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 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Soapbox: Your MMO is going to die, and that's OK]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/the-soapbox-your-mmo-is-going-to-die-and-thats-ok/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/the-soapbox-your-mmo-is-going-to-die-and-thats-ok/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/05/07/the-soapbox-your-mmo-is-going-to-die-and-thats-ok/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

City of Heroes
There is no question about it: Bringing games online has fundamentally changed the way we play and interact with one another. Thanks to the web, we can share games with our friends from thousands of miles away. We can hang out with people who live in other countries and learn about human beings who exist in completely different realities. Playing MMOs is an incredible, unique experience that gives players an honest chance at turning their favorite personal hobby into a full-on social engagement.

For any of these experiences to be possible, a game must be connected to the web. Without a server humming away in someone's basement or the cold, dark corridors of an MMO developer's hushed office, the games we talk about here on Massively simply wouldn't exist. The side effect of this online requirement is that every online game, no matter how popular it may be at the moment, has a finite lifespan. Eventually, your favorite game is going to die.

This is a good thing. Here's why.

Continue reading The Soapbox: Your MMO is going to die, and that's OK

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Your MMO is going to die, and that's OK originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 07 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroesclosuresdeatheditorialfeaturedop-edopinionrantrantsriftsoapboxstar-wars-galaxiessunsetsunsetsthe-soapboxWorld-of-WarcraftTue, 07 May 2013 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Final moments of MMOs, part 1]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/11/the-perfect-ten-final-moments-of-mmos-part-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/11/the-perfect-ten-final-moments-of-mmos-part-1/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/11/the-perfect-ten-final-moments-of-mmos-part-1/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

The Perfect Ten Final moments of MMOs
Maybe many of us would just rather remember MMOs as they were in life rather than at the moment of their demise. But I believe that how a game went out is incredibly fascinating for many reasons and worthy of examination.

It's in these final moments when an entire community has to say goodbye. It's in these moments that the developers mourn as well before pulling the plug. It's in these moments that history is being made one last time. And it goes without saying that it's in these moments that everyone curses the unfairness of it all.

Today we're going to watch the first half of 10 videos featuring MMOs in their final moments. It's here we'll see how weird, crazy, sad, and interesting things can get. Maybe you were part of one (or more) of these moments or are simply curious what it was like. Either way, it's the end of the world as we know it. And we feel fine.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Final moments of MMOs, part 1

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Final moments of MMOs, part 1 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>classic-mmocomposercomposersdungeon-runnerseqoaeverquest-online-adventuresfeaturedfinal-momentsgalaxiesgame-musicjukeboxjukebox-heroesjustin-olivettimmo-jukeboxmmo-musicmusicmxoopinionsandboxsci-fishutdownsoesony-online-entertainmentsoundtracksoundtracksstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiessunsetswgswgotabula-rasathe-matrix-onlineThu, 11 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Interview peeks behind the curtain of City of Heroes' final act]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/10/interview-peeks-behind-the-curtain-of-city-of-heroes-final-act/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/10/interview-peeks-behind-the-curtain-of-city-of-heroes-final-act/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/10/interview-peeks-behind-the-curtain-of-city-of-heroes-final-act/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Interview peeks behind the curtain of Paragon Studio's of final act
Yes, City of Heroes is gone. And it was as surprising to the Paragon Studios staff as it was to players. A recent interview with Matt Miller, former lead designer, explores the effort that management put into saving the studio and the game right up until the last minute. It also highlights the content that barely missed release.

In speaking about the buyout plan that Paragon management was negotiating, Miller stated, "We all were really working as if things were going to work out... it was business as usual right up until the last day.

"On the night before we all got the notice of the studio shutting down, Brian, Ross, and Destin were in there still trying to work out that deal," Miller continued. "We were a signature away from things going through or not -- and we unfortunately fell on the not side."

But did the team try everything? Miller acknowledged all of the great ideas that fans proposed and he says that each and every avenue was already explored. And what of the fans who'd like to see the developers come together under their own banner? While it's a good idea in theory, Miller says that in reality, many employees had already lined up new jobs by November 1st, and starting a new studio became increasingly impossible as time went on.

MassivelyInterview peeks behind the curtain of City of Heroes' final act originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buyout-plancity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxf2pfree-to-playfreedominterviewMatt-Millerncsoftnegotiationsparagonparagon-studiossunsetsuperherosuperheroesWed, 10 Apr 2013 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nexon closing North American Dungeon Fighter Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/nexon-closing-north-american-dungeon-fighter-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/nexon-closing-north-american-dungeon-fighter-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/02/nexon-closing-north-american-dungeon-fighter-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Nexon closing NA Dungeon Fighter Online
Nexon is closing the North American version of Dungeon Fighter Online according to a post by CEO Min Kim on the title's official website.

"Sadly, Dungeon Fighter Online has not attracted enough player interest to properly service the game," Kim writes. "Internally, we struggled deeply with the popularity of DFO in North America as the title is immensely popular overseas. For more than three years, we went through many milestones and several pushes before we came to this very difficult decision."

Nexon will close DFO's cash shop on April 11th, and the game itself will sunset on June 13th. The company is also compensating players who purchased permanent and durational items over the past six months.

MassivelyNexon closing North American Dungeon Fighter Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dfodfo-closingdfo-nadfo-shutting-downdungeon-fighter-onlinef2pfantasyfree-to-playmin-kimnexonsunsetsunsetsTue, 02 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes goes down swinging today]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/29/warhammer-online-wrath-of-heroes-goes-down-swinging-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/29/warhammer-online-wrath-of-heroes-goes-down-swinging-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/29/warhammer-online-wrath-of-heroes-goes-down-swinging-today/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Warhammer Online Wrath of Heroes goes down swinging today
Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes' final month is up and the game is scheduled to be closed at 5:00 p.m. EDT today.

That doesn't mean the title will be going down without one heckuva fight! According to Wrath of Heroes' Facebook page, the developers are spending the last few hours in battle with the players. The team has also added a chance for killers to transform into vampire chickens or bloodthirsters.

If you're just now finding out about the sunset and want more information, check out EA's FAQ on the closure.

[Thanks to Adam for the tip!]

MassivelyWarhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes goes down swinging today originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaelectronic-artsendless-trialfantasymobamythicmythic-entertainmentpvprvrshutdownsunsetwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlinewarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswohwrath-of-heroesFri, 29 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gpotato's Sevencore meets an early demise]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/19/gpotatos-sevencore-meets-an-early-demise/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/19/gpotatos-sevencore-meets-an-early-demise/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/19/gpotatos-sevencore-meets-an-early-demise/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Sevencore screenshot
Despite recently seeing the first of what players hoped would be a string of new content, gPotato's new title Sevencore announced today that it will be closing its doors. A forum post says that the game "has proved to be less attractive to players than anticipated and thus [it's] become unprofitable for the developer to be continued as a game." The developers hope to transition active players by undertaking the following:
  • Reimbursing all gPotatoes spent between the 1st of February and today as well as between 30% and 75% of purchases prior to this date,
  • Closing the in-game shop with immediate effect while considering making all shop items available for free,
  • Keeping the game open until the end of April,
  • Boosting experience gain and running events during the final period of the game, and
  • Encouraging players to migrate to other gPotato games with special enticement packages.
This bad news comes on the heels of the news that Webzen recently purchased gPotato and Gala-Net. Perhaps the purchase will breath new life into the developer after it showed a dip in quarterly sales when compared to the last year.

MassivelyGpotato's Sevencore meets an early demise originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>allods-onlinebeau-hindmanclosingclosureclosuresgala-netgpotatonewssevencoreshutdownsunsetsunsetswebzenTue, 19 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Diablo III's console constroversy and Wrath of Heroes' shutdown]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-console-constroversy-and-wrath-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-console-constroversy-and-wrath-of/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/04/not-so-massively-diablo-iii-console-constroversy-and-wrath-of/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
It's been a huge week for MOBAs, with the release of several new characters, a ton of balance changes, and even a game closing down for good. League of Legends announced that it will start officially supporting Mac and released a new Smart Ping system designed to help players work together as a team despite language barriers. SMITE showed off its new crowd-controlling water god, Poseidon, and console MOBA Guardians of Middle-Earth released a new Survival game mode DLC.

We heard the unfortunate news that Wrath of Heroes will be closing its doors at the end of the month, and it's not the only game going out of business. Online FPS Bullet Run, formerly known as Hedone, is due to shut down on Friday, March 8th, in a big final event. It's not all doom and gloom, though, as Dota 2 has hit another impressive milestone, passing 300,000 peak concurrent players. The first season of Heroes of Newerth's HoN Tour league is soon to draw to a close, and developers are planning a huge balance patch before the next season kicks off.

Blizzard enraged Diablo III fans this week with the announcement that the console version will not feature the controversial always-online DRM and can be played offline. Path of Exile detailed its next open beta patch, which is due to introduce a new fire skill, a 3v3 dueling arena, and significant Duelist class buffs. Online FPS Firefall produced a new trailer this week showing off its flight gameplay amidst criticism from fans over its lack of beta content. Finally, sci-fi sandbox Star Citizen gave fans a look behind the curtain of game development in its biggest development update video yet.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III's console constroversy and Wrath of Heroes' shutdown

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III's console constroversy and Wrath of Heroes' shutdown originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmoaction-rpgalways-onlinebattlenetbiowareblitzcrankblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbullet-runcloud-imperiumcompetitive-gamingconcurrent-playersconsolecontroversyd3dev-diarydiablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidlcdotadota-2drmdueliste-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedflyingfree-to-playgame-closureglidinggoblin-towngothic-fantasygrinding-geargrinding-gear-gameshedoneheroes-of-newerthhonhon-touriblitzcrankjetpackjetpackskrakenleague-of-legendslollol-mac-clientlord-of-the-ringslotrmacmac-clientmapmapsmiddle-earthmobamonolithmonolith-studiosmultiplayermythicmythic-entertainmentnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpath-of-exilepingplaystation-networkpoeposeidonps3psnpvprecordriotriot-gamesround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamessandboxsci-fismart-pingsony-online-entertainmentstar-citizensteamsunsetsurvivalvalvevideovideoswarhammerwarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswarner-broswohwrath-of-heroeswrath-of-the-lich-kingxboxxbox-360xbox-livexbox360Mon, 04 Mar 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes is shutting down next month]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/warhammer-online-wrath-of-heroes-sunsets-next-month/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/warhammer-online-wrath-of-heroes-sunsets-next-month/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/27/warhammer-online-wrath-of-heroes-sunsets-next-month/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Warhammer Online Wrath of Heroes sunsets next month
Mythic's experiment in turning Warhammer Online into a microtransaction-flush MOBA has failed. The studio announced that Wrath of Heroes will be closing on March 29th. Wrath of Heroes went into open beta in late 2011 and never officially released.

Producer James Casey wraps things up with a few bittersweet memories: "I think we created something special and I would not trade the time creating it or playing it (on all those Friday Fight Fests and anonymously almost every day) for anything."

While players' gems will not be refunded, Mythic is planning to release "work in progress" heroes at a quick pace and discounted rate up to the game's shutdown. Additionally, players who purchased and had gems between the first of the year and today will be treated to a free month subscription and a chest of goodies in WAR.

[Thanks to Etaew for the tip!]

MassivelyWarhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes is shutting down next month originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebreakingcompensationeaelectronic-artsendless-trialfantasyjames-caseymobamythicmythic-entertainmentpvprvrshutdownsunsetwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlinewarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswohwrath-of-heroesWed, 27 Feb 2013 14:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Bullet Run shutting down on March 8th]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/02/bullet-run-shutting-down-on-march-8th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/02/bullet-run-shutting-down-on-march-8th/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/02/02/bullet-run-shutting-down-on-march-8th/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Screenshot -- Bullet Run
Sony Online Entertainment has announced the imminent closing of its short-lived multiplayer FPS, Bullet Run. In a post on the game's official forums, the studio announced that "after much review and consideration, Acony Games and Sony Online Entertainment have mutually made the decision to discontinue development on the free-to-play FPS game, Bullet Run."

SOE will be officially sunsetting the game on March 8th, 2013. Until that time, however, the servers will remain up-and-running for any players who want to have one last hoorah before the game takes its final bow. Membership billing, however, ended yesterday, February 1st. Any players who still had time on their Platinum Memberships as of that time will receive a "pro rata refund for any time remaining on [their] Bullet Run subscription[s]" from SOE. The full details can be found on the game's official forums, and we wish the best of luck to the game's dev team in its members' future endeavors.

[Thanks to Jack Pipsam for the tip!]

MassivelyBullet Run shutting down on March 8th originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>acony-gamesbullet-runclosurefirst-person-shooterfpsmmofpsshutdownsoesony-online-entertainmentsunsetSat, 02 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Glitch preserves game memories via encyclopedia]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/glitch-preserves-game-memories-via-encyclopedia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/glitch-preserves-game-memories-via-encyclopedia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/23/glitch-preserves-game-memories-via-encyclopedia/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Glitch preserves game memories via encyclopedia
It's slightly unusual to get a "post-game update" from a closed MMO, but then again, Glitch always was unusual. Tiny Speck wrote a post to thank players for the support and encouragement received following last month's sunset and also to let everyone know that the team is preserving Glitch's art assets and memories through the website's encyclopedia under a Creative Commons license.

"When we shut off the servers on December 9th, players left thousands of notes scattered throughout the world. They were wonderful -- sometimes sad, sometimes funny, occasionally weird, and always heartfelt," the team wrote. To honor the players, the staff has included these notes in Glitch's encyclopedia on the location pages.

Tiny Speck says that the encyclopedia and other assets will remain up and running even as the rest of the website spins down in upcoming months.

MassivelyGlitch preserves game memories via encyclopedia originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>art-assetsback-to-betabetabrowserbrowser-basedcasualcreative-commonscultureencyclopediaf2pfantasyflashfree-to-playglitchhipsterplayer-notespost-game-updatesandboxsunsettinyspeckunlauncheningWed, 23 Jan 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes fan videos pay tribute to the game's legacy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/28/city-of-heroes-fan-videos-pay-tribute-to-the-games-legacy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/28/city-of-heroes-fan-videos-pay-tribute-to-the-games-legacy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/28/city-of-heroes-fan-videos-pay-tribute-to-the-games-legacy/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

City of Heroes fan videos pay tribute to the end
The game may be cold and gone at this point, but City of Heroes still lives in the warm, beating hearts of its fans. Two players endeavored to create tributes to the game that would endure long past its expiration date, and Massively thinks they should be shared with the larger community.

The first video, City of Heroes Remains, sees Paragon City being pummeled into the ground by a fiery meteor shower, only to be rebuilt by its heroes after the event. It's a movie-quality production full of special effects and stunning views of the city, set to a couple of perfect songs.

The second video, Memories, is a longer, quieter look at the end. In it, a costumed crusader pays a final visit to City Hall where he hangs up his tights for good -- but refuses to let go of a backpack full of memories.

We've got both videos for you after the jump, but be warned: You may need hankies.

Continue reading City of Heroes fan videos pay tribute to the game's legacy

MassivelyCity of Heroes fan videos pay tribute to the game's legacy originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxf2pfan-videosfree-to-playfreedomncsoftparagonparagon-studiossunsetsuperherosuperheroesthe-endtributetributesvideovideosFri, 28 Dec 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Family Guy Online to shut down next month]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/22/family-guy-online-to-shut-down-next-month/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/22/family-guy-online-to-shut-down-next-month/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/22/family-guy-online-to-shut-down-next-month/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Family Guy Online to shut down next month
Get your Quahog gaming fix soon because Family Guy Online is not long for this world. The game announced that it will be shutting down next month on January 18th. Family Guy Online is currently in open beta, which means that it will have never officially launched before spinning down.

The game will refund any cash purchases made during the last two months (from October 22nd through December 21st).

If you're curious how this interactive version of the TV animated series performed, you can check out Beau's Rise and Shiny expedition.

[Thanks to Matthew for the tip!]

MassivelyFamily Guy Online to shut down next month originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 22 Dec 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cartoonsclosingclosurecomedyfamily-guyfamily-guy-onlinefoxlolwutmmo-industrynew-titlesrefundshutdownsunsetSat, 22 Dec 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Think Tank: What's your solution to save closing MMOs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/13/the-think-tank-whats-your-solution-to-save-closing-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/13/the-think-tank-whats-your-solution-to-save-closing-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/12/13/the-think-tank-whats-your-solution-to-save-closing-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Think Tank What's your solution to save closing MMOs
In the spectrum of entertainment, MMOs are still relatively young. When the original MMOs were created in the late '90s, I don't imagine the innovators thought much about what would happen if millions of people got hooked on these games, built solid relationships, put thousands of hours into their characters... and then it all went away. The consequence of that unique situation is a lot more painful than most early developers could have imagined, yet it's happening more frequently.

With the closure of popular MMOs like Star Wars Galaxies, City of Heroes and more, some players are a bit irritated at the genre as a whole. Not too many other time-investment hobbies can completely go away as quickly as an MMO.

So what does the Massively staff think is the solution? Do we turn to F2P publishers to throw some cash shop Band-Aids on the game and nudge it back into the wild? Do we bypass legal avenues and look at emulators? Is there even such thing as a solution?

Continue reading The Think Tank: What's your solution to save closing MMOs?

MassivelyThe Think Tank: What's your solution to save closing MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>closingclosureeditorialemulatoremulatorsfeaturedgroup-editorialmassively-staffmassively-teamopinionopinionsprotestprotestsroundtableroundupsunsetsunsettingthe-think-tankthink-tankThu, 13 Dec 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Glitch's creator on the game's failure: 'Too foreign of a concept']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/glitchs-creator-on-the-games-failure-too-foreign-of-a-concep/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/glitchs-creator-on-the-games-failure-too-foreign-of-a-concep/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/glitchs-creator-on-the-games-failure-too-foreign-of-a-concep/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Glitch's creator This was 'too foreign of a concept'
If you're looking for just one reason why Glitch is sunsetting, you're out of luck. If you're looking for many, many reasons why Glitch failed, then all you have to do is pull up a chair in front of Tiny Speck's Stewart Butterfield and listen to him talk. Butterfield spoke with Gamasutra about the myriad of reasons why Glitch didn't take and ultimately had to be shuttered.

"Ultimately if I have to identify one thing as the problem -- I don't think there is just one -- but if I had to choose just one," Butterfield said, "I think the game was too foreign of a concept for most people."

He pointed out that while there was a devoted fan base who "got it," marketing the title presented severe problems throughout most of the game's lifespan: "There haven't ever been other non-combat MMOs that are based on absurdity, humor, and whimsy. I'm not sure anyone has the specific expertise in making this thing work."

Other failures that Butterfield identified was a lack of fun gameplay until recently, the decision to do the game in Flash instead of for mobile platforms, large expenditures of money, and Tiny Speck's big team drawing salaries.

MassivelyGlitch's creator on the game's failure: 'Too foreign of a concept' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Nov 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>back-to-betabetabrowserbrowser-basedcasualclosuref2pfantasyflashfree-to-playgamasutraglitchhipsterindieinterviewsandboxshutteringslow motionSlowMotionstewart-butterfieldsunsettinyspeckunlauncheningFri, 30 Nov 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Join Massively tonight as we stream City of Heroes' final hour [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/join-massively-tonight-as-we-stream-city-of-heroes-final-hour/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/join-massively-tonight-as-we-stream-city-of-heroes-final-hour/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/join-massively-tonight-as-we-stream-city-of-heroes-final-hour/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

We're heroes. This is what we do.
November 30th is a dark day for City of Heroes fans. Three months ago, NCsoft announced that it would be pulling the plug on the popular superhero MMO and shuttering Paragon Studios, the team behind the magic. The game's date of execution has now arrived; the MMO will draw its final breath tonight -- or tomorrow, depending on your time zone. The servers will shut down at 3:00 a.m. EST Saturday morning (midnight tonight on the West Coast).

Never the type to go quietly, the Titan Network crew has organized a final Unity Rally; it will begin at 2:00 a.m. EST tomorrow morning (11:00 p.m. PST tonight) and take place at Atlas Park's City Hall on every server. Join Massively tonight as we livestream a final farewell to the game and record the event for posterity (or just people who fell asleep). And while you wait, you can go join the latest #SaveCoH campaign, this one a Hail Mary pitch to Disney.

Farewell, Paragon City. Your innovation and creativity will be missed.

[Update: It's gone, heroes. We've uploaded the stream after the cut for those who couldn't be there in person.]

Continue reading Join Massively tonight as we stream City of Heroes' final hour [Updated]

MassivelyJoin Massively tonight as we stream City of Heroes' final hour [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Nov 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainsclosurecohcovcoxdisneyf2pfree-to-playfreedomhail-marylivestreamncsoftparagonparagon-studiosposterityseriously-this-game-doesnt-deserve-to-dieshutdownshutdownsstreamsunsetsuperherosuperheroesunity-rallyFri, 30 Nov 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The end of the city of heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/a-mild-mannered-reporter-the-end-of-the-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/a-mild-mannered-reporter-the-end-of-the-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/a-mild-mannered-reporter-the-end-of-the-city-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

All illustrations by A. Fienemann, words by me, sorrow by a lot of people.
"Name?"

"Mr. Swift."

The small man on the other end of the table sighed as if he'd heard the punchline too many times already. "Sir, I understand that you're unhappy about recent events, but this is a necessity. I don't want to keep you here longer than necessary, but I can throw you in jail for a night for obstructing this audit. I'm not asking for your moniker; I'm asking for your name, and it's only out of politeness." He tapped the side of his laptop for emphasis. "Now before I have to look it up -- your name."

It was a little thing, really. But it felt huge. "Orson Herschel Siegal," Swift replied, purposely looking away from the auditor and searching for something in the stark white room to pull his attention away.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: The end of the city of heroes

MassivelyA Mild-Mannered Reporter: The end of the city of heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-mild-mannered-reportercity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohconclusioncovcoxendingf2pfarewellfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomgoodbyei-was-promised-cakemild-mannered-reporterncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiossadsave-cohshutdownsunsetsuperherosuperheroesthe-endWed, 28 Nov 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jukebox Heroes: City of Heroes' soundtrack]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/27/jukebox-heroes-city-of-heroes-soundtrack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/27/jukebox-heroes-city-of-heroes-soundtrack/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/27/jukebox-heroes-city-of-heroes-soundtrack/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Jukebox Heroes City of Heroes' soundtrack
Really, how could it be anything else this week? By the first of December, a major MMO influence on my life will be gone for good. We will talk about it in the past tense with wistful tones, remembering the superheroic escapades and villainous schemes. It will be given a place of honor in many of our memories, and I truly believe that City of Heroes will echo throughout the industry and community for years to come.

One of those echoes is the game's score, which will endure, as does every MMO's soundtrack. When I first started playing City of Heroes in 2004, the music made a big impression on me. It painted a picture of the game's locale and atmosphere perhaps better than anything else. Heck, you could play the game with your eyes closed and know which zone you were in by the music cues. That's how integral the score was to the game.

So this is my final send-off to City of Heroes: a look at the highlight from its soundtrack from the launch through Freedom. Goodbye, City of Heroes... I'm going to really miss you. I won't miss the whine from the force field bubble, but I'll miss almost everything else.

Continue reading Jukebox Heroes: City of Heroes' soundtrack

MassivelyJukebox Heroes: City of Heroes' soundtrack originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Nov 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>champions-onlinecity-of-heroescity-of-heroes-freedomcity-of-heroes-going-roguecity-of-villainscohcomposercomposerscovcoxf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomgame-musicgoing-roguehuxleyinvader-zimjason-gravesjukeboxjukebox-heroesjustin-olivettiKevin-Riepllineage-iimichael-henrymmo-jukeboxmmo-musicmusicncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiossoundtracksoundtracksstar-trek-onlinesunsunsetsunsettingsuperherosuperheroesTue, 27 Nov 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMObility: Why the closing of Glitch matters]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/23/mmobility-why-the-closing-of-glitch-matters/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/23/mmobility-why-the-closing-of-glitch-matters/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/23/mmobility-why-the-closing-of-glitch-matters/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Glitch screenshot
When it was announced that Glitch was closing, I felt a blend of shock and sadness. Glitch is one of my favorite MMOs, but it's special for a number of reasons. The game achieved a lot in a crowded market that is filled with the same gameplay, same lore, and same stock characters that we have seen for years, and it achieved all of this within a Flash-based browser environment.

The official announcement gave us a lot of clues as to what happened, but it looks like the money was just not enough to keep the game afloat. It's also very possible that the money was enough, but just barely. Running a business is hard, and running an MMO that is so unique and unusual can be the same as living paycheck to paycheck. It's stressful and scary when the future is never certain... sometimes it's easier to call it quits.

Continue reading MMObility: Why the closing of Glitch matters

MassivelyMMObility: Why the closing of Glitch matters originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Nov 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>back-to-betabeau-hindmanbetabrowserbrowser-basedcasualclosuref2pfantasyfeaturedflashfree-to-playglitchhipsterinnovationmmobilitymobilemobile-gamingmobile-mmoopinionphoneSandboxsandbox-gamesmartphonesunsettiny-specktinyspeckunlauncheningFri, 23 Nov 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Glitch closing down, cites limited audience]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/14/glitch-closing-down-cites-limited-audience/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/14/glitch-closing-down-cites-limited-audience/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/14/glitch-closing-down-cites-limited-audience/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Glitch closing down, cites limited audience
The word is out and it is sad: "Glitch is over." Tiny Speck delivered the shocking news today, saying that the 2-D browser title will be closing forever on December 9th. The team said that it is "heartbroken" to have to announce this, and apologized for letting its fans down.

Apparently, the game simply could not find a critical mass large enough to be financially viable. The developers explained it simply: "Unfortunately, Glitch has not attracted an audience large enough to sustain itself and based on a long period of experimentation and our best estimates, it seems unlikely that it ever would."

While Tiny Speck will continue with a smaller team working on other projects, many of Glitch's developers are now looking for work elsewhere. The studio posted a closure FAQ that included reasoning behind the shutdown and information on how to obtain refunds for money spent on the game.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

MassivelyGlitch closing down, cites limited audience originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>back-to-betabetabrowserbrowser-basedcasualclosuref2pfantasyfaqflashfree-to-playglitchhipsterrefundrefundssandboxshutdownsunsettinyspeckunlauncheningWed, 14 Nov 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Soapbox: No game lives forever]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/16/the-soapbox-no-game-lives-forever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/16/the-soapbox-no-game-lives-forever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/16/the-soapbox-no-game-lives-forever/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The Soapbox No game lasts forever 23
The lifespan of a video game is a funny thing. There are some games that have a definite end, yet you'd wish they'd last forever. These games measure life in replayability, run-through length, or multiplayer matches, but they lack permanence and persistence. Still, you can usually dust them off years from now and still have fun with them.

MMOs are a different breed, aren't they? They promise the inverse of the solo game, with a world that goes on, content that keeps flooding in, and the illusion that it will last forever. Yet when the switch is turned off, there's no going back. You can't pick it up 10 years from now and give it another go.

It's why the news that an MMO is closing up shop comes as such a devastating blow to many of us. As MMOs attempt to emulate the persistence of life, so too do they illustrate the finality of death.

Continue reading The Soapbox: No game lives forever

MassivelyThe Soapbox: No game lives forever originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto-assaultcity-of-heroescity-of-villainsclassic-mmocohcovcoxdeatheditorialf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomgalaxieslego-universencsoftop-edopinionparagonparagon-studiosrantrantssandboxsci-fisoapboxsoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiessunsetsunsetssuperherosuperheroesswgswgotabula-rasathe-matrix-onlinethe-soapboxTue, 16 Oct 2012 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Ten things to do in City of Heroes before it's gone]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/05/ten-things-to-do-in-city-of-heroes-before-its-gone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/05/ten-things-to-do-in-city-of-heroes-before-its-gone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/05/ten-things-to-do-in-city-of-heroes-before-its-gone/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ten things to do in City of Heroes before it's gone
A year ago to the day, I grudgingly, sorrowfully published Ten things to do in Star Wars Galaxies before it's gone. SWG was my favorite MMO of all time, and I was devastated to see it canned for licensing reasons, but I wanted to do it justice, and hey, at least I had my second-favorite MMO to fall back on, right? City of Heroes -- now that was a game that had staying power!

Welp, so much for that. As we've been covering for the last month and change, NCsoft is pulling the plug on City of Heroes come the end of November, and the genre is faced with the loss of yet another pioneering and ostensibly profitable MMO long before its time. While there are still soldiers fighting for that slim chance NCsoft might sell the game to a willing investor, the likelihood is that it's game over for Paragon City, at least in its current incarnation. Fight on, I say; don't give up. But make sure you enjoy the game that exists right now, too. Log in. Play. You may never get the chance again.

Today, I'll tell you 10 things you should do in City of Heroes... before it's too late.

Continue reading Ten things to do in City of Heroes before it's gone

MassivelyTen things to do in City of Heroes before it's gone originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxf2pfeaturedfree-to-playfreedomncsoftparagonparagon-cityparagon-studiosstar-wars-galaxiessunsetsunsettingsuperherosuperheroesswgFri, 05 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Phantasy Star Universe is gone for good]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/27/phantasy-star-universe-is-gone-for-good/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/27/phantasy-star-universe-is-gone-for-good/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/27/phantasy-star-universe-is-gone-for-good/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Phantasy Star Universe is gone for good
Saying goodbye to a game you love is sad. Phantasy Star Universe has been in the process of bidding its players adieu for quite some time, beginning by departing from the PS2 and PC platforms two years ago. Since then, players have been clinging to the XBox 360 servers and dreaming of a happy future. Today, with the closure of the Japanese PSU servers, players had to bid the game a final farewell.

Fans got together on the PSO World forums to share memories and final screenshots.

[Thanks to savvy reader Kassandra for the tip.]

MassivelyPhantasy Star Universe is gone for good originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>how-did-this-much-dust-get-in-my-eyejapanese-serversphantasy-starphantasy-star-universepsusegasega-of-japanserver-closingsunsetThu, 27 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes issues sunset FAQ, event schedule]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/26/city-of-heroes-issues-sunset-faq-event-schedule/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/26/city-of-heroes-issues-sunset-faq-event-schedule/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/26/city-of-heroes-issues-sunset-faq-event-schedule/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

City of Heroes
Paragon Studios -- or what's left of it -- has just released an FAQ aiming to clarify the sunset process for its doomed superhero MMO City of Heroes. Like last week's status update, the FAQ reminds players that the game will formally close down on November 30th, and though you can spend existing cash shop points, you cannot create new F2P accounts or upgrade your existing account to VIP. The FAQ outlines the refund process in detail; NCsoft will be refunding outstanding subscription and gametime card balances.

In happier news, Assistant Community Manager Jessie "Hitstreak" Lawrence took to the forums this afternoon to post the schedule of sunset events, which appear to be existing holiday and themed events from seasons past:
Summer Blockbuster: October 5 - October 8
Double XP: October 18 - October 22
Halloween Event: October 26 - October 29
Winter Event: November 9 - November 12
Rikti Invasion: November 23 - November 30.

MassivelyCity of Heroes issues sunset FAQ, event schedule originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxf2pfree-to-playfreedomhitstreakjessie-lawrencencsoftparagonparagon-studiossunsetsunset-eventssunsettingsuperherosuperheroesWed, 26 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[City of Heroes reveals pre-sunset billing and refund plans]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/city-of-heroes-reveals-pre-sunset-billing-and-refund-plans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/city-of-heroes-reveals-pre-sunset-billing-and-refund-plans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/18/city-of-heroes-reveals-pre-sunset-billing-and-refund-plans/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

You can guess who the figures in this screenshot represent as allegories.
NCsoft has been silent regarding the impending shutdown of City of Heroes past the initial announcement. An update has finally been posted, one that promises sunset events hosted in-game in the lead-up to the shutdown, although exact times and dates are not yet included. What is detailed is the policy for VIP status and the refund policy for players who had recently purchased Paragon Points.

Anyone who had an active subscription for VIP status as of September 1st will be granted VIP status for the remainder of the game's operation. Players whose subscriptions had lapsed will be unable to renew those subscriptions, unfortunately. Any subscription fees paid as of September 1st and the value of any Paragon Points purchased on or after August 24th can also be fully refunded to you. Players with game time cards will need to contact support to receive a refund.

It's certainly not the update that players have been hoping for, but it's at least a step toward knowing what will happen next with the game.

MassivelyCity of Heroes reveals pre-sunset billing and refund plans originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxf2pfree-to-playfreedomncsoftparagonparagon-studiossave-cohsunsetsunset-eventssunset-planssuperherosuperheroesvipTue, 18 Sep 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Would you still play if you had to start over?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/10/the-daily-grind-would-you-still-play-if-you-had-to-start-over/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/10/the-daily-grind-would-you-still-play-if-you-had-to-start-over/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/10/the-daily-grind-would-you-still-play-if-you-had-to-start-over/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Would you still play if you had to start over?
In their struggle to save their game from sunset in November, City of Heroes fans are faced with a dilemma: What if their heroic measures work but only halfway? What if they manage to save the game but not the team and the game stays on life support? Or what if they save the game and the team but not the servers and everything on them -- would people still play?

That exact situation has already hit Ryzom players, whose servers are set to be wiped and consolidated in an effort to keep the game online. So suppose your favorite game lost all of its data for some reason. Your characters are gone, with no hope of retrieval. No levels. No currency. No twinking gear. No achievements. No vet rewards. No guilds. No resources. All of it, gone.

Would you start over? If not, would you take it as a sign to play another game? And if so, what would you do differently the second time around?

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Would you still play if you had to start over? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovcoxdaily-grindf2pfree-to-playfreedomheroic-measureslife-supportncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiosserver-wipesunsetsuperherosuperheroestdgthe-daily-grindMon, 10 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fans show spectacular support for City of Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/fans-continue-to-show-spectacular-support-for-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/fans-continue-to-show-spectacular-support-for-city-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/09/fans-continue-to-show-spectacular-support-for-city-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

You may take our game, but you will never take our WILL TO COLLECTIVE ACTIOOOOON
Years and years of acting out a super-human ideal in-game have apparently worn off on the players of City of Heroes. Faced with the news that their beloved game is due to sunset before the end of the year, CoH fans have been putting on a tremendous show of support for the game and Paragon Studios. Saturday saw a massive rally on the in-game steps of City Hall in Atlas Park as players gathered to show their support and love for Paragon Studios and its employees. The support campaign continues, however: Intrepid CoH fans have organized a call to action to bombard NCsoft with capes and masks through the mail.

Fans are also rising up to share their feelings via letters to Taek Jin Kim, NCsoft's CEO, which has caught the attention of fantasy writer and CoH guest author Mercedes Lackey. In response to the original call to letter-writing action, Lackey said said she was extending an offer to NCsoft to endorse, uncompensated, any and all NCsoft products if the company can only find a way for CoH to live on.

Skip below the cut for a short clip showing a composite of the 3,000-odd heroes spread across 32 instances of Atlas Park on the Virtue server, or hit up the official boards for some screenshots from the unity rally.

Continue reading Fans show spectacular support for City of Heroes

MassivelyFans show spectacular support for City of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 09 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcall-to-actioncity-of-heroescity-of-villainsclosingcohcommunitycovcoxf2pfree-to-playfreedommercedes-lackeyncsoftparagonparagon-studiosrallysunsetsuperherosuperheroesunity-rallyvirtue-serveSun, 09 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How could studios 'sunset-proof' their MMOs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/the-daily-grind-how-could-studios-sunset-proof-their-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/the-daily-grind-how-could-studios-sunset-proof-their-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/09/01/the-daily-grind-how-could-studios-sunset-proof-their-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Daily Grind How could studios 'sunsetproof' their MMOs
It's a sad week for caped crusaders, I'll tell you that. Many of us current and former City of Heroes players were rocked by the news that the studio and game have been given the axe by their NCsoft overlords. Even though CoH was a little long in the tooth, it seemed like a stable title that was doing well enough for itself in the free-to-play space.

Whatever the cause for City of Heroes' sunsetting (oh, I hate that term; it's too mellow for a terrible act), this may have the effect of making any player think, "If it happens here, it could happen to me and my game."

Sunsets come for us all, my friends, but it doesn't mean that we have to run into them. You'd think that there are some things an MMO studio or publisher could do to sunset-proof their titles and give them as long a life as possible. But what would those steps be? What do you think these companies should do to keep their games going for as long as possible that isn't already being done?

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How could studios 'sunset-proof' their MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>city-of-heroescity-of-villainsclosingclosurecohcovcoxdaily-grindf2pfree-to-playfreedomncsoftopinionparagonparagon-studiossunsetsunset-proofsunsettingsuperherosuperheroestdgthe-daily-grindSat, 01 Sep 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Paragon Studios closing, City of Heroes to sunset before the end of the year [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/paragon-studios-closing-city-of-heroes-to-sunset-before-the-end/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/paragon-studios-closing-city-of-heroes-to-sunset-before-the-end/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/31/paragon-studios-closing-city-of-heroes-to-sunset-before-the-end/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Paragon Studios closing, City of Heroes to sunset before the end of the year
NCsoft is closing Paragon Studios due to a "realignment of company focus and publishing support," according to a blurb just posted on the City of Heroes website.

Community manager Andy Belford says that the superhero MMO will shut down before the end of the year, and recurring billing (as well as Paragon Market purchasing) will be discontinued immediately.

City of Heroes originally launched in 2004 as the world's first superhero MMORPG. Belford goes on to say that more information will be forthcoming over the next few weeks, including a firm cessation date as well as "what you can expect in game."

[Update: NCsoft has told IGN that it is aiming for a November 30th closure date.]

MassivelyParagon Studios closing, City of Heroes to sunset before the end of the year [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Zentia
When Star Wars Galaxies' sunset was announced not much more than a year ago, it made me more than sad -- it made me distrustful. I knew that games had shut down before, but they were usually unlucky or unprofitable. In spite of the NGE, SWG maintained a healthy population for a second-gen MMO, and SOE was supporting it better than some studios support their current-gen games, so I fooled myself into thinking it'd be around forever like the rest of SOE's titles. And when I realized it wouldn't, my investment in other games fell off sharply. Why pour years into a world that can be ended arbitrarily before its time?

Zentia's impending closure brought that distrust to the surface again. Western audiences have a hard enough time adopting "foreign" games with funky localization and pay-to-win cash shops, so losing one of the best imports inspires no faith that other games will survive long enough to make an investment of time (and money) worth it.

What about you? Do MMO sunsets kill your desire to invest in other MMOs?

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do MMO sunsets kill your investment in other MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brianna-royce-tdgchang-youchangyouclassic-mmoclosuredaily-grinddistrustf2pfantasyfree-to-playgalaxiesopinionpixel-softpvpsandboxsci-fisoesony-online-entertainmentstar-warsstar-wars-galaxiessunsetswgswgotdgthe-daily-grindzentiaMon, 13 Aug 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free for All: Zentia closes, MilMo's Junebud declares bankruptcy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/08/free-for-all-zentia-closes-milmos-junebud-declares-bankruptcy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/08/free-for-all-zentia-closes-milmos-junebud-declares-bankruptcy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08/08/free-for-all-zentia-closes-milmos-junebud-declares-bankruptcy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Zentia screenshot
It's always a sad day when a favorite game or games announce some bad news. Over the last week, I read about two of my favorite titles -- Zentia and MilMo -- coming to a end way too early. Both announcements surprised me, but these days there are so many games in so many different genres across so many different devices that any game that becomes successful is somewhat of a triumph. I can list off many, many MMOs, all vying for the attention of players' time and money. That list would reach into the thousands once I counted in the ever-expanding mobile and social market. Heck, a representative from an international games group told me at E3 a few years ago that hundreds MMOs were due out of the East within that year alone.

In the case of Zentia, the closing is not as unexpected. There hasn't been much at all happening with the game for quite a while. MilMo, on the other hand, was a complete surprise.

Continue reading Free for All: Zentia closes, MilMo's Junebud declares bankruptcy

MassivelyFree for All: Zentia closes, MilMo's Junebud declares bankruptcy originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beau-hindmanchang-youChangyouclosuref2pfantasyfeaturedffafree-for-allfree-to-playfreemiumjunebudjunebud-abmilmoopinionpixel-softpvpsunsetvelvet-ropezentiazentia-mmoWed, 08 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Phantasy Star Universe will blink out for good in September]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/09/phantasy-star-universe-will-blink-out-for-good-in-september/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/09/phantasy-star-universe-will-blink-out-for-good-in-september/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/06/09/phantasy-star-universe-will-blink-out-for-good-in-september/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Phantasy Star Universe screenshot
For six years, fans have been able to play the sci-fi MMO Phantasy Star Universe. Though the game lost some platforms just over two years ago when the PS2 and PC versions were shut down, the XBox 360 version remained intact. Thus, PSU quietly lived on as a console MMO where players could complete missions on worlds like Parum and Neudaiz, craft items, or decorate their private living space. Now, SEGA has announced that this last living remnant of the online game will take its last breath on September 7th, 2012. The single player version, however, will still be available.

SEGA noted that the decision to close the game was not an easy one, but that the company was preparing to "provide [players] with new opportunities and new experiences." The company thanked all of the players who have supported the game over the years and assured that any who have an active Guardians license following the final date will have their pro-rated subscription refunded. GM Edward also revealed that a number of server-wide bonuses have been added and that plans were in the works for some celebratory events so that the Universe could go out with a bang.

[Thanks to BGO for the tip!]

MassivelyPhantasy Star Universe will blink out for good in September originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>end-of-the-Universegame-closingPhantasy-Starphantasy-star-universePSUSEGAserver-closingshutting-downsunsetXBox-360XBox360Sat, 09 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Karos Online shutting down, Rosh Online welcoming refugees]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/karos-online-shutting-down-rosh-online-welcoming-refugees/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/karos-online-shutting-down-rosh-online-welcoming-refugees/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/karos-online-shutting-down-rosh-online-welcoming-refugees/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Karos Online
We haven't heard much about Karos Online since its 2010 launch. It seems as though the title struggled to find an audience over the past two years and is now facing the end of its days. The team announced that Karos Online will be shutting down soon and urged its community to migrate to Rosh Online.

As of today, new accounts for Karos are disabled, and current players will be unable to purchase in-game currency for the cash shop. Karos Online will spend its next week spinning down its wheels before turning off the lights on April 13th.

Happily, Ignited Games has created a generous welcome package for Karos players willing to make the jump to Rosh Online. The benefits for doing so include in-game goodies and the conversion of cash shop currency to a compatible equivalent. On top of that, Karos players can jump into higher-level Rosh characters depending on how high they leveled their Karos contemporaries.

[Thanks for the tip, Jeff!]

MassivelyKaros Online shutting down, Rosh Online welcoming refugees originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>closuref2pfree-to-playin-game-currencykaroskaros-onlinemigrationpromotionroshrosh-onlineshutdownsunsetsunsettingwelcome-packageFri, 06 Apr 2012 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Is maintenance mode better than nothing at all?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/the-daily-grind-is-maintenance-mode-better-than-nothing-at-all/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/the-daily-grind-is-maintenance-mode-better-than-nothing-at-all/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/02/the-daily-grind-is-maintenance-mode-better-than-nothing-at-all/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Vanguard
In the last few years, long before rumors that Vanguard would be heading down the F2P path were confirmed, players groused about the state of the game, complaining that SOE was allowing the game to languish with no devs and no updates. Those were exaggerations, of course, but the players were vocal about their perceived neglect, throwing around dirty words like "abandonware," and worse, "maintenance mode" -- the idea that an MMO is just kept as is with no updates and only enough attention to keep the servers running.

Of course, players whose games were sunsetted entirely (Tabula Rasa, Asheron's Call 2, and The Matrix Online, to name a few) might have wished for maintenance mode rather than death. Getting no updates might suck, but at least you still have a game to play.

What say you -- is maintenance mode better than nothing at all?

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Is maintenance mode better than nothing at all? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abandonwareac2asherons-call-2brianna-royce-tdgdaily-grindmaintenance-modeopinionsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentsunsettabula-rasatdgthe-daily-grindthe-matrix-onlineTRvanguardVanguard-Saga-of-HeroesMon, 02 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EverQuest Online Adventures slays its final dragon]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/everquest-online-adventures-slays-its-final-dragon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/everquest-online-adventures-slays-its-final-dragon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/everquest-online-adventures-slays-its-final-dragon/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

EQOA
EverQuest Online Adventures, the console spinoff of SOE's EverQuest franchise, is counting down the hours until the server is switched off at midnight tonight. In addition to EQOA, SOE is shuttering three other underperforming titles today: Cosmic Rift, Infantry, and Star Chamber: The Harbinger Saga.

Instead of spending its final days in sorrow, the EQOA community joined the dev team for a series of epic battles against marauding dragons this past week. Players have filled the forums with posts about their favorite in-game memories over the past nine years of gameplay. To compensate players for the loss of their game world, SOE gave EQOA subscribers three months of gold-level status in EverQuest and EverQuest II.

EQOA came out in 2003 on the PlayStation 2 and was one of the first generation of console MMOs. For those Massively readers feeling nostalgic or curious about it, definitely check out our series on the game: part 1, part 2, and part 3.

MassivelyEverQuest Online Adventures slays its final dragon originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cancelclosureconsoleconsole-mmoCosmic-Rifteqeq-iieqoaeverquesteverquest-iieverquest-onlineeverquest-online-adventuresInfantryplaystation-2ps2soesony-online-entertainmentStar-Chamber-The-Harbinger-SagasunsetsunsettingThu, 29 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The MMO Report: Chocolate makes you fat edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/the-mmo-report-chocolate-makes-you-fat-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/the-mmo-report-chocolate-makes-you-fat-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/the-mmo-report-chocolate-makes-you-fat-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The MMO Report
This week on The MMO Report, Casey delivers a Valentine's Day rant before moving on to the latest news -- namely, The Secret World's release date rumors, Wakfu's PvP, and the sunset of sci-fi sandbox Earthrise. He also rounds up the latest Blizzard headlines, noting the lawsuit against Valve, World of Warcraft's recent sub losses, and the "valiant and pointless exercise" of rebuilding Azeroth in Minecraft.

Finally, Uncle Casey's Mailbag provides a forum for the debate over just how we're supposed to pronounce "SWTOR." All this and more in the video behind the break!

Continue reading The MMO Report: Chocolate makes you fat edition

MassivelyThe MMO Report: Chocolate makes you fat edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>azerothblizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentcasey-schreinerchocolatedotadota-2earthrisefuncomlawsuitminecraftmmo-reportnewsopinionpvpstar-wars-the-old-republicsub-lossessunsetswtorthe-mmo-reportthe-secret-worldtswvalentines-dayvalvevideovideoswakfuThu, 16 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do you game on a Mac?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-daily-grind-do-you-game-on-a-mac/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-daily-grind-do-you-game-on-a-mac/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/11/the-daily-grind-do-you-game-on-a-mac/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

War. War never changes... the platform war, that is. But even those of us who game from the comfort of decked-out PCs can feel sorry for our Mac brethren when one of the Apple MMO offerings, already in short supply, goes dark. That's exactly what's happening to the Mac version of classic EverQuest: SOE is sunsetting the single Mac server due to low population and ancient code. Apple gamers must get a PC or sample one of the other Mac-friendly MMOs like Warhammer Online, Fallen Earth, Ryzom, or Free Realms.

So today we ask: Do you play MMOs on a Mac, and if so, which games? And is it really as bad as PC-loyalists like to think?

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

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do you game on a Mac? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 11 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applebrianna-royce-tdgdaily-grindeqeq-maceverquesteverquest-macfallen-earthfree-realmsmacmac-mmoopinionpcplatform-warryzomsoeSony-Online-Entertainmentsunsettdgthe-daily-grindwarhammer-onlineSat, 11 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Earthrise shutting down today]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/earthrise-shutting-down-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/earthrise-shutting-down-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/earthrise-shutting-down-today/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Bye bye Earthrise
Bulgarian developer Masthead Studios has announced that it's shutting down the servers for its post-apocalyptic sandbox MMO, Earthrise. Said Atanas Atanasov, Director of Masthead Studios:
"One year after the launch of the game, we have decided to stop the Earthrise servers. Earthrise was released too early and did not meet the expectations of its fans. We did our best to revive the game in 2011, but the time was not enough to keep up with the user requirements. There is a huge interest in high quality open world sandbox MMORPGs, unfortunately the big publishers do not show any interest in the genre. It is unfortunate that low budget companies like ours are trying to bring innovativeness in the already saturated MMO market. I hope that one day an independent studio will be able to release the long anticipated open world sandbox MMO, which everyone is talking about, but no one is making. We tried, but did not succeed. We would like to apologize to those who were disappointed from Earthrise and to thank everyone who supported us during the years."
The studio does mention that the planned free-to-play version for this year may still launch if any investor interest is shown, but there has been no word on this yet.

[Source: Masthead Studios press release]

MassivelyEarthrise shutting down today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Atanas-Atanasovbreakingnewsbye-byeclosingclosureearthrisemastehead-studiospost-apocalypticsandboxserver-closesunsetThu, 09 Feb 2012 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EverQuest Mac fans fight for survival; SOE responds]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/everquest-mac-fans-fight-for-survival-soe-responds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/everquest-mac-fans-fight-for-survival-soe-responds/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/everquest-mac-fans-fight-for-survival-soe-responds/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

EverQuest Mac
While many players are celebrating the announcement of EverQuest's upcoming free-to-play transition, there is one EQ community that was crushed by the news. The small but dedicated fanbase of EverQuest: Macintosh Edition found out that with F2P, EQMac and its one server would be sunsetted on the same date.

EQMac fans have begun to stage a campaign to save their favorite game, but it looks like there will be no budging SOE's mind on the matter. SOE President John Smedley took to the forums today to answer specific questions about the shutdown. "It breaks my heart to have to do this," he laments, before admitting that it's a done deal. Smedley cites the fact that the codebase is so ancient that only one SOE programmer knows how to work it, the player population is too small, and SOE was never that "proud" of the version.

However, Smedley promised that he will run a poll to see if there's enough interest in a Mac port of the current version of EverQuest. If the response is big enough, he says, the company will consider doing it. Meanwhile, the game will be available for current players free of charge until the March 29th shutdown. SOE has a celebration planned for its final hurrah.

EQMac came out in 2003 and was unique for remaining "frozen in time" in the years since, receiving no further active development or expansions. We will be covering this game and its shutdown more in-depth in a future Game Archaeologist column, so stay tuned.

MassivelyEverQuest Mac fans fight for survival; SOE responds originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleeqeq-forumseqmaceverquesteverquest-macintosheverquest-macintosh-editionf2pforumsfree-to-playjohn-smedleymacmac-editionmac-portmac-versionpollshutdownsmedleysoeSony-Online-EntertainmentsunsetsunsettingTue, 31 Jan 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MMO Family: LEGO Universe, autism, and heartbreak]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/mmo-family-lego-universe-autism-and-heartbreak/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/mmo-family-lego-universe-autism-and-heartbreak/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/mmo-family-lego-universe-autism-and-heartbreak/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Lego Universe
Often when the topic of video games comes up, it's followed by comments about the negatives, such as violence, antisocial behavior, or inappropriate content. But if they do have harmful effects (and it's arguable how many players really are affected in a negative way), they can also be helpful as well, yet you rarely hear a news story about the good. I've written before about how companies like IBM have studied MMO guilds in order to improve team-building and organization within their company. More recently, MMOWGLI focused on global issues, such as the future of piracy, to study what solutions players could cooperatively generate.

There are also positive benefits to children as well, and while we've touched on a few in recent columns, this week we'll focus on the impact LEGO Universe has had on autistic children. Sadly, the game will be shutting down in a few weeks, and while many parents are thankful for how much it's helped, they're also concerned about what will happen once the game is gone. Read on for a bittersweet look at how this LEGO-based game is leaving behind a legacy.

Continue reading MMO Family: LEGO Universe, autism, and heartbreak

MassivelyMMO Family: LEGO Universe, autism, and heartbreak originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aspergersautismcasualchildrenchildrens-mmosf2pfamilyfamily-friendlyfeaturedfree-to-playkaren-bryankid-friendlykidskids-gameslegolego+gameslego+universelego+universe+game+autismlego-universelegogameslegouniverselegouniversegameautismmmo-closingmmo-familymmo-kidsmmo-shut-downopinionstar-wars-galaxiessunsettabula-rasaWed, 28 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars Galaxies bequeaths a memory book to fans]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/star-wars-galaxies-bequeaths-a-memory-book-to-fans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/star-wars-galaxies-bequeaths-a-memory-book-to-fans/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/star-wars-galaxies-bequeaths-a-memory-book-to-fans/#commentsFiled under: , ,

SWG
Still in mourning and/or shock over Star Wars Galaxies' sunset? Kicking yourself in your rear for never checking out the game while it was still alive? Then Sony Online Entertainment has one last gift for you: a Star Wars Galaxies memory book packed with the game's legacy.

And this isn't a brief "So long and thanks for all the fish" pamphlet, either. The memory book is a whopping 253 pages of information and screenshots documenting the title's eight-year run. Former players and MMO historians can expect to read up on the game's timeline, planet, species, professions, space, ships, housing, cities, the Galactic Senate, the trading card game, the Galactic Civil War, and "The End."

The book immortalizes the near-total Rebel victory in the game with these parting words:
The explosions marking the Empire's end could be seen across the galaxy in the skies above the planets, and the celebrations that followed were unmatched. Peace reigned as Star Destroyers and dark lords became memories of another era, of a time long past, of galaxies long gone.

Gone, but not forgotten.
You can view or download the entire PDF on the official site.

MassivelyStar Wars Galaxies bequeaths a memory book to fans originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>closuregalactic-civil-warlegacymemoriesmemory-bookobligatory-hgttg-referencesoesony-online-entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-galaxies-memory-booksunsetswgswg-memory-bookThu, 22 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST