date

Matt Daniel — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Patches, Previews, News items, Free-to-play

With Gamescom now in full swing, Turbine has taken the opportunity to announce a release date for the upcoming Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 11, Secrets of the Artificers. Those of you who can't wait to get your hands on the new content don't have to wait too much longer because the update will be hitting live servers on September 12th, according to a press release sent out by Turbine today.

Secrets of the Artificers brings a new class in the form of the crafty (Eheheh) Artificer, which allows players to sneak like a Rogue, blast like a Wizard, and generally destroy everything in a fantastic fashion. It also brings the new House Cannith enclave, new raids and dungeons, and new crafting levels all the way up to level 150. And lastly, we've got some new preview pictures for the upcoming update, so check out the gallery below to sate your appetite for Dungeons and Dragons goodness.

Gallery: Dungeons and Dragons Online Update 13 Preview

DDO's Secrets of the Artificers crafts a release date originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Road to Mordor: Digesting E3

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Free-to-play, Massively Event Coverage, The Road to Mordor

Instead of being hit by one huge Lord of the Rings Online bombshell at E3, as some predicted, we were treated to a series of smaller yet gripping reveals that are sure to have a major impact on our gameplay in the future. We assumed that E3 would be all about Rise of Isengard for LotRO, and sure enough, it was.

Weeks like this are what we live for as fans. It's crazy to get a glut of information that we're expected to digest all at once, and it's so much fun too. I think Turbine probably has a few more reveals tucked up its sleeve about the expansion -- we still have four months to go, after all -- but this is a good start to the ramping-up period before Isengard releases.

So enough dilly-dallying; let's dig into it! What can we make out of all of these revelations? What does the pre-order mean for you? What were the highlights and what were the disappointments? Hit the jump and we'll take you on a legendary ride all the way to the gates of Orthanc itself!

Continue reading The Road to Mordor: Digesting E3

The Road to Mordor: Digesting E3 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythos raises open beta level cap, adds Umbral Peaks region

Jef Reahard — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play

April 28th marks release day for Mythos, the long-in-development mythology-inspired hack-and-slash MMO. As a prelude, HanbitSoft and Frogster have released a massive patch to the game's current open beta client that, among other things, raises the level cap to 50 and introduces a new explorable region called the Umbral Peaks.

Dungeon play has also been optimized for groups according to a Frogster press release, and the client has received a "comprehensive localization update." Finally, lots of new guild-centric features have made it into the current build, chief among them a guild message board, storage safe, and a guild ranking system.

You can download the open beta client for free -- and learn more about the game -- at the official Mythos website.

Mythos raises open beta level cap, adds Umbral Peaks region originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: If you could ask a dev any question and get a straight answer, what would it be?

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous

Today, let's pretend like marketing, public relations, and corporate secrecy don't exist, shall we? And while we're dreaming up crazy scenarios, let's imagine that you got to sit down with an MMO developer of your choice and ask him or her one direct question. The catch? That dev would have to give you a direct, straight answer without any hedging, PR-speak, or "no comments."

What would that question be and to whom would you address it?

Would you want to know the top secret release date for The Old Republic or Guild Wars 2? Would you uncover the very real truth behind shady scandals of the past? Would you want to know what the devs say about players amongst each other? Or would you want to know their favorite pies?

Today you get one question. Today is your... destiny!

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: If you could ask a dev any question and get a straight answer, what would it be? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mythos European open beta starts today

Jef Reahard — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play

It's been a long road home for Mythos, the free-to-play hack-and-slash MMO from HanbitSoft and Frogster. The game, which enters its European open beta phase today, originally began its life at ill-fated Flagship Studios and was resurrected after the company's dissolution.

After a lengthy development cycle, Mythos has officially thrown open its doors to all registered players (over 100,000 of them to date) in preparation for the game's April 28th launch day. A Frogster press release indicates that additional optimization and localization will continue throughout the open beta, and considerable new content will be introduced as well. The level cap will be raised from 27 to 50, and adventurers will be able to explore the snow-capped Umbral Peaks.

Players can download Mythos for free at the official website or pick up a retail box version at stores or online retailers. The box copy includes several bonus items as well as a two-day head start on the game's official release.

Mythos European open beta starts today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SOE layoffs affect timetable for PlanetSide Next [Updated]

Krystalle Voecks — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, News items, MMOFPS

Last week we got the bad news that Sony Online Entertainment laid off 205 employees and shuttered the Denver, Seattle, and Tucson studios. The announcement was coupled with the news that that The Agency, the long-anticipated "spy-fi" MMO, was also being canceled. The intent, SOE said, was to focus on its upcoming MMOs based on its extant IPs: PlanetSide Next and EverQuest Next.

However, in the wake of all the layoffs, there will also apparently be a delay in the development time-frame for PlanetSide Next. According to a statement by John Smedley, President of Sony Online Entertainment, the game "will be out a little later in the year" but the team is focused on "pulling out all the stops to make it great." It's sad news, but we're certain that a lot of PlanetSide fans would rather have a great, polished game over a game pushed out quickly to meet a now-unrealistic development schedule.

Update: SOE's John Smedley has posted several reassuring comments to the PlanetSide Universe forums:

Recently (a few weeks ago actually) we made the call to update the game to a new internally developed engine. Doing that meant delaying the game, but we thought it was in the best interests of PlanetSide Next. It also means delaying releasing further info for a little while. I will let you all know more when we firm up the schedule. The likely next step is a larger scale release of information and the beta signups going up. As I've said previously current Planetside subs will be included automatically.

Normally when we do game announcements we do a much bigger concerted information push all at once and these kind of one off posts don't happen. In this case I feel like the PlanetSide audience has hung in with us for a long time and I really want to involve you all more in advance of the official info. However what happens is everything gets carried across the net and the actual info gets changed. I'm sorry for that happening. We will do our best to keep you informed early. But that necessarily means that sometimes when things change you have to be ready for that too.

(Thanks to Matt for the tip!)

SOE layoffs affect timetable for PlanetSide Next [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Launch date invites celebration and dismay

Larry Everett — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Business models, Launches, News items, Promotions, Miscellaneous

In an unprecedented announcement, [developing company] stated in a press release today that [unreleased game] will launch on [date], much to the [emotion] of its fans. "We have always [past tense verb] our supporters, so we did exactly as they have been asking," [title] [proper name] stated to us this morning. "We've always said we would not launch until the game was [adjective] -- now it is, [interjection]!"

Unfortunately for those of you living in [country], you will not see the game on store shelves until [date]. To make up for this delay, the developers have planned a pre-release party in [city], [country] on [date]. The game's [title], [proper name], said, "Of course, we don't like people in that country, otherwise we would have released the game in all countries at the same time. Why do you think the [plural nationality] aren't getting the game at all?"

For everyone else, grab your [weapon], put on your [article of clothing], and get ready to [verb] your enemy's [body part]. Hail to the [monarch]!

Games Journalism sure is hard work, so we've decided to take a break today and let you write your own news! Too many stories about RIFT on Massively lately? Not enough about the game of your choice? No problem! Much in the style of Mad Libs, today is your day to create the news you want to read, all day on the :30s. Simply fill in the blanks and it's yours. Have fun!

Launch date invites celebration and dismay originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World of Tanks launching April 12th

Jef Reahard — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Historical, Real life, Launches, New titles, News items, War, Free-to-play, World of Tanks, Miscellaneous

After nine straight months of intensive beta testing, the end (and the beginning) is finally in sight for fans of Wargaming.net's World of Tanks. The World War II-based action MMO is officially launching in both Europe and North America on April 12th, and die-hard testers "who did a long way from [closed beta] to release will get some bonuses" according to a post on the game's website.

World of Tanks looks to blend the fast-action gameplay of its squad-based modes with the large-scale strategy of the clan wars mechanic to create the definitive heavy armor MMO title. The game features destructible environments and authentically rendered combat vehicles from a variety of nations, and it's all wrapped in a free-to-play package designed to allow curious gamers to try before they buy.

"Our team has been working really hard to create a unique blend of action, strategy, simulation, and RPG in World of Tanks, and now the moment all fans across the globe have been waiting for is right around the corner," says Wargaming.net CEO Victor Kislyi.

World of Tanks launching April 12th originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA: The Old Republic not launching by July 1st

Jef Reahard — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, News items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

Fan site Darth Hater has a bit of cold water to throw on the fires of Star Wars: The Old Republic fans who thought the highly anticipated MMORPG might actually launch prior to July 1st. It seems as if Eric Brown, CFO of TOR publisher Electronic Arts, quashed that long shot in a speech at today's Lazard Capital Markets Technology and Media Conference. If you think that was a mouthful, Brown's quote is as well, but that isn't stopping it from making the blogsphere rounds this afternoon.

"So we said it's going to launch sometime in calendar, but not within Fiscal 11. So that basically pens down between, you know, April 1st and December 31st of this calendar year. It's also reasonable to infer that it's not in our Q1 guidance. We gave Q1 Fiscal 11, Fiscal 12 non-gap revenue guidance, minus 39 minus 44 cents and I think it's not unreasonable to infer that it's not included in that 90 day period," Brown said.

So, for the three of you who actually expected BioWare's Star Wars opus this summer, we're sorry. For everyone else, it's back to the guessing game regarding release dates.

EA: The Old Republic not launching by July 1st originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: From a certain point of view

Larry Everett — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, Opinion, Rumors, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon

It's interesting to me how a very tiny bit of misinformation can skew people's perception of -- well, anything, but let's say a game, for today's purposes. Just like a snowball rolling down a hill, misinformation collects more and more misinformation until it's totally out of control. People accept it as truth because there is no denying it's there. Sure, it's packed with lies. But it's big, so there has to be some truth in there, right?

There are many misconceptions and untruths about Star Wars: The Old Republic. People have posted in blogs about EA or SWTOR citing unnamed sources. It seems that a good chunk of these people are looking to knock down the giant that is The Old Republic. This surprises me because the game isn't even out, yet people see it as some sort of oppressive overlord -- like a certain Sith Emperor, maybe.

Today, I would like to analyze a couple of these myths and really attempt to understand why they are accepted. Although I want to show how these stories are wrong, there is a bit of truth in most of them, and I don't want to discount that. Follow me after break as we talk about release dates and wingless insects.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: From a certain point of view

Hyperspace Beacon: From a certain point of view originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The "big bet": EA aims at a half-million subscribers to make SWTOR profitable

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Business models, Launches, MMO industry, Star Wars: The Old Republic

"It's a big bet, but it's the right kind of bet to make for EA."

These are the words of BioWare's Ray Muzyka, responding to a conference call to EA investors in which the company admitted that Star Wars: The Old Republic will need to pull in at least 500,000 subscribers to become profitable. This is substantially less than the two million subscriber mark that industry analysts previously predicted.

During the conference call, EA CEO John Riccitiello drew a line in the sand between financial failure and victory for The Old Republic: "At half a million subscribers, the game is substantially profitable, but it's not the sort of thing we would write home about. Anything north of one million subscribers is a very profitable business. Essentially it turns on a dime from being quite sharply negative in terms of its EPS [Earnings Per Share] impact to positive the day the product ships. So it's our view that we can be very successful without fundamentally challenging the market leader [World of Warcraft] because we think we'll probably hit the smaller competitors harder when we get out there. Of course, we have no particular ambition to be a distant number two. Our ambitions are higher than that, but we throttle back a little bit relative to our financial projections."

While Riccitiello admitted that the title has seen "significant development costs," he claims that costs proposed by the public are far higher than the actual costs of The Old Republic's development. He declined to share the actual costs or the number of staff working on the game.

EA also announced that The Old Republic's release date will be in calendar 2011. BioWare has as recently as this January targeted a spring 2011 release. EA's estimate puts its launch somewhere between March 31st and December 31st of this year.

The "big bet": EA aims at a half-million subscribers to make SWTOR profitable originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forsaken World to be unleashed March 23rd

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, Free-to-play, Dev Diaries

Looking for new vistas to explore, for untamed MMO wilds to colonize? Perfect World Entertainment hopes that you'll give its upcoming free-to-play title Forsaken World a shot, as the company just announced its March 23rd release date. Forsaken World will be simultaneously launched in North America and Europe with English, German and French versions.

PWE's Director of Marketing, Jonathan Belliss, thinks the game should appeal to these regions: "Forsaken World is one of our most impressive games to date. With vast devotion from our talents and contribution from our players, this game was built from the ground up with the western gamers in mind. We're very excited to finally be releasing Forsaken World and a huge thanks goes out to our beta testing community for providing us with such great feedbacks."

Forsaken World is an MMO that features both the familiar and the unusual (such as floating guild halls), and has been praised by testers for its performance and interesting classes. If you're looking to get to know the game a bit better, hit the jump to watch PWE's third developer diary covering locations and dungeons (here are the first and second videos, if you need to catch up).

Continue reading Forsaken World to be unleashed March 23rd

Forsaken World to be unleashed March 23rd originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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[Updated] Earthrise launch roadmap reveals a commitment to continued development

Brendan Drain — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Game mechanics, Launches, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Earthrise

We've known for some time that Masthead Studios' upcoming single-server sci-fi sandbox Earthrise was planned for retail release on February 4th. Until now, however, we haven't known exactly what would be in that initial release and what features won't make the final cut. In an announcement today, Masthead Studios revealed not only a list of key features they'll be guaranteeing to provide at launch, but also a roadmap for further development and releases throughout the year. The announcement confirms Earthrise's release in less than two weeks time on February 4th, with a substantial commitment to continued development on specific features in the following months.

The list of key features promised for launch is as follows:

A unique post-apocalyptic setting where the cloned remnants of mankind battle to survive and rebuild.
Highly customizable characters with over 100 different skills, abilities and tactics.
No artificial imposed "class" restrictions.
Fast-paced, action-packed combat featuring dynamic targeting, adaptive power armor and hundreds of high-tech weapons.
Sophisticated player-versus-player (PvP) mechanics that let players fight for the established order, join the revolutionary underground, or carve their own bloody path as an independent criminal.
Character progression that keeps players advancing in their development with no limits.
An advanced market-based economy with in-game supply and demand based on player activities and interactions.
Deep crafting mechanics that enable players to design and manufacture unique items from blueprints and raw resources.

Skip past the cut for a look at Masthead's development schedule for 2011 and a first look at what we can expect to be introduced throughout the coming year.

Continue reading [Updated] Earthrise launch roadmap reveals a commitment to continued development

[Updated] Earthrise launch roadmap reveals a commitment to continued development originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise server located on US east coast

Jef Reahard — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, Launches, New titles, News items, Earthrise

The folks behind the Earthrise sci-fi sandbox made headlines a couple weeks ago with announcements that the game would launch on February 4th and that players would be grouped together on a single worldwide shard. As it turns out, the server is located on the east coast of the United States, which is a somewhat surprising move given the European pedigree of the game's parent company and the title's Europe-centric retail plans.

Masthead Studios community manager Kuliani has compiled a short list of frequently asked questions about the impending release and published it on the game's official forums. In addition to the server location announcement, he confirms that the Earthrise digital download will be available via the game's official website (as opposed to third parties like Steam or D2D) and that new forums will be introduced on launch day.

Earthrise server located on US east coast originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Masthead prepping new Earthrise beta client, additional beta keys

Jef Reahard — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-fi, New titles, News items, Earthrise

Launch day for Earthrise is closing fast, and Masthead Studios is gearing up for the throng of sci-fi sandbox fans looking to make a new home on the game's single worldwide server. Masthead is also pushing a new version of the beta client to the game's test servers and will be distributing more beta invites in the very near future.

The new client features combat and tactical tweaks, changes to crafting skills and item insurance, and revamped graphics and animations. "The development team has been working around the clock to continually add new gameplay functions and we are thrilled for our community of testers to become further immersed and share their thoughts with us," says Masthead CEO Atanas Atanasov. As for getting your hands on that elusive beta key, you'll want to head to the official site and sign up for your chance to win.

Masthead prepping new Earthrise beta client, additional beta keys originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIFT set to release on March 1st

Jef Reahard — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, New titles, News items, RIFT

Get ready rifters, as Trion Worlds has dropped a definitive release date for its forthcoming fantasy MMORPG. That's right, RIFT will be firing on all cylinders round about March 1st in the States (March 4th in Europe). Today's announcement also brings further word on the pre-order program and collector's edition items that we mentioned last week.

Pre-order customers can choose one of three in-game pets and are eligible to jump in and play RIFT a week before the official launch date. The head start period begins February 24th, and all pre-order customers are automatically invited to participate in the remaining beta events (the details of which are available on the official site). Finally, Trion is also discounting multi-month subscriptions to the tune of $9.99 US with a time-limited Founder's Pricing program.

"We've been able to create an exceptionally polished and immersive online world filled with adventure, surprise, and beauty. We can't wait to share RIFT with players around the world," said Trion CEO Lars Buttler.

RIFT set to release on March 1st originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyperspace Beacon: 2010 Retro!

Larry Everett — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Culture, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Opinion, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon

Wow... 2010 is almost over, and Star Wars: The Old Republic is not released yet. OK, I had speculated at the beginning of this year that we would not see it until 2011. But if you had asked me in October of 2008 (when the official site was launched), I would have told you that the launch was at the end of 2009. There was no way in my mind that a company would launch its website that early. Boy, was I wrong. Little did I know at the time that I would be sitting here at the end of 2010 (the year new life was to begin on Europa), not playing what I hoped would be my favorite game ever. However, this has all given me time to think back about what SWTOR has given us this year.

The year 2010 was the year of SWTOR reveals. Some have questioned whether too much has been revealed -- or rather, hyped. We have had group combat videos, designers switching games, CEOs retiring, opinionated play-throughs, and many other news items. Would you say we have had a plethora of SWTOR news this year? Oh yes, we have had a plethora, El Guapo. I have my favorites and my not-so favorites. Let's explore a few of them in this little retrospective.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: 2010 Retro!

Hyperspace Beacon: 2010 Retro! originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Masthead confirms Earthrise digital release date, system requirements

Jef Reahard — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Launches, New titles, News items, Earthrise

The team at Masthead Studios has nailed down a definitive launch date for Earthrise. The sci-fi sandbox MMORPG will be available via digital distribution on February 4th, with a European retail box and exclusive content to follow. "We have worked incredibly hard to make Earthrise the best sandbox MMORPG on the market, and we can't wait for players to fully experience all of our hard work and become immersed in Enterra," said Masthead's Atanas Atanasov in a press release dated this morning.

In addition to last week's announcement that players will gather on a single worldwide server, the studio has also detailed the game's system requirements:

OS: Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista SP1, Windows 7
Free hard drive space: 20 GB
CPU: 2.4+ GHz Single Core Processor
RAM: 2 GB
Video Card: NVIDIA 7800GT+ or ATI Radeon 9800 SE 256-bit
High bandwidth internet connection (DSL, Cable)

Masthead confirms Earthrise digital release date, system requirements originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise going with single server worldwide

Jef Reahard — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, New titles, News items, Earthrise

The team at Masthead Studios has provided a bit more information about Earthrise's recently announced February release date. While Monday's press release revealed that the sci-fi sandbox is coming to European retail in a few short weeks, it conspicuously left out any mention of an American launch or an American server.

As it turns out, this is because Earthrise will feature a single shard for gamers all over the world according to a forum post sighted yesterday on the official boards. "There will be one global server for Earthrise when the game goes live in February. There is one server for all players, no matter where in the world they are located," says Kuliani, Masthead's community manager.

Earthrise going with single server worldwide originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Earthrise announces European publishing deal, February release date

Jef Reahard — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Earthrise

Bulgaria-based Masthead Studios has just announced a partnership with Iceberg Interactive to publish the sci-fi sandbox MMORPG Earthrise. The agreement covers the whole of Europe, and a press release on Iceberg's official website says that the game will be coming to European retail in February 2011. The release also hints at "exclusive extra content for boxed version buyers" as well as plans for localized versions to be announced at a later date.

Earthrise is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi game set in the 21st century that features open PvP, a complex crafting system, skill-based advancement, and a player-driven economy.

Earthrise announces European publishing deal, February release date originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon moves DCUO shipping date ahead three months

Jef Reahard — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, New titles, News items, Rumors, DC Universe Online

Fans who pre-ordered DC Universe Online from Amazon awoke to a pleasant surprise (or is that a tease?) in their inbox this morning. An order update email was sent out by the online shopping megalith indicating that SOE's superhero extravaganza will be shipping in mid January with an estimated arrival date somewhere between the 18th and the 20th.

"We have received new release date information related to the order you placed on October 08 2010 (Order# XXXX). The item(s) listed below will actually ship sooner than we originally expected based on the new release date," says the message.

SOE has been mum so far, but we'll bring you the very latest on the official release info as soon as it becomes available.

Amazon moves DCUO shipping date ahead three months originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CCP delaying Incursion to ensure excellence

Krystalle Voecks — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Expansions, Patches, News items

With the Sansha set to descend on EVE Online en masse, a new character creator that is the precursor to Incarna (when all will be blessed with feet), and a plethora of other goodies large and small, Incursion has been garnering a lot of attention from both active and retired capsuleers. According to a dev blog posted today by EVE's Senior Producer, CCP Zulu, the company has made a tough decision about the release date for its eagerly anticipated expansion. Rather than push it out with potential bugs and issues, CCP is opting to split up Incursion into a three-part deployment. The important part is that by doing so, CCP expects to be able to give each particular chunk of the expansion the time it needs to be "excellent."

The first chunk, which will release on November 30th, offers a host of requested and needed tweaks. While CCP isn't willing to confirm the exact list of features at this time, the list of potentials is expansive, including changes to rockets, T2 ammo, 80 new storyline missions, faction ships' addition to the market, and more. From there, the second patch will be released in December and will contain wonders that "only Santa knows." January 2011 is when the company plans to release the third chunk, which should deliver Incursion's new character creation tool to the masses. If you're curious about more details on the reasons for the change in deployment dates as well as a bigger listing of all the things to come, pop on over to the EVE Online site and check out the devblog.

CCP delaying Incursion to ensure excellence originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What's the ideal pace for expansion releases?

Eliot Lefebvre — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, Expansions, Opinion, The Daily Grind

It's hard to miss one of the major news announcements for the MMO world -- a release date for Cataclysm, the latest expansion for World of Warcraft. More than a few fans are intensely pleased that the date has been given, but it comes as the prior expansion is getting quite long in the tooth, and there's a general sense that this comes far later than it should. On the other hand, some people prefer the slower pace of releases, either because it takes them a while to move through all the content of a given expansion or because they just happen to like the setting.

For all that World of Warcraft is a trendsetter in the MMO world, its expansions come out almost glacially compared even to older games such as EverQuest. How quickly do you want expansions to come out for your game? Do you prefer large content updates marketed as expansions, or a boxed expansion every year? Every other year? Have you ever felt a game was launching them too quickly for the changes to be felt before the next one came along, or too slowly to keep player interest high?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of our readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's The Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: What's the ideal pace for expansion releases? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DC Universe Online delayed until early 2011

Jef Reahard — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Super-hero, Launches, New titles, News items, DC Universe Online

In a move that almost certainly had nothing to do with the impending MMO doom that is Cataclysm, Sony Online Entertainment has just announced that its DC Universe Online superhero MMORPG has been delayed until 2011. Originally scheduled for a November 2010 release on both the PC and Playstation 3 platforms, the game will now force players to be a bit patient before they traipse around virtual recreations of Metropolis and Gotham City.

While the exact new release date has not been made public, SOE announced in a press release that those players who have already pre-ordered, as well as those who pre-order prior to November 15, will get a guaranteed spot in the ongoing beta.

DC Universe Online delayed until early 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More details on the Final Fantasy XIV collector's edition

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Previews, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, Promotions

We've been treated to a deluge of information about Final Fantasy XIV over the past couple of days, which coincides nicely with the fact that the collector's edition releases in just a little over a month. The obvious bonus to that special edition, of course, is the fact that it releases a week before the standard edition. But there's more inside the box than just an early game disc, and Eorzeapedia has had the chance to take a look closer at some of the contents.

The Square-Enix security token included in the box certainly goes a long way to alleviating the price of entry, as it normally costs $10 alone and will work with both Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XI (indeed, having both on the same account can provide distinct advantages). Also worth noting are the special documents mailed to players for characters they create -- a physical commemoration of your character, with designs unique to each home nation. Combine that with the travel journal full of concept art, and there are plenty of bonuses even without the early release. (Not that said release isn't excellent.)

More details on the Final Fantasy XIV collector's edition originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An early release for City of Heroes Going Rogue

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Expansions, Patches, News items

City of Heroes players had been looking forward to August 17th for quite some time, ever since it was announced as the release date for the game's new expansion, Going Rogue. It looks like they got their treat a day early, however, as Issue 18 has gone live today. Issue 18 is the patch that coincides with the expansion, and sure enough, players who have pre-purchased the expansion are reporting that they do indeed have full access to all of the expansion content.

The official word from Paragon Studios is that the "soft launch" was done as a part of extended maintenance in order to facilitate a smoother launch day process.. Either way, there's no indication that the game is rolling back the live push, nor does it seem likely for a few hours of early release. The patch is quite large, so City of Heroes players are advised to start downloading early -- and as soon as it's done, they can start enjoying Going Rogue just a bit ahead of schedule.

[Thanks to Skystreak for the tip!]

An early release for City of Heroes Going Rogue originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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