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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Eight years of city life

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Business models, Culture, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter

There are some things that were broken this year in City of Heroes beyond a shadow of a doubt. Then there were things that weren't necessarily broken depending on whom you asked. But one thing has been broken absolutely and completely: my format for these retrospectives.

See, from one point of view, this was a content-light year. I mean, we had two new issues and that's it. On the other hand, one of those was the launch of City of Heroes Freedom, and the result has been a steady stream of partial updates, minor improvements, new installments in the signature story arc, and so on. In previous years, going issue-by-issue worked as a way to look back over the course of the year, but it just doesn't work any longer.

But then, it's not supremely necessary. There are three big things that have defined the game for the past year: Freedom, the Incarnate system, and new toys. So we're going to break the format that doesn't really work and just talk about those in order.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Eight years of city life

A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Eight years of city life originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Status report, last year

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Culture, Game mechanics, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter, Anniversary

What with one thing and another, a year has passed. At this time last year, things were very different for City of Heroes, and so I started up my usual trifecta of columns on the past year with a look back at what I said the game needed and how it's done on those fronts. So it's time for the second annual iteration because as we all know, the first annual anything doesn't really count. And if your memory is getting rusty from a year ago, by all means, take the time to refresh it.

Certainly if you had told me back then that every major superhero game would be free-to-play before the year was up, I wouldn't have believed it. But that's what's happened, and as the game has shifted, so has the market around it. That means that the game has really had to face off against its two "direct" competitors on a straight footing, and that might not have been in the game's best interests as a whole.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Status report, last year

A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Status report, last year originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Captain's Log: A year in review

Terilynn Shull — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-play, Captain's Log

Another year has passed for Star Trek Online, and it can be described as tumultuous at best.

It was a year that contained very little story-based content provided by the developer, Cryptic Studios, as it was put through the proverbial ringer -- first by being sold off, and second by being purchased in the midst of what many believed was the game's most critical year.

With the focus that many players (including me) had on the lack of new missions in 2011, it was easy to gloss over what material did get released despite the challenges the strangle-held teams at Cryptic were facing.

The game has gone free-to-play, there are visibly more players than have ever been seen before, the development team seems to be settling in to a new owner's house, and the second anniversary is upon us, so it's time to take a good look back to see what was released over the course of the last year.

Continue reading Captain's Log: A year in review

Captain's Log: A year in review originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: A critical year

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, City of Villains, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter

It's been a little over two years now that I've been writing a regular column on City of Heroes, and in one sense that still feels very strange to me. I'm guessing that the novelty of doing this for a living is never going to entirely go away, for reasons that really have nothing to do with the topic of this column. But I'm not going to dwell on the more meta facts here; I'm going to focus instead on the past year of the column.

This year was a try for something slightly different in both the tone and approach that I'd been taking with these columns. I finished off one major project, started another one, and along the way, I found that I gathered a very different attitude over time. In relationship terms, the first year of A Mild-Mannered Reporter was apparently still the "gushing" phase of a new relationship. This year has been much more about the flaws that City of Heroes has, both in structure and in design choices.

Continue reading A Mild-Mannered Reporter: A critical year

A Mild-Mannered Reporter: A critical year originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Game Archaeologist seals up 2011

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: A Tale in the Desert, Asheron's Call, Dark Age of Camelot, EverQuest, Lineage, Meridian 59, PlanetSide, Shadowbane, Everquest Online Adventures, The Game Archaeologist, Miscellaneous

You know what I love about the end of each year? The lists. Man, but I'm a sucker for lists, especially when they come in "best of" varieties. In the lull between Christmas and New Year's, there typically isn't a lot happening in the world of entertainment, so it's a good time to look back before we head forward.

And so it is for The Game Archaeologist. 2011 marks the second year I've been doing this column, and it's been one of my personal favorite series to write. Every week I'm learning more and more about the history of the MMO genre, and I'm encouraged to see just how much passion and interest there are for the titles that started it all and got us to where we are today.

So before we head into 2012, let's take one last glimpse back at the road we've traveled. If you've missed out on any of these columns or want to revisit your favorite classic MMO, I've compiled a huge list of everything I talked about this year, from histories to interviews to player stories. There's also a special request for you (yes, you) at the end of this column, so do me a favor and hit that jump!

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist seals up 2011

The Game Archaeologist seals up 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 03 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Leaderboard: 2011 vs. 2012

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Opinion, Humor, Miscellaneous, Leaderboard

The past vs. the future. The Year of the Rabbit vs. the Year of the Dragon. In short, 2011 vs. 2012 -- which will ultimately prove to be the better year for MMOs?

Oh sure, you might say it's unfair to compare a known quantity with an unknown one, but since when has that stopped MMO players from prognosticating the definitive outcome of everything within a 0.0001% margin of error?

2011 was light on major releases, but the ones it did have were certainly significant. Plus, it was a year of major change in the industry as free-to-play spread its tendrils everywhere, studios took risks on new ideas, and if you could get past the loud whining in one corner you'd see millions upon millions of happy gamers flocking to these games daily.

Then again, 2012 could be the real deal, the contender for which we've all been waiting. It could see several big AAA releases even as the industry tries to branch out from the established ruts of the past. It's a year full of potential, promise, and play, and it's out there waiting for you.

Ultimately, which do you think will go down in history as the better year? Vote after the jump!

Continue reading Leaderboard: 2011 vs. 2012

Leaderboard: 2011 vs. 2012 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Anvil of Crom: Greatest hits vol. 2011

Jef Reahard — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Game mechanics, MMO industry, Opinion, Free-to-play, The Anvil of Crom

By Crom! Can you believe we've made it through another year? Well, almost, at any rate. Technically there are a few days left in 2011, but as I'll be taking some of them off for the purposes of gaining weight and opening presents, it seems like as good a time as any to do a little recapping.

Saying that 2011 was a big year for Age of Conan probably qualifies as severe understatement rather than simply understatement. The big news, of course, was the Unchained free-to-play conversion, but that was really just the tip of the gigantic Hyborian iceberg. Join me after the break for my top seven Anvil of Crom issues from the past year.

Continue reading The Anvil of Crom: Greatest hits vol. 2011

The Anvil of Crom: Greatest hits vol. 2011 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Newest producer's letter released for Star Wars Galaxies

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, Events, in-game, Game mechanics, Patches, News items, Star Wars Galaxies

Despite the layoffs and restructuring that has recently hit Sony Online Entertainment, Star Wars Galaxies is still going strong and improving. Producer Teesquared has chimed in for this month's producer's letter, outlining some of the planned additions to the game over the course of the next year.

And what will that entail? Outlined in the letter are updates to the ongoing Galactic Civil War. Players can look forward to Galactic Civil War 2 being split into three updates to allow for faster release, with part one adding more objectives in space and three new fighter ships to help achieve those objectives. Part two will bring the war more directly to player-run cities and guilds, while part three will be a general balancing pass aimed at improving the game all around.

While Teesquared spends a great deal of time looking back at the past year and outlining the changes that have been made to the game, it looks like Star Wars Galaxies players can look forward to a mix of system tweaks, PvP improvements, and content additions. Fans should take a look at the full letter for more details.

Newest producer's letter released for Star Wars Galaxies originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: The year that was

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Culture, Expansions, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log

Last year around this time, people were saying that 2009 had been a terrible year and 2010 could only be an improvement. This year, people are saying the exact same thing. Maybe those of us in the MMO-sphere are just perpetual downers -- I don't know. It's certainly been a pretty significant year for players of Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV -- heck, it's been outright impossible for a Final Fantasy XIV player to exist before now, if you want to get hung up on pedantry.

Whether or not you enjoyed the launch, of course, is another story altogether, one that Square-Enix itself doesn't seem to have closed the book on just yet. And over in Final Fantasy XI, we got an announcement that had been about seven years in the making, not to mention a plethora of new additions to the game -- some stunning, some lackluster. So let's take a look back at the year for both games, since the new one is starting right about, well, now. (OK, it's been started for a few hours, you get the idea.)

Continue reading The Mog Log: The year that was

The Mog Log: The year that was originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 Jan 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Five MMOs that have gone MIA

Krystalle Voecks — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO industry, New titles, Opinion, Humor, Miscellaneous

Unlike Chuck Norris, who seems to hang on as an MMO meme with insane tenacity (perhaps it's that extra fist under his beard), there are a handful of MMOs that appear to have dropped off the radar in the last several months -- if not years. Admittedly, this was originally to be a top 10 list of missing MMOs, but in the last half of this year, several developers have seen fit to thwart our plans by actually releasing information about their games. Shock! Horror!

Nevertheless, I've armed myself with an enormous cup of coffee and plundered the archives of Massively and general press releases for MMOGs that seem to have dropped off the radar. Are they still under development? Will we see some movement on them in 2011? Will it take a Chuck Norris-level feat-of-strength and all-around badassery to pull them back from the developmental abyss they appear to be in? Join me behind the break as I run down some of the MMOs we're still waiting for word on.

Continue reading Five MMOs that have gone MIA

Five MMOs that have gone MIA originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The MMO Report: Super sacktacular edition

Krystalle Voecks — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Humor, The MMO Report

While Casey and the crew at G4TV gave us their thoughts on the games of 2010 in last week's MMO Report, this week they've decided to do something a little bit different. Well, that, and they've taken a few days off for the holidays. Yet rather than leaving us with an unsatisfying lack of funny for this week, Casey and company have decided instead to give us a video rounding up some of the best emails from the last year, as well as a special surprise award for the one they felt was funniest.

If you'd like a moment of mirth, then join us after the break for this week's special year end sack-in-review edition of The MMO Report. Also, don't forget that you can catch it every Thursday on G4TV as well!

Continue reading The MMO Report: Super sacktacular edition

The MMO Report: Super sacktacular edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A look back at a year of Free Realms

Beau Hindman — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Free-to-play, Browser, Casual, Virtual worlds, Free Realms

To be honest, I was pretty darn happy that I got to write this Free Realms "look-back," being that I have always been a player and fan of the game. It would be more accurate to call me a "follower" or "citizen," considering that there are so many activities to do in-world that have nothing to do with gaming. When they introduced the spring-board bounce game, for example, I knew that many hours would be spent just jumping on those things. (And that theory has been proven correct.)

I remember the first real look at Free Realms, two years ago at Fan Faire (SOE's fan festival.) Within the span of 5 minutes, Creative Director Laralyn McWilliams charmed me with surprisingly good graphics and a virtual dog that pooed and peed. I knew at that moment that Free Realms would be much more than just "a kids game." Let's take a look back at the last year and see if that is so.

Continue reading A look back at a year of Free Realms

A look back at a year of Free Realms originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A look back at year one of The Chronicles of Spellborn

Beau Hindman — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, MMOFPS

The Chronicles of Spellborn is a game that I have long had a love affair with. I followed it through development and beta, and have played since the very beginning. Immediately its unique atmosphere and wonderful art style drew me in and had me hoping that this game would be one of the games to break the MMORPG mold. I downloaded screenshots, read the lore that I could find and waited with baited breath as the release date drew closer.

Now, here we are a year after release. What happened within that year that resulted in two empty servers and a (seemingly) dwindling population? We haven't learned much through the usual channels, and the players that remain are left wondering. The last word given talked about a re-release, a "Spellborn 2" complete with a cash shop to aid adventurers, but the recent closing of the game in Japan and silence on the forums still have us a little confused.

Continue reading A look back at year one of The Chronicles of Spellborn

A look back at year one of The Chronicles of Spellborn originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively's top 5 original features for 2009

Seraphina Brennan — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Opinion, The Digital Continuum, Massively highlights, Virtual worlds, Anti-Aliased, EVE Evolved, Choose My Adventure

Not only are we here at Massively passionate about covering the news, but we also deliver on unique and original content. We're out in the trenches interviewing developers, talking about our favorite games, getting inside our games and meeting the community, and giving you our perspectives on the MMO industry. Sometimes you agree with us, sometimes you don't, but we'll keep writing as long as you guys lend us your support and keep reading.

This year was a real breakout year for our original content as we had a bunch of our features rock the traffic charts higher than our news. So, in the spirit of a banner year, it's time to run down the list and name our top five features for 2009.

Once again, we're presenting the article in gallery-vision (TM), so be sure to jump on in by clicking the link below or clicking the first image in the gallery below that. If you wish to comment, drop back by this post (not the gallery) and leave your comment in the white comment box below.

Massively's top news stories of 2009>>

Gallery: Massively's top 5 original features for 2009

Massively's top 5 original features for 2009 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: 2009's defining moment

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events, real-world, MMO industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Academic

The look back has already started here and there, and we've got only two days left -- assuming you count today. And we've seen a lot of things happen over the last year, which everyone on-staff has their own opinion about. To some, it was the year of free-to-play. To others, it was the year of dying games. But there's no way to encapsulate everything about 2009 into just one statement, with the industry still changing and evolving. Sometimes even seemingly small changes are what we remember (fondly or otherwise) when viewed in hindsight.

Out of all of the things that happened this year, what struck you as the most defining moment? Was it something major, such as the end of Tabula Rasa or The Matrix Online? Or was it something minor that other players might not even notice? Did it make the whole year better, worse, or was it simply a turning point? What seems like it's going to stick in your memory when you think back on the year as a whole? And as a connected topic, what seems like a big deal at the moment that you're pretty certain isn't as important as people say?

The Daily Grind: 2009's defining moment originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009 from a developer's point of view

Eliot Lefebvre — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Economy, Events, real-world, MMO industry, Opinion, Academic

We're finishing up our 2009 Reader's Choice Awards, but that doesn't mean we can't take note of the fact that the last year of the decade hasn't exactly been a stellar years. We've watched a recession hit hard, several games turn the lights off for good, several others lose staff, and generally not had the best of years. And it's something that's even more obvious if you're in the thick of game development. Scott Jennings has taken a few moments to look back at what he sees as the three major developments of 2009: layoffs, Facebook, and microtransactions.

Of course, as someone who had an unpleasant brush with the recession, it's understandable that Jennings wouldn't be predisposed to mention things such as the free-to-play model making large inroads via high-profile titles such as Free Realms and Dungeons and Dragons Online. But the article is interesting as a retrospective of the many south turns the industry took this year, as are his guesses from a year ago regarding what things would look like. Here's hoping that 2010 provides us with slightly better news -- believe it or not, we don't like announcing shutdowns or layoffs any more than you like reading them.

2009 from a developer's point of view originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 25 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A look back at an epic year in EVE Online

James Egan — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Business models, Culture, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, Expansions, Exploits, Game mechanics, Guilds, Lore, PvP

2008 was quite a year for the sci-fi massively multiplayer online game, EVE Online. It was chock full of surprises -- both good and bad -- and of course the requisite drama you get when putting as many as 45,000 players in one galactic setting.

So much has happened that columnist Michael Lastucka has written a recap of 2008 in New Eden for Massive Gamer Magazine. Longtime EVE Online players also know him as Winterblink, someone who's been playing the game since its beta days, and he shares a bit of his perspective on the major happenings in EVE over the last year -- and what a year it was:

Continue reading A look back at an epic year in EVE Online

A look back at an epic year in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The week in Massively features

Michael Zenke — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Massively Meta

	GamerDNA and Massively look back at the MMO year in review Today's column features data from July through December. GamerDNA being a startup, our data collection in the first half of the year was not consistent enough to use for anything but wild guessing and drinking games. Listen, a start up tech company can make ANYTHING into a drinking game.
	Anti-Aliased: Top 5 things MMOs should learn in the new year I am absolutely no more inventive than every other blog in existence, this edition of Anti-Aliased is dedicated to the top 5 things the industry and culture should learn and take into 2009, rather than forgetting. Some of it's funny, some of it's serious, but let's be honest -- it all goes towards perfecting how to have fun in virtual worlds.
	The Digital Continuum: Sci-fi geeks need to experience Jumpgate Evolution Even those who should be excited for Jumpgate Evolution are seemingly unaware of it's forthcoming release. This won't do, and so I present to you the essentials of why a sci-fi fan should give this game some serious consideration for their 2009 MMO budget.
	EVE Evolved: Making the most of your EVE Online free trial Since the learning curve is relatively steep to begin with, it's very easy to become overwhelmed in a short trial period. These factors can make it hard to experience what EVE is really like, meaning it's hard to make an informed decision.
	The patent that stole Christmas We can learn a few things from the suit against NCsoft, including (we think) how Worlds.com/General Patent sees its own position with respect to these claims (they don't seem to think it's as firm as it could be). You might also be wondering about prior art (which is abundant). Well prior art, in and of itself, is simply not enough. Not on its own.

Continue reading The week in Massively features

The week in Massively features originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Massively Speaking Podcast Episode 37

Michael Zenke — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Massively Meta, Massively Speaking

Massively Speaking Episode 37 is a quiet little show with just Shawn and Michael. For the last Massively Speaking of the year, we thought we'd talk about the year just past and gab a little bit about what we hope is coming down the pipe. Join us for a retrospective/prognostication episode of Massively.com's companion podcast.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot us an email to podcast AT massively DOT com. Maybe we'll read your letter on the air!

Get the podcast:
[iTunes] Subscribe to Massively Speaking directly in iTunes.
[Zune] Subscribe to Massively Speaking via the Zune service.
[RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator.
[Digg] Like the show? Digg it.
[MP3] Download the MP3 directly.
[VW] Listen at VirginWorlds.com
Listen here on the page:

Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Continue reading Massively Speaking Podcast Episode 37

Massively Speaking Podcast Episode 37 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GamerDNA's Year in review pt. 2

GamerDNA — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

Aside from that, what do the numbers tell us? Let me begin with one caveat - GamerDNA's own growth is not accounted for with these numbers. In other words, a slight growth line is actually a function of more members for GamerDNA, NOT the product. In previous Market Trends columns, we've addressed this by using the same group of players and taken snapshots of their playing habits over time. With this year in review column, we are looking at total logins for every member. And since the number of members is growing, so too are the logins. Upward trends are not as good as they appear, and downward trends are actually worse than they look. So keep that in mind as you're reading.

Continue reading GamerDNA's Year in review pt. 2

GamerDNA's Year in review pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GamerDNA and Massively look back at the MMO year in review

GamerDNA — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, MMO industry, Massively Meta, Academic

Continuing on from GamerDNA's year in review (pt. 1) Massively and everybody's favorite gaming social service have come together to feature some great MMO numbers for 2008. Written by the highly talented Sanya Weathers, these stats will run down the winners and not-so-much winners for the last six months of MMO gaming. This kicks off a series of article collaborations between Massively and GamerDNA - we hope you enjoy them!

What a freaking year. The weather outside is frightful for newcomers to the MMO genre, with a Blizzard that's been going on for so long that no one remembers what swimsuit weather is like. WAR broke out. Expansion packs rained down like meteors, but left no craters in the marketplace. And yet, good news abounds if you know how to read the signs. Come along with us as we look over half of 2008

Today's column features data from July through December. GamerDNA being a startup, our data collection in the first half of the year was not consistent enough to use for anything but wild guessing and drinking games.

Listen, a start up tech company can make ANYTHING into a drinking game.

On to the Analysis >>

Gallery: Massively/GamerDNA Year in Review

Continue reading GamerDNA and Massively look back at the MMO year in review

GamerDNA and Massively look back at the MMO year in review originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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News flash: MMOs rule

James Egan — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, MMO industry, Warhammer Online, Opinion

Rumors of the impending death of PC gaming have been greatly exaggerated, at least if you take the word of Christopher T. Fong, who writes the Playing Games column at SFGate (San Francisco Chronicle). Fong's latest piece "Year in review: MMOs rule. PC gaming lives." is a very brief look at the state of play on the PC, notably the MMOs and expansions that arrived on the scene in 2008.

Not surprisingly, Fong focuses on the W's -- Warhammer Online and World of Warcraft -- with a few boxing references worked in. While we all know that, in terms of subscribers, World of Warcraft is the reigning champ, it's clear that Warhammer Online won't be throwing in the towel anytime soon. (See what I did there?) In this writer's opinion, each offers something the other does not. The clash between players of each respective title might not ever be fully resolved, but as Fong also states -- they're both solid titles in their own right. That being said, please feel free to boldly proclaim which game is better and why.

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!

News flash: MMOs rule originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GamerDNA shows their year in review graphically

Alexis Kassan — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO industry, Consoles

In the spirit of the season, GamerDNA is giving the gift of insight to all its users in the form of a year in review column. Part one of this column describes several interesting metrics about the number of new titles tagged in user profiles by release month, platform, or specific game (no hard numbers given).

Some interesting notes:

The top title added by users was Age of Conan. It was released in May and correlated to a month of lower unique titles being added. No mention is made of how many users subsequently removed titles from their profiles... but maybe they're saving that for part two.
There is a noticeable drop in game titles being added for the months of June and July, around the time of the re-branding effort and subsequent server issues.
The largest uptick in titles added (by release date) was in September, presumably due to Warhammer Online. November is still creeping up on the September numbers with the Lord of the Rings Online expansion, Mines of Moria, and World of Warcraft's Wrath of the Lich King still gaining traction.

We are promised more phat numbers in the next few days so keep your eyes peeled... well, not literally.

GamerDNA shows their year in review graphically originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 23 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Lord of the Rings year in review

Michael Zenke — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: At a glance, Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, Culture, Lore, Patches, Player Housing

The TenTonHammer website has up a massive Year in Review piece on Lord of the Rings Online. Though the game was only released back in April, there have been several huge content updates. A bevy of new features, quests, mechanical systems, and even raid encounters have fleshed out the already-impressive world of Middle Earth.

Article author Martuk walks us through Chapter 9, Chapter 10, and Chapter 11 of the game, noting each new bullet point in Turbine's licensed-game coup. He ends by noting the high spirit and cheering promises that Turbine has made for next year. As the gameworld continues to grow, it's easy to see the dedication to quality the live development team has. It'll be interesting to see what another year of live service will mean for the community, for the game, and for all the players wondering just down that road a ways.

Gallery: Lord of the Rings Online Book 11 Gallery

The Lord of the Rings year in review originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 31 Dec 2007 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The EverQuest II year in review

Michael Zenke — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest II, Culture, Expansions, New titles, PvE, Opinion

TenTonHammer's Coyote Sharptongue has a up a rundown on momentous year for EverQuest 2. From the echoes of Echoes of Faydwer to the rising respect for Rise of Kunark, I'm going to say 2007 was easily the best year SOE's flagship game has had since its launch in 2004. Excitement among the playerbase is high, hints are that people are returning to the game or trying it out for the first time, and the newest expansion is getting a lot of positive feedback from gamers who have pushed past their initial anti-soloing impressions.

Coyote discusses the impact Faydwer had on the game early in '07, and then goes on to discuss the Estate of Unrest, Fan Faire, and RoK.

Phat Lewts. Unrest offered it in abundance...IF you could survive long enough to enjoy your riches. Set towards what was at the time "end game" the Estate of Unrest offered something that no other expansion or update had ever offered before. A chance to crap yourself. Creepy dolls coming to life, disembodied whispers and howling, ghostly laughter mocking the fact that you just turned on every light in the room in which you sat. If you allowed it, the zone could easily submerge you in its doom and gloom and suck you into the game play.

I like Coyote's list a lot, but it definitely left something out ... where's the love for the Arasai?

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The EverQuest II year in review originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Dec 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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