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[The Daily Grind: Do exclusive in-game event items annoy you?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/the-daily-grind-do-exclusive-in-game-event-items-annoy-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/the-daily-grind-do-exclusive-in-game-event-items-annoy-you/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/the-daily-grind-do-exclusive-in-game-event-items-annoy-you/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Star Wars Galaxies - 2010 Galactic Gathering painting
I was looking longingly at an ad for EVE Online's Fanfest a few minutes ago. I say longingly because it's a bit late to be booking airfare to Iceland for a couple weeks hence, to say nothing of getting off work. The event seems like a good time, though, and the icing on the cake is the in-game swag that CCP distributes to attendees.

Sony Online Entertainment does something similar for its annual Fan Faire shindig, and I remember tons of exclusive items on display in the virtual homes of Star Wars Galaxies fans who made the annual pilgrimages to Las Vegas.

It's bad enough that I never made it to Fan Faire, but it was infinitely worse that I wasn't able to get my collection-obsessed paws on rare no-trade paintings and whatnot (yeah, first-world problems, yada yada). What about you, morning crew? Do exclusive in-game event items rub you the wrong way?

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 exclusive in-game event items annoy you? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesconsoledaily-grinddustdust-514eveeve-onlinefan-fairefanfestfanfest-2012fanfest-rewardsfeaturedfpsinternet-spaceshipsmmofpsopinionplaystationplaystation-3ps3real-world-eventssandboxsci-fishootersoeSony-Online-Entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiesswagswgtdgthe-daily-grindThu, 15 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Jagex announces RuneFest 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/jagex-announces-runefest-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/jagex-announces-runefest-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/10/jagex-announces-runefest-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

If you'll be in the UK on the weekend of October 29th -- and you're a fan of RuneScape -- you might want to drop by Old Billingsgate in central London for the annual RuneFest fan celebration.

Jagex is pulling out all the stops for the browser title's 10th anniversary bash, and attendees can look forward to event favorites like the Insider Sessions as well as the Golden Gnome Video Awards.

A Halloween after-party is also on the docket, as are plenty of opportunities to score swag and hob-knob with senior developers. Tickets aren't yet on sale, but you can keep up with RuneFest happenings and announcements via the official website and the dedicated forums.

MassivelyJagex announces RuneFest 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>browserbrowser-basedconsconventionseventsf2pfan-eventsfantasyfree-to-playgolden-gnomegolden-gnome-video-awardshalloweenhalloween-partyinsider-sessionslondonreal-world-eventsrunefestrunescapeswagFri, 10 Jun 2011 23:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hang out with Massively (and Joystiq) at the E3 2011 reader meetup]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/hang-out-with-massively-and-joystiq-at-the-e3-2011-reader-meet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/hang-out-with-massively-and-joystiq-at-the-e3-2011-reader-meet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/06/06/hang-out-with-massively-and-joystiq-at-the-e3-2011-reader-meet/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

So E3 is coming up, and you what that means: games booze! If you've done the convention circuit before, you know that listening to PR reps and watching multiple presentations on the greatest-game-in-the-history-of-games pales in comparison to the opportunity to indulge in a bit of pub-crawling with industry types.

If you're over 21 and a fan of Massively, Joystiq, or WoW Insider, you'll want to mark Friday, June 10th on your party-going calendar. The Joystiq crew will be taking over the La Cita bar in downtown Los Angeles for a swag-filled shindig sure to please the most discriminating gamer.

And if not, hey, you can always drink with us.

Massively's on the ground in Los Angeles during the week of June 6-9, bringing you all the best news from E3 2011. Whether you're dying to know more about Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, or any MMO in between, you can bet we'll have it covered!

MassivelyHang out with Massively (and Joystiq) at the E3 2011 reader meetup originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conventionse3e3-2011electronic-entertainment-expoeventsjoystiqla-citamassivelymassively-metameetupsreal-world-eventsshindigswagwow-insiderMon, 06 Jun 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Second wave of BlizzCon tickets goes on sale tonight]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/second-wave-of-blizzcon-tickets-goes-on-sale-tonight/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/second-wave-of-blizzcon-tickets-goes-on-sale-tonight/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/25/second-wave-of-blizzcon-tickets-goes-on-sale-tonight/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

If you missed out on picking up a ticket to one of the hottest events of the year, then your last chance is coming up tonight. A second batch of BlizzCon tickets is set to go on sale at 10:00 p.m. EDT (7:00 p.m. PDT) later today for the high, high price of $175 a pop.

Each ticket not only gets you into the two-day convention (October 21-22, 2011 in Anaheim, CA) but includes a goody bag and the option to purchase limited-time BlizzCon merchandise before the show.

Once the tickets go on sale tonight, you'll have minutes -- an hour at most -- to head over to the BlizzCon website and place your order. Blizzard is limiting you to only four per household, so if you have a group of friends who want to come, they'll need to coordinate their purchases as well!

This is the sixth BlizzCon since the event started in 2005. Last year's BlizzCon admitted over 27,000 fans to the shindig.

MassivelySecond wave of BlizzCon tickets goes on sale tonight originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-entertainmentblizzconblizzcon-2011blizzcon-ticketsgoody-bagpre-ordersaleshindigswagswag-bagticketsworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 25 May 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Did you go to a game convention last year?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/12/the-daily-grind-did-you-go-to-a-game-convention-last-year/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/12/the-daily-grind-did-you-go-to-a-game-convention-last-year/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/12/the-daily-grind-did-you-go-to-a-game-convention-last-year/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It is, in many ways, the ultimate gamer's pilgrimage -- to make the long trek to attend a gaming convention. Whether it be PAX, Dragon*Con, Fan Faire, BlizzCon, Leipzig or GamesCom, it's surprising the amount of money, time, effort and willingness to stand in line with sweaty people that we put up with just to see the latest games and talk to our favorite developers.

It's hard to explain the allure of these conventions to outsiders, but there's something thrilling in seeing crowds of people who share your same hobby and get excited over all the same stuff you do. Plus, there's the swag. OH, the swag!

Did you make your pilgrimage in 2010? Did you manage to get away to a fabulous retreat (from reality) and attend a game convention? And was it everything you'd hoped, or did it let you down?

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: Did you go to a game convention last year? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzconconsconventionconventionsdragon-condragonconfan-fairegamescomLeipzigopinionpaxpenny-arcade-expopilgrimagesoe-fan-fairespandex-is-a-privilege-not-a-rightswagtdgthe-daily-grindWed, 12 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How to celebrate Halloween with your local Global Agenda devs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/how-to-celebrate-halloween-with-your-local-global-agenda-devs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/how-to-celebrate-halloween-with-your-local-global-agenda-devs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/29/how-to-celebrate-halloween-with-your-local-global-agenda-devs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Halloween is a special time of year -- a time of blood, gore, and amazing effects. It is, to many geeks, what Christmas is to your Grandmother. Instead of thick sweaters embroidered with stockings stuffed with kittens, however, we prefer belt clips loaded down with ammo. What better place to celebrate than in a favorite MMOFPS: Global Agenda.

It warmed our hearts to coordinate with the developers from Hi-Rez Studios last night, and it thrilled us to hand out Halloween swag in exchange for trivia answers. Granted, some allowances had to be made (skipping questions when they were obviously not going to be answered), but overall the event ran smoothly.

In fact, here are some good rules to follow when hosting your next Hi-Rez Global Agenda Trivia Contest (what? It could happen.).

And raid -- let's not forget the Raid of DOOM!

Continue reading How to celebrate Halloween with your local Global Agenda devs

MassivelyHow to celebrate Halloween with your local Global Agenda devs originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>after-partybeau-hindmancontestseventevent-roundupeventsfeaturedfpsgiveawayglobal-agendahalloweenhalloween2010hi-rez-studiosmmofpssci-fiswagtriviaFri, 29 Oct 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Age of Conan offers chat and prizes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/06/chat-with-the-age-of-conan-developers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/06/chat-with-the-age-of-conan-developers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/06/chat-with-the-age-of-conan-developers/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


With the current 7-day free trial going for Age of Conan and DX10 working, eyes are starting to turn back to Funcom's brutal and bloody MMO set in Robert E. Howard's Hyborian Age. If you've been on the fence about popping back in to play again, Funcom and Xfire have sweetened the deal for you with some really cool prizes for logging time in Age of Conan. You can log as little as one hour, or 50+ hours, depending on which package you'd like to take a try at. Some of the goodies up for grabs range from a free lifetime subscription to Age of Conan to cool gaming keyboards, to in-game items for your character.

Added to that, Funcom are holding an upcoming chat with the Xfire community on the 10th at 5pm EDT. As an added bonus for those who are interested in attending, they're offering five lucky winners who attend the chat a copy of Age of Conan, a free one-year subscription, and a pile of in-game goodies. So if you are enjoying the updated Hyborian homelands, head over to Xfire and get registered to win some gaming goodness.

MassivelyAge of Conan offers chat and prizes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocchatcontestfuncominterviewswagxfireMon, 06 Apr 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Upcoming chat with the Fallen Earth devs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/upcoming-chat-with-the-fallen-earth-devs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/upcoming-chat-with-the-fallen-earth-devs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/11/upcoming-chat-with-the-fallen-earth-devs/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


There's one thing you really can't deny - the MMO genre has sorely needed some shiny new post-apocalyptic titles for some time now. Thankfully it looks like Fallen Earth's development is proceeding at a solid pace. With any luck we'll be able to jump in and get our post-apocalyptic warfare on before too long.

As a way of working with the community to ensure that Fallen Earth is as solid they can possibly make it, the developers from Icarus Studios have been scheduling play-dates with the beta testers, followed by an open chat on Stratics for everyone who is curious - tester and non-tester alike. This month's chat, going on tomorrow at 9:00 PM EDT, should prove to be highly interesting, as not only will there be several developers on hand, but there's been talk of some swag (and beta keys) to be handed out as well! You can get all the details over on the Fallen Earth forums if you're interested in checking out more on this upcoming MMO.

[via WarCry]

MassivelyUpcoming chat with the Fallen Earth devs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beta-keybeta-keysdev-chatdeveloper-chatfallen-earthicarus-studiosmmoplay-datepost-apocalypticsci-fistraticsswagWed, 11 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Get Champions Online swag and beta keys at New York Comic Con]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/29/get-champions-online-swag-and-beta-keys-at-new-york-comic-con/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/29/get-champions-online-swag-and-beta-keys-at-new-york-comic-con/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/29/get-champions-online-swag-and-beta-keys-at-new-york-comic-con/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Cryptic Studios will be showing off Champions Online at New York Comic Con (which takes place in February from the 6th to the 8th) and they want you to know that you will be handsomely rewarded if you are able to pay them a visit. Not only will there be new playable demos to explore, but fans will also be treated to swag, and the possibility of beta keys. The beta keys will be awarded to contest winners, but we've got no idea what the contests might be, so you'd best brush up on your feats of strength, eye-laser marksmanship, and flight dexterity, just to be safe. Here are the details for Cryptic Studios at NY Comic Con:

Cryptic Meet and Greet: Saturday, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m., Room TBD*
Champions Online/Star Trek Online Panel: Saturday 3 p.m. - 4 p.m., Room 1A24 (view never before seen footage of STO)
MMO Round Table: Saturday 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Room 1A24

*Check in at the Cryptic booth (#1341) for the super-secret room location.

Oh, and if you happen to be looking for a job in the games industry, it sounds like Cryptic might have some folks at the show on the lookout for new recruits, so make yourself known!

MassivelyGet Champions Online swag and beta keys at New York Comic Con originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beta-keyschampions-onlinecocomic-concomic-con-2009cryptic-studiosdemosjobsnew-york-comic-connew-york-comic-con-2009playable-demosswagThu, 29 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Have your say in FFXI swag design]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/18/have-your-say-in-ffxi-swag-design/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/18/have-your-say-in-ffxi-swag-design/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/01/18/have-your-say-in-ffxi-swag-design/#commentsFiled under: ,


Square Enix is looking for your help in designing their next round of accessories for Final Fantasy XI. You don't have to submit art or anything, just fill out a brief survey including your purchase habits and favorite NPC characters. There's also a space to write in comments about what merch you want to see.

All surveys must be in by midnight PST on January 28th so head over and fill one out soon. Who knows - there could be a Robel-Akbel plushie or an "I <3 Apururu" t-shirt in your future!

MassivelyHave your say in FFXI swag design originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>designffxifinal-fantasy-xisurveyswagSun, 18 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Attend the WoW Insider Blizzcon meetup tonight, meet cool people]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/09/attend-the-wow-insider-blizzcon-meetup-tonight-meet-cool-people/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/09/attend-the-wow-insider-blizzcon-meetup-tonight-meet-cool-people/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/09/attend-the-wow-insider-blizzcon-meetup-tonight-meet-cool-people/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Blizzcon starts tomorrow in Anaheim, CA, and WoW Insider and Massively are already on-site to provide the best coverage we can! If you're in town, we want to invite you to the WoW Insider meetup tonight at 8:00 PM Anaheim time. You'll have chances to win cool prizes and swag if you know your World of Warcraft trivia, and the WoW Insider podcast will be taped in front of a live audience, so you can be a part of that mayhem as well.

The meetup will be at The Lost Bar at 1150 W. Magic Way, near the Disneyland Hotel. The party will go on through much of the night, so even if you're not getting in until after 8:00, feel free to show up late and relax with the WoW Insider crew post-flight or drive.

MassivelyAttend the WoW Insider Blizzcon meetup tonight, meet cool people originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anaheimblizzconblizzcon-2008disneylanddrinkinglivemassivelymeet-upmeetuppodcastprizesswagthe-lost-bartriviawow-insiderThu, 09 Oct 2008 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Chaos, Panic, Disorder: WAR CE pre-order rundown]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/chaos-panic-disorder-war-ce-pre-order-rundown/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/chaos-panic-disorder-war-ce-pre-order-rundown/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/02/chaos-panic-disorder-war-ce-pre-order-rundown/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


As tumultuous as the delay has been for the Warhammer Online fan community, an even bigger headache has loomed in the minds of many. One of the biggest details to come from the announcement of the Collector's Edition and its myriad of goodies was that those who put in a pre-order for the CE would get early access to the Open Beta and a head start on the rest of the Warhammer fanatics when it finally comes time for release sometime this fall.

That's all well and good, but who could have anticipated the sheer number of discrepancies and problems that have arisen from these simple perks? Different retailers are handling the distribution of codes differently, there are gaping holes in the system that allow for exploitation, players are reporting on bunk codes, orcs and dwarves living together, mass hysteria! Having navigated this minefield ourselves in the quest for that delicious artbook, we thought we'd give you a bit of a rundown on the situation.

Continue reading Chaos, Panic, Disorder: WAR CE pre-order rundown

MassivelyChaos, Panic, Disorder: WAR CE pre-order rundown originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonbest-buycollector's-editionea-mythicea-storeebgamesfeaturedgamecrazygamestopgogamerjoystiqfeaturesmythicpre-orderretailersswagWARwarhammer-onlineWed, 02 Apr 2008 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[All your base announcements are belong to us]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/all-your-base-announcements-are-belong-to-us/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/all-your-base-announcements-are-belong-to-us/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/25/all-your-base-announcements-are-belong-to-us/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


If you've ever taken a character to at least level 10 in Tabula Rasa, chances are you've found your way to Foreas Base in The Divide. Assuming you actually had your sound turned on, you've probably heard a couple of the base announcements that have amused players since the game's release. (And if you haven't, they've conveniently uploaded them to their website for your listening pleasure.) In a world of lore largely devoted to the burdensome task of preserving the human race in the face of a a tireless alien foe, the Foreas Base announcements are one of the true bright spots in the game, with their dry humor and frequent Christopher Walken impressions.

That's why we were so excited to see the announcement of a new contest in this week's Weekend Wrapup. The Tabula Rasa Base Announcement Contest, as its known, calls for players to come up with the most witty, amusing base announcement they can think of, and record it for the Destination Games team's to judge. All announcements are required to be under fifty words in length, devoid of copyrighted material or phrases, and preferably PG-13. Submissions will be judged based on originality, creativity, quality, and presentation. Grammar counts! The winner will get their announcement recorded and put in the game, while runners up will get some free Tabula Rasa swag. Not a bad deal if you ask me.

MassivelyAll your base announcements are belong to us originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcerbase-announcerChristopher-walkencontestdestination-gamesforeas-baseswagtabula-rasatrweekend-wrapupMon, 25 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST