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[Hands-on with End of Nations]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/hands-on-with-end-of-nations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/hands-on-with-end-of-nations/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/29/hands-on-with-end-of-nations/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

End of Nations
Real-time strategy games aren't exactly in vogue at the moment. The genre is far from dead, but modern RTS games, with the notable exception of StarCraft, don't tend to appeal to as broad an audience as do MMOs. Trion Worlds and Petroglyph's proposed answer to genre stagnation is the upcoming MMORTS End of Nations. In fact, Trion thinks that what's really lacking in the RTS genre is a persistent world, one filled with robots and post-apocalyptic fascism.

The team behind End of Nations has some serious industry cred. Publisher Trion Worlds is notable for its remarkably smooth-launching MMO, RIFT. Developer Petroglyph's pedigree is no less respectable (if a little dated), with titles like 1992's Dune II (widely credited for having inspired the Warcraft series of RTS games) and the original 1995 Command and Conquer under its belt.

My time with this game was spent during the alpha testing phase, and many things might change between now and launch. Still, the bones of the game were there, and I'm happy to share my findings with you, discerning readers. From what I saw and experienced, End of Nations just might have what it takes to become the first "triple-A" MMORTS.

Gallery: End of Nations

Continue reading Hands-on with End of Nations

MassivelyHands-on with End of Nations originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphabetabetasCommand-and-Conquerend-of-nationseonexclusivef2pfeaturedfree-to-playhands-onimpressionsmmortsorder-of-nationspatriotpetroglyphPetroglyph-Gamespreviewpreviewsriskrtsstarcrafttriontrion-worldsvoice-chatvoipWed, 29 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Starcraft Universe MMO mod testable through October 30th]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/starcraft-universe-mmo-mod-testable-through-october-30th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/starcraft-universe-mmo-mod-testable-through-october-30th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/19/starcraft-universe-mmo-mod-testable-through-october-30th/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

StarCraft Universe - PvP screenshot
You may remember StarCraft Universe, the fan-made MMO mod that received an official Blizzard blessing earlier this year. Development on the project is moving right along, and the mod team has left fans with a nifty present as it gets ready to head to BlizzCon.

StarCraft Universe PvP is playable as of today via Battle.net, but you'd better hurry because the fun only lasts through October 30th. At that point, the game will be taken down "for further polishing since technically it isn't even ready for an open beta."

The playable portion features an arena called the Encephalon Grid, and testers will start at level 30 (fully geared). Every class is available, and players may also be able to unlock additional abilities by winning enough matches. Check out the full press blurb on the mod's official website, and get a load of the PvP video after the cut.

Continue reading Starcraft Universe MMO mod testable through October 30th

MassivelyStarcraft Universe MMO mod testable through October 30th originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle.netbetablizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentencephalon-gridmodspvpryan-winzensci-fiscifistarcraftstarcraft-universevideoworld-of-starcraftWed, 19 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard quashes speculation about a potential World of StarCraft]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/blizzard-quashes-speculation-about-a-potential-world-of-starcraf/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/blizzard-quashes-speculation-about-a-potential-world-of-starcraf/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/17/blizzard-quashes-speculation-about-a-potential-world-of-starcraf/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As the kids say, headshot.
There's a very good reason why the now-infamous World of StarCraft mod had so many people so excited -- it seems like a pretty obvious project. After all, Blizzard has certainly made a big impression on the MMO world with World of Warcraft, so it seems like a no-brainer that their science fiction RTS might follow a similar path. Unfortunately, those of you waiting for just such an announcement have been told the exact opposite -- Blizzard currently has no plans to adapt the StarCraft setting to an MMO.

According to senior VP Frank Pearce, it's not so much a case of not liking the idea as not having available staff and time to pursue the angle, with the company's teams currently occupied by Diablo III, the mysterious Titan project, further sequels to StarCraft II, and of course World of Warcraft. While the title remains in Blizzard's trademark arsenal, it doesn't look as if the company will be using it for a game any time in the near future. It's good news for players who want the series to remain as an RTS, but bad news for the many fans hoping to make their own mark on the galaxy.

MassivelyBlizzard quashes speculation about a potential World of StarCraft originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-activisionindustryopinionrumorsstarcraftstarcraft-2starcraft-iiworld-of-starcraftWed, 17 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Starcraft Universe alpha gameplay video released]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/18/starcraft-universe-alpha-gameplay-video-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/18/starcraft-universe-alpha-gameplay-video-released/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/18/starcraft-universe-alpha-gameplay-video-released/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

What if the year's most noteworthy MMO release wasn't a mega-budget corporate themepark but a crazy-detailed mod produced by a tiny team of fans? A lot of gamers out there would love to see a StarCraft-flavored MMORPG, and modder Ryan Winzen is in the process of making that dream a reality with StarCraft Universe, a total conversion for Blizzard's StarCraft II that turns the strategy title into a full-blown massively multiplayer experience.

Eurogamer has published a four-minute video of the mod in action, and viewers will get a good look at the alpha-state UI, combat, and a glimpse of character creation before the clip is done. As to the legalities involved, we reported earlier this year on Winzen's amicable accord with Blizzard, and though the gaming giant invoked its right to block the distribution of videos promoting the mod, it allowed development on the project to continue.

MassivelyStarcraft Universe alpha gameplay video released originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alphaalpha-videoblizzardfan-projectsgameplaymodmodsryan-winzensci-fistarcraftstarcraft-iistarcraft-universetotal-conversiontrailerworld-of-starcraftMon, 18 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist traces his Lineage: The highlights]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/07/the-game-archaeologist-traces-his-lineage-the-highlights/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/07/the-game-archaeologist-traces-his-lineage-the-highlights/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/07/the-game-archaeologist-traces-his-lineage-the-highlights/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If we judged MMOs by their numbers alone -- and I'm not suggesting we do so -- then Lineage would be the crowing rooster strutting about the hen house. It's also been one of those games that I've always intellectually acknowledged was a huge hit for some reason, but I never gave it much attention. I think it's because, contrary to many of the "big name" games we cover here, Lineage was and always will be an Asian phenomenon. That doesn't mean it should be shunned, of course, but just that it may be difficult to understand when you're on the outside of it.

So let's back up the memory truck to September 1998, when a then-fledgling NCsoft rolled out a Diablo-esque isometric MMO and struck virtual gold in South Korea. At the time, gaming rooms were becoming a huge thing in the country; a recession had hit (giving people a lot of time with nothing to do), and the government was rapidly expanding the broadband network. In the face of this perfect storm, titles like StarCraft and Lineage became overnight household fixtures -- and the country hasn't looked back.

Even if you haven't played Lineage and you don't know anyone who does, trust me: There are a lot of people playing this 13-year-old title, to the tune of millions and millions. As former Senior Producer Chris Mahnken said, "Lineage keeps going because it's just plain fun."

This month we'll be looking back at the incredible legacy that Lineage has given the industry, starting with an overview of the highlights of these past 13 years. Hit the jump and mind the gap!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist traces his Lineage: The highlights

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist traces his Lineage: The highlights originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionarchageasianasian-grinderbloodpledgebloodpledgesbroadbandChris-Mahnkendiablodungeon-crawlfeaturedguild-warshackjake-songkorealineagelineage-2lineage-iincsoftnethacknexuspvprichard-garriottrobert-garriottroguerogue-likeShin-Il-sooksouth-koreastarcrafttabula-rasaTack-Jin-Kimthe-game-archaeologistYoung-ParkTue, 07 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: 2029 Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/03/rise-and-shiny-recap-2029-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/03/rise-and-shiny-recap-2029-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/03/rise-and-shiny-recap-2029-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

You can't win them all, as they say. I suppose that has to be true in any field or occupation. I try to find the coolest indie, free-to-play and odd little games to show you guys in this column, but of course I don't always play them ahead of time (I haven't played every single game in existence yet), so I might wind up with a dud occasionally. I try to give them a fair chance, though, and will play them as long as they let me.

Unless, of course, a game fights me almost every step of the way. If there is one person who is understanding and who will give a fair chance to pretty much any game on Earth, I'm the one. I will forgive glitches and mistakes in smaller or lesser-known games because I have to. If I had some of the standards of some of our readers and writers, I would only be talking to you about RIFT and Lord of the Rings Online. There's nothing wrong with that, but I think it's safe to say that even broken games like 2029 Online deserve a chance.

So I gave it one. Heck, I gave it several. Click past the cut and I'll tell you all about it.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: 2029 Online

MassivelyRise and Shiny recap: 2029 Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 03 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20292029-onlineatlantica-onlineauto-pathingbeau-hindmanbot-systemf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftphot-messIGGigg-gamesLiveStreamLiveStreamingNexonrtsstarcraftstarcraft-2Sun, 03 Apr 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard plays nice with World of StarCraft modder]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/blizzard-plays-nice-with-world-of-starcraft-modder/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/blizzard-plays-nice-with-world-of-starcraft-modder/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/blizzard-plays-nice-with-world-of-starcraft-modder/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Gaming giant Blizzard Entertainment has officially weighed in on the World of StarCraft controversy, and the verdict is something of a happy ending for fans of the MMO-flavored mod and its mastermind Ryan Winzen. Gamasutra reports that Winzen has been invited to meet the StarCraft II development team, and his hard work won't be for naught despite the removal of his YouTube preview videos.

"It was never our intention to stop development on the mod or discourage the community from expressing their creativity through the StarCraft II editor. As always, we actively encourage development of custom maps and mods for StarCraft II, as we've done with our strategy games in the past," Blizzard said in a prepared statement.

The company went on to explain that issuing a take-down order for the offending videos is part of its standard procedure when dealing with fan mods and possible copyright infringement and that it is "looking forward to seeing development of the mod continue," according to Gamasutra.

MassivelyBlizzard plays nice with World of StarCraft modder originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BlizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentgamasutralegalmmo-industrymoddingmodsryan-winzenstarcraftstarcraft-2starcraft-iiworld-of-starcraftFri, 21 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Massively: It's my birthday and I'll devote a column title to it if I want to edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/ask-massively-its-my-birthday-and-ill-devote-a-column-title-t/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/ask-massively-its-my-birthday-and-ill-devote-a-column-title-t/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/20/ask-massively-its-my-birthday-and-ill-devote-a-column-title-t/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Yes, 28 years ago, something very special (to me, anyway) happened. That means that while I'm going to spend the day on my usual cocktail of whatever the heck I do, I get the opportunity to make Ask Massively's opening even more of a non sequitor than it normally is. Here, have a screenshot from one of the worst-animated episodes in all of the original Transformers cartoon. I swear that looks bad even in a still frame.

It was either this shot or the one of Blaster and Ultra Magnus getting married. (That's what it looks like, anyway.)

Now that I've gotten that out of my system for another 10 minutes or so, we can move on to this week's column, which is sadly devoid of giant robots. It does have questions about DC Universe Online and the sad story of World of Starcraft's rise and subsequent fall, so I still get to indulge in things that I like. And birthday or not, questions can be left in the comment field or mailed along to ask@massively.com.

Continue reading Ask Massively: It's my birthday and I'll devote a column title to it if I want to edition

MassivelyAsk Massively: It's my birthday and I'll devote a column title to it if I want to edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-massivelybackstorydc-universe-onlinedcuofan-projectsfeaturedloreopinionq-and-aquestions-and-answersscsc2sciistarcraftstarcraft-2starcraft-iiworld-of-starcraftwosThu, 20 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of StarCraft modders clash with Activision Blizzard]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/world-of-starcraft-modders-clash-with-activision-blizzard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/world-of-starcraft-modders-clash-with-activision-blizzard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/19/world-of-starcraft-modders-clash-with-activision-blizzard/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Last night, we brought you the news that a talented StarCraft II modder had begun developing a full MMO based in the StarCraft II engine. World of StarCraft, as the mod came to be known, used the game's open modding and map-editing tools to produce some pretty impressive MMO-style mechanics. But the project has not been officially endorsed by Activision or Blizzard Entertainment, who own the rights to the StarCraft intellectual property.

Given the huge popularity of both StarCraft and StarCraft II, an MMO based in that setting would be a sure bet to attract a lot of interest. There has even been speculation that Blizzard may be planning to develop an official StarCraft MMO in the near future -- a move that, after the rampant popularity of World of Warcraft, would seem like a no-brainer.

Today brings some bad news for fans of the World of StarCraft mod and its development, as Activision has finally taken notice. The alpha trailer released on YouTube has been removed at the request of Activision, the reason being cited as copyright and intellectual property violations. This may pertain to the use of StarCraft II material in a game trailer, the similarity of the name to World of Warcraft's, or something else entirely. Whatever the reason for it, it's clear that it won't be plain sailing for the development of this popular StarCraft II mod.

MassivelyWorld of StarCraft modders clash with Activision Blizzard originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionActivision-BlizzardBlizzardBlizzard-EntertainmentDMCAlegalmoddingmodding-communitystarcraftstarcraft-2starcraft-iitrailervideoYouTubeWed, 19 Jan 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[StarCraft II turned into World of StarCraft by enterprising fan]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/18/starcraft-ii-turned-into-world-of-starcraft-by-enterprising-fan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/18/starcraft-ii-turned-into-world-of-starcraft-by-enterprising-fan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/18/starcraft-ii-turned-into-world-of-starcraft-by-enterprising-fan/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

World of StarCraft is, by all indications, high on the list of desirable games that have never been announced or even hinted at. It's certainly a universe ripe for development, and it's not as if Blizzard doesn't know anything about running an MMO. But why wait for an official release when you can put the game together yourself? That's what's behind the rather intuitively named project making the rounds today -- an effort to use the powerful map editor in StarCraft II to create a full MMO within the existing game's framework.

While development is still in the very early stages, and of course the project is wholly unofficial, it's a fascinating use of player-edited gameplay as well as a display of just how much people want to play in the world as an MMO. Take a look at the trailer past the cut to see the surprising amount of work that's been done on converting the RTS into a more familiar genre -- although bear in mind that the official forums have been getting rather hammered before you go nuts.

Continue reading StarCraft II turned into World of StarCraft by enterprising fan

MassivelyStarCraft II turned into World of StarCraft by enterprising fan originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardblizzard-entertainmentfan-projectfan-worknewsscsc2sciistarcraftstarcraft-2starcraft-iivideoworld-of-starcraftwosTue, 18 Jan 2011 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Analysts speculate on leaked Blizzard release schedule]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/09/analysts-speculate-on-leaked-blizzard-release-schedule/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/09/analysts-speculate-on-leaked-blizzard-release-schedule/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/09/analysts-speculate-on-leaked-blizzard-release-schedule/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Last week's leak of a series of internal documents detailing Blizzard's upcoming products has taken a turn away from tabloid headlines with reports of a full investigation underway at the gaming behemoth's China offices. The leak, brought to light by MMOGameSite.com, may be linked to the recent resignation of Ye Weilun, Blizzard China's general manager.

Among other things, the leaked documents indicated that Blizzard could be releasing Diablo 3 and something Starcraft 2-related (dubbed "Phoenix") in 2011. The 5-year roadmap also shows two new World of Warcraft expansions and Blizzard's long-rumored WoW followup, an MMO code-named Titan.

While much of the information surrounding the leak should be taken with a grain of salt (Blizzard has yet to officially confirm any information relating to the story), several analysts and industry reporters have speculated that the scenario seems entirely plausible.

MassivelyAnalysts speculate on leaked Blizzard release schedule originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Blizzardblizzard entertainmentblizzard-chinaBlizzard-Entertainmentblizzard-titanBlizzardEntertainmentdiablo-3rumorstarcrafttitanWorld-of-Warcraftwowwow-expansionThu, 09 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[G-Star 2010: From the show floor]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/18/g-star-2010-from-the-show-floor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/18/g-star-2010-from-the-show-floor/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/18/g-star-2010-from-the-show-floor/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

With the booming popularity of Korean games in western culture, the G-Star convention in Busan, South Korea is quickly turning into an international event. We had an opportunity to attend the four-day convention to see the latest and greatest from Korean online gaming.

Follow along after the jump as I describe my experiences on the first day of the convention, as well as take a look at what else you can expect as we go into days two, three and four.

Continue reading G-Star 2010: From the show floor

MassivelyG-Star 2010: From the show floor originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionarcheageblade-and-soulBlizzardbusanen-masseen-masse-entertainmentg-starg-star-2010gstarGuild-Wars-2hangamejake-songkim-jung-jukingdom-under-fireKingdom-Under-Fire-2korealineagemabinogi-heroesmassively-event-coveragencsoftnexonopinionpusansouth-koreastar-wars-the-old-republicstarcraftstarcraft-2starcraft-iiswtorteravindictusWorld-of-WarcraftxlgamesThu, 18 Nov 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BlizzCon sold out; additional conventions cannot be launched]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/blizzcon-sold-out-additional-conventions-cannot-be-launched/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/blizzcon-sold-out-additional-conventions-cannot-be-launched/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/07/blizzcon-sold-out-additional-conventions-cannot-be-launched/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you had planned to spend the summer mowing lawns and scraping together enough dough to attend BlizzCon this fall, you're already too late. After going on sale this past Wednesday, all 20,000 tickets to the event were snatched up quickly. ZAM reports that the first batch of tickets on Wednesday were sold out in 23 minutes, and the second batch on Saturday in 28 minutes. The official Blizzard Store page simply notes now that "BlizzCon 2010 Tickets Currently Unavailable."

This is certainly no surprise considering that past BlizzCons proved to be one of the most popular conventions of the year, with ticket scalping at a premium. Currently, some desperate Blizzard fans are combing through eBay for scalped tickets, although high prices and Blizzard asking eBay to crack down on such sales make this a difficult alternative. Blizzard is also requiring photo ID this year to match tickets as a way to limit these transactions.

Fortunately, there is hope for Blizzard fans: they will once again offer virtual passes to the convention through DirecTV as a Pay Per View event available through satellite and multi-channel Internet stream. The virtual pass enables fans to watch all of the presentations and panels, as well as receive an exclusive in-game item, all for $39.95.

MassivelyBlizzCon sold out; additional conventions cannot be launched originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzconblizzcon-2010blizzcon-2010-ticketsdiablodiablo-3diablo-iiiDirecTVebaypay-per-viewsold-outstarcraftstarcraft-2world-of-warcraftzamMon, 07 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Will Blizzard show their next MMO at BlizzCon 2010?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/08/will-blizzard-show-their-next-mmo-at-blizzcon-2010/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/08/will-blizzard-show-their-next-mmo-at-blizzcon-2010/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/08/will-blizzard-show-their-next-mmo-at-blizzcon-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

WoW.com's Zach Yonzon takes a speculative look at BlizzCon 2010 and all the possibilities that lie ahead. The article predicts that Blizzard will officially announce their sophomore MMO effort this year, which seems likely given StarCraft II's impending release and Diablo III being a known quantity. To top it off, the developer probably wouldn't mind stifling some of the substantial buzz building up around Star Wars: The Old Republic.

We'd love to see the cyberpunk MMO described in the article, but who wouldn't want a sci-fi MMO that's like Diablo's dark fantasy to Warcraft's light-heartedness? Nobody (well, except for Blizzard) really knows what the future holds, although for now you can read about it and share your thoughts if that helps out -- at least, it helps us feel slightly less helpless when pondering our MMO gaming future.

MassivelyWill Blizzard show their next MMO at BlizzCon 2010? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardbiowareblizzardblizzard-mmoblizzconcyberpunkdiablo-3diablo-iiieaelectronic-artslucasartspredictionsspeculationstar-warsstar-wars-the-old-republicstarcraftstarcraft-2starcraft-iiswtorthe-old-republicwarcraftFri, 08 Jan 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[2029 enters alpha testing phase]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/25/2029-enters-alpha-testing-phase/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/25/2029-enters-alpha-testing-phase/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/25/2029-enters-alpha-testing-phase/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Post-apocalyptic fans rejoice! Yet another game in your favorite science fiction genre is moving ahead with development, as free-to-play title 2029 goes into alpha testing as of Monday, May 25th. Unsure of how the game plays? You can find a newbie guide here that'll give you a pretty thorough rundown of all the MMORTS features designed into the game.

It looks to be an interesting blend of sci-fi and real-time strategy, with a dash of fantasy as well. We also saw some screenshots with a definite hint of Halo and StarCraft. So if you enjoy those settings, it couldn't hurt to give this a look even if you're vaguely interested. After registering an account for the game, you can go for a direct download or a torrent version of the game client -- always a nice option to have.

Massively2029 enters alpha testing phase originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 May 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2029alphablizzardbungiefree-to-playhaloiggmmommortspost-apocalypticrtsstarcraftMon, 25 May 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Digital Continuum: Blizzard's mysterious MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/19/the-digital-continuum-blizzards-mysterious-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/19/the-digital-continuum-blizzards-mysterious-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/19/the-digital-continuum-blizzards-mysterious-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We've got a good reason to believe that Blizzard's next MMO is in actuality a new IP, which means it's the perfect time to discuss the potential of this newly crafted world. Assuming that Games Workshop isn't the inspiring factor for yet another Blizzard game, I'll lay out five settings that I hope will catch a few of you off guard.

Here's the thing about Blizzard, they rarely stick to vanilla settings. Diablo is the only real exception, but even it had the addition of the Japanese inspired Assassin class and Celtic inspired Druid class. StarCraft's races range over a several influences and Warcraft pulls stuff from all over the place, chief among them being some steampunk.

Will it be the same for this new IP?

Continue reading The Digital Continuum: Blizzard's mysterious MMO

MassivelyThe Digital Continuum: Blizzard's mysterious MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 May 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowareblizzardcyberpunkcygnarfeaturediron-kingdomsjade-empiremass-effectpandarenshadowrunstarcraftsteampunkswtorthe-digital-continuumwarcraftwarmachineworld-of-warcraftwowwuxiaTue, 19 May 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[First official confirmation that new Blizzard MMO is original IP]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/13/first-official-confirmation-that-new-blizzard-mmo-is-original-ip/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/13/first-official-confirmation-that-new-blizzard-mmo-is-original-ip/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/13/first-official-confirmation-that-new-blizzard-mmo-is-original-ip/#commentsFiled under: , ,


While we've had reason to believe that Blizzard's next MMO would be a new IP, but this marks the first occasion that we've had some kind of official confirmation of our speculation.

In a post on the official World of Warcraft forums, Blizzard community manager Zarhym came out and said the new MMO was in fact an original IP, saying, "We have nothing to advertise for the new MMO because it's a shell of a game thus far. We've already stated it'll be a brand new franchise, which means the lore, art, and game play are being developed entirely from scratch. It's an overwhelming process, but a process through which we excel. Our track record supports this." While it's no press release or big event reveal, this is certainly the closest we've come to someone officially with Blizzard saying that, yes, it's not a previously created franchise.

So now that speculation on whether or not it's a new IP is over, we can begin to speculate on what genre this new IP will be! Science fiction, steampunk, cyberpunk or another fantasy setting? It's hard to say, although our hopes go for something decidedly not fantasy since Blizzard has already spent plenty of energy in those genres up to this point.

MassivelyFirst official confirmation that new Blizzard MMO is original IP originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 May 2009 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardblizzard-mmobreakingcyberpunkdiablofantasysci-fistarcraftsteampunkunannounced-mmoworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 13 May 2009 00:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Second Life pwns Gordon Freeman, Warhammer Online, others]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/07/second-life-pwns-gordon-freeman-warhammer-online-others/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/07/second-life-pwns-gordon-freeman-warhammer-online-others/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/07/second-life-pwns-gordon-freeman-warhammer-online-others/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Wagner James Au at New World Notes is carrying some surprising data from ratings giant, Nielsen Media Research. From actual measurements of usage across over 180,000 homes in the USA, Linden Lab's Second Life (paradoxically measured under the 'PC games' category) rates the number two most played title, just behind World of Warcraft.

Forget Warhammer Online, or EVE Online, they don't even make the top ten. World of Warcraft and Second Life beat out Gordon Freeman (Half Life 2), Civilization IV and StarCraft. As for actual weekly usage, Second Life is top of the pops at an average of 760 minutes per user per week. World of Warcraft earns the top spot with 653 minutes per user per week, but has a whole lot more users.

How about Google's YouTube, the 800 pound gorilla and market leader of online video? Just 47 minutes per week (figure from C|net).

Facebook? 84 minutes per week. Myspace, just 10.5 minutes per week (figures from ITProPortal).

This data is measured from actual homes, as we mentioned. Almost 200,000 of them, so it isn't just data that's centric to the hardcore gamer. This is a random sampling of ordinary people.

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.

MassivelySecond Life pwns Gordon Freeman, Warhammer Online, others originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 07 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcivilization-iveve-onlinefacebookgordon-freemanhalf-life-2hamlet-aumyspacenew-world-notesnielsen-gamesstarcraftwagner-james-auwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftyoutubeThu, 07 May 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BlizzCon 2009 tickets go on sale May 16, first time streamed live via web]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/blizzcon-2009-tickets-go-on-sale-may-16-first-time-streamed-liv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/blizzcon-2009-tickets-go-on-sale-may-16-first-time-streamed-liv/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/05/blizzcon-2009-tickets-go-on-sale-may-16-first-time-streamed-liv/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Tickets for BlizzCon 2009 will go on sale May 16th, Blizzard announced today on the event's official site. BlizzCon 2009 will be held on August 21st and 22nd in Anaheim, California, and the first block of tickets going on sale on May 16th will sell for $125 each through the official BlizzCon site. A second block of tickets will be sold beginning Saturday, May 30th.

Blizzard has made upgrades to the Blizzard Store to deal with the impending ticket rush. Their press release states they'll have a "first-come, first-served queue system and a fixed time limit for completing purchases. Also, those interested in attending BlizzCon can simplify the purchase process by registering a Battle.net account at www.battle.net before ticket sales begin."

Continue reading BlizzCon 2009 tickets go on sale May 16, first time streamed live via web

MassivelyBlizzCon 2009 tickets go on sale May 16, first time streamed live via web originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 May 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle.netblizzardblizzard-storeblizzconblizzcon-2009breakingdirectvmmo-industrystarcraftworld-of-warcraftTue, 05 May 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More IPs than you can shake a lightsaber at: Five sci-fi intellectual properties that just scream "MMOG"]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/03/more-ips-than-you-can-shake-a-lightsaber-at-five-sci-fi-intelle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/03/more-ips-than-you-can-shake-a-lightsaber-at-five-sci-fi-intelle/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/03/more-ips-than-you-can-shake-a-lightsaber-at-five-sci-fi-intelle/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Science fiction isn't exactly new to the MMOG scene. In addition to the obvious - Star Wars Galaxies, EVE Online and the defunct Tabula Rasa - there's Neocron, Anarchy Online, Earth & Beyond and Planetside. But with the exception of SWG and the upcoming Star Trek Online, some of sci-fi's best intellectual properties haven't yet been tapped to invite users into their world. What follows are a few franchises that lend themselves perfectly to what MMOGs are, and what they could be.

Uplink
Remember, back when you were a little nerd, what you used to think hacking was like? Remember the virtual world you conjured in your head, with stealthy rogues zooming around the internet, stealing millions from banks and pilfering government secrets? Remember the awful movies Hackers and Swordfish? OK, so maybe real hacking doesn't work that way. Maybe real hacking involves an encyclopedic knowledge of Unix, PHP exploits and hanging out in IRC with people who tell you to RTFM if you ask them what time it is. Real hacking may be a lot of things, but "fun to a lot of people" isn't one of them.

Continue reading More IPs than you can shake a lightsaber at: Five sci-fi intellectual properties that just scream "MMOG"

MassivelyMore IPs than you can shake a lightsaber at: Five sci-fi intellectual properties that just scream "MMOG" originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fireflyjohnny-mnemonicsci-fistarcraftterminatoruplinkworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 03 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New Battle.net ties in World of Warcraft with other Blizzard games]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/20/new-battle-net-ties-in-world-of-warcraft-with-other-blizzard-gam/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/20/new-battle-net-ties-in-world-of-warcraft-with-other-blizzard-gam/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/20/new-battle-net-ties-in-world-of-warcraft-with-other-blizzard-gam/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


For those of you who can remember back to the Wrath of the Lich King beta, you'll recall that you had to link your current World of Warcraft account to a Blizzard shop account before you could get into the game. While that was interesting, it obviously never made it's way into the game...

...or did it?

Blizzard has finally released their account merge, only you're not longer merging your account with your Blizzard shop account anymore. You're merging your World of Warcraft account into Battle.net, allowing you to use one login for all of Blizzard's current and future titles.

As a side benefit to all of this, the new Battle.net allows you to link any of your Blizzard games to your account, including World of Warcraft, and be able to download the game from anywhere, much like Steam. Since this is the case, and since Blizzard has been offering downloadable upgrades for World of Warcraft, will we be seeing the rise of a Blizzard version of Steam via Battle.net?

All future titles will be utilizing Battle.net, so it only makes sense to log in now and get your logins all converted over. All you need to do is sign up on the main page, and the website walks you through the rest.

MassivelyNew Battle.net ties in World of Warcraft with other Blizzard games originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle.netblizzarddiablostarcraftsteamwarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 20 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard wants to see your creative writing skills, offers amazing prizes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/16/blizzard-wants-to-see-your-creative-writing-skills-offers-amazi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/16/blizzard-wants-to-see-your-creative-writing-skills-offers-amazi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/16/blizzard-wants-to-see-your-creative-writing-skills-offers-amazi/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Have you ever completed a series of quests in World of Warcraft and thought, "I could've come up with a better story than that." before continuing to play the game for several days on end? Well, now you can prove it! Blizzard is holding a creative writing contest, and any of its franchises are up for use.

If you'd like to enter, Blizzard is looking for a 3,000 to 10,000 word story (set in the Warcraft, StarCraft, or Diablo universes) written in English and given to them by April 12th. Do that and the grand prize of visiting Blizzard Entertainment headquarters, meeting the writers and staff and subsequently begging for a job could be yours for the taking.

And even if you don't make the grand prize, seven runners-up will get whole prize packages containing signed copies of the Warcraft Archive, Diablo Archive, StarCraft Archive, and the Warcraft War of the Ancients Archive. Think of the geek cred that would pull in! That, or a whole lot of eBay cash money.

[via Big Download]
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyBlizzard wants to see your creative writing skills, offers amazing prizes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardbig-downloadblizzardcontestdiablostarcraftwarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 16 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Blizzard's next MMO?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/20/the-daily-grind-blizzards-next-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/20/the-daily-grind-blizzards-next-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/20/the-daily-grind-blizzards-next-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


With Jeff Kaplan moving on to the new Blizzard MMORPG, and recent news coming out that Blizzard will indeed be hosting a BlizzCon again this year, it's time for a bit of fun. What fun would that be? Guessing what Blizzard may choose to do for their new MMO, of course! We've heard StarCraft (otherwise why put all that backstory into SC2?) re-imagining StarCraft: Ghost (they did put a bunch of money into it) and even ideas as far-flung as The Lost Vikings (world a bit small, maybe?). Of course, since we're just taking wild guesses, the sky is the limit! What do you think we'll see as the next MMO from Blizzard - and do you think we'll hear about it at BlizzCon this year?

[Edited to correct name]

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Blizzard's next MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzconjeff-kaplanstarcraftstarcraft-ghosttdgthe-daily-grindthe-lost-vikingswild-speculationFri, 20 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard bans Battle.net accounts before WotLK launch]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/12/blizzard-bans-battle-net-accounts-before-wotlk-launch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/12/blizzard-bans-battle-net-accounts-before-wotlk-launch/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/12/blizzard-bans-battle-net-accounts-before-wotlk-launch/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Blizzard recently announced that they'd be switching over to a new centralized account system, tying together the company's online games through Battle.net. Existing World of Warcraft accounts are essentially replaced by Battle.net accounts, and will allow for the tracking of achievements across the Blizzard titles. But some players, roughly 350,000 of them, found another unexpected feature arrived with the Battle.net account integration: bans.

Gamesindustry.biz reports: "Blizzard has revealed that is has closed over 350,000 StarCraft and Diablo II accounts which were found to be using third-party hacks. The company further revealed that the Diablo II CD keys associated with the closed accounts are now barred from playing on Battle.net for 30 days and warned that repeat offenders face a permanent ban." Check out the full report over at Gamesindustry.biz, along with a statement from Blizzard about the bans.

MassivelyBlizzard bans Battle.net accounts before WotLK launch originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banningbattle.netblizzardcheatcheatingdiablo-2diablo-iiexploitsfantasygamesindustry.bizhackhacksmmo-industrystarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 12 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft cranks it up to 11 (million)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/28/world-of-warcraft-cranks-it-up-to-11-million/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/28/world-of-warcraft-cranks-it-up-to-11-million/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/28/world-of-warcraft-cranks-it-up-to-11-million/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Just two weeks before Wrath of the Lich King descends upon the denizens of Azeroth the world over, Blizzard has announced that World of Warcraft has reached the 11 million subscriber mark. That's yet another milestone for the oft-celebrated MMO from the house that built Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo.

So when -- if ever -- will World of Warcraft's climb in subscribers ever end? Some say the Star Wars: The Old Republic could harken the siren song for the little MMO that could, but nobody really knows for sure. Even when the day comes that WoW is no longer top dog, it'll still be around kickin' tires and lightin' fires. You can't kill that which has no life, after all.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft cranks it up to 11 (million) originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardbreakingdiablomilestonestarcraftsubscriberswarcraftworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrathwrath-of-the-lich-kingTue, 28 Oct 2008 14:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard: Next MMO won't be WoW 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/17/blizzard-next-mmo-wont-be-wow-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/17/blizzard-next-mmo-wont-be-wow-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/17/blizzard-next-mmo-wont-be-wow-2/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Go ahead a strike the possibility of a World of Warcraft 2 off your list of possible next-gen Blizzard MMOs because it's officially not happening. In an interview with Wired, Blizzard's recently talkative Mike Morhaime flat out said that their next MMO project isn't a sequel to their first. Of course, he wouldn't divulge exactly what it was either or this would be an entirely different sort of news post.

With this news, the odds for a StarCraft or Diablo MMO go up, but so do the odds for an entirely new IP as well. We're sure the guessing game will continue for quite some time before Blizzard tips their hand to everyone. At least the mystery will offer all of us something to do for the next few years while we wait for other unannounced super-secret games to be revealed in the meantime.

MassivelyBlizzard: Next MMO won't be WoW 2 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzarddiabloeaelectronic-artsmike-morhaimenext-gennext-gen-mmostarcraftwiredworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 17 Oct 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[BlizzCon 2008 cosplay collection]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/11/blizzcon-2008-cosplay-collection/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/11/blizzcon-2008-cosplay-collection/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/11/blizzcon-2008-cosplay-collection/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Sometimes, just sometimes, words aren't enough to express a person's love for any particular game. In cases where your fan-cup overfloweth, we often recommend playing your favorite tracks from the franchise/game of your choice. While the music is rocking you are to dance around fervently, making jazz-hands and other increasingly faux-street maneuvers until the music finishes. If after this display of (assumed) exceptionally powerful fan dancing you remain wholly unembarrassed, well you know what to do next: dress up like characters from the game!

At this year's BlizzCon, we're treated with some fairly impressive pictures of cosplayers thanks to WoW Insider's diligent camera-pointy-clicking (industry term) throughout day one of the event. And while some pictures are more ... akward ... than others, you'll be pleasantly surprised by quite a few. Check 'em out in the gallery below.

Gallery: BlizzCon 2008 Costumes

MassivelyBlizzCon 2008 cosplay collection originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzcon is this weekend, and journalists and bloggers the world over are descending upon California to report on everything from Diablo 3 classes to -- you guessed it -- World of Warcraft. MTV's Multiplayer blog counts itself a member of that gaming press Horde, and in addition to your usual Blizzcon coverage, it visited Blizzard's headquarters and took lots of photos.

The HQ has a museum, a movie theater, a gymnasium, and a bunch of other amenities, and they're all documented in Multiplayer's gallery. The walls are covered in Warcraft and Starcraft artwork -- basically, it's just as awesome as you would expect it to be. Hit the source link to browse the gallery to your fanboy/fangirl heart's content.
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyExplore the halls and amenities of Blizzard HQ originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>artworkblizzardblizzconblizzcon-2008diablogalleryheadquartershqmtv-multiplayermuseumofficesphotographsphotosstarcraftstatuesstudiotheaterwarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 10 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Frank Pearce: WoW has made a StarCraft MMO 'difficult']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/22/frank-pearce-wow-has-made-a-starcraft-mmo-difficult/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/22/frank-pearce-wow-has-made-a-starcraft-mmo-difficult/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/22/frank-pearce-wow-has-made-a-starcraft-mmo-difficult/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Blizzard co-founder Frank Pearce recently spoke to VideoGamer.com about the possibility of a StarCraft MMO. In that exchange of words, it was revealed that Frank thought of the whole idea as an overwhelming thought. He cites the journey of working on World of Warcraft as a long an arduous one and that bringing about the same amount of content and quality for StarCraft would be, "A little scary."

While we know that some kind of MMO is in Blizzard's future, it sounds like if Frank had his way it wouldn't be StarCraft. However, by his own admission it's not entirely up to him as he adds, "When the StarCraft 2 team is done with StarCraft 2, a factor is what they want to work on next, because the development teams plays a big role in deciding what they're going to do." So once again, we really can't be sure of anything with Blizzard's next MMO. It could be something entirely new, or it could be one of their previous IPs. All we do know is that if it is StarCraft, Blizzard's Frank Pearce is probably going to consider an extended vacation. Something like one or nine years.

MassivelyFrank Pearce: WoW has made a StarCraft MMO 'difficult' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardfrank-pearcemmostarcraftstarcraft-2videogamerworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 22 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft achievements will expand to other Blizzard titles]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/01/world-of-warcraft-achievements-will-expand-to-other-blizzard-tit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/01/world-of-warcraft-achievements-will-expand-to-other-blizzard-tit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/01/world-of-warcraft-achievements-will-expand-to-other-blizzard-tit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's no secret that World of Warcraft will feature an achievement system that will roll out with the Wrath of the Lich King expansion. The writing's been on the wall for a little while now. New details have emerged, revealing that the achievement system will not be limited to World of Warcraft alone. Ultimately, the achievements will connect WoW with Blizzard's other major titles, namely Starcraft II and Diablo III.

MTV Multiplayer's Tracey John recently spoke with WoW Lead Designer Jeff Kaplan about the impending first incarnation of this system, which will be character-specific, as well as Blizzard's plans for account-level achievements that focus more on classes and professions. Hit MTV Multiplayer for more details on account-based achievements, WoW points, and the 'Blizzard Level' -- that all-important ranking which will soon command the attention of most Blizzard fans.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft achievements will expand to other Blizzard titles originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementachievementsblizzarddiablodiablo3expansiongamerscorejeff-kaplanmtvmtv-multiplayerstarcraftstarcraft2wowwow-pointswrathwrath-of-the-lich-kingFri, 01 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The many MMOs of Blizzard]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/21/the-many-mmos-of-blizzard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/21/the-many-mmos-of-blizzard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/21/the-many-mmos-of-blizzard/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Blizzard fans are a feisty bunch, we know because we once told WoW Insider that their favorite game was "all right" and they gave us a seriously painful noogie. It's hard to blame them though, since the developer consistently puts out amazing games. In the years since World of Warcraft launched and clutched the coveted first place position with its meaty fist, those fans have only become more frenzied. Sooner or later someone is going to come along and manage to pry that first place glory from World of Warcraft's hands and with the recent confirmation that their next-gen MMO is still being worked on, Blizzard is seemingly gunning to be the one to do it.

So we know they've got a new MMO in the works, that's cool. What we don't know is what IP (intellectual property) the game is based upon. So in the spirit of tinfoil hat-wearing fun we've put together a list of all the possible Blizzard IPs -- both past and present -- for your personal enjoyment.

Gallery: The many MMOs of Blizzard

The Lost VikingsRock N' Roll RacingBlackthorneWarcraft, World ofDiablo

MassivelyThe many MMOs of Blizzard originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblackthorneblizzarddiablofeaturedjoystiqfeaturesrock-n-roll-racingstarcraftthe-lost-vikingswarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowwow-insiderMon, 21 Jul 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq looks at South Korea's PC Baang culture]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/joystiq-looks-at-south-koreas-pc-baang-culture/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/joystiq-looks-at-south-koreas-pc-baang-culture/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/09/joystiq-looks-at-south-koreas-pc-baang-culture/#commentsFiled under: ,

No PlayStation, No Nintendo, No Sega. In a sprawling metropolis on the brink of a technological revolution what place would eschew console gaming? It was South Korea, and for the longest time there was an embargo against Japanese made imports. In the embargo's wake an unstoppable PC gaming utopia and a molding of an anomalous social culture evolved. With the government push for broadband access and the proliferation of PC Baangs, online PC-game rooms, a remarkable 70% of South Korean internet users have played some kind of MMOG.

The Korean MMOG invasion on the western market has spurned resentment but some MMOs like Nexon's Maple Story found a successful niche. What is fascinating, are not the endless failed imports or the lucky few that do succeed in the US but the radical differences in our gaming cultures. Joystiq's Geoffrey Brooks is residing in Seoul, South Korea for the summer. Indulging his senses in this part of the world Brook posits about South Korea's PC Baangs and the masterful technological wired revolution and contrasts it to the lagging-behind United States. It's a must read, especially if you know nothing of the PC gaming culture in South Korea other than asking "isn't Starcraft big there?"

MassivelyJoystiq looks at South Korea's PC Baang culture originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lockpick Entertainment has been hard at work on the relaunch of their fantasy MMORTS Dreamlords the Reawakening, and their efforts have not been in vain. This title is just as rich and complex a game as you'd hope for. If you're the type of gamer who likes getting your hands dirty, the level of micromanagement alone will please you. As for the rest of you, you'll have to decide for yourselves whether DtR is your cup of tea.

To help you with that decision, we've put together this First Impressions post. Keep in mind that this is not a guide -- we have no insider knowledge to report. This is merely a record of our opinions and experience playing this game for the first few hours. As always, you can click on the pictures for their hi-res versions. Onward!

Gallery: First Impressions: Dreamlords the Reawakening

Dreamlords login screenCustomize Dreamlord screenWho are your people?Landing zoneThe strategic map

Continue reading First Impressions: Dreamlords the Reawakening

MassivelyFirst Impressions: Dreamlords the Reawakening originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>covenantcrazygonutscthulhoiddreamlordsdreamlords-the-reawakeningeve-onlinefeaturedfirst-impressionsgnosishands-onjoystiqfeatureslockpick-entertainmentmicrotransactionsmmortsnihilimpatriasoul-shardsstarcraftthultributeFri, 27 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Would you play a Diablo MMO?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/26/the-daily-grind-would-you-play-a-diablo-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/26/the-daily-grind-would-you-play-a-diablo-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/26/the-daily-grind-would-you-play-a-diablo-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Whether or not this Blizzard teaser has anything to do with Diablo -- and/or Blizzard's next-gen MMO -- we have to wonder how many of you would be interested in playing an MMO version of Diablo. There's definitely a segment of you out there who would be completely fine with an MMO-style Diablo 2 complete with modernized graphics, but somehow we're thinking Blizzard would try a bit harder than that. Mechanically speaking, a Diablo MMO would probably be very different from its older brethren, but it also couldn't be too similar to World of Warcraft either. There would probably be some mechanical similarities and head-nods towards the games that came before it but for the most part we imagine the Diablo MMO as a very different experience.

There's also the chance that a new Diablo game could be part singleplayer and part MMO, which would merely be an extension of previous games. So what do you think? Does any of this sound good to you or would you rather just play more World of Warcraft -- or even World of Starcraft -- instead?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Would you play a Diablo MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzarddiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-mmostarcraftteaserwarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 26 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[China's forgotten gamers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/chinas-forgotten-gamers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/chinas-forgotten-gamers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/chinas-forgotten-gamers/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Frank Yu over at Gamasutra wrote a piece recently that didn't exactly slip through the cracks, but was certainly overshadowed by more pressing concerns that affected online gaming in Asia. Yu's 'China's Forgotten Gamers' -- from his China Angle column -- is a look at the invisible population of gamers in the country that industry demographics simply cannot account for. In North America and Europe, subscriptions, registered downloads and box sales provide an accurate picture of who's playing a given title; China is a different story altogether. Credit cards are nowhere near as prevalent among the Chinese as they are abroad; box sales have largely been a failure due to piracy. Added to the mix is the fact that not everyone can afford to play games legitimately, and so some Chinese gamers find ways to play outside of the system.

Although the reported numbers of gamers playing the various titles in China are large, Yu says, "In China, we track game players by subscriber or registration numbers, or by the amount of money they spend giving companies revenue. If they don't register or pay money, they are somewhat invisible to the industry or, from the business viewpoint, irrelevant."

Continue reading China's forgotten gamers

MassivelyChina's forgotten gamers originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you just can't take the wait of driving to a brick and mortar store (or even worse, waiting for something to show up in the mail!) then Blizzard's got you covered with their new digital download service. As of right now they're only offering the Starcraft Anthology, Warcraft III and its Frozen Throne expansion pack. However, we could see Blizzard eventually offering both World of Warcraft and The Burning Crusade -- not to mention Wrath of the Lich King when it launches.

Currently it's possible to get a digital download version of World of Warcraft and its first expansion through third-party. We're sure Blizzard will eventually take over those titles, as the company probably wants to make sure that buying their product digitally is as good an experience as it can possibly be. The thought of having every Blizzard PC title at our fingertips is a little scary though, we're worried that our bank accounts may suddenly drop soon for some mysterious reason.

[via WarCry]

MassivelyBlizzard opens its digital download doors originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 May 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardbrick-and-morterburning-crusadedigital-downloadsfrozen-thronestarcraftwarcraftwarcraft-iiiworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingTue, 06 May 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Should there be a spectator feature in MMOs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/22/the-daily-grind-should-there-be-a-spectator-feature-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/22/the-daily-grind-should-there-be-a-spectator-feature-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/22/the-daily-grind-should-there-be-a-spectator-feature-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: ,

Videogames as a spectator sport has always been with us -- you'll be in an arcade, or at a friend's house, or watching with hundreds of others at a sanctioned Starcraft tournament. Someone will challenge another to a game, the competition heats up, a crowd gathers. Sometimes the end-game victory is so close that when the last-ditch play succeeds (or fails), the winner is granted a standing ovation. In such a case, it's just as fun to watch as it is to play.

Aside from watching over someone's shoulder, what if there were a way to observe a head-to-head match-up between players in your favorite MMO? Perhaps a central location on the Web which you could visit to watch pre-planned battles? Maybe a program that lets you peek into a game world as though you were an invisible camera, recording for posterity matches between registered combatants -- would that be welcome? Would it ruin the sense of in-world immersion?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Should there be a spectator feature in MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>immersioninvisible-cameraspectator-sportstarcrafttdgthe-daily-grindtournamentTue, 22 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Upcoming MMO movies (and why they'll suck)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/03/upcoming-mmo-movies-and-why-theyll-suck/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/03/upcoming-mmo-movies-and-why-theyll-suck/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/03/upcoming-mmo-movies-and-why-theyll-suck/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Dorothy Parker once said "The only 'ism' Hollywood believes in is plagiarism." While not technically plagiarism, the practice of mining popular properties of other media is a time-honored mainstay of Hollywood's. Why invent a new franchise when you can adapt one that already exists? Well, if we're talking about translating videogames to cinema, there are at least 3 reasons against that we can think of right away: Street Fighter: The Movie, Double Dragon, and Doom. Oh, and the entire body of work of Uwe Boll.

With such a history of failure, why does Hollywood keep banking on videogames as good sources of material? Because it's always desperate for the next big hit, and adaptation is seen as being easier than originality, even though by now it's apparent that it's not quite as simple as it seems. An even better question is: why exactly don't these translations work? What is it about games that makes for poor films? Let's see if we can answer this question and assess the potential success/failure of some upcoming MMO movies.

Continue reading Upcoming MMO movies (and why they'll suck)

MassivelyUpcoming MMO movies (and why they'll suck) originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 03 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>10000-bc300batmanblizzardchris-metzenchristopher-lambertcity-of-heroesdiablodoomdorothy-parkerdouble-dragoneverquestfeaturedfrank-millerhollywoodjoystiqfeatureslord-of-the-ringsmichael-gordonmmo-moviesmortal-kombatpeter-jacksonraidenresident-evilstarcraftstreet-fighter-the-moviesuperhero-moviessuperman-returnsthe-dark-knightthomas-tulltolkientom-desantotransformersuwe-bollvideogame-moviewarcraft-2watchmenworld-of-warcraftwrath-of-the-lich-kingx-menThu, 03 Apr 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard studio tour makes jaws detach from faces]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/blizzard-studio-tour-makes-jaws-detach-from-faces/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/blizzard-studio-tour-makes-jaws-detach-from-faces/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/18/blizzard-studio-tour-makes-jaws-detach-from-faces/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you're the type of person who enjoys seeing something that will make your jaw drop and head shake simultaneously, then by all means watch the above video. Not only does Blizzard have an insanely huge looking 24/7 gym and cafeteria, they are also in possession of a museum o' Blizzard paraphernalia that would make even the most devout fans blush. We're talking every award, game, merchandise or odd piece of cool Blizzard history here -- even every iteration of the 'Make Love, Not Warcraft' South Park episode's script.

If that weren't enough, at the end of the video we're told that a giant 21-foot statue -- modeled after what we're pretty sure is a mounted WoW character -- will be built in the main courtyard. We're at a loss for words here, so until they build the thing and put it on video we're just going to have to use our imaginations.

We can't wait to see what kind of love Starcraft II gets when it's put into this museum of all things Blizzard related. Maybe a life-sized screeching animatronic Zergling?

MassivelyBlizzard studio tour makes jaws detach from faces originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-studiossouth-parkstarcraftstarcraft-2wowTue, 18 Mar 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC08: Blizzard's approach to MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-blizzards-approach-to-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-blizzards-approach-to-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/20/gdc08-blizzards-approach-to-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Rob Pardo, Senior Vice President of Game Design, spoke earlier today on Blizzard's approach to multiplayer game design at GDC. Sister site WoW Insider has a complete liveblog of the session, featuring best practices learned regarding game balance, PvP and UI design, player psychology and more. Head over to check out the full transcript from the talk and the Q&A session plus a gallery of all the slides.

Gallery: GDC08: Blizzard's approach to MMOs

MassivelyGDC08: Blizzard's approach to MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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