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 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Not So Massively: LoL's e-sports controversy, Dota 2's matchmaking overhaul, and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/09/not-so-massively-lols-e-sports-controversy-dota-2s-matchmaki/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/09/not-so-massively-lols-e-sports-controversy-dota-2s-matchmaki/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/12/09/not-so-massively-lols-e-sports-controversy-dota-2s-matchmaki/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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The MOBA e-sports community was enraged this week when it was reported that professional League of Legends players participating in the 2014 championship series had been barred by contract from livestreaming competing games. The list of competing games included the entire Blizzard lineup and practically every MOBA, including several that no longer exist. Dota 2 gave players an inside look at its upcoming matchmaking revamp, which introduces a new Ranked Matchmaking system. And SMITE revealed details of its versatile new mage character Nu Wa, Guardian of Heaven.

Diablo III beta testers put together videos of some of the new monster affixes in the game's upcoming expansion, including an inventive Wormhole modifier that essentially lets the elite monster teleport players. Path of Exile's new dueling and PvP tournament features have been delayed until after patch 1.0.3, and developers briefly showed a new tower zone that will come at the end of the game. Star Citizen hit the $34 million mark this week, unlocking a new smuggling ship and locking in future plans for a strange new solar system with a black hole instead of a star. And Elite: Dangerous retired its early backer rewards ahead of today's web store relaunch.

Continue reading Not So Massively: LoL's e-sports controversy, Dota 2's matchmaking overhaul, and more

MassivelyNot So Massively: LoL's e-sports controversy, Dota 2's matchmaking overhaul, and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Dec 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's been a huge week for MOBAs, with several new characters being released and one game closing its doors for good. League of Legends finally revamped underused champion Karma and released new character Zac, a strange green blob who drops parts of himself all over the battlefield and can even revive after death. Dota 2 released classic hero Bristleback, a spined boar who slows enemies with a disgusting snot attack and slowly peppers them with spiked quills.

SMITE released god of music Apollo, who can deal damage by playing his lyre, sing enemies to sleep, and even power-slide like a rock star. Heroes of Newerth is in between hero releases, but its recent HoN 3.0 update has earned it the title of Best MOBA at PAX East 2013 by gaming website RTSGuru.

Warhammer-themed MOBA Wrath of Heroes officially closed its doors on March 29th, and its website has now been replaced with a message by producer James Casey. Finally, Diablo III's former Game Director Jay Wilson gave a talk at GDC 2013 in which he blamed many of the game's downfalls on both the gold and cash auction houses.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Release all the MOBA heroes!

MassivelyNot So Massively: Release all the MOBA heroes! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 01 Apr 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

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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.

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Part of the problem is that these guys just were never all that angry.
Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes is shutting down near the end of the month, but it turns out that the developers have a few last hurrahs for the game. A recent fansite interview sheds some light on the new heroes that are coming out during the game's final month of operation, with 17-18 heroes being fast-tracked for release. The game's main currency, Gold, will be able to purchase everything in the cash shop including Gold Boost items, intentionally creating plenty of money for players to enjoy the last bits of the game.

What's not coming? Most anything else that was in development, including some heroes that the developers just didn't have enough time to finish. There were also Scenarios in development that aren't close enough to completed to be functional; while pushing out heroes quickly is a priority, a half-finished Scenario is fun for no one. Fans looking for fine details on exactly which traditional Warhammer factions will be represented in the last month can look at the full interview.

MassivelyMythic developers discuss the swan song of Wrath of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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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.

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Diablo III's patch 1.0.5 launched this week, bringing in a brand-new Monster Power system and the Infernal machine endgame event. Upcoming action RPG Path of Exile announced that it will begin open beta in December, complete with a full three acts of content and a PvP arena system.

In MOBA news, League of Legends announced details of its massive Halloween update with new icons, ward skins, and brand-new transforming champion Elise, the Spider Queen. Heroes of Newerth's new competitive league was delayed this week due to technical difficulties, and SMITE revealed its newest God Freya, Queen of the Valkyries.

Dota 2 players came up with some surprising results on the most effective team compositions by analysing the details of 39,626 matches, and Wrath of Heroes released its new Garden of Morr scenario. Upcoming MOBA Prime World revealed details of its Outpost game mode in which two teams escort huge battle robots toward each other. And Monolith Studios gave us our second peek behind the scenes of development on upcoming console MOBA Guardians of Middle-earth.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Behind the scenes of MOBA development

MassivelyNot So Massively: Behind the scenes of MOBA development originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Oct 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Four years of WAR An interview with Producer James Casey
To celebrate Warhammer Online's fourth anniversary this week, we got in touch with EA Mythic Producer James Casey to talk about the past, present, and future of WAAAGH!

Massively: Four years is a sizable length of time in any MMO's life. How does it feel to hit that mark?

James Casey: It feels great to have been able to have support from the Warhammer and gaming community for the last four years. That support has allowed us to continue bringing them the thrilling Realm vs. Realm combat and engrossing worlds that they have come to expect from Mythic and Games Workshop.

To your point about four years being a sizable length of time for an MMO, I will say that as a studio, we actually have a stable of MMOs that have been around for a damn respectable amount of time. From Ultima Online hitting its amazing 15th anniversary this year to Dark Age of Camelot having already broken that fabled 10-year mark, we've had a remarkable run in the MMO space, and I think that I can speak for everyone who has come and gone or still remains in saying a heartfelt thanks to all of our fans and customers over all the years. We owe that track record to them, and we hope that as we continue to evolve and develop as a studio and across our products, we can provide more of that sense of community in all of our offerings.

Continue reading Four years of WAR: An interview with Mythic's James Casey

MassivelyFour years of WAR: An interview with Mythic's James Casey originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Sep 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week Firefall gave fans an inside look at what each of its development teams is up to for the next development cycle, revealing a strong focus on PvE content. Path of Exile ran another public stress test this weekend to see how the servers would cope with a full-scale deployment, and Blacklight: Retribution's $30,000 US 30 days of fight contest has officially ended.

Diablo III developers gave a sneak peek of the upcoming patch 1.0.5 update, which aims to reduce monster damage, rebalance defensive abilities, and introduce "uber" versions of several bosses. Players also found a way to farm treasure goblins this week with an odd quirk of the Puzzle Ring legendary.

Upcoming MOBA SMITE revealed details of Thor, god of thunder, in a new video. League of Legends officially released its devestating new dark mage Syndra this week and started a new video series that asks professional players about their favourite champions. Finally, Wrath of Heroes introduced new Dark Elf assassin Zathis and detailed its new Alchemy system, which lets players convert their old tactics and masteries into something useful.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Updates ahead for Firefall, Diablo III and more

MassivelyNot So Massively: Updates ahead for Firefall, Diablo III and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Sep 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The League of Legends North American regional tournament concluded this week with Team Solo Mid, Team Dignitas, and Counter Logic Gaming securing spots in October's World Championship games. Riot Games also revealed its new livestream portal this week; it supports popular livestreamers with news coverage and even prizes to give away to viewers. Wrath of Heroes released its new ranged Dwarven Engineer hero Durrig, and we heard that upcoming Korean free-for-all MOBA Core Masters Online may be getting an English-language release.

As game developers around the world recover from PAX 2012, videos are starting to surface showing highlights from the event. Firefall developer Red 5 Studios laid the whole PAX experience bare in a three-part video series covering the tense week of preparation for the event and its final execution. Torchlight II developer Runic Games posted its own PAX wrap-up video and its official release trailer this week, pre-empting the game's launch in just under two weeks time.

Upcoming free-to-play action RPG Path of Exile released its 10th video in the popular Build of the Week series. Diablo III celebrates its first player to reach paragon level 100, and developers published a new journal entry on upcoming changes to the game's crowd control mechanics.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III world-first level 100 and PAX wrap-up videos

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III world-first level 100 and PAX wrap-up videos originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Sep 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diablo III's patch 1.0.4 arrived this week, bringing with it 100 new Paragon levels and a whole series of new legendary items. Players have been hunting for the new legendaries since the patch went live, and one player has put together a video showing some of the new legendary proc effects in action. Torchlight II developers revealed that they are still aiming for a summer release and will announce the exact launch date next week at the start of PAX Prime 2012.

Dota 2's $1.6 million US tournament The International got underway this week with the preliminary rounds to determine who will make it to next week's final in Seattle. League of Legends released new champion Rengar this week and announced that nerfs are on the way for Diana, Corki, Graves, and Ezreal. Guardians of Middle-earth developers gave a behind-the-scenes look at the development process this week in a new documentary video featuring some of North America's top competitive MOBA players.

Finally, Bloodline Champions released patch 2.6 this week to kick off competitive season six, and Wrath of Heroes released patch 0.24 with its new ornament customisation system and announced upcoming hero Master Albodi.

Continue reading Not So Massively: D3's legendary effects revealed, Torchlight II launch date imminent

MassivelyNot So Massively: D3's legendary effects revealed, Torchlight II launch date imminent originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two major Diablo III exploits were made public this week, allowing Wizards to make themselves invulnerable and Barbarians to kill monsters just by running past them. The exploits have been in the game for at least a month and were hotfixed this week. Path of Exile celebrated its third public testing weekend this weekend and released its major 0.9.11 update, including a complete revamp of the passive skill tree.

In MOBA news, Major League Gaming released details of its $10,000 League of Legends tournament this week, and Riot Games unveiled new champion Diana, Scorn of the Moon. Dota 2 released a whopping three new heroes this week and began preparation for its upcoming tournament The International. Wrath of Heroes introduced a new leaderboard system and newbie quests in game update 0.23 this week, and Bigpoint unveiled its new MOBA, Universal Monsters Online, which lets players take on the mantle of Dracula and Frankenstein's Monster.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III exploits and competitive tournaments

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III exploits and competitive tournaments originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzard addressed Diablo III's poor launch in an open letter to the community this week and detailed plans for development going forward. If you're stuck in the magic find grind, an impressive new guide also surfaced this week to demystify the hunt. Upcoming free-to-play action RPG Path of Exile released a video of its updated passive tree this week, demonstrating some of the game's incredible character customisation options. Torchlight II developer Runic Games also released some statistics this week showing just how big the game is compared to its predecessor.

In MOBA news, League of Legends released updated champion spotlight videos for its recently overhauled champions Evelynn and Twitch, and Heroes of Newerth surprised players by releasing all of its heroes for free to every player. Dota 2 added classic hero Naga Siren and updated the spectator UI with a much-requested gold-per-minute table.

Hi-Rez Studios released a new SMITE video featuring Hindu demon Bakasura, a character who can eat enemies to regain health and later vomit them up on the battlefield. Wrath of Heroes also revealed ranged assassin Korith Bitterborn this week, and Guardians of Middle-Earth published its first battle profile video showing some of Gollum's and Gandalf's attacks.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Battle of the online action RPGs

MassivelyNot So Massively: Battle of the online action RPGs originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Soapbox title image
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

Every now and then, a game comes out of nowhere with such incredible financial success that it causes the games industry to completely lose perspective. All it takes is one game to start raking in the millions for developers, publishers and investors to stumble around with dollar signs in their eyes for years to come. Innovation grinds to a halt and everyone starts blindly copying whichever game just hit the jackpot. It's like some huge industry-wide superstition takes over and convinces people that if they do the same dance the same way, it'll rain again.

World of Warcraft has consistently had this effect since shortly after its launch in 2004. To this day, several studios per year excitedly announce yet another fantasy MMO that lifts its entire feature set and every gameplay mechanic wholesale from World of Warcraft as if it were a model for automatic success. The same thing is happening again in online gaming today, not from MMOs but from MOBAs, a new genre based on the competitive gaming classic DotA. Developers are still chasing the massive money made by yet another hugely successful game, and this time it's League of Legends.

Continue reading The Soapbox: League of Legends is the new World of Warcraft

MassivelyThe Soapbox: League of Legends is the new World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diablo III reportedly became the fastest selling PC game of all time this week with over 6.3 million units sold in its first week despite ongoing server issues. Blizzard assured players that recent account hackings have not been caused by a compromised database, and players have come up with a variety of inventive ways to conquer the practically impossible Inferno mode.

In MOBA news, League of Legends celebrated one year of its player-mediated banning tribunal and released the official champion spotlight video for new champion Darius, the Hand of Noxus. Dota 2 released a new interface this week to help players pick heroes more effectively, and Heroes of Newerth released a strange new tentacle demon plant hero named Bramble. We also heard of upcoming indie MOBA Smashmuck, which entered closed beta yesterday.

Upcoming action FPS Hedone was recently rebranded under a new name, and this week developers opened signups for a new closed beta. Torchlight II's beta officially ended this week, and the Wrath of Heroes Beta introduced new hero Amenadresh.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III players conquer Inferno and more

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III players conquer Inferno and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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With just over a week to go until Diablo III is released, Blizzard revealed the final details of the real money auction house, released some fantastic new class wallpapers, and launched a TV advertising campaign. Meanwhile, Torchlight II showed off the impressive final result of its earlier armour design contest and encouraged players to produce armour mods when the game is released.

Heroes of Newerth released a brand-new community-inspired MidWars game map this week to lend official support to the popular unofficial game mode. League of Legends revealed upcoming champion Varus with a full run-down of his abilities and a great art spotlight video. Dota 2 fixed some bizarre bugs and introduced classic hero Phantom Lancer. Rise of Immortals revealed details of its upcoming immortal Nauria, the Angel of Agony. Finally, Wrath of Heroes announced the controversial addition of health potions to its microtransaction store.

Continue reading Not So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode

MassivelyNot So Massively: D3 approaches, HoN reveals MidWars game mode originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Diablo III's open beta weekend was a huge success, giving developers the chance to stress test the servers that will be used when the game goes live in just over three weeks. Torchlight II teased fans this week with the release of its official opening trailer, which picks up the story from the end of the first game. Web series Extra Credits ran a special episode this week discussing Firefall's plan to let players work together to push back the map boundaries and unlock new content.

Rise of Immortals rolled out a new guild system in this week's patch and released its new area-effect tank immortal, Shard. Dota 2 added classic hero Brewmaster to the beta roster, and Bloodline Champions began preparing patch 2.4 with its new healer bloodline, Dryad. Wrath of Heroes released a hero spotlight video on melee fighter Bax Dreadtoof, and League of Legends highlighted some awesome fan-made art.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Diablo III open beta weekend edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: Diablo III open beta weekend edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PvP in WAR, then in WoH, then back to WAR, then back to WoH...
Are you the sort of player who just can't get enough of Warhammer Online, whether in classic form or the new Wrath of Heroes bite-sized version? Or are you a fan of the latter game and not sure if you want to keep up a subscription to the former? The latest cross-promotional deal for the games is aimed directly at players like that -- starting now, any players with active Warhammer Online subscriptions will receive a 50% bonus to gold and experience in Wrath of Heroes.

There's no complicated process to getting the bonus; if you have both accounts on the same EA/Origin account, your characters will reap the benefits, although it may take up to 24 hours for the system to line up if you've just started a subscription. The bonus also stacks with items from the Wrath of Heroes store, letting veterans of Warhammer Online get ahead in the new game.

MassivelyWarhammer Online is cross-promoting with Wrath of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accountaccount-bonusbiowarebonuscross-promotioneaelectronic-artsendless-trialfantasymobamultiple-accountsmythicmythic-entertainmentpromotionpvprvrwarwarhammerwarhammer-onlinewarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswohwrath-of-heroesWed, 18 Apr 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Meet Diablo III's demon hunter]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/09/not-so-massively-meet-diablo-iiis-demon-hunter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/09/not-so-massively-meet-diablo-iiis-demon-hunter/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/04/09/not-so-massively-meet-diablo-iiis-demon-hunter/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

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With five weeks left until Diablo III launches, Blizzard started its pre-launch marketing campaign this week with a new series exploring each of the five classes. This week kicks off with a preview of the Demon Hunter. Meanwhile, Torchlight II revealed details of a new charge bar mechanic designed to keep a rapid pace of action, and dungeon crawler Path of Exile started gearing up for release with some tempting pre-order packages.

Penny Arcade made a guest appearance in League of Legends this week with a special comic introducing upcoming champion Varus. Riot also revealed the next champion due for release, armoured spectral warrior Hecarim. Rise of Immortals got the Penny Arcade treatment this week too when joke character Karapyss the Crabomancer was actually released. Bloodline Champions launched an Easter egg painting contest this week and asked players whether grades should be reset for the current competitive season.

Blacklight: Retribution officially launched this week and celebrated with the release of its first new gun, the heavy assault rifle. Finally, Wrath of heroes released its first hero spotlight video this week, introducing hybrid damage-dealer Nethys.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Meet Diablo III's demon hunter

MassivelyNot So Massively: Meet Diablo III's demon hunter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week's Torchlight II developer update visits the game's animation department, and Path of Exile reset all beta players' passive skills this week following the launch of patch 0.9.7. Blacklight: Retribution revealed some impressive usage statistics from its first few weeks of open beta, and Firefall showed off its impressive Mourningstar and Typhon costumes at gaming convention SXSW.

In the world of MOBAs, League of Legends released its new champion Lulu this week and published her official champion spotlight video. Dota 2 added classic hero Lycan and introduced a new private rating system to help players track which heroes they're good at playing. Finally, Wrath of Heroes has entered open beta and is already selling items in its cash shop.

Continue reading Not So Massively: MOBAs, shooters, and dungeon crawlers

MassivelyNot So Massively: MOBAs, shooters, and dungeon crawlers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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League of Legends revealed this week that 5% of Taiwan is now playing even though the game only launched there six months ago. We also got an in-depth look at new jungling tank champion Sejuani with a new champion spotlight video. Heroes of Newerth released its own new hero this week with ranged intelligence hero Gravekeeper, and Bloodline Champions teased fans with upcoming bloodline Headhunter.

The Diablo III beta saw some big changes this week to bring the gameplay back into the spirit of its predecessor, Diablo II. Wrath of Heroes began gearing up for its fifth beta session later this week, while Blacklight: Retribution explored the fine art of stealing your enemy's hardsuit in a new video release. Firefall announced its condemnation of the Stop Online Piracy Act this week, adding its name to the list of opposition to the proposed legislation. Finally, Rise of Immortals got a make-over this week with a brand-new logo, launcher and login screen.

Continue reading Not So Massively: New hero edition

MassivelyNot So Massively: New hero edition originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This week, League of Legends revealed its upcoming tank champion Sejuani, a barbarian from the north who rides a boar and fights with the power of frost. Champion Jax was also completely remastered as part of the Sejuani patch, with his reliance on the dodge skill removed. Rise of Immortals released a champion spotlight on ranged damage-dealer Nyssus, and Firefall released a video of hilarious outtakes from last week's cosplay programme video.

The big news is that Diablo III has finally solved its dispute with the South Korean rating agencies by removing the cash auction house in that country only. Bloodline Champions celebrated its first birthday, and Heroes of Newerth's HoNWars tournament fired up its second season with a $10,000 prize pool. Blacklight Retribution talked tactics in its latest developer diary, highlighting tactical use of the HRV that lets you briefly see enemies through walls. Finally, the latest Wrath of Heroes beta has been extended until tomorrow morning, and End of Nations talked capture points in a new Warfront video devblog.

Continue reading Not So Massively: LoL talks Sejuani, D3 drops cash AH in Korea and more

MassivelyNot So Massively: LoL talks Sejuani, D3 drops cash AH in Korea and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgbattlenetbiowareblacklightblacklight-retributionblizzardblizzard-entertainmentbloodline-championscompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playfuncomgothic-fantasyheroes-of-newerthhonjaxleague-of-legendslolmobamultiplayermythicmythic-entertainmentnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesSejuanistunlockstunlock-studiostrion-worldsvideowarhammerwarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswohwrath-of-heroesMon, 16 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Hints of a Diablo III release date and more]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/not-so-massively-hints-of-a-diablo-iii-release-date-and-more/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/not-so-massively-hints-of-a-diablo-iii-release-date-and-more/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/not-so-massively-hints-of-a-diablo-iii-release-date-and-more/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

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League of Legends kicked off the competitive year with the closing of 2011's final event and showed off some hilarious fan-made videos this week. Firefall continued its cosplay program video series with the inclusion of Hollywood actor Lee Reherman, and we finally got to see the finished mech suits for the game's signature characters Mourningstar and Typhon.

Has Diablo III's release date been accidentally leaked? This week we saw compelling evidence to suggest that the highly anticipated title has finally got a release date -- and it's not far away! Heroes of Newerth fans foamed at the mouth with Patch 2.5.4's introducing a potentially overpowered new hero but none of the crash fixes or balance tweaks the game desperately needs. Rise of Immortals announced the winners of its holiday competition and released a new spotlight on Ichorr. Finally, Wrath of Heroes announced the next stage of its ongoing beta, which is scheduled to begin this week.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Hints of a Diablo III release date and more

MassivelyNot So Massively: Hints of a Diablo III release date and more originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-rpgbattlenetbiowareblizzardblizzard-entertainmentcompetitive-gamingd3diablodiablo-2diablo-3diablo-iidiablo-iiidotae-sporte-sportseaelectronic-artsesportesportsf2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playgothic-fantasyheroes-of-newerthhonleague-of-legendslolmobamultiplayermythicmythic-entertainmentnewsnot-so-massivelynsmonline-multiplayerpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamespvpriotriot-gamesrise-of-immortalsroiround-uprounduprpgs2s2-gamesvideowarhammerwarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswohwrath-of-heroesMon, 09 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Most significant MMO stories of 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/the-perfect-ten-most-significant-mmo-stories-of-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/the-perfect-ten-most-significant-mmo-stories-of-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/the-perfect-ten-most-significant-mmo-stories-of-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Perfect Ten
2011 was an odd duck of a year for MMO news. A huge chunk of the year felt devoid of significant releases, but that was mitigated somewhat by the major launches of RIFT and Star Wars: The Old Republic. Titles got shoved back to 2012 or beyond, MMOs that we thought never would go free-to-play did, and the industry continually surprised us with revelations, ideas, and controversy.

So in my last Perfect Ten of 2011, I put together the 10 most significant MMO stories of the year. Ten seems like an awfully small number for such a great big field, so I had the rest of the staff members chime in with their nominations just to make sure I wasn't too off-base with any of these.

It was a whopper of a year, and Massively was there for all of it -- the ups, the downs, the queues, and the QQs. It's time to wrap it up with a pretty bow and dedicate it to the history museum!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Most significant MMO stories of 2011

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Most significant MMO stories of 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20112012aionataribiowareccpccp-gameschampions-onlinecity-of-heroescrypticcryptic-studiosdaocdark-age-of-camelotdc-universe-onlinedcuoeve-onlineeverquesteverquest-iif2pfallen-earthfeaturedfree-to-playglobal-agendajagexkung-fu-pandaleague-of-legendslistlistslucasartsmists-of-pandariamonoclegatemythicpandaperfect-tenperfect-worldriftrunescapesoesonysony-hacksony-online-entertainmentstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-galaxiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswgswtorthe-agencythe-perfect-tentriontrion-worldswarhammer-onlineworld-of-darknessworld-of-warcraftwrath-of-heroesThu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare's docs: Free-to-play can't invest and create at our level]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/biowares-docs-free-to-play-cant-invest-and-create-at-our-leve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/biowares-docs-free-to-play-cant-invest-and-create-at-our-leve/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/28/biowares-docs-free-to-play-cant-invest-and-create-at-our-leve/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

BioWare Docs
If BioWare's not in a war against the free-to-play business model, it certainly is skirmishing with the notion that F2P is the only way to go. In speaking with our sister site Joystiq, BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk defended the traditional subscription model by saying that it not only works but allows dev teams to achieve games on a larger scale.

Zeschuk mentioned that it was simply a case of the right business model for the right game: "I'm not saying it's better or worse. It just doesn't supplant the other things. 'Cause we can do some things no one else can. The free-to-play people can't invest to the level we can invest, and can't create something of the size and scale of something we can create."

Even with its love of the subscription model for Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare is open to free-to-play where it sees fit. Muzyka dropped a tantalizing hint as to the company's F2P aspirations: "We have some other stuff we haven't announced yet coming from our play-for-free team that I'm really excited about. It's gonna bring back some IP that people have a lot of fond memories around."

MassivelyBioWare's docs: Free-to-play can't invest and create at our level originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mythicbusiness-modeldocsdoctorsdoctors-whoeaea-biowaref2pfree-to-playGreg-ZeschukinterviewjoystiqmythicRay-Muzykastar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-two-docsthe-two-doctorswarwarhammerwarhammer-onlinewrath-of-heroesWed, 28 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively Extra: First impressions of Wrath of Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/not-so-massively-extra-first-impressions-of-wrath-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/not-so-massively-extra-first-impressions-of-wrath-of-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/01/not-so-massively-extra-first-impressions-of-wrath-of-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
When BioWare-Mythic gave details of Wrath of Heroes during its talk at Gamescom, I was genuinely surprised. The emerging MOBA genre has been kind to small studios, even turning indie studio Riot Games into an industry giant in just two years. The incredible income generated by League of Legends has even started to attract big name studios, with Blizzard and Valve both developing MOBAs to enter the now booming genre. It was only a matter of time before EA entered the arena, but I really didn't expect BioWare to be at the helm.

Wrath of Heroes celebrated its third closed beta weekend at the end of November, and I was there to get some hands-on experience. I found a fundamentally fun game with a strange identity crisis -- the game adopts some ideas from existing titles while trying its hardest to be different. It has LoL's persistent levels and a variant of its rune system, but no character levels or items. There's a selection of heroes with five abilities each, but the traditional two team format present throughout online team games is discarded in favour of WoH's signature three team "6v6v6" game mode. The game is littered with these contradictions but somehow makes it work.

Skip past the cut to read my first impressions of Wrath of Heroes and see some screenshots of the game in action.

Gallery: Wrath of Heroes

Continue reading Not So Massively Extra: First impressions of Wrath of Heroes

MassivelyNot So Massively Extra: First impressions of Wrath of Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabiowarebioware-mythicfeaturedFirst-Impressionsgalleryhands-onmobamultiplayeronlinepreviewpreviewspvpscreenshotwarwarhammerWarhammer-Onlinewohwrath-of-heroesThu, 01 Dec 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Game Archaeologist celebrates Dark Age of Camelot's 10th anniversary]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/the-game-archaeologist-celebrates-dark-age-of-camelots-10th-ann/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/the-game-archaeologist-celebrates-dark-age-of-camelots-10th-ann/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/29/the-game-archaeologist-celebrates-dark-age-of-camelots-10th-ann/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Dark Age of Camelot
Last month was a historic occasion for MMOs, as Dark Age of Camelot joined the exclusive Decade Club, turning 10 years old and making most of us sit down heavily and wonder, "Has it really been that long?"

It has indeed. You may wish to invest in a calendar. While it might be a tad tardy, I got the chance to interview the ever-busy Mythic about this milestone... and here it is!

The Game Archaeologist: Could you please introduce yourself, your role on the team, and the faction for which you live, breathe and sleep?

Stuart Zissu: I am Stuart Zissu, producer on Dark Age of Camelot. Asking which Realm I prefer is like asking which child is my favorite, I love them all! They all have their advantages and disadvantages, and each one brings something different to the table. With that said, my first level 50 was an Albion Enhancement Friar (before Enhancement Friars were "viable").

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist celebrates Dark Age of Camelot's 10th anniversary

MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist celebrates Dark Age of Camelot's 10th anniversary originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1.110-patch10th-anniversarybioware-mythicdaocdark-age-of-camelotf2pfeaturedfree-to-playinterviewmythicmythic-entertainmentpatch-1.110realm-vs-realmrvrStuart-Zissuten-yearsten-years-oldtenth-anniversaryultima-onlineuowarwarhammer-onlinewrath-of-heroesTue, 29 Nov 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: Dreamhack Winter 2011]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/not-so-massively-dreamhack-winter-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/not-so-massively-dreamhack-winter-2011/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/28/not-so-massively-dreamhack-winter-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
League of Legends launched season two this week and announced some pretty big changes to jungling with the upcoming Volibear patch. Developers have also removed the dodge stat from the game completely and refunded players the full price of dodge runes purchased. Despite the lack of official reveals for Diablo III this week, the news train kept chugging along as fansite DiabloFans dug around in the data files to discover details of the gem system. The first part of the game's official comic Sword of Justice was also released this week, with a limited 100,000-print run.

Bloodline Champions officially released Metal Warden this week and celebrated a successful tournament at Dreamhack Winter 2011. Heroes of Newerth was also at Dreamhack this weekend, with the finals of MSI's massive Beat It tournament and news released of a new HoNTour tournament series. Rise of Immortals released a spotlight on new immortal Pycon this week, and Facebook MMO Dungeon Overlord published a trailer to celebrate the game's official launch. BioWare's Wrath of Heroes celebrated its third closed beta event this weekend, and I was there to get some first-hand experience. Keep an eye out this week for my first impressions of this upcoming MOBA.

Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other big online games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: Dreamhack Winter 2011

MassivelyNot So Massively: Dreamhack Winter 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beat-itbiowareblizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentbloodlinebloodline-championscompetitive-gamingdc-comicsdiablodiablo-3diablo-3-betadiablo-iiidiablo-iii-betadodgedreamhackdreamhack-winterdungeon-overlordemeraldfeaturedfnaticfnatic.msiheroes-of-newerthhonhontourhonwarsinside-designjewelerleague-of-legendslolmetal-wardenmsinewsnight-owl-gamesnot-so-massivelypetroglyphPetroglyph-Gamespvprise-of-immortalsRoIrubyS2S2 gamsS2-Gamesseason-twosword-of-justicetopaztournamenttrailervideoVolibearwarhammerwrath-of-heroesMon, 28 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[New interview talks Warhammer Online and Wrath of Heroes synergy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/new-interview-talks-warhammer-online-and-wrath-of-heroes-synergy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/new-interview-talks-warhammer-online-and-wrath-of-heroes-synergy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/23/new-interview-talks-warhammer-online-and-wrath-of-heroes-synergy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Warhammer Online - Chaos hound
Warhammer Online fans can be forgiven if they took to scratching their heads in puzzlement as BioWare-Mythic announced the Wrath of Heroes MOBA at last summer's Gamescom convention. After all, here was a new fantasy title that was brazen enough to borrow the IP and arguably the best gameplay mechanic (scenarios) from an existing MMO that's still alive and kicking.

The distinction between the two games is up for discussion in a new Warhammer Online interview at Stratics. "There is no direct link currently between your WAR and WOH characters. That being said, we plan on giving WAR subscribers benefits in WOH," explains producer James Casey. "We are also looking at other ways to connect them and have the benefits go both ways."

The interview also touches on the next WAR update (currently slated for the PTS next month), as well as the fact that the devs are considering a level-cap increase on the game's endless trial offering.

MassivelyNew interview talks Warhammer Online and Wrath of Heroes synergy originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mythiceaelectronic-artsendless-trialf2pfantasyfree-to-playinterviewjames-caseymobapvpsubscriber-benefitswarwarhammerwarhammer-onlinewrath-of-heroesWed, 23 Nov 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Not So Massively: It's major game update week]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/not-so-massively-its-major-game-update-week/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/not-so-massively-its-major-game-update-week/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/14/not-so-massively-its-major-game-update-week/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Not So Massively title image
This week, League of Legends revealed major upcoming changes to its mastery trees for competitive season two, which are due to go live with the Fizz patch ahead of upcoming tournaments. Heroes of Newerth continues its support of the game's competitive scene with the HoNWars League, which is open to players of all skill levels and will deliver hundreds of small cash prizes in countless categories. For fans of throbbing bass, a new Firefall trailer delivers a delightful blend of the game's Unreal Tournament style FPS gameplay and dubstep wub-wub.

Blizzard Entertainment recently revealed that all class abilities in Diablo III will deal damage based on weapon damage, with cast speed also coupled to weapon speed. The inspired move will make balancing weapons across all classes much easier. We also found out that the collector's edition will come with free in-game vanity perks like wings and armour dyes. Diablo-esque online action RPG Path of Exile releases its huge 0.9.3 beta patch today, providing new game areas and major gameplay system revamps. Finally, it's a massive news week for Rise of Immortals as it releases new European servers, a new immortal spotlight, and a developer video podcast about upcoming development.

Read on for this week's top news stories from popular MOBAs and other online games that aren't quite MMOs.

Continue reading Not So Massively: It's major game update week

MassivelyNot So Massively: It's major game update week originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betabetasbiowareblizzardcollectors-editiondiablodiablo-3diablo-3-betadiablo-iidiablo-iiidiablo-iii-betadubstepfeaturedfirefallfpsgrinding-gear-gamesheroes-of-newerthhonhonwarshonwars-leagueleague-of-legendslolmasteriesmastery-systemmobanewsnot-so-massivelynsmpatchpatchespath-of-exilepetroglyphPetroglyph-Gamesred-5red-5-studiosrise-of-immortalsrois2-gamestrailertrailersupdatevideowrath-of-heroesMon, 14 Nov 2011 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare Mythic isn't playing favorites with free-to-play and subscriptions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/24/bioware-mythic-isnt-playing-favorites-with-free-to-play-and-sub/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/24/bioware-mythic-isnt-playing-favorites-with-free-to-play-and-sub/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/24/bioware-mythic-isnt-playing-favorites-with-free-to-play-and-sub/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Wrath of Heroes
BioWare Mythic says that the market is big enough to support both free-to-play and subscription models -- and everything else in between. Talking with Gamasutra, GM Eugene Evans said that the company has to acknowledge that there are people who don't like F2P and those who do, and it's important to reach out to both groups.

With Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes in beta testing, BioWare Mythic is testing the waters of free-to-play while preparing for Star Wars: The Old Republic's massive subscription launch. "We often got asked about taking our old games free-to-play, and in the case of Warhammer, we felt there was a different way of doing it," he opined, going on to say that the Mythic branch was learning a lot about polish and quality from the BioWare team.

Evans commented on the observation that the widening global market means that no one business model is guaranteed to work in every country: "We're all still figuring out what free-to-play means, what the best way to monetize is, and how to run it as a business and engage players in ways they're prepared to accept."

MassivelyBioWare Mythic isn't playing favorites with free-to-play and subscriptions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>biowarebioware-mythicbusiness-modelsEugene-Evansf2pfree-to-playgamasutramythicpolishstar-wars-the-old-republicsubssubscriptionsubscriptionsswtorwarhammerwarhammer-onlinewarhammer-online-wrath-of-heroeswrath-of-heroesMon, 24 Oct 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer sticking with its subscription model]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/warhammer-sticking-with-its-subscription-model/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/warhammer-sticking-with-its-subscription-model/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/12/warhammer-sticking-with-its-subscription-model/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Warhammer Online - still not F2P, hehe
Those of you holding out for a freemium conversion for Warhammer Online may as well resign yourselves to waiting on the upcoming Wrath of Heroes MOBA. In a new piece at PC Gamer, BioWare-Mythic vice president Eugene Evans says there are still no plans to give away the game aside from the ongoing endless trial that covers the title's newb tier content.

"Right now, we're focused on Wrath of Heroes as our free-to-play offering in the Warhammer universe," Evans said at this week's GDC. "We believe in the community of players who are playing Age of Reckoning. Yes, we could have attracted a lot of players to it [via F2P], but it's unclear how long you'll keep them. We wanted to support our game as it currently exists."

MassivelyWarhammer sticking with its subscription model originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-reckoningbioware-mythicea-biowareea-mythicf2pfantasyfree-to-playgdcgdc-2011hehemobamythicMythic-Entertainmentwarwarhammerwarhammer-online-age-of-reckoningwarhammer-wrath-of-heroeswrath-of-heroesWed, 12 Oct 2011 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[BioWare open to the possibility of a Mass Effect MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/bioware-open-to-the-possibility-of-a-mass-effect-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/bioware-open-to-the-possibility-of-a-mass-effect-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/30/bioware-open-to-the-possibility-of-a-mass-effect-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Mass Effect 2
If you've been among the vocal crowds demanding that BioWare stop fiddling around with that "Star Wars thing" and get on a Mass Effect MMO as soon as possible, today might be your day of vindication. It turns out that BioWare's co-founders are very much open to the possibility of an online edition of its popular Mass Effect franchise.

Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk recently fielded the ever-popular question in a much more upbeat tone than ever before. Zeschuk says the studio will evaluate a potential Mass Effect MMO in the near future: "You never know. I think once The Old Republic is done, we'll take a fresh look at the market."

"We're focused very much on The Old Republic, Mass Effect 3 and Wrath of Heroes, and all the other things we've announced, and haven't announced, but we also have the opportunity to look at our franchises in a way we haven't ever before. There are lots of new platforms and lots of new business models," Muzyka added.

Mass Effect: The MMO is one of those speculative rumors that seems to never die. Analysts have predicted that such an MMO could top Star Wars: The Old Republic's numbers.

MassivelyBioWare open to the possibility of a Mass Effect MMO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wrath of Heroes
Mythic is taking an interesting approach in promoting its new MOBA, Warhammer Online Wrath of Heroes -- it's throwing Warhammer Online under the bus. At the Wrath of Heroes reveal panel at PAX, the Mythic team talked up its new project as something that Heroes' parent game is not.

The team found that people liked WAR but couldn't justify investing in it, so Mythic wanted to create an experience for them. The team took what it saw as one the more popular aspects of WAR -- the scenarios -- and modified them to pit three teams (six on each) against each other for quick, 15-minute gameplay sessions. On death, you can choose any hero in your arsenal so you can adjust to whatever your team needs.

This game format allowed the team to strip away the parts of the game it saw as unnecessary. "We went, you know what? If you play the MMO, we give you all this cool equipment on your adventure, and it's a neat thing to do, but let's just get rid of the boring crap and give people cool [stuff] to wear," Paul Barnett said.

Citing the accumulation of multiple -- and sometimes quite situational -- skills over the course of "748,000 hours of grinding," Barnett said that his team got rid of this approach by focusing on only five skills per hero in Wrath of Heroes. He thinks that the small incremental progress of skills and skill effects in Warhammer Online is "dull" and instead extolls Wrath of Heroes for picking the best skills, effects and armor so that players don't have to worry about getting all of them.

You can watch the full reveal panel of Wrath of Heroes after the jump.

[Thanks to Joris for the tip!]

Continue reading Mythic: Wrath of Heroes gets rid of 'all the boring crap' of WAR

MassivelyMythic: Wrath of Heroes gets rid of 'all the boring crap' of WAR originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 06 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes
If you've always wondered what Warhammer would look like as a MOBA, EA and BioWare have your answer. Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes was just announced at this year's Gamescom, and the fantasy title will feature three-team PvP with six players per side. Another new wrinkle highlighted in the game's press materials is the ability to swap heroes on the fly and "confound your foes and dominate the battlefield," according to BioWare.

The gameplay looks fast, frenetic, and accessible, and EA is positioning the title to capture a piece of the burgeoning free-to-play MOBA market. GameReactor also reports that the new game's scenarios will be built around pre-existing scenarios from Warhammer Online. We'll bring you more on Wrath of Heroes in our Not So Massively column, and in the meantime you can watch the preview clip after the cut.

[Update: You can also sign up now for the beta on the official site!]

Continue reading Gamescom 2011: EA and BioWare announce Warhammer MOBA [Updated]

MassivelyGamescom 2011: EA and BioWare announce Warhammer MOBA [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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