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[Rumor: Realtime Worlds lays off staff, puts APB up for sale [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/13/rumor-realtime-worlds-lays-off-staff-puts-apb-up-for-sale/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/13/rumor-realtime-worlds-lays-off-staff-puts-apb-up-for-sale/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/13/rumor-realtime-worlds-lays-off-staff-puts-apb-up-for-sale/#commentsFiled under: , ,

One of the most recent MMOs to hit the market is already in deep trouble, according to multiple reports popping up over the internet. According to unconfirmed rumors, Realtime Worlds has fired the entirety of its MyWorld team, made drastic cuts and layoffs elsewhere, and might be putting APB up for sale. Announced last month, MyWorld was to be a social gaming experience scheduled for a 2011 launch.

If these rumors are true, then Realtime Worlds is mired in financial trouble and is scrambling to keep from going under. A VG247 source reported, "As of 11:30 GMT Realtime Worlds have put a large proportion on their workforce on gardening leave ranging from 4-8 weeks. APB's staff will be reduced to admin and a skeleton staff of devs and artists to keep it running and do general updates, but this looks like the end of RTW."

A developer on the APB European forums briefly addressed the situation by saying, "As we''ve announced we had to restructure the company to make it so that we can focus totally on APB. APB is still going strong and we fully intend to support 100%."

We do know that Realtime Worlds fired several employees last month in an effort to restructure the company. Massively has contacted Realtime Worlds for comment, and we will update you as soon as we hear anything.

[Update: Realtime Worlds has issued a statement confirming that some MyWorld employees, though not all, have been made "redundant," but that APB itself remains intact. "APB continues to be our primary development focus, and we remain fully committed to the game and its players." According to 1UP, Colin Macdonald emphasized that Realtime Worlds has "got the whole team working on making APB as good as it can be. It's a shame things haven't turned out the way we had envisaged them, but then the beauty of online gaming is that we can address problems and keep on improving experiences. We're completely behind APB, it's got huge potential, and we'll continue to make new content for it." Stay tuned for more updates!]

MassivelyRumor: Realtime Worlds lays off staff, puts APB up for sale [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinapbcutseurogamerfinanceslayoffsmyworldrealtime-worldsrestructuringrumorsalevg247Fri, 13 Aug 2010 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard assures more growth to come for World of Warcraft]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/blizzard-assures-more-growth-to-come-for-world-of-warcraft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/blizzard-assures-more-growth-to-come-for-world-of-warcraft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/25/blizzard-assures-more-growth-to-come-for-world-of-warcraft/#commentsFiled under: , ,


World of Warcraft has been stagnating for the past few years, even though it doesn't seem like such a word could be applied to a game with 11.5 million subscribers. While the number is certainly impressive, it's stayed the same since 2008 -- something that no developer likes to see.

Frank Pearce, Blizzard's EVP of Product Development, says he anticipates that changing very soon for several reasons. Eighteen-month-old expansion Wrath of the Lich King is not yet released in China, but when it is Blizzard expects to see good things: "...once we get that approval and launch Wrath in China then I think we will see growth." Cataclysm is on the way later this year as well, and Pearce says that it will probably bring "win-back" from former players.

Add that to the upcoming announcement of a new Blizzard MMO on the horizon, and the developers have high hopes for the future. You can check out the rest of what Pearce had to say over at vg247.

MassivelyBlizzard assures more growth to come for World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardcataclysmfrank-pearcevg247world-of-warcraftWoWwrath-of-the-lich-kingTue, 25 May 2010 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft PS3 'MOG' discontinued]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/ncsoft-ps3-mog-discontinued/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/ncsoft-ps3-mog-discontinued/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/12/ncsoft-ps3-mog-discontinued/#commentsFiled under: , ,

So remember that announcement NCsoft made a few years back about working with Sony on a console MMO for the PS3? After many months of silence, VG247 has pried the news from an NCsoft Europe head has finally revealed that said project has long since been shelved. Apparently, the game was of a casual bent and seemed to hit a brick wall of some kind.

While the reason behind the mysterious game's discontinued development may never be known, NCsoft is still interested in console development. And why wouldn't they be? It's a completely -- well, mostly -- untapped market that's just waiting for a company to offer something perfectly suited for it, like say, All Points Bulletin. Until that does happen, we'll just have to keep playing all our "massive online games" or whatever you'd like to call them on our personal computrons.

[via Joystiq]

MassivelyNCsoft PS3 'MOG' discontinued originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all-points-bulletinapbcasualconsolencsoftncsoft-europeplaystation-3ps3realtime-worldssonyvg247Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cryptic's Jack Emmert baffled by lack of MMOs on Xbox 360]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/cryptics-jack-emmert-baffled-by-lack-of-mmos-on-xbox-360/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/cryptics-jack-emmert-baffled-by-lack-of-mmos-on-xbox-360/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/28/cryptics-jack-emmert-baffled-by-lack-of-mmos-on-xbox-360/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

A number of massively multiplayer online game developers have touted the fact that their titles will be playable on both PC and Xbox 360 but, with rare exceptions, they've failed to deliver on MMOs for this console. But can the blame for this really be laid solely at the feet of the developers? That seems to be the typical reaction, as many of us get frustrated over these broken promises. However, looking at the various titles that were aiming for 360 and missed, perhaps we should look at what all of these stories have in common: Microsoft. (Lest the fires of console fanboy rage blaze out of control, we're not exactly inundated with PlayStation 3 MMOs either.)

Patrick Garratt from VG247 recently spoke with Jack Emmert from Cryptic Studios about this issue, and his perspective on playing ball with Microsoft to get Champions Online on the 360. Emmert stated that Champions Online for Xbox is almost ready to go, but lack of action on Microsoft's part is holding up the project.

Continue reading Cryptic's Jack Emmert baffled by lack of MMOs on Xbox 360

MassivelyCryptic's Jack Emmert baffled by lack of MMOs on Xbox 360 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelschampions-onlineconsole-mmoconsolescryptic-studiosinterviewsjack-emmertmicrosoftmmo-industrypatrick-garrattsuper-herosuperherovg247xbox-360Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New The Secret World info at PAX to be 'biggest thing yet']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/24/new-the-secret-world-info-at-pax-to-be-biggest-thing-yet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/24/new-the-secret-world-info-at-pax-to-be-biggest-thing-yet/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/24/new-the-secret-world-info-at-pax-to-be-biggest-thing-yet/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It looks like GamesCom won't be getting all the late summer glory this year, as PAX now has two large MMO events tied around its massive people-crushing finger. The first is of course the Star Wars: The Old Republic public demo in the main hall, but the second seems no less grand.

Funcom's Erling Ellingsen has told VG247 that the reveal for The Secret World at PAX will be "the biggest thing on TSW yet." which is certainly a statement that delivers a lot of excitement. However, beyond the confirmation of new details being revealed in Seattle, WA on September 4th through the 6th, Erling's lips were sealed.

Rest assured that Massively will be speaking with Funcom, potentially with a high amount of fervor. So if you're looking for that new info come the first weekend of September, it should be awaiting your acumen right here.

MassivelyNew The Secret World info at PAX to be 'biggest thing yet' originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowaredark-fantasyeaelectronic-artserling-ellingsengamescomgamescom-2009lucasartspaxpax-2009ragnar-tornquiststar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-secret-worldtswurban-fantasyvg247Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Server merges in LotRO? Heck no!]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/21/server-merges-in-lotro-heck-no/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/21/server-merges-in-lotro-heck-no/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/21/server-merges-in-lotro-heck-no/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The longer you are exposed to the One Ring, the stronger the hold it begins to have over you. It would appear Turbine has been able to harness this magic and set it loose upon the unsuspecting gaming population because The Lord of the Rings Online is continuing to grow even two years after its release.

When VG247 caught up with Live Producer Aaron Campbell and asked him about any potential server merges, he had this to say: "If anything, The Lord of the Rings Online is growing. We have no plans to merge servers." Since Turbine nefariously refuses to release subscription numbers for any of their MMOs, I guess we'll have to take his word for it.

Is it really that difficult to believe though when you consider the steady stream of content Turbine releases in the form of new Books? They also launched a strong second anniversary campaign, which included a digital download of the original game plus the Mines of Moria expansion for only $9.99. This pricing is still available.

MassivelyServer merges in LotRO? Heck no! originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aaron-campbellbook-8lord-of-the-rings-onlinelotrolotro-book-8mines-of-moriaturbinevg247Sun, 21 Jun 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cryptic's Bill Roper: Microsoft MMO reveal for Xbox 360 unlikely at E3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/01/cryptics-bill-roper-microsoft-mmo-reveal-for-xbox-360-unlikely/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/01/cryptics-bill-roper-microsoft-mmo-reveal-for-xbox-360-unlikely/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/01/cryptics-bill-roper-microsoft-mmo-reveal-for-xbox-360-unlikely/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Much has been said and written of the coming marriage of gaming consoles and MMOs, but like all lengthy engagements, if it drags on too long people begin to doubt it'll ever happen. When we do hear industry rumblings of a massively multiplayer online game coming to a console, it's generally about Playstation 3 rather than Xbox 360. But would it be fair to assume that Microsoft has less interest in bringing MMOs to the 360, much less delivering on a first-party MMO title? Bill Roper from Cryptic Studios seems to think so, and they're developing Champions Online for the 360 as well as PC.

When speaking of the possibility that Microsoft would announce an MMO for the 360 at this year's E3, Roper told Patrick Garratt at VG247, "I don't think that's something they've been really pushing towards. From any discussions I've ever had, or heard with Don Mattrick [Microsoft's Senior VP of Interactive Entertainment Business], Don's not necessarily a huge MMO fan." Although he says he'd be pleasantly surprised if Microsoft did shift more focus to console MMOs, he cites the difficulties inherent in both dealing with technical issues and the complexities on the business side of working with third parties. You can have a look at what else Roper has to say on the prospects of Xbox 360 MMOs in the article at VG247.

Do you feel that bringing your MMO of choice to the Xbox 360 would be viable, or are you starting to think that the 360/MMO marriage is doomed?

MassivelyCryptic's Bill Roper: Microsoft MMO reveal for Xbox 360 unlikely at E3 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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