Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Free for All: Why social gaming could destroy MMOs and how we can fight it]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/free-for-all-why-social-gaming-could-destroy-mmos-and-how-we-fi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/free-for-all-why-social-gaming-could-destroy-mmos-and-how-we-fi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/free-for-all-why-social-gaming-could-destroy-mmos-and-how-we-fi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

CastleVille screenshot
I am a huge fan of social media. Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus -- it all makes sense to me and has shown to be a very useful tool in not only communicating with friends but finding new games, developers, and websites. My Twitter feed provides enough news and information that I can skip any standard media. I haven't watched a local newscast for a long, long time. On top of that, I can communicate with readers in real time, sharing photos and tidbits of cool.

Has social media affected MMO gaming? It definitely has. Watch any smart developer's Twitter feed and you will see the community team interacting directly with players, answering questions, hosting contests, and helping players feel as though the developers are actual people. Social media has also changed how we connect to our games, MMO or not.

All of this means that everything is social now. Going to the dentist? Share it with your friends. Defeated a boss monster on your Xbox? Tweet it. Just picked up that epic sword in Dark Age of Camelot? Post it to your Facebook. Heck, many MMOs now have a Twitter or Facebook option built right into the client. All of this instant connectivity is nice, but it's possible that the "massively" part of MMO will soon apply to any game. What will this do to the genre?

Continue reading Free for All: Why social gaming could destroy MMOs and how we can fight it

MassivelyFree for All: Why social gaming could destroy MMOs and how we can fight it originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmancityvilledark-age-of-camelotf2pfacebookfarmvillefeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiumgoogle-plushero-academylord-of-the-rings-onlineopinionsocialsocial-gamingsocial-networkingtwittervelvet-ropeZyngaWed, 02 May 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EA-BioWare acquires KlickNation, rebrands it BioWare Social]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/ea-bioware-acquires-klicknation-rebrands-it-bioware-social/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/ea-bioware-acquires-klicknation-rebrands-it-bioware-social/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/02/ea-bioware-acquires-klicknation-rebrands-it-bioware-social/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

BioWare logo
All the cool kids are into social gaming these days, so it should come as no surprise when some of the bigger gaming firms start testing the waters. BioWare looks to be next on that list according to a report at GamesIndustry.biz that details Electronic Arts' acquisition of KlickNation.

KlickNation operates social games including SuperHero City and Six Gun Galaxy, and while the company's monthly active user base has declined from 1.3 million to 400,000, EA and BioWare see it as a growth opportunity. KlickNation's expertise in building innovative and compelling RPGs for social platforms makes them a seamless tuck-in with the BioWare team at EA," says Ray Muzyka.

The new unit has been renamed BioWare Social, and thus far the company has not announced any concrete plans relating to new or existing titles.

MassivelyEA-BioWare acquires KlickNation, rebrands it BioWare Social originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bioware-socialbusiness-modelscasualcasual-gamingeaea-biowareelectronic-artsklicknationmmo-industryray-muzykasix-gun-galaxysocialsocial-gamingsuperhero-cityFri, 02 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott predicts the death of consoles as a gaming medium]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/richard-garriott-predicting-the-death-of-consoles-as-a-gaming-me/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/richard-garriott-predicting-the-death-of-consoles-as-a-gaming-me/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/30/richard-garriott-predicting-the-death-of-consoles-as-a-gaming-me/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Ground Control to Major Tom, your circuit's dead, there's something wrong - can you hear me, Major Tom? Can you hear me, Major Tom?
Considering his influence on the realm of MMOs, many gamers would argue that it's hard to dismiss Richard Garriott's thoughts on development out of hand. A recent interview with the man includes him predicting the fall of traditional console gaming in favor of portable devices, and the end of MMOs as a major market share compared to social and casual games. As Garriott puts it, the era of MMOs was chiefly between 2000 and 2010, and the explosion in social gaming is now a new part of the overall game development cycle.

Naturally, since Garriott's current company, Portalarium, is targeting specifically that demographic, he might be just a little bit biased. But he's hardly the first industry insider to claim that modern games need to be easily be picked up with little to no up-front cost. Take a look at the full interview for more, including Garriott's thoughts on how present designers are lazy and his self-comparison to Tolkien.

MassivelyRichard Garriott predicts the death of consoles as a gaming medium originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casual-gamingindustry-figuresindustry-insidersinterviewsmmo-industryopinionsportalariumrichard-garriottsocial-gamingWed, 30 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New ArcheAge videos show off PvP, dancing gameplay]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/21/new-archeage-videos-show-off-pvp-dancing-gameplay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/21/new-archeage-videos-show-off-pvp-dancing-gameplay/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/21/new-archeage-videos-show-off-pvp-dancing-gameplay/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

ArcheAge - Pop dance clubs? really?
A couple of ArcheAge tidbits surfaced during the recent Tencent Games Carnival. XLGAMES' sandpark MMO was on display since it is gearing up for both its fourth Korean beta phase and a 2012 beta in Tencent's native China.

Two noteworthy videos came out of the conference, and their radically different nature points to the breadth of gameplay on display in ArcheAge. First up is an over-the-shoulder clip featuring some five vs. five PvP gameplay. The action takes place on an instanced map known as the Siege Warfare Training Camp, and MMO Culture points out a couple of lingering bugs relating to character movement (as well as some interesting weapon combinations).

The second video comes directly from XLGAMES, and it shifts gears in favor of ArcheAge's social features. While many MMOs feature dance animations, thus far the only title to take a serious stab at dance gameplay has been Star Wars Galaxies. ArcheAge looks to continue that tradition by allowing players to choreograph dances and coordinate with other dancers, though we are scratching our heads a little bit due to the jarring mixture of high fantasy and pop music. You'll find both videos viewable after the cut.

Continue reading New ArcheAge videos show off PvP, dancing gameplay

MassivelyNew ArcheAge videos show off PvP, dancing gameplay originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arche-agearcheagebetachoreographyclosed-betadancingfantasyinstanced-pvpkorean-betanon-combatnon-combat-gameplaypvppvp-instancesandboxsandparksocial-featuressocial-gamingtencent-gamestrailersvideoxlxl-gamesxlgamesMon, 21 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Monster Galaxy Facebook game coming to the big screen]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/monster-galaxy-facebook-game-coming-to-the-big-screen/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/monster-galaxy-facebook-game-coming-to-the-big-screen/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/07/monster-galaxy-facebook-game-coming-to-the-big-screen/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Monster Galaxy - logo
The list of films based on video games is long, if not particularly distinguished. The list is about to get a bit lengthier thanks to an upcoming collaboration between Gaia Interactive and Radar Pictures.

The two firms have just released a new press blurb trumpeting the fact that they've formed an alliance to bring Monster Galaxy to the big screen. What the heck is Monster Galaxy, you say? Well, it's a Facebook title that "has reigned as a top 10 game on the platform for six consecutive months," according to the release.

The film version of Monster Galaxy will feature its unique "Moga" characters as well as "rich story and charming artwork." Gaia Interactive was founded in 2003 and claims to be one of the world's most active social gaming communities. Radar Pictures is owned by Ted Field, an entertainment executive with producer credits on films including Pitch Black, The Last Samurai, and Jumanji.

[Source: Gaia press release]

MassivelyMonster Galaxy Facebook game coming to the big screen originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualculturefacebookfacebook-gamesfilmgaiagaia-interactivemonster-galaxymoviesradar-picturessocial-gamingsounded-like-a-good-idea-at-the-timevideo-game-moviesMon, 07 Nov 2011 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Zynga reports record revenue in last quarter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/zynga-reports-record-revenue-in-last-quarter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/zynga-reports-record-revenue-in-last-quarter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/04/zynga-reports-record-revenue-in-last-quarter/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Zynga logo
A recent SEC filing from Zynga, creator of the social gaming epidemic known as FarmVille, revealed that the company is reporting a record quarterly revenue of over 306 million USD, though -- bizarrely enough -- profits are almost 54 percent lower than they were this time last year.

Revenue isn't the only thing that's on the rise, either. The company reports 152 million unique monthly players, compared to the 151 million the company reported in June. The average number of daily players, however, dropped from 59 million to 54 million. At any rate, the company seems to be going strong, with new titles such as the recently announced (supposed MMO) CastleVille just on the horizon.

MassivelyZynga reports record revenue in last quarter originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlevilleearningseconomyfacebook-gamesfacebook-gamingfarmvillefinancefinancesprofitsrevenuesocial-gamessocial-gamingzyngaFri, 04 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott blames Blizzard for ignoring the social gaming field]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/richard-garriott-blames-blizzard-for-ignoring-the-social-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/richard-garriott-blames-blizzard-for-ignoring-the-social-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/02/richard-garriott-blames-blizzard-for-ignoring-the-social-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Portalarium

Richard Garriott, who heads up social games outfit Portalarium, publicly put the screws to Blizzard and other major MMO companies for overlooking the casual gaming space. In fact, he says that World of Warcraft's biggest challenger won't be from another AAA title, but from the "Zyngas of the world."

Talking to Industry Gamers, Garriott accused Blizzard and EA of dropping the ball when it came to social gaming, which Zynga has since explored and exploited. "The only reason Zynga exists is because people like EA, people like Blizzard, failed to step in," he said.

Garriott sees these small start-ups as having great potential in the near future. "I think within a few years, you'll see that's not really the case," he said. "I think you'll see that the quality level that comes up through the casual games will rival the quality of traditional massively multiplayer games and then, because it's not something you have to subscribe to, because it's something that virally spreads, and especially because, as people churn out of a big MMO they've got to go somewhere."

Garriott's Portalarium is currently working on an upcoming project that is "much more like Ultima Online than people might expect."

MassivelyRichard Garriott blames Blizzard for ignoring the social gaming field originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardcasual-gamescasual-gamingeaElectronic-ArtsPortalariumrat-tailRichard-Garriottsmack-talksocial-gamessocial-gamingultima-onlineuoworld-of-warcraftwowzyngaWed, 02 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hyperspace Beacon: Social gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/hyperspace-beacon-social-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/hyperspace-beacon-social-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/01/hyperspace-beacon-social-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Hyperspace Beacon: Social gaming
As a roleplayer, I primarily do social things in MMOs. I take on a character, then via local chat, I communicate as if I were a smuggler attempting to swindle a gangster out of a few more credits. However, that's not the only kind of social gaming found in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Group activities of all sorts have sparked friendships that have lasted years. The people I adventure with mostly started in Star Wars Galaxies, then moved to City of Heroes, then went back to Galaxies, and now are headed to SWTOR. Because of the breadth of the internet, we have never met each other in person, but I still consider them close friends.

The social dynamics have always been a byproduct of MMOs. However, few online games give direct rewards for being social. In fact, there was a time shortly after the Combat Upgrade when Star Wars Galaxies actually punished players for grouping up by giving less XP. Perhaps the reasoning was that the larger the group, the more mobs players could kill in the same amount of time, but at the time the solo XP far outweighed the loss in group XP. Thankfully, that was eventually fixed.

In my recent venture into the SWTOR beta, I noticed several different social activities for which the game rewards players. Follow me past the cut and we will discuss them.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Social gaming

MassivelyHyperspace Beacon: Social gaming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auction-houseBioWarecarrick-stationEAElectronic-Artsfeaturedgalactic-trade-networkgary-gannongroupingGTNjames-ohlenLucasArtsquestingsocial-gamingsocial-pointssocial-vendorStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorTue, 01 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Online 2011: Raph Koster speaks on the gamification of real life]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/14/gdc-online-2011-raph-koster-speaks-on-the-gamification-of-real/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/14/gdc-online-2011-raph-koster-speaks-on-the-gamification-of-real/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/14/gdc-online-2011-raph-koster-speaks-on-the-gamification-of-real/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Raph Koster - sock puppet
Raph Koster spoke at the recently concluded GDC Online 2011, and if the summary on Gamasutra is any indication, his message was somewhat mixed.

Unsurprisingly, the former sandbox maestro (and current social gaming evangelist) had a lot of positive things to say about Facebook. On the other hand, he said that going too far down the accessibility road can lead to "bad art."

He also opined that "design is about constraining people," but that games still have the potential for player creativity, and that Facebook has more user-generated content than games or virtual worlds. If you're confused yet, you're not alone, as Koster also mentioned something about wizards, magic circles, and his belief that the world is becoming more game-like (and thus there's no one better to shape it than game developers). "Let's watch out not to let the pointsification and rulesification, quantification, and reductionism that we have always loved about what we do -- let's not let that change who we are," Koster said.

Check out his notes and slides from the talk via his blog, linked below.

MassivelyGDC Online 2011: Raph Koster speaks on the gamification of real life originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessibilityfacebookgdc-2011gdc-onlineGDC-Online-2011kosterMiscellaneousraph-kostersocial-gamingsocial-mediaFri, 14 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mark Jacobs elaborates on departure from EA Mythic]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/mark-jacobs-elaborates-on-departure-from-ea-mythic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/mark-jacobs-elaborates-on-departure-from-ea-mythic/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/mark-jacobs-elaborates-on-departure-from-ea-mythic/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Mark Jacobs
It's been a couple of years since Mark Jacobs abruptly left -- or perhaps was let go -- from EA Mythic, but curiosity around the split persists in the MMO industry. Yesterday, Jacobs opened up about the event that occurred after EA's acquisition of Mythic and BioWare.

Long story short: The merge brought about changes, and Jacobs wasn't on board with them. "They made a decision on a direction they wanted to go and obviously, as we put out in our joint statement, that wasn't a direction that had a role for me, or at least the role that I wanted. It really is as simple as that. Or at least publicly. Whatever went on behind the scenes, whatever we talked about, I have no intention of sharing that," he said.

Jacobs insists that EA has been kind to him in the subsequent years. "One thing I'll say publicly about EA, they have been very good in what they've said post-departure regarding me. Similarly I've been good about what I've said about them post departure."

He has since gone on to form a new company to create social and mobile games. In an ironic twist, Jacobs says that the idea for getting into the social gaming market took root while he was at Mythic, but he left before acting on that notion.

MassivelyMark Jacobs elaborates on departure from EA Mythic originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mythiccity-state-entertainmentdepartureeaea-biowareea-mythicfirefiredfiringJohn-riccitiellomark-jacobsmobile-gamesmobile-gamingmythicsocial-gamessocial-gamingsplitTue, 04 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Mark Jacobs returns to the gaming industry with City State Entertainment]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/mark-jacobs-returns-to-the-gaming-industry-with-city-state-enter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/mark-jacobs-returns-to-the-gaming-industry-with-city-state-enter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/mark-jacobs-returns-to-the-gaming-industry-with-city-state-enter/#commentsFiled under: , ,

City State group pic
If you've been around the MMO scene for a while, you'll remember Mark Jacobs as the co-founder of Mythic Entertainment and the force behind Dark Age of Camelot and Warhammer Online.

He's been out of the gaming industry since his departure from EA, but according to an exclusive interview with Forbes.com, he's back with a new company. "Jacobs revealed that his new company is called City State Entertainment, and [...] the company aims to create games for the mobile, tablet and social networking space," says Forbes.com's Tracey John.

Mark tells Forbes that social game development allows for a faster development cycle and lower costs, which equals more freedom to simply have fun making games. "We don't have to worry if the hardcore gamers are going to get incredibly upset because we're doing something a certain way. We don't have to worry if our game is going to sell another 20 copies. We're just looking to make fun, enjoyable games."

Check out the full interview at Forbes.com

MassivelyMark Jacobs returns to the gaming industry with City State Entertainment originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-state-entertainmentdaocdark-age-of-camelotforbesforbes.commark-jacobsmobile-gamingmythicsocial-gamingtablet-gameswarWarhammer-OnlineFri, 30 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MapleStory Adventures scores 3 million players -- before it even launches]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/maplestory-adventures-scores-3-million-players-before-it-even/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/maplestory-adventures-scores-3-million-players-before-it-even/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/19/maplestory-adventures-scores-3-million-players-before-it-even/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

MapleStory Adventures
The Facebook spin-off of MapleStory has hit a big milestone today -- a very big one indeed. Nexon announced that MapleStory Adventures crossed the three million registered player threshold. This feat is more incredible when you consider that the game is still in open beta.

MapleStory Adventures is Nexon's first Facebook game, and it is soon to be joined by the company's second: Wonder Cruise. Nexon's been making strategic moves into the social gaming market this year, including a recent partnership with developer 6waves Lolapps. The company saw an impressive 59% increase in revenue last quarter.

MapleStory was an obvious choice for a Facebook conversion, considering that the title was already in 2-D and has a mass-market appeal. While MapleStory Adventures is similar in many ways to its predecessor, some elements have been simplified for the platform, such as the number of classes and skill trees.

MassivelyMapleStory Adventures scores 3 million players -- before it even launches originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3-million6waves-Lolappsclassesfacebookmaplestorymaplestory-adventuresnexonnexon-americaskill-treessocial-gamingwonder-cruiseMon, 19 Sep 2011 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Older gamers more likely to drop money in cash shops to save time]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/10/older-gamers-more-likely-to-drop-money-in-cash-shops-to-save-tim/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/10/older-gamers-more-likely-to-drop-money-in-cash-shops-to-save-tim/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/10/older-gamers-more-likely-to-drop-money-in-cash-shops-to-save-tim/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Your rabbit ears aren't getting any younger, and that's a lot of loot for ten bucks.
How long are you willing to wait for your next level in a given game? According to a recent study, the older you are, the less likely you'll wait and the more likely you'll be to just whip out a credit card and buy an experience booster. Flurry Analytics conducted a survey of mobile and social gamers and found that older players are far more likely to just spend some money if it'll save some painful grinding in the long run.

While the study was focused on the social gaming side of the coin, the business model is not dissimilar from that employed by many free-to-play MMOs that frequently offer in-game options to earn items that can also be purchased outright. And the logical conclusion is drawn -- younger players have less disposable income but more time to buckle down and grind, while older players have more responsibilities and more free money to spend. It's an interesting look at the spending patterns, one which looks to be increasingly relevant as free-to-play options continue to multiply.

MassivelyOlder gamers more likely to drop money in cash shops to save time originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessbusiness-modelsculturef2pfree-to-playfreemiumpay-habitspay-to-playplay-habitssciencesocial-gamingstudiesstudySat, 10 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Runes of Magic partners with Overwolf for social media functionality]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/runes-of-magic-partners-with-overwolf-for-social-media-functiona/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/runes-of-magic-partners-with-overwolf-for-social-media-functiona/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/06/runes-of-magic-partners-with-overwolf-for-social-media-functiona/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Runes of Magic hub
Overwolf is making its presence felt in the MMORPG marketplace of late, and the latest collaboration between the social media developer and a major game company takes place in Runes of Magic. The free-to-play fantasy title now features something called the Magic Hub, and if you're into Facebook as well as easily publishable screenshot and video captures, you'll want to check it out.

The Overwolf software also integrates instant messaging functionality that players can use without leaving the Runes of Magic client, not to mention game database searching functionality and account settings access. "Our new partnership with Overwolf will bridge the gap between the fantasy world of online gaming and the accessibility of social platforms," says Frogster's Daniel Ulrich.

[Source: Frogster Press Release]

MassivelyRunes of Magic partners with Overwolf for social media functionality originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessibilitycant-we-just-alt-tabconveniencedaniel-ulrichf2pfantasyfree-to-playfrogstermagic-huboverwolfpress-releaseromrunes-of-magicsocial-gamingsocial-mediataboreaTue, 06 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[gPotato partners with Overwolf for social media client]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/gpotato-partners-with-overwolf-for-social-media-client/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/gpotato-partners-with-overwolf-for-social-media-client/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/30/gpotato-partners-with-overwolf-for-social-media-client/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Game evangelist
gPotato is partnering with Overwolf to launch a new in-game client overlay, according to a new press blurb released this morning. Who the heck is Overwolf? The company was founded in 2010 and is responsible for the Overwolf Client, a product that "adds social features and functionality to games enabling players to share, socialize and evangelize for their favorite game."

The software features an integrated web browser, Facebook, Twitter, MSN, and Skype support, as well as the ability to record and share in-game videos and screenshots. gPotato's in-game client is customized and optimized for its stable of free-to-play games, and you can see the service in action via the beta that is currently attached to Aika Online.

MassivelygPotato partners with Overwolf for social media client originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>evangelistfantasyfree-to-playgame-evangelistgpotatommo-industryoverwolfoverwolf-clientpress-releasesocial-gamingsocial-mediasocial-networkingTue, 30 Aug 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Single-player games will be dead in three years, says industry analyst]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/single-player-games-will-be-dead-in-three-years-says-industry-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/single-player-games-will-be-dead-in-three-years-says-industry-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/single-player-games-will-be-dead-in-three-years-says-industry-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Demon's Souls
So game development studios desperately want to move the entirety of our hobby online in order to mimic the recurring revenue model of MMORPGs. That's not exactly news, but it is news when an industry analyst makes an eyebrow-raising claim regarding the immediate future of the genre. To that effect, Eurogamer recently attended a "closed-door, Sony-organized panel discussion on the future of video games," which featured an analyst predicting the end of single-player titles by 2014.

Mark Cerny, a "veteran video game consultant," used the 2009 single-player RPG Demon's Souls as an example, saying that its mixture of traditional offline gameplay and social connectivity to other gamers experiencing the same title is the wave of the future.

"The funny thing here is, we don't even know what to call this. Is it single-player or is it multiplayer? We don't even have the words. It's kind of Orwellian. If you don't have any word for freedom you can't have a revolution," Cerny said. What exactly is that revolution, and will it be good for gamers? Check back in 2014 to find out.

MassivelySingle-player games will be dead in three years, says industry analyst originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>always-connectedalways-onanalystbig-brotherconnectivitydo-not-wantdrmgame-industrymark-cernymmo-industryorwellianpredictionsrpgssingle-player-gamingsocial-gamingsocial-networkingsonyWed, 17 Aug 2011 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC Europe 2011: Richard Garriott says mobile and social titles are 'the future of games']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/gdc-europe-2011-richard-garriott-says-mobile-and-social-titles/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/gdc-europe-2011-richard-garriott-says-mobile-and-social-titles/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/gdc-europe-2011-richard-garriott-says-mobile-and-social-titles/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Richard Garriott
Delivering the final keynote address at this year's GDC Europe, Richard Garriott said that the industry is rapidly moving away from MMOs as we know them and toward mobile and social gaming -- and that companies need to hop on board, lest they be left behind.

Garriott used his iPhone as an example of this new direction: "I am now much more of a gamer than I ever been in my whole life, but the vast majority of the gaming I have played has been on this machine. I'm a devout believer that this is the current and near-term future of games."

He defines this "new era" of gaming by having cheap games that are simple to use and connect you with real-world friends. While he thinks earlier social games like FarmVille were too simple and unappealing, Garriott says that they're evolving quickly.

During the speech, Garriott expressed regret that his team didn't stick by the original vision for Tabula Rasa, and he urged fellow developers not to trade in their dreams in order to follow the company line. His new company Portalarium plans to "reinvent roleplaying yet again" by releasing a series of products that will capitalize on social gaming and retrain players to think beyond mere combat to a wider experience.

MassivelyGDC Europe 2011: Richard Garriott says mobile and social titles are 'the future of games' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>farmvillegame-developers-conferencegdcgdc-2011iphonekeynotekeynote-addresskeynote-speechmobile-gamingPortalariumprivate-astronautprivate-astronaut-is-a-funny-termreinvent-roleplayingrichard-garriottroleplayingsocial-gamingtabula-rasaWed, 17 Aug 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nexon invests in social gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/nexon-invests-in-social-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/nexon-invests-in-social-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/04/nexon-invests-in-social-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Nexon, the creator of the action-based MMOs Dragon Nest and Vindictus, recently invested a significant amount of money in the Hong Kong-based social-gaming developer 6waves Lolapps. Gamasutra quotes Nexon CEO Seung-woo Choi as saying, "We made this investment because we believe that 6waves Lolapps places the same value that we do in providing exciting games to our players and driving growth for the company by doing so."

There is no direct link between this partnership and Nexon's announcing that its flagship MMO MapleStory will be spun off into a Facebook game called Maplestory Adventures, but 6Waves CEO Rex Ng believes the relationship between the two gaming companies can only benefit the player with great content and adventures in the long run.

This news comes on the coattails of another MMO developer, NCSoft, buying a smartphone application developer. The MMO space is expanding well beyond the at-home PC. The MMO gaming industry is integrating itself into more and more aspects of our daily lives, stretching the definition of "living world."

MassivelyNexon invests in social gaming originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6waves-LolappsDragon-Nestf2pfree-to-playftpMapleStoryncsoftNexonRex-NgSeung-woo-Choisocial-gamingVindictusThu, 04 Aug 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Raph Koster on the legacy of Star Wars Galaxies]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/raph-koster-on-the-legacy-of-star-wars-galaxies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/raph-koster-on-the-legacy-of-star-wars-galaxies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/24/raph-koster-on-the-legacy-of-star-wars-galaxies/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Amid all the internet commentary sure to be forthcoming over the next few days regarding Star Wars Galaxies and its upcoming swan-song, none of it is really as relevant as the thoughts of the man primarily responsible for designing the original game.

Raph Koster offers up a bit of commentary on SWG's demise via his personal website, and despite the brevity, he manages to touch on exactly why the game mattered to so many of us and why it will be sorely missed. "It gave us features that continue to amaze people who don't realize what can be done: Real economies complete with supply chains and wholesalers and shopkeepers, that amazing pet system, the moods and chat bubbles [...], player cities, vehicles, spaceflight," Koster says.

It also gave us dancing, and while many progression-focused gamers scoff at SWG's social features, Koster rightly concludes that they may well be the game's legacy since they allowed us to "stop saving the world or killing rats and realize the real scope and potential of the medium." In the end, Koster says that SWG's potential may have overshadowed the final product, but what remained was nonetheless a mold-breaking MMORPG. "I'd rather work on something with great potential than on fulfilling a promise of mediocrity. There's a reason people are passionate about it all these years later," he wrote.

MassivelyRaph Koster on the legacy of Star Wars Galaxies originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dancingeconomiesentertainersfeatureskosterlucasartsnon-combat-gameplaynoooooooooraph-kostersandboxsocial-gamingsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiessunsettingswgswg-shutting-downFri, 24 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott to deliver Game Developers Conference Europe keynote]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/15/richard-garriott-to-deliver-game-developers-conference-europe-ke/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/15/richard-garriott-to-deliver-game-developers-conference-europe-ke/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/15/richard-garriott-to-deliver-game-developers-conference-europe-ke/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Are you planning to venture to the wilds of Europe for the upcoming Game Developers Conference Europe? If so, you're in for a treat, as the father of Ultima will be delivering the keynote speech. That's right, the one and only spacefaring game developer Richard Garriott will give a presentation at the conference discussing social gaming, its future, and what mark it may leave on the gaming industry as a whole.

Garriott is perhaps known best for being the creator of the Ultima series (and the victim of assassination in the early days of Ultima Online), but his most recent foray in the industry came in the form of Portalarium, a social gaming company. Frank Sliwka, event director of GDC Europe, notes that "there are few developers with Richard Garriott's history, pedigree and vantage point, having been a defining force in the realm of traditional hardcore games, birthing the RPG and MMORPG genres, to now helping lead the way within the world of social games," so the speech will almost certainly be enlightening for anyone with an interest in the subject. GDC Europe will be taking place from August 15-17, so if you're looking to make the journey to gaming mecca, go ahead and start making plans!

MassivelyRichard Garriott to deliver Game Developers Conference Europe keynote originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game-developers-conferencegame-developers-conference-europegame-developers-conference-europe-2011gdcgdc-2011gdc-europegdc-europe-2011keynoteportalariumrichard-garriottsocial-gamingWed, 15 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott talks cross-game platforms and leaving MMOs behind]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/richard-garriott-talks-cross-game-platforms-and-leaving-mmos-beh/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/richard-garriott-talks-cross-game-platforms-and-leaving-mmos-beh/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/richard-garriott-talks-cross-game-platforms-and-leaving-mmos-beh/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Even though Richard Garriott has moved on from the days of Ultima Online and the sadly defunct Tabula Rasa, it's hard not to pay some attention to the man behind what's frequently considered the first modern MMO. A recent interview with Gamasutra reveals that the man himself is no longer really invested in MMOs as a genre, however. According to him, "Even the kinds of games that you might think I would make, I don't generally play, because they're often just too much of a hassle to get into them."

The bulk of the interview is dedicated to discussing Garriott's social gaming company, Portalarium, and his plans to try to leverage games into a shared network similar to Steam rather than using Facebook's built-in integration. It's a look into the man's latest project, which should prove of interest to those still following him, even if he's no longer interested in MMOs as such.

MassivelyRichard Garriott talks cross-game platforms and leaving MMOs behind originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>garriottinterviewmmo-industrynewsportalariumrichard-garriottsocial-gamingsocial-mediaFri, 10 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott discusses ongoing plans for Portalarium]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/richard-garriott-discusses-ongoing-plans-for-portalarium/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/richard-garriott-discusses-ongoing-plans-for-portalarium/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/10/richard-garriott-discusses-ongoing-plans-for-portalarium/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

As much as some may poke fun at Facebook and other social media based games, those games have an enormous market share that's still growing. Let's face it: These games attract not only all manner of gamers but also the most casual of non-gaming users, such as your Great-Aunt Martha or partners who generally dislike video games. With that in mind, Edge caught up with Richard Garriott at DICE Summit recently to catch up on how things are progressing with his foray into the social gaming world: Portalarium.

While we knew about Portalarium's initial offerings such as the card game, it appears that the company has much bigger plans in store. Garriott discusses the success of many of the titles in the social gaming space and how that relates to his own personal world-building experiences with Ultima Online. Further, he notes that Portalarium's current main title is "not a game about farming... operating a shop... [or] managing your pets." There is also some discussion of making in-game purchases tie to microlending sites like Kiva to benefit projects in other countries, which is certainly worth reading as well. If you're curious about where Portalarium is going or interested in reading some ideas from an industry vet, then pop over to Edge and check out the full interview with Garriott.

MassivelyRichard Garriott discusses ongoing plans for Portalarium originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualcasual-gamesdice-summitdice-summit-2011facebookkivamicrolendingmmo-industryportalariumrichard-garriottsocial-gamingsocial-mediaThu, 10 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Enter at Your Own Rift: Getting a head start]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/enter-at-your-own-rift-getting-a-head-start/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/enter-at-your-own-rift-getting-a-head-start/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/02/enter-at-your-own-rift-getting-a-head-start/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Dateline: Thursday, February 24th, 12:55 p.m. EST. After having rushed home from work (huzzah for a half-day), I was frantically putting the kids to bed for an afternoon nap and patching up my RIFT client. Twitter was abuzz with gamers sitting at the starting gate and revving their mice. It was here. After seven betas, it was here, and we would be the first in the door.

12:59 p.m. EST. Began checking the server status list, trying to will the dull grey names to light up as they signified activity.

1:00 p.m. EST. Scott Hartsman posts a short message on Twitter: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to RIFT."

Right on cue, the servers came up, and what felt like the entire population of Oregon tried to cram into the game all at once. By 1:01 p.m., when I logged in, my chosen server of Faeblight was already full and had 461 people in the queue. I was 462. It would be another 45 minutes until I was able to play the game proper.

Continue reading Enter at Your Own Rift: Getting a head start

MassivelyEnter at Your Own Rift: Getting a head start originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abigalebasketballfeaturedfootballhead-startholy-graillars-buttlerlaunchpick-up-gamesrealmsriftrift-planes-of-telarascott-hartsmanserversshardssoccersocialsocial-experiencesocial-gamesocial-gamingtriontrion-worldsturtleturtle-mountturtle-powertwitterworld-of-warcraftWed, 02 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[SWTOR's loss is Playdom's gain -- Gordon Walton]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/15/swtors-loss-is-playdoms-gain-gordon-walton/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/15/swtors-loss-is-playdoms-gain-gordon-walton/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/15/swtors-loss-is-playdoms-gain-gordon-walton/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's always a sad thing to see a developer leave your favorite game, especially when the game has yet to be released like Star Wars: The Old Republic. Last month, Gordon Walton stepped down as General Manager at BioWare Austin to take a job at the social gaming company Playdom. SWTOR media site Darth Hater quoted Community Manager Stephen Reid as saying, "With great thanks and appreciation, we say goodbye to Gordon Walton for helping bring the game to the phenomenal state it is in today [...] It is business as usual at all BioWare studios, where we remain committed to creating, delivering and evolving the most emotionally engaging games in the world."

Gordon Walton spoke quite frequently about MMOs as a business. He was not afraid to speak frankly to other developers. You may remember his GDC 2007 quote about "the grind" in most MMOs. He explained that the "object is not to keep people as long as humanly possible, but to provide entertainment. [The players] will do it, but they will hate you."

Walton was at BioWare for five years, and we at Massively look forward to seeing his work at Playdom. Good Luck, Gordon!

[Thank you Justin for the tip!]

MassivelySWTOR's loss is Playdom's gain -- Gordon Walton originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWareEAElectronic-Artsgordon-waltonLucasArtsPlaydomsocial-gamingStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicStephen-ReidSWTORthe-old-republictorTue, 15 Feb 2011 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Zynga sued over Facebook privacy breaches]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/zynga-sued-over-facebook-privacy-breaches/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/zynga-sued-over-facebook-privacy-breaches/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/zynga-sued-over-facebook-privacy-breaches/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Zynga and its stable of Facebook games have never exactly won the hearts of MMO fans, but they've managed to avoid a lawsuit up until now. Unfortunately for them, a class-action lawsuit has been filed today seeking monetary relief for the unwarranted and undesirable release of private information. Filed by Nancy Graf of St. Paul, MN, the suit also seeks an injunction to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future, in a direct response to Monday's news that several games and applications have been leaking private information.

Although Zynga was listed among the companies sending out private information, the company is claiming that the lawsuit is wholly without merit and will be fought accordingly. The full details on the suit are available from Gamasutra, with the security breaches still apparently being labeled as unintentional results as they were on Monday. We'll have more on the story as it develops, although it seems to be a definite black eye for one of the largest social gaming companies on the web.

MassivelyZynga sued over Facebook privacy breaches originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>class-action-suitfacebookfacebook-gamesfarmvillelawsuitlegalprivacyprivacy-issuesprivacy-leaksocial-gamingzyngaWed, 20 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gen Con 2010: Massively's interview with Wizard101]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/10/gen-con-2010-massivelys-interview-with-wizard101/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/10/gen-con-2010-massivelys-interview-with-wizard101/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/10/gen-con-2010-massivelys-interview-with-wizard101/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Wizard101, the free-to-play game from Kingsisle, has been gaining a bit more attention lately. The announcement of the upcoming Celestia expansion turned a few heads with its promise of a new level cap, a pet system, and new content, and as the release date approaches, the Kingsisle team has plenty to say about the game.

We had the opportunity to chat with the developers last week at Gen Con, and if you're curious as to what the fuss is all about, you're in luck. We discussed the the game's past, present and future, and gained a great overview of what Kingsisle hopes to accomplish in the coming months.

Follow along after the jump to see what we discussed!

Continue reading Gen Con 2010: Massively's interview with Wizard101

MassivelyGen Con 2010: Massively's interview with Wizard101 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>celestiaf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpgen-congen-con-2010gen-con-indygencon-2010interviewkidskingsislekingsisle-entertainmentsocial-gamingwizard101Tue, 10 Aug 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Social gaming company Playdom acquires Metaplace Inc.]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/12/social-gaming-company-playdom-acquires-metaplace-inc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/12/social-gaming-company-playdom-acquires-metaplace-inc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/12/social-gaming-company-playdom-acquires-metaplace-inc/#commentsFiled under: ,

It seems as though Playdom has added Metaplace Inc. as a Facebook friend. While earlier this year Metaplace closed up shop, Ralph Koster dangled a morsel of hope for fans by saying that "Metaplace Inc. isn't about to go away. In fact, we have some pretty exciting plans to announce in the not too distant future." Consider that "not too distant future" a present reality, as Metaplace Inc. has been purchased by social gaming company Playdom. The deal includes the transfer of the Metaplace Inc. game design group over to Playdom's domain.

Metaplace Inc. was focusing on two Facebook games, Island Life and My Vineyard, prior to its closing. Both games boast an impressive number of players: Island Life with 457,000 monthly users and My Vineyard with 822,000.

Playdom is especially excited to get their hands on Metaplace's technology. "We think the Metaplace engine is a competitive advantage in that it will take other companies years to duplicate its capabilities which will streamline and quicken our game development cycles," said David Sobeski, Playdom's CTO. Metaplace Inc.'s purchase is the latest in a string of studio acquisitions for Playdom, including Acclaim Games in May.

Metaplace's technology, team and games represent a significant step forward for Playdom, and we're interested to see how the social gaming firm handles its new toys in the future.

MassivelySocial gaming company Playdom acquires Metaplace Inc. originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acclaim-gamesdavid-sobeskifacebookgobbling-up-studios-and-belching-successisland-lifemetaplacemetaplace-incmy-vineyardplaydomralph-kostersocial-gamessocial-gamingMon, 12 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Linden Lab CEO steps down]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/24/linden-lab-ceo-steps-down/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/24/linden-lab-ceo-steps-down/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/24/linden-lab-ceo-steps-down/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


TechCrunch has announced more changes in the works for Linden Lab's troubled Second Life virtual world. On the heels of a move that laid off 30 percent of its workforce, the company has announced that CEO Mark Kingdon will be stepping down and giving way to Linden founder Philip Rosedale in an interim capacity. Additionally, CFO Bob Komin has taken on the role of COO.

Linden has yet to announce a definitive reason for the upper-management restructuring, but many are speculating that the company will be looking to add a CEO with experience in the burgeoning social networking scene.

Rosedale, posting on the Linden blog, had the following to say regarding the moves: "Our thinking as a team is that my returning to the CEO job now can bring a product and technology focus that will help rapidly improve Second Life. We need to simplify and focus our product priorities - concentrating all our capabilities on making Second Life easier to use and better for the core experiences that it is delivering today. I think that I can be a great help and a strong leader in that process."


Are you a part of the most widely-known collaborative virtual environment or keeping a close eye on it? Massively's Second Life coverage keeps you in the loop.

MassivelyLinden Lab CEO steps down originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bob-kominlindenlinden-labmark-kingdonphilip-rosedalesecond-lifesocial-gamingvirtual-worldsThu, 24 Jun 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Brad McQuaid returns, forms new company]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/21/brad-mcquaid-returns-forms-new-company/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/21/brad-mcquaid-returns-forms-new-company/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/21/brad-mcquaid-returns-forms-new-company/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Brad McQuaid, the former CEO of Sigil Games and one of the driving creative forces behind Vanguard: Saga of Heroes and the original EverQuest, has announced his return to gaming after a three-year hiatus. Lost amid the hubbub of last week's E3 deluge was an announcement on McQuaid's personal blog that served as both a news update as well as a job recruitment posting for his new company.

"After a needed three[-]year break from 11 years of working on massively multiplayer games with the large teams, budgets, and 3-5 year development cycles[,] I think this will be a nice change of pace. I'm also very excited to be involved in a genre that is relatively new to me. I look forward to bringing MMO design principles to casual/social gaming," he wrote.

Dust off your resumes and view the full announcement on McQuaid's blog.

MassivelyBrad McQuaid returns, forms new company originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brad-mcquaidcasual-gamingeverquestsocial-gamingvanguardVanguard-Saga-of-HeroesMon, 21 Jun 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Offer based incentives added to Nexon games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/07/offer-based-incentives-added-to-nexon-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/07/offer-based-incentives-added-to-nexon-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/07/offer-based-incentives-added-to-nexon-games/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It's long been a known fact that most "free" services are supported largely by advertising. MMOs, by and large, have stayed away from the advertising model, instead opting for item shops and subscription fees to turn a profit. Nexon America, however, has decided to go in a different direction -- and you can probably guess what it is straight from the introduction. The company, producer of the popular games MapleStory and Mabinogi among others, will be adding offer-based advertising in exchange for item shop cash starting at an undisclosed time.

The nature of the offers isn't stated, but it seems poised to run in a similar methodology to Facebook-based games, albeit hopefully without the sometimes rampant scams. No word on whether or not the ads will intrude on gameplay itself, but it seems unlikely -- and at least for now, they simply remain another option on the main site to earn item shop currency without money. Still, it's a notable change in model, and not something that's commonly seen outside of the realm of social gaming. Only time will tell how players will react.

MassivelyOffer based incentives added to Nexon games originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ad-based-offersadvertisementsfacebookfacebook-gamesmabinogimaplestorymsnexonnexon-americasocial-gamingWed, 07 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott and the choppy waters of social gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/06/richard-garriot-and-the-choppy-waters-of-social-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/06/richard-garriot-and-the-choppy-waters-of-social-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/06/richard-garriot-and-the-choppy-waters-of-social-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The term "social games" or its frequently-used cousin "Facebook games" is one that gets talked about a lot by MMO gamers these days. Specifically, it gets talked about in a similar tone to the UbiSoft DRM nightmare or the entire Infinity Ward fiasco. So it's going to turn some heads -- and raise some hackles -- when Richard Garriott moves into the social gaming scene. Creator of the genre-setting Ultima Online and the much-discussed Tabula Rasa, Garriott has explained in an interview with Gamasutra why he made the shift and what he thinks of the social gaming scene as it stands now.

In short, he sees in social and mobile games the same things that marked other major shifts in the overall philosophy of making games, making them the next big wave. It's not an uncommon sentiment, but he goes on to point out that many of the virtues these games have, such as no installation and no up-front cost, are desirable traits in any game. He goes on to discuss stories in games and how he thinks that even social games can have them, even as he advocates less emphasis on freeform player-generated narratives. Take a look at the full interview to get a clearer picture on what we can expect from Garriott next -- and considering his place in the field of MMOs, it should be notable.

MassivelyRichard Garriott and the choppy waters of social gaming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>controversyfacebookfacebook-gamesgarriottinterviewsrichard-garriottsocial-gamessocial-gamingtabula-rasatrultimaultima-onlineuoTue, 06 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Flash Games Summit looks at social gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/09/flash-games-summit-looks-at-social-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/09/flash-games-summit-looks-at-social-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/09/flash-games-summit-looks-at-social-gaming/#commentsFiled under: ,

The arena of social gaming is a hotly contested one, with two equally enthusiastic schools of thought on whether or not they even count as MMOs. Regardless of your opinion, social gaming is here to stay, and more and more developers are turning their attention to the games (and the profits they potentially represent.) The very nature of social gaming allows development teams to take it in either direction: a distinctly non-MMO direction such as Bejeweled, or the ever-growing MMO format.

It's a relatively new and growing market, and several developers sat down earlier today to take a look at it during the Flash Games Summit. Moderator Sana Choudray of Traffichoney led a discussion of what is needed for a successful social game, as well as where they stand now and where they will go in the future.

While the developers acknowledged that social gaming is lacking at the moment, they all agreed that it's only going to grow over the next year or two. The full discussion is well worth a read.

MassivelyFlash Games Summit looks at social gaming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookFacebookGamesflash-gamesflash-games-summitsana-choudraysocial-gamessocial-gamingTue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Faunasphere goes Facebook]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/faunasphere-goes-facebook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/faunasphere-goes-facebook/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/faunasphere-goes-facebook/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

We've received word today from the team over at Faunasphere that they're taking their game over to the land of Facebook, to show the "social gamers" what a MMO really is.

Faunsphere Facebook and Faunsphere.com will be linked together into one large world, letting users from both realms interact with one another. The game will continue to run on the same microtransaction system, where users can buy additional items for their fauna and commission scientific tests to know more about the hidden skills that lie in their favorite animals.

All we can do now is pray that this style of game catches on in Facebook, so when we ask our friends if they play any MMOs, they don't respond with, "Oh, yeah, Farmville!" Then, we won't feel the need to throttle people.

MassivelyFaunasphere goes Facebook originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>animalsbig-fish-gamesfacebookfacebook-appsfacebook-gamesfaunafaunasphereflash-based-mmoflash-mmosocial-gamessocial-gamingThu, 18 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Fringe: The Dos and Don'ts of Facebook games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/14/the-fringe-the-dos-and-donts-of-facebook-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/14/the-fringe-the-dos-and-donts-of-facebook-games/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/14/the-fringe-the-dos-and-donts-of-facebook-games/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Welcome to The Fringe, where we totter on the edge of MMOs with a guide for playing Facebook games.

When we asked on the Daily Grind if you played Facebook games, many of you said you did. But Facebook is very polarizing. Some people love the games, while others don't see them as games at all and hate everything having to do with them. It doesn't help that there's so much spam associated with most of the games. But those of us who do play know that there are a wide variety and that many of them include the same gameplay that our favorite MMOs have. We get XP, levels, acquire loot, make avatars, play minigames within the games, quest, trade items and even participate in PvP. The sim games are extremely popular and require quite a bit of strategy for proper allocation of resources. But if you don't like text adventure games or never got into games like old school SimCity, you're not going to get the Facebook versions either.

If you do play these MMO-lite games, there are things you can do to get the most out of your play sessions. And there are things you shouldn't do so that you don't annoy your friends (as much) nor imbalance your life. Those of us who have spent time playing casual games of all kinds know that they can suck you in even more than full-blown MMOs. Most of us can't play WoW at work, but casual games with their low resource consumption and their easy access are tempting when work isn't keeping our full attention. This applies to games like solitaire, but add the comeraderie and variety of Facebook games and we can be even more tempted to play when we shouldn't. So here are some general Dos and Don'ts:

Continue reading The Fringe: The Dos and Don'ts of Facebook games

MassivelyThe Fringe: The Dos and Don'ts of Facebook games originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cafe-worldcountry-lifefacebookfacebook-gamesfeaturedguidesocialsocial-gamingthe-fringeSun, 14 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Civilization Network bringing Facebook persistence to Sid Meiers' series]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/21/civilization-network-bringing-facebook-persistence-to-sid-meiers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/21/civilization-network-bringing-facebook-persistence-to-sid-meiers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/21/civilization-network-bringing-facebook-persistence-to-sid-meiers/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Civilization Network may not exactly be an MMO, but it's the closest a new game in the series has ever come to the concept. The announcement isn't too surprising as we've heard rumors in the past of a potential persistent version of the game being developed. Frankly, it's nice to finally know the pioneering developer's next game.

Meier himself explains the general design goal of Civilization Network on the official Facebook page, and it's more or less all about cooperation with friends and family. That's not to say there's no competition either, but the biggest edge a social networking game has is similar to an MMO -- cooperation with other players.

We'll be watching this project closely, as the blending of MMO qualities with a series like Civilization is by far abnormal. The next piece of the puzzle is the game's business model, but as of yet there's been no announcement of how Firaxis plans on making any money with the game. You can watch for beta news on the game's official Facebook page, and we highly suggest it.

MassivelyCivilization Network bringing Facebook persistence to Sid Meiers' series originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>civilizationcivilization-networkfacebookfacebook-appsfiraxissid-meiersocial-gamingsocial-networkingsocial-networksWed, 21 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: Socially awkward]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/31/anti-aliased-socially-awkward/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/31/anti-aliased-socially-awkward/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/31/anti-aliased-socially-awkward/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


So, ok, we've been talking about Champions Online recently here in the column. Been talking about it a lot, as a matter of fact. I don't feel like risking having this column turn into a Champions love fest (as much fun as I'm having with the game), so we're going to change gears significantly this time and get onto a completely new train of thought.

This week's topic: social gameplay. No, I don't mean those games you play obsessively/compulsively on Facebook or your social network of choice. I'm talking about how some aspects of gameplay completely rely on human interaction, for better or for worse. It's present in all of our games, but are we really taking advantage of it? We're going to take a look at some games that do take advantage of human-powered conflict, and why, perhaps, it might be a wave of the future for online games.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: Socially awkward

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: Socially awkward originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anti-aliasedclassdynamic-contentemergenceeve-onlineface-of-mankindfeaturedguildjoystiqfeaturesrolesshootersocialsocial-gamingsocial-networkingMon, 31 Aug 2009 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Expanding choices in social gaming and Flash MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/30/expanding-choices-in-social-gaming-and-flash-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/30/expanding-choices-in-social-gaming-and-flash-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/30/expanding-choices-in-social-gaming-and-flash-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

There seems be an endless tide of online games and virtual worlds being made available to us, with more always on the way. Some of them are well-known and need little introduction, such as Second Life, Playstation Home, and Facebook games, to name just a few. But there's plenty more out there, some of which falls into the standard 'MMO' category, although it's a label that we find is steadily blurring as time goes on.

Darren Gladstone, Senior Writer at PC World, has put together "The Social Gaming Guide" for his Casual Friday column. In it he explores some of the mainstays of social gaming like the options found within Second Life and Facebook, but also sheds light on some lesser known alternatives. Gladstone discusses some of the choices gamers have with The Casual Collective, which he describes as "a cool casual-gaming waterhole created by the minds behind DTD," or Desktop Tower Defense. He looks at Whirled, an open-source gaming community which is home to Flash MMOs. "For players, Whirled is an awesome collection of hundreds of games, broken out by category and just waiting for you to jump in," Gladstone writes. Forthcoming Facebook integration will also add more dimensions to gameplay at Whirled.

Continue reading Expanding choices in social gaming and Flash MMOs

MassivelyExpanding choices in social gaming and Flash MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activexbrowsercasualcasual-gamesdarren-gladstonef2pfacebookfree-to-playhomeinstantactionmoondopc-worldplaystation-homesocial-gamessocial-gamingthe-casual-collectivewhirledSun, 30 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why user-generated content matters in MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/why-user-generated-content-matters-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/why-user-generated-content-matters-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/21/why-user-generated-content-matters-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Social Gaming Summit, held in San Francisco last Friday, has been explored here on the site by our own Akela Talamasca. Today the Worlds in Motion blog has a great writeup of a panel on user-generated content, with an emphasis on how that concept applies to online gaming. Industry luminaries including Three Rings' Daniel James touched base with attendees on what makes user content so compelling, why users create, and what game makers can do to incorporate player creations.

Most interesting was their observation that virtual spaces were more important than virtual worlds per se. Jeremy Monroe, Director of Business Development for the makers of Habbo Hotel, offered this: "You have to make sure that you're bringing content that is suitable to all players in the world. So when we bring a piece of content that skews to one demographic we have to make sure that we bring more content that skews to the other demographics. Some games try to create different servers, such as a PvP vs. PvP situation. You have to give everybody equal opportunity and an equal number of tools to express themselves."

MassivelyWhy user-generated content matters in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>daniel-jamesmmossocial-gamingsocial-gaming-summituser-created-contentvirtual-spacesvirtual-worldsSat, 21 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Is Facebook gaming 'the next big thing'?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/is-facebook-gaming-the-next-big-thing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/is-facebook-gaming-the-next-big-thing/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/29/is-facebook-gaming-the-next-big-thing/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Worlds in Motion recently covered events at the InterPlay Conference in San Francisco. InterPlay is devoted to social gaming, and is billed as 'the premier conference on the business of games on the Social Web.' Among the speakers at InterPlay were Charles Yong and Jing Chen, co-founders of Developer Analytics. The company offers a social networking metrics platform that provides a leaderboard of the top Facebook applications, where casual games predictably rank high. Their talk focused on the monetization of social games and the feasibility of adding greater depth to casual games, an opportunity that's drawing a 'significant surge of venture capital funding,' Worlds in Motion reports.

On the topic of generating more revenue from social games, Charles Yong said, "Social gaming is where the really great monetization is at. You can prototype with little to no money down. The whole premise of this is that marketing cost is really, really low, compared to a real game, like Grand Theft Auto IV." Before casual gamers could take offense at this statement, Yong clarified that casual gamers can be hardcore about their chosen style of play, but "they haven't seen GTA IV, they haven't seen Half-Life 2, and real money is coming out of virtual goods and currency."

Continue reading Is Facebook gaming 'the next big thing'?

MassivelyIs Facebook gaming 'the next big thing'? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 May 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualcasual-gamesdeveloper-analyticseconomyfacebookgtahalf-lifehardcoreinterplaymonetizationsocialsocial-gamingworlds-in-motionThu, 29 May 2008 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: Facebook and the social gaming revolution]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/19/gdc08-facebook-and-the-social-gaming-revolution/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/19/gdc08-facebook-and-the-social-gaming-revolution/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/19/gdc08-facebook-and-the-social-gaming-revolution/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


We can hear what you're thinking. Facebook, a gaming platform? It's what we thought, too, when we attended the Facebook and the new web of Social Gaming panel at the Worlds in Motion summit yesterday afternoon. "Facebook" and "gaming" didn't seem to belong together in the same sentence. But as it turns out, Facebook and similar social networks aren't just for making friends anymore -- they're also a lucrative platform for viral web-based games. The numbers these games are hitting are similar to Second Life's and they're targeting a demographic the rest of the industry doesn't touch: not women, not teens, not ages 18 to 25, but people.

Social networks such as Facebook already have an immense audience -- the question is, once you have all of these people connected together through Facebook, what are they supposed to do? I'm sure you've already guessed the answer: game.

Continue reading GDC08: Facebook and the social gaming revolution

MassivelyGDC08: Facebook and the social gaming revolution originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>facebookfeaturedgdcgdc08gdc08fanboymyspacesocial-gamingwarbookTue, 19 Feb 2008 07:30:00 EST