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[Blizzard unveils groundswell of new information on World of Warcraft: Cataclysm]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/13/blizzard-unveils-groundswell-of-new-information-on-world-of-warc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/13/blizzard-unveils-groundswell-of-new-information-on-world-of-warc/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/13/blizzard-unveils-groundswell-of-new-information-on-world-of-warc/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If you play MMOs, you have some relationship to World of Warcraft. You may not be actively playing it, but odds are good you're watching out of the corner of your eye, especially with a new expansion on the way that promises to severely change the face of the game. Blizzard recently took the opportunity to hold a small press event in which they revealed several pieces of lore and gameplay information, and a great deal of it is fairly far-reaching -- especially as much of what's been announced includes scrapped plans.

The "Path of the Titans" system? Scrapped, and replaced with an overhaul of the Inscription glyph system. Guild talents? Scrapped, with the benefits added automatically instead of allowing guild officers to specialize a given guild. Forcing 25-man progression to be locked together? Scrapped, after a fashion, as a raid lockout can be "split" into ten-person groups and can more easily be swapped. There's a lot of information, but we're not going to attempt to duplicate the excellent coverage of our sister site WoW.com -- instead, those curious should take a look at their roundup post, and the category with links to more in-depth analysis of each announcement.

MassivelyBlizzard unveils groundswell of new information on World of Warcraft: Cataclysm originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>announcementsblizzardblizzard-activisionblizzard-entertainmentcataclysmchangespress-updatesworld-of-warcraftworld-of-warcraft-cataclysmwowwow-cataclysmwow.comSun, 13 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Are you ready for Blizzcon?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/the-daily-grind-are-you-ready-for-blizzcon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/the-daily-grind-are-you-ready-for-blizzcon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/19/the-daily-grind-are-you-ready-for-blizzcon/#commentsFiled under: , ,

If you're a fan of World of Warcraft, or just Blizzard in general, you may already be following our sister site WoW.com for all the latest news on Blizzcon 2010. Not only will they prepare you for the event (no seriously, they've thought of everything), but we may now have just as much reason to be excited with the possibility of the next Blizzard MMO being announced soon.

The latest piece of information was definitely the most exciting for those interested in attending as we learn that Blizzcon Tickets will be on sale June 2nd and 5th. If the $150 ticket price is a bit out of your budget, you can get exhaustive coverage for $39.95 through a live internet stream or DirecTV.

So do you plan to attend via either of those options? What do you hope to see and hear at Blizzcon 2010? Do you think that next Blizzard MMO will finally be announced? Click that handy little button and let us know what you think!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are you ready for Blizzcon? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzconblizzcon-2010blizzcon-2010-ticketsopinionthe-daily-grindwow.comWed, 19 May 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WoW.com posts coming to Massively]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/02/wow-com-posts-coming-to-massively/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/02/wow-com-posts-coming-to-massively/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/07/02/wow-com-posts-coming-to-massively/#commentsFiled under: ,


You may have noticed that Massively doesn't talk very much about World of Warcraft. Even though it's the biggest MMO on the block, our friends at WoW.com cover it so comprehensively that it seems silly for us to duplicate their efforts. But WoW is an MMO too, and it only makes sense to talk about it when there's news. So, from here on out, we'll be co-opting WoW.com's coverage when appropriate. When you see a post on Massively that says "WoW.com" in the upper left (as in the image above) with an unfamiliar writer's name -- that means you're seeing a post directly from our WoW-centric sister site! It should look and feel the same to you, dear reader, but if you head off to comment, be advised that you'll be leaving Massively for WoW.com, where the WoW fans outnumber the rest of us. You'll be able to comment with your existing Massively account, but tread with caution!

MassivelyWoW.com posts coming to Massively originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardmassivelyworld-of-warcraftwowwow.comThu, 02 Jul 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Heroes star Masi Oka developing MMO-themed movie: The Defenders]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/11/heroes-star-masi-oka-developing-mmo-themed-movie-the-defenders/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/11/heroes-star-masi-oka-developing-mmo-themed-movie-the-defenders/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/11/heroes-star-masi-oka-developing-mmo-themed-movie-the-defenders/#commentsFiled under: ,

Massively multiplayer online games sometimes get a bad rap in mass media, but these games and the experience of playing them are slowly becoming more prevalent in TV and film. In fact, a new family adventure movie called "The Defenders" will focus on MMOs, and the film's concept is from none other than Heroes star Masi Oka, best known for his role as the time-travelling Hiro Nakamura. Oka has some serious geek cred, having worked on fluid effects for Industrial Light and Magic and being a dedicated World of Warcraft player.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Defenders has been picked up by DreamWorks. THR.com gives a brief synopsis of the plot: "The story centers on a group of mostly teenagers from around the world who are involved in a multiplayer video game, each unaware of who they really are behind the cover of their consoles and avatars. They are forced to come together for a real adventure, becoming inadvertent heroes in the process." In some respects, this film sounds like The Goonies re-imagined for a contemporary audience that identifies with their virtual personas.

[Via WoW.com]

MassivelyHeroes star Masi Oka developing MMO-themed movie: The Defenders originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>heroeshiro-nakamurailmmasi-okathe-defendersthe-hollywood-reporterthr.comworld-of-warcraftwowwow.comThu, 11 Jun 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WoW.com looks at what makes a casual MMO player]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/wow-com-looks-at-what-makes-a-casual-mmo-player/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/wow-com-looks-at-what-makes-a-casual-mmo-player/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/09/wow-com-looks-at-what-makes-a-casual-mmo-player/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Robin Torres, a columnist over at our sister site WoW.com has posted a fascinating piece trying to define casual. While it's WoW-themed, it could easily be adapted for any -- and every -- MMO out there and is well worth a read.

Given the addictive nature of MMOs, the word 'casual' might well seem an odd word to be attached to this genre of games. However Robin's definitions encompass every kind of gamer. Personally I find myself in the 'players with lives' section and I'm glad to be there. Head on over and check it out to find out where you belong.

MassivelyWoW.com looks at what makes a casual MMO player originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>casualcasual-playersrobin-torresworld-of-warcraftwow-casuallywow.comTue, 09 Jun 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Night Elf druid cat forms to be revealed today]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/night-elf-druid-cat-forms-to-be-revealed-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/night-elf-druid-cat-forms-to-be-revealed-today/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/04/night-elf-druid-cat-forms-to-be-revealed-today/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Night Elf druids around the world, attend! News comes from our sister site WoW.com that blue Zarhym has posted that your new-look cat forms will be revealed at some point today. WoW.com guesstimates by his use of 'later in the day' this could be mid-afternoon PST (eg after my bedtime). The Night Elf cat forms is the last of four reveals for the new-look druid skins. So far we have seen the Night Elf and Tauren bear forms and the lion-like Tauren cat forms.

But does this druid love mean something more? Is it just a much needed graphical update or could it tie in with the as-of-yet-unannounced WoW expansion? This is the druid-centric one which many fans, including myself, hope will be themed around the Emerald Dream. We don't know but either way I actually like my cat form so I'm quite excited to see what the new skins are going to look like. Keep your eye on the druid in development page in the meantime.

MassivelyNight Elf druid cat forms to be revealed today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>new-druid-skinsnight-elfnight-elf-druidnight-elf-druid-cat-formpatch-3.2world-of-warcraftwow.comzarhymThu, 04 Jun 2009 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[World of Warcraft patch 3.1.3 is imminent]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/02/world-of-warcraft-patch-3-1-3-is-imminent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/02/world-of-warcraft-patch-3-1-3-is-imminent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/02/world-of-warcraft-patch-3-1-3-is-imminent/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


As if we weren't all busy enough keeping up with E3 news, the biggest fish in the MMO sea has chosen this hectic time in the games industry to change things in their popular game world. Our newly renamed sister-site WoW.com has gotten word that World of Warcraft will be updated with Patch 3.1.3 during the scheduled maintenance for June 2nd, and their sources combined with MMO-Champion's reporting of the same thing mean that this is probably quite accurate. Keep in mind that this isn't the Call of the Crusade patch we learned about recently, and is more about class balancing than anything else. We've got the patch notes posted after the break.

Continue reading World of Warcraft patch 3.1.3 is imminent

MassivelyWorld of Warcraft patch 3.1.3 is imminent originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardblizzard-entertainmentbreakingclass-balancingmaintenancepatch-3.1.3ulduarworld-of-warcraftworld-of-warcraft-patch-3.1.3wowwow.comTue, 02 Jun 2009 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard looking for WoW player input on community Q&A series on classes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/30/blizzard-looking-for-wow-player-input-on-community-qanda-series-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/30/blizzard-looking-for-wow-player-input-on-community-qanda-series-on/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/30/blizzard-looking-for-wow-player-input-on-community-qanda-series-on/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Massively's sister site WoW.com pointed out a community initiative underway at Blizzard. The company has attracted the subscription dollars of millions of World of Warcraft players over the years, so much so that the company is pretty much at the top of the MMO world. Despite this popularity, the game does have its issues, and the collective din of 11.5 million players can get pretty loud when players feel their classes are in need of some improvements, or simply when they don't understand why class changes are (or aren't being) made.

Nethaera from Blizzard has posted that they want to communicate with the playerbase better. To that end, Blizzard is seeking questions from World of Warcraft players about the game's classes, to be used in a community question and answer series for each WoW class. They're presently looking for your feedback on the game's classes in their respective class forums, so this would be an ideal time to make your voice heard.
One of Azeroth's millions of citizens? Check out our ongoing coverage of the World of Warcraft, and be sure to touch base with our sister site WoW Insider for all your Lich King needs!

MassivelyBlizzard looking for WoW player input on community Q&A series on classes originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 30 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzardclassescommunityfantasymmo-industrynethaeraworld-of-warcraftwowwow-insiderwow.comSat, 30 May 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Choose my Adventure: Massively style]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/22/choose-my-adventure-massively-style/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/22/choose-my-adventure-massively-style/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/22/choose-my-adventure-massively-style/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Today, we're proud to introduce a brand new weekly column here at Massively called Choose my Adventure, lovingly stolen from our siblings at WoWInsider (now WoW.com). The concept is simple: we create a brand new character in an MMO and document its adventure in a special image gallery and a weekly journal post -- but with a catch. Everything from the goals to the character creation and even the game itself will be chosen by YOU! That's right, you will have the opportunity to chose what game, race, class, gender, questlines and more for my character as I progress my way though to an ultimate goal.

How will this work? Starting with today's introductory post, you can vote in the poll below for which game I will begin my adventure. Of course the options are limited to what I have available to me right now, but as each goal is met for each new character (voted on later), I will start fresh and restart the process with a new game. This will give me the opportunity to explore more games and show you what may or may not work best. Sound like fun? Keep reading below for more.

Continue reading Choose my Adventure: Massively style

MassivelyChoose my Adventure: Massively style originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 May 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventurefeaturedmassively-metawow.comwowinsiderFri, 22 May 2009 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[WoW Insider undergoes total site revamp]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/06/wow-insider-undergoes-total-site-revamp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/06/wow-insider-undergoes-total-site-revamp/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/06/wow-insider-undergoes-total-site-revamp/#commentsFiled under:


We talk fairly frequently about our sister site WoW Insider, and it's with a lot of pride. Those folks over there do a fantastic job reporting on the biggest name in MMOs; it is this blogger's opinion that WoW Insider is the best single-topic blog on the internet period, regardless of subject matter. So we're thrilled to be able to share with you WoW Insider's big news! In advance of next week's launch of Wrath of the Lich King, WoW Insider has received a total site revamp! Above is what the site used to look like. Now, it looks like this!

Pretty impressive, huh? We here at Massively are going to swallow our design-related jealousy and join the rest of the Joystiq family in applauding WoW Insider's relaunch. Many congratulations to Dan O'Halloran, Mike Schramm, and all the writers that make the site tick. Make sure to head over and check out the new site, stay tuned for even more fun as they get settled in, and tune in to Massively and WoW Insider for plenty of Lich King news next week!

MassivelyWoW Insider undergoes total site revamp originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingsite-revampworld-of-warcraftwow-insiderwow.comThu, 06 Nov 2008 13:55:00 EST