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: Should new expansions include old expansions?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/the-daily-grind-should-new-expansions-include-old-expansions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/the-daily-grind-should-new-expansions-include-old-expansions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/03/19/the-daily-grind-should-new-expansions-include-old-expansions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

World of Warcraft
When Cataclysm launched, a friend of mine who hadn't played since the days of Vanilla World of Warcraft wanted to join in the fun, but when he saw the cost of catching up -- nearly full box prices for The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King, on top of Cataclysm itself -- he balked and decided to stick with cheaper games. Blizzard's policy on charging for full expansions long after they were new always did seem weird to me, since I grew up on Ultima Online and EverQuest, whose earlier expansions usually came bundled for free along with the newest one. Why keep barriers to entry (or re-entry) unnecessarily high?

So I'm happy to see recent sales on WoW's earlier expansions and a free Cataclysm for returning players via the new scroll of resurrection deal, but I can't help but wonder whether it's too late. How many of you have skipped over a game because of the cost of "catching up"? Do you think new expansions should always include the previous ones gratis?

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: Should new expansions include old expansions? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbrianna-royce-tdgcataclysmdaily-grindeqeverquestexpansionexpansionsfantasyopiniontbctdgthe-burning-crusadethe-daily-grindUltima-Onlineuovanilla-wowwarcraftworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrathWrath-of-the-Lich-KingMon, 19 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft's holiday sale includes $10 sparkleponies]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/07/world-of-warcrafts-holiday-sale-includes-10-sparkleponies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/07/world-of-warcrafts-holiday-sale-includes-10-sparkleponies/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/07/world-of-warcrafts-holiday-sale-includes-10-sparkleponies/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

WoW Holiday Sale banner
The holidays are here, and you know what that means: holiday sales! Blizzard is joining the fun with a number of (rather good) deals. The World of Warcraft Battle Chest, which includes vanilla WoW and The Burning Crusade, is on sale for a measly $5 US. Wrath of the Lich King is on sale for $10, and Cataclysm's price has been reduced to $20.

And as if that's not enough, Blizzard is also providing discounts for two of its cash shop items. Players can get their hands on a sparklepony for $10 or a Pandaren Monk non-combat pet for $5. The sale lasts until December 19th, so act now. For the full details, check out the news on WoW's official site.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft's holiday sale includes $10 sparkleponies originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battle-chestblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcatacataclysmchristmasholidayholiday-saleholiday-salesholidayspandaren-monksparkles the fire safety dogSparklesTheFireSafetyDogtbcthe-burning-crusadeworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingWed, 07 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A look back at a cataclysmic year for World of Warcraft]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/a-look-back-at-a-cataclysmic-year-for-world-of-warcraft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/a-look-back-at-a-cataclysmic-year-for-world-of-warcraft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/a-look-back-at-a-cataclysmic-year-for-world-of-warcraft/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Year of the Dragon Who Perches On Stuff While Dripping Lava.
It's been a big year for World of Warcraft, especially considering that the MMO behemoth is currently hitting its seventh year of operation. Considering its nigh-ubiquitous nature in the MMO sphere, it's hard to imagine that there was a time without it. And this past year of the game almost perfectly synchronizes with the latest expansion, Cataclysm, an expansion that was bound and determined to head back to the old and re-work everything up to new standards.

So how did that work out? What's been happening with the game over the past year? Let's pick up in December because that's when the story really begins, a story that involves a dragon smashing huge chunks of both continents to pieces. The result was a complete revamp of the game's lower-level areas, the addition of several new high-level areas, and a redesign of the way the game handled progression. It kicked off a war against primal forces and Old Gods for players, and that's without even getting in to the mechanical shifts.

Continue reading A look back at a cataclysmic year for World of Warcraft

MassivelyA look back at a cataclysmic year for World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardanniversaryblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcataclysmexpansionsfeaturedmists-of-pandariamopopinionretrospectivetbcthe-burning-crusadeworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwow-cataclysmwrathWrath-of-the-Lich-KingWed, 23 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[One Shots: Come up, enjoy the view!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/one-shots-come-up-enjoy-the-view/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/one-shots-come-up-enjoy-the-view/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/28/one-shots-come-up-enjoy-the-view/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

World of Warcraft screenshot
We've got another World of Warcraft screenshot on today's One Shots, thanks to Massively reader Tim:
Back in the days of The Burning Crusade, when I still played, I caught myself looking at an amazing scene while flying around to turn in some reputation quests. Aldor Rise looked like a scene from a painting, and my screenshot button agreed.
We've got a little surprise for you -- this is One Shots' final week. Friday will be the last edition of this feature, but don't fret. One Shots is stepping aside to make room for something new here at Massively, and we think you're going to love it. Watch the site beginning Monday, October 3rd to see what's new!

For now, if you want to make one final contribution to One Shots, you've still got a few days left. Grab your favorite screenshot, add your name and a little bit about the image, send it in to oneshots@massively.com, and we'll feature it in this week's One Shots!

Gallery: One Shots: 2011

MassivelyOne Shots: Come up, enjoy the view! originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Activision-BlizzardblizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentgalleriesgalleryone-shotsraidscreenshotscreenshotstbcthe-burning-crusadeWorld-of-WarcraftwowWed, 28 Sep 2011 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: How to deal with burnout]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/25/the-perfect-ten-how-to-deal-with-burnout/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/25/the-perfect-ten-how-to-deal-with-burnout/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/25/the-perfect-ten-how-to-deal-with-burnout/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Perfect Ten and GI Joe
I remember the first time I got hit hard by the powerhouse slugger known as "burnout." It was during my second stint in World of Warcraft, oddly enough, which by then had extended to a year and a half of solid play. I was clocking in three to five hours of game time on a daily basis (this was my pre-children era, obviously) and enjoying the cruise up through The Burning Crusade's content.

Then one day, out of the blue, I realized I was sick of it. A cold trickle flowed down my spine as I couldn't conjure up any feelings of excitement, pleasure, or interest in this game. All of the accomplishments and achievements I had worked so hard to get became absolutely meaningless to me in the space of a couple minutes.

I logged out, canceled my account, and then fell into a several-day funk when I was thrashing about as I tried to figure out how to fill this now-gaping void in my free time. Slightly pathetic, yes, but no less real for it.

In retrospect, I see how I stacked the deck for such an enormous crash, and many years after it, I now have a much better handle on how to deal with burnout than I did back then. In today's Perfect Ten, I want to pass along my meager wisdom and experience about how to deal with this event... because it happens to most of us, sooner or later.

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: How to deal with burnout

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: How to deal with burnout originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>behaviorburnoutcrackedfeaturedgaming-behaviorlistperfect-10perfect-tenskinner-boxtbcthe-burning-crusadethe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 25 Aug 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rumor: World of Warcraft's next expansion has been named]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/has-wows-next-expansion-been-named/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/has-wows-next-expansion-been-named/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/03/has-wows-next-expansion-been-named/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

First there was The Burning Crusade, then Wrath of the Lich King, and, most recently, Cataclysm. World of Warcraft's expansions have been the lifeblood of literally millions of gamers' playtime, which is why many fans are anxiously awaiting word of the fourth expansion pack to the hit MMO.

Today we may know the name of the expansion: Mists of Pandaria. According to MMO Champion, Blizzard filed a trademark with this title on July 28th, which is exactly in line with how the company has procured titles for the previous expansions. The trademark specifies that this is for "computer game software."

The Pandarens are one of the more light-hearted races in the Warcraft franchise, with kung fu panda bears from a secret empire somewhere in Azeroth. Despite being fan favorites, the Pandarens have been rarely seen in WoW, while Blizzard has used them in a couple different April Fool's jokes in the past.

We'll be keeping our eyes on Blizzard for any official confirmation.

MassivelyRumor: World of Warcraft's next expansion has been named originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Aug 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardapril-foolsazerothblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcataclysmexpansionexpansionskung-fu-pandamists-of-pandariapandarenpandarenspandariarumorthe-burning-crusadetrademarkwarcraftworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingWed, 03 Aug 2011 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Anti-Aliased: Modding your way out of a paper bag]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/22/anti-aliased-modding-your-way-out-of-a-paper-bag/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/22/anti-aliased-modding-your-way-out-of-a-paper-bag/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/22/anti-aliased-modding-your-way-out-of-a-paper-bag/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If there's been a theme to this week, it's been interfaces and modding. Both EverQuest II and Lord of the Rings Online have had announcements related to their interfaces, be it re-skinning or new Lua functionality being installed. However, it was these two articles that set off the Rube Goldberg device in my head. They reminded me just what I thought about mods.

My relationship with mods has always been iffy. While I certainly appreciate what they do for us in our many MMOs, they also irk me to no end. While I understand (and totally support) some mods, there are others that I'd rather offer to Zuul.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't hate the mods because they're not useful. It's quite the opposite, in fact. Sometimes, I think mods are too useful. When you start skipping social interactions in favor of an e-peen number, that's the point where mods are going over the line.

Continue reading Anti-Aliased: Modding your way out of a paper bag

MassivelyAnti-Aliased: Modding your way out of a paper bag originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>add-onsanti-aliasedbecause-reading-the-quest-text-is-hardburning-crusadedeadly-boss-modsdo-as-the-program-saysfeaturedgearscoreinterfaceluamodmoddingmodding-communitymodsquest-auto-complete-9000raidingthe-burning-crusadeuiuser-interfaceworld-of-warcraftwowThu, 22 Jul 2010 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[PC Gamer's reader poll honors EVE as the #3 PC game of all time]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/pc-gamers-reader-poll-honors-eve-as-the-3-pc-game-of-all-time/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/pc-gamers-reader-poll-honors-eve-as-the-3-pc-game-of-all-time/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/14/pc-gamers-reader-poll-honors-eve-as-the-3-pc-game-of-all-time/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Reader polls always tend to be an exercise in popularity, bucking conventional wisdom and surprise upsets -- and perhaps never so much as a recent annual PC Gamer poll that asked readers to rank the top 100 PC games of all time. EVE Online scored a surprising #3 spot on the list (falling from last year's #2 position), behind only Fallout 3 and Half-Life 2. This certainly is a testament to EVE's devoted and outspoken fans.

Several other MMOs appeared in the top 100, including World of Warcraft (#10), WURM Online (#20), World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (#25), Lord of the Rings Online: The Mines of Moria (#31), Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar (#36), RuneScape (#45), Guild Wars (#72), World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade (#97) and EverQuest (#100).

Of course, reader polls should always be taken with a grain of salt (mmm... salty goodness), as large organizational efforts and promotion from one studio or group of fans is often enough to create a skewed result. Still, it's a decent list, and terrific to see so many MMOs given the top honors.

MassivelyPC Gamer's reader poll honors EVE as the #3 PC game of all time originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 14 May 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arenanetblizzardccpeve-onlineeverquestfallout-3guild-warshalf-life-2jagexlord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromines-of-moriaonetoofreepc-gamerreader-pollsrunescapeshadows-of-angmarsoethe-burning-crusadetop-100turbineworld-of-warcraftwrath-of-the-lich-kingwurm-onlineFri, 14 May 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NetEase starts road back to operating World of Warcraft]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/netease-starts-road-back-to-operating-world-of-warcraft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/netease-starts-road-back-to-operating-world-of-warcraft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/18/netease-starts-road-back-to-operating-world-of-warcraft/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's time for World of Warcraft players in mainland China to break out the party hats and streamers, because things are finally... well, they're not entirely back on track, but they're at least a blessed sight closer to being back on track. Digital East Asia is reporting that NetEase has finally obtained the license to operate World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade in China after a struggle spanning an insane amount of time.

On the down side, yes, that does appear to be the last expansion, rather than the present one. On the up side, it means that the seemingly interminable bickering between government agencies has finally been sorted out, and players can finally get back to the business of enjoying the game. No word, however, on what this may or may not mean for Wrath of the Lich King, which has allegedly run afoul of Chinese censors.

The entire fiasco may be clearing, but it may have far-reaching consequences even beyond the MMO arena. A recent Chinese fan video has been making the rounds and getting mentions in the Wall Street Journal for its summary and satire of the entire mess, with some rather sharp critiques of censorship and the government's actions in the affair. This post contains background and links to subtitled versions of the video on YouTube, which might prove interesting to those who've been following the madness since the beginning.

MassivelyNetEase starts road back to operating World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardcensorscensorshipchinachinese-censorsgappneteasetbcthe-burning-crusadeworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwow-chinawrath-of-the-lich-kingyoutubeThu, 18 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft in China remains hopelessly mired]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/world-of-warcraft-in-china-remains-hopelessly-mired/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/world-of-warcraft-in-china-remains-hopelessly-mired/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/02/08/world-of-warcraft-in-china-remains-hopelessly-mired/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

In much of the world, current complaints about World of Warcraft center around the resolution of the storyline of the latest expansion and whether or not it's had a negative effect on MMOs as a whole. In China, current complaints about World of Warcraft are more focused on the fact that the game is still mired knee-deep in government infighting to try and make it playable again. After the last salvo, it seemed as if an end was close in sight... but as it turns out, NetEase has been forced to suspend any new player registrations for a week.

The studio is re-applying for a license to host World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, with no mention being made of Wrath of the Lich King, which doesn't bode very well for the hopes of that expansion ever seeing release in China. Having been stuck in the middle of two squabbling agencies for quite some time, and with no clear resolution in sight, it seems like a stretch to assume that the expansion will be released in China before the next one is due to arrive stateside. Our condolences to Chinese players affected by the latest round of bickering, and we can only hope that this long struggle will soon come to a conclusion.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft in China remains hopelessly mired originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinagapplegal-issuesneteaserelease-issuestbcthe-burning-crusadeworld-of-warcraftworld-of-warcraft-chinawotlkwowwow-chinawrath-of-the-lich-kingMon, 08 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft's birth and development chronicled by video retrospective]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/20/world-of-warcrafts-birth-and-development-covered-by-video-retro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/20/world-of-warcrafts-birth-and-development-covered-by-video-retro/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/20/world-of-warcrafts-birth-and-development-covered-by-video-retro/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

GameTrailers put together a three-part series of Warcraft retrospective videos in the days leading up to the launch of World of Warcraft's Wrath of the Lich King expansion, and WoW was the focus of the third and final episode. In over 20 minutes, the video looks at the early MMOs and influences that led to the creation of WoW, the project's beginnings in discussions between Blizzard guys while they were playing EverQuest, and of course, the game itself.

In addition to listing the distinct features that made WoW successful, the restrospective provides an overview of its post-launch history, up through The Burning Crusade's launch. Everything from Onyxia raids to the ever-changing PvP Honor system is covered. If you're a hardcore WoW addict, little of it will be new information, but if you're just getting started or a casual user, you'll probably learn a thing or two. See the vid embedded after the break.

[Via WoW Insider]

Continue reading World of Warcraft's birth and development chronicled by video retrospective

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft's birth and development chronicled by video retrospective originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The numbers are in and Blizzard has broken their own record once again. After selling 2.8 million copies in 24 hours, World of Warcraft's second expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, has set the record as the fastest-selling PC game of all time, according to Blizzard. The irony is that the previous record holder was also Blizzard with their first WoW expansion, The Burning Crusade, which sold 2.4 million on the January 2007 launch day.

Blizzard's CEO and co-founder, Mike Morhaime, commented on the occasion, "We're grateful for the incredible support that players around the world have continued to show for World of Warcraft." Now the company is setting its sights on breaking the next record of 3.5 million copies sold in the first month; a record also set by The Burning Crusade. At this pace, they should easily break that next week.

MassivelyWoW's Lich King sells record 2.8 million copies in 24 hours originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Nov 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardbreakingbreakingnewsmike-morhaimerecord-breakingtbcthe-burning-crusadeworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingThu, 20 Nov 2008 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Do expansions cheapen all that hard work?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/11/the-daily-grind-do-expansions-cheapen-all-that-hard-work/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/11/the-daily-grind-do-expansions-cheapen-all-that-hard-work/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/11/the-daily-grind-do-expansions-cheapen-all-that-hard-work/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It happened with The Burning Crusade -- players had spent months raiding at level 60 to get the very best gear, and when TBC came out, people were getting green drops with better stats than the best raid drops after only a couple of levels. A lot of hardcore players were annoyed, while some just accepted it as the natural motion of things.

We've got at least three big expansions coming up in the next few weeks -- Wrath of the Lich King for World of Warcraft, Mines of Moria for The Lord of the Rings Online, and The Shadow Odyssey for EverQuest II. With the level caps going up in WoW and LotRO, we're expecting a similar situation to what we saw with TBC. How do you feel about this? Can it be avoided, should it? Maybe it's good to level the playing field now and then. Let us know!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Do expansions cheapen all that hard work? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzarddiscussioneverquest-2everquest-iiexpansionslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromines-of-moriamommoriaopinionsoetbctdgthe-burning-crusadethe-daily-grindthe-shadow-odysseytsoturbineworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrathwrath-of-the-lich-kingTue, 11 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A detailed look back at raiding in World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/a-detailed-look-back-at-raiding-in-world-of-warcraft-the-burnin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/a-detailed-look-back-at-raiding-in-world-of-warcraft-the-burnin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/10/a-detailed-look-back-at-raiding-in-world-of-warcraft-the-burnin/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Jennie Lees is the hard-bitten raider over at WoW Insider who offers advice through the "Ready Check" article series. This week in advance of Wrath of the Lich King's launch she has a great look back at the enormous amount of laughter and tears experienced during The Burning Crusade. World of Warcraft's raiding endgame is a high watermark in the MMO industry, and reading back over the content offered by Blizzard's first expansion is like taking a trip through a family photo album.

Even casual players like this blogger has heard stories of Gruul and his growths, the horror of Vashj positioning, and problems with 'the ledge boss' in the Twins fight. It's a great read, designed to make every veteran reader smile and every casual player go "really?!?!". Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for all new raid information starting this week as Wrath takes its opening bow!

Gallery: World of Warcraft: WOTLK

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

MassivelyA detailed look back at raiding in World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardraidingthe-burning-crusadeworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingMon, 10 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard releases WotLK system specs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/08/blizzard-releases-wotlk-system-specs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/08/blizzard-releases-wotlk-system-specs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/08/blizzard-releases-wotlk-system-specs/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The system specs have just been announced for World of Warcraft's upcoming expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. While the specs are a bit higher than the original game and The Burning Crusade expansion, that's to be expected these days. Will it be enough to deter players, though? Probably not.

As you can see from our comparison chart between the two expansions after the jump below, the PC specs didn't increase by much from The Burning Crusade, but they seemed to make a significant jump on the Mac side. Still, compared to most recent games, these comparatively low system specs will prove beneficial to the continued growth of the game. Besides, if you don't have at least 1GB of RAM in your PC already, you have bigger problems than not being able to play a Death Knight.

Continue reading Blizzard releases WotLK system specs

MassivelyBlizzard releases WotLK system specs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While Warhammer Online is decidedly not trying to be World of Warcraft, a recent interview with EA Mythic's Mark Jacobs shows that they were at least influenced by the quality of WoW's The Burning Crusade. This should be no surprise to anyone, as most current MMOs (and every form of entertainment) influence each other to some degree.

Jacobs states that The Burning Crusade had raised the expectations of the player. He comments on the supreme quality of quests in what he calls the "watercool quests" that players talk about around the watercooler. Jacobs continues, "We looked at the amount of content they put in that and said we need more time if we want to add some of those things, if we want our own watercooler quests or more watercooler quests. So our choice was to delay the game and spend more time on it." You can read more on the rest of this MTV interview with our previous coverage of Jacob's thoughts on Age of Conan and more.

MassivelyBurning Crusade's quality delayed WAR, says Jacobs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This year, Activision and Blizzard merged under French media group Vivendi (Blizzard's parent company) to become the biggest, baddest game publisher in the known universe. To make sure investors know just how awesome that event was, Vivendi sent out a press release describing its generally excellent financial condition.

Earnings for Vivendi as a whole were reported to be up 10.2% for the first six months of this year. While game division earnings are still actually down compared to this time last year, that should be no cause for alarm. It can be attributed to the lack of a World of Warcraft expansion. By this time last year, The Burning Crusade had reached store shelves.

Vivendi assured investors that it still plans to release Wrath of the Lich King by the end of this year, so that bump is still coming. But will Wrath be as big as The Burning Crusade? By definition it can't be any bigger, because you have to have played the TBC content to reach the point where you can enjoy most of what Wrath has to offer, right? Apparently we'll see soon.
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyActivision-Blizzard reveals that it's sitting on a big pile of money originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At this point, we work under the assumption that there are probably very few people reading this blog that haven't had the pleasure of playing a Blizzard game from start to finish. But even if through some extraordinary happenstance, there was somebody out there who hadn't played World of Warcraft, there's s chance that they haven't yet had the opportunity to play some of the other Blizzard classics. Though Diablo 3 didn't turn out to be an MMO as we'd hoped, its progenitors are still fantastic games to have on call in the odd occasion that your internet goes down.

That's why we recommend that you take a peek over at Amazon today, as they'll have 5 of the latest Blizzard games on sale today through their Deal of the Day and Lightning Deal promotions. The WoW Battlechest (which includes the original game, Burning Crusade, and a guide) will be up all day, but the Diablo Battlechest, the Burning Crusade expansion, the Warcraft III Battlechest, and Warcraft III proper will be on sale for a limited time and in limited quantities. You can't beat that with a stick.

[Via Cheap Ass Gamer]

MassivelyAmazon lets loose a Blizzard of bargains today originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazonbargainbattlechestblizzardbreakingdeal-of-the-daydiablosalethe-burning-crusadewarcraft_iiiworld-of-warcraftWed, 23 Jul 2008 10:45:00 EST<![CDATA[The Gaming Iconoclast: Jumping Ship]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/12/the-gaming-iconoclast-jumping-ship/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/12/the-gaming-iconoclast-jumping-ship/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/12/the-gaming-iconoclast-jumping-ship/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Kriss Kross will make you wanna... or maybe they won't.In the spring, a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.
-- Alfred, Lord Tennyson

No matter where you go, there you are.
-- Buckaroo Banzai

Recently, in The Daily Grind, Brenda brought up the subject of taking up a new game in addition to, or instead of, one you currently play, and there were some very insightful responses in the comments. We here at TGI have been mulling over the same issue lately as well. There's apparently something in the air or water these days that leads to such ruminations. Not necessarily outright dalliances, per se, but as a gedankenexperiment into the merits of leaving our current realm or realms and striking out for greener fields.

There seems to be a generalized atmosphere swirling around this notion of changing games lately, but why? For some players, it's idle speculation; for others, serious contemplation. For developers, it's either cause for concern or Miller Time. Is it merely widespread anticipation of Warhammer Online and Age of Conan? Is it boredom with the current crop of MMO titles?

Or is everybody out there just playing Grand Theft Auto IV?

Continue reading The Gaming Iconoclast: Jumping Ship

MassivelyThe Gaming Iconoclast: Jumping Ship originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 12 May 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conananarchy-onlineblizzard-entertainmentburning-crusadecity-of-heroesea-mythicfuncomgrand-theft-auto-ivlord-of-the-rings-on...lotromidwayncsoftrockstar-gamessoesony-online-entertainmentstar-wars-galaxiestabula-rasathe-burning-crusadethe-gaming-iconoclastwarhammer-onlineworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingMon, 12 May 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[LotRO and TBC honored in GameSpy 2007 awards]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/lotro-and-tbc-honored-in-gamespy-2007-awards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/lotro-and-tbc-honored-in-gamespy-2007-awards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/19/lotro-and-tbc-honored-in-gamespy-2007-awards/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

GameSpy recently released the latest iteration of its annual best-of list. The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar was ranked #6 in the best PC games of 2007 list. World of Warcraft's The Burning Crusade expansion also got some attention. It came in at #5 on the same list -- just an inch ahead of LotRO. However, LotRO also walked away with a bigger prize -- the title of PC MMO Game of the Year.

Both LotRO and TBC failed to beat blockbuster first-person-shooter fare like BioShock and Call of Duty 4 in the overall PC list, but still, this was a pleasant cap to a strong year for both titles, especially LotRO, which saw promising sales figures and a warm critical reception right out of the launch bay door this Spring.

TBC and LotRO are also nominees for various "gamers' choice" awards. The voting for those awards comes to a close today, and the winners will be announced tomorrow.

MassivelyLotRO and TBC honored in GameSpy 2007 awards originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trevor quickly grew upset when he realized he'd lost his daggerIt's about the right time of year for it, and with perfect timing Voodoo Extreme has a poll up for (MMO)RPG Game of the Year.

Being in the same category as The Witcher & Mass Effect seems harsh for the MMOs listed, as some great titles went retail in 2007. Was Lord of the Rings Online really just this year? We've also had the first expansion to one of the biggest games of all time, and a minor explosion of Free-to-Play MMOs -- which of course won't feature in a commercial games poll, but they're still surging through the market even so.

Overall, 2007 has been a solid year for MMO fans. It may end up being remembered as the year of Halo 3, Assassin's Creed, and Bioshock -- but then 2008 may redress the balance somewhat.

Is there an MMO of the year for you, so far?

MassivelyVoodoo Extreme's MMO of the year poll originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Somebody always does it. Shortly after any expansion launches you can expect someone to plow through all those levels and reach the maximum cap in less than a few days. This recently happened again in Rise of Kunark, 36 hours after the EverQuest 2 expansion hit desktops, Monk Taucher from the guild Second Dawn leveled from 70-80 netting a 100 dollar prize and their claim to short-lived leveling fame.

I can understand the achievement aspect of wanting to level as fast as possible, reach the end and be done with it, but even so in an expansion hardcore players who raid won't be able to raid until their guild catches up. Doesn't this defeat the whole purpose of relishing content instead of whining about how there is nothing to do on the forums? Or the all-to-common argument amongst the core hardcores that their guild is slow because they slack and can't play 12 hours a day? I know we all enjoy different things about a MMOG, but leveling up and waiting for your guild to catch-up isn't very enjoyable -- I've been there myself.

At least it took more than a few people to achieve this goal when World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade launched. Gullerbone, a mage leveled from 60 to 70 in a matter of 28 hours with the help of some friends using area effect spells to grind out the levels faster. I'm a firm believer that everyone should enjoy the game how they see fit as long as they aren't breaking the rules (dupes, gold-farming, etc.) but I still think leveling this fast is a bit over the top. I think at some point we all power-level and wish we would reach a certain level already. That's understandable, but as soon as an expansion launches? If you could, would you skip to the end after an expansion launched or do you prefer to take it in small chunks and get there when you get there?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's the rush? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Nov 2007 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gamasutra reports that Vivendi, the parent company of Blizzard, has seen its Q3 2007 sales go up 19% over the last quarter. Vivendi credits this growth partially to the Chinese release of The Burning Crusade expansion for World of Warcraft, which occurred in Q3. The company revealed that World of Warcraft now has 9.3 million subscribers -- 300,000 more than the the number reported last quarter.

That means that WoW has grown by the size of one and a half EVE Onlines or two whole City of Heroeses in just a few months. Or put another way, the population of World of Warcraft is now greater than the population of Sweden. We think it's safe to say that World of Warcraft will be the dominant title in the industry for a while longer.

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft still growing -- 9.3 million served originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 23:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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