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2013-11-04T21:40:00.001-05:00

EA Replies to Worst Company in America Poll

2013-04-05T18:38:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year, when consumers from around the United States vote on the "worst company in America." Poised not to repeat last year's results, in which EA earned the crown as worst company in America, Chief Operating Officer Peter Moore took to the company blog to campaign against your vote.

"Are we really the “Worst Company in America?” I’ll be the first to admit that we’ve made plenty of mistakes. These include server shut downs too early, games that didn’t meet expectations, missteps on new pricing models and most recently, severely fumbling the launch of SimCity. We owe gamers better performance than this," Moore admitted. He event went on to list five key bullet points looking to dispel common complaints.

Many continue to claim the Always-On function in SimCity is a DRM scheme. It’s not. People still want to argue about it. We can’t be any clearer – it’s not. Period.
Some claim there’s no room for Origin as a competitor to Steam. 45 million registered users are proving that wrong.
Some people think that free-to-play games and micro-transactions are a pox on gaming. Tens of millions more are playing and loving those games.
We’ve seen mailing lists that direct people to vote for EA because they disagree with the choice of the cover athlete on Madden NFL. Yes, really…
In the past year, we have received thousands of emails and postcards protesting against EA for allowing players to create LGBT characters in our games. This week, we’re seeing posts on conservative web sites urging people to protest our LGBT policy by voting EA the Worst Company in America.

Unfortunately, a few of those bullet points don't necessarily have the evidence to support Moore's claims. As consumers were quick to point out, SimCity's always-on functionality will always remain, in gamers' eyes, to be a scheme. After all, why should they believe otherwise? What has EA done -- other than giving out a free game for the launch troubles -- to prove otherwise?

As for Origin, consumers questioned how many of the 45 million registered users were actually satisfied with their experience. Some even argued that they have been forced to use Origin because EA pulled their catalog out of Steam. Does 45 million count if most of them are unhappy?

Not all of Moore's defenses were out of line, though. The complaints about Madden NFL's cover athlete and the LGBT debate prove that some consumers will never be happy with EA -- even if things change. "If that’s what makes us the worst company," Moore said of the company's support of LGBT characters in games, "bring it on. Because we're not caving on that."

"Every day, millions of people across globe play and love our games – literally, hundreds of millions more than will vote in this contest," he defended. "So here’s my response to this poll: We can do better. We will do better. But I am damn proud of this company, the people around the globe who work at EA, the games we create and the people that play them."

"The tallest trees catch the most wind," Moore concluded. "At EA we remain proud and unbowed."

For as frustrating as EA can be at times, I agree that there are far worse corporations in America. If the worst EA does is charge microtransactions or require me to be online to play games, then I think many of these voters need to get their priorities straight. There are far bigger problems in America.

VIA GameZone

Video Game Acapella

2013-04-04T16:33:00.002-04:00

Video game covers are dime a dozen. Hell, there are sites dedicated to remixing or redoing our favorite songs from classic video games. Enter Smooth McGroove. This bearded fellow has some amazing pipes, and his song choices certainly aren't easy by any means. Not to mention the entire song is ALL him.

His most recent cover, Spark Mandrill from Mega Man X(shown below) is pure bliss to your ears. Seriously, this guy is a legend. His other covers includeFinal Fantasy VII Battle Theme, Bloody Tears from Castlevania, Ocean Overworld from Wind Waker and more! Seriously, check out this guy's YouTube channel, your ears and your nostalgic kid within you won't regret it.

VIA GameZone

The massive list of indie games headed to PS3, PS4, and Vita

2013-03-26T22:02:00.000-04:00

Get ready for a bunch of PlayStation games. Sony has prided itself on delivering some of the best and innovative games to its PlayStation customers. Thanks to the company's focus on "fostering relationships with publishers and developers that share our goal of bringing the best games to you," there are a ton of new titles headed to the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, and soon-to-be PlayStation 4. consoles.

Sony has already spotlighted a few of indie games including Blacklight: Retribution, Primal Carnage: Genesis, Divekick, Limbo, and a very intriguing Rain. But there's so much more to look forward to. At this year's Game Developer's Conference, Sony hosted a PlayStation Indie Arcade with hands-on demos for more than 25 incoming indie games. Below is a quick list of the gamesheaded to PS3, Vita, and PS4.

PS3

Rain
Divekick
Spelunky
Sportsfriends
Ibb & Obb
Guacamelee!
Hotline Miami
Dragon Fantasy Book II
Thomas Was Alone
Luftrausers

PS4

VITA

Divekick
Spelunky
Velocity Ultra
Limbo
Metrico
Guacamelee!
Hotline Miami
Dragon Fantasy Book II
Tomas Was Alone
Luftrausers

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Original Post: http://www.gamezone.com/news/2013/03/26/the-massive-list-of-indie-games-headed-to-ps3-ps4-and-vita

9 Year Old Attempts to Make RPG Game

2013-03-25T09:18:00.000-04:00

Finally, some good news concerning females in technology.

In the same week that people lost their minds over the Donglegate and upon learning that a woman is behind the popular Facebook page "I F*cking Love Science," the Internet redeemed itself somewhat after throwing its collective support behind a Kickstarter campaignthat'll help a 9-year-old girl build her very own role-playing game.

With the help of her mother Susan, Mackenzie Wilson—she goes by Kenzie— turned to the popular crowdfunding site to raise $829, enough money to cover her entrance fee to RPG STEM Camp, a program where kids learn the necessary skills to build their own video games.

According to her video, the third grader hopes to build an RPG that's free of inappropriate language and violence and that "allows team members to face danger together and get hurt but doesn't kill teammates off and eliminates them from battle."

Kenzie notes in her project page that she wants to get a headstart in technology thanks in large part to her entrepreneur mom.

"My parents are into technology as users but my Mom has to hire programmers and developers sometimes for her work," she notes. "She's really glad I like computers and programming because she says as a business person she feels like she's held hostage by developers.

"She's the one that got me interested in creating my own stuff on my computer instead of just playing with stuff other people create."

Also serving as motivation were her two older brothers, teenage haters who don't think she's capable of raising the money, much less actually make a game.

They're wrong at least in one accord. In the two days since the campaign was launched, 844 backers have pledged $15,499. That's more than enough to send Kenzie to camp all summer long and to purchase a new laptop. On top of that, Adobe has agreed to give the 9-year-old a complimentary subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud to help Kenzie in her noble pursuit.

It's not just Kenzie's older brothers drinking the haterade. Some Kickstarter commenters are cautioning other backers that this might be a scam.

"I think many of you are missing some very suspicious things regarding this Kickstarter," writes backer Corey Brinn. "First the Kickstarter rules themselves say that you can't Kickstart for tuition, a camera, etc and all these things are basically what the Kickstarter is for.

"Also check out the mothers linkedin. She's a Harvard grad amongst many other things that needs to raise money to send her child to camp? The video also has a 9 year old girl saying she will basically have to rely on 'sugar daddy's' multiple times if she is unable to go to camp? These are all very suspicious things in my opinion. I've reported the Kickstarter so they can look into it further. It smells like a scam that is using 'the cute factor’ to real people in....'"

The backlash has been loud enough that Susan Wilson responded in an update, noting that she will be posting a video showing off her entire family.

Negativity aside, it's refreshing to see the Internet put its pettiness away long enough to make a little girl's dream a reality.

Want to donate to help Kenzie, the 9 year old? Check out her Kickstarter page here: Kickstarter

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Original Article: http://mashable.com/2013/03/22/9-year-old-girl-kickstarter-video-game/

Rumor: Xbox 720 Mandatory Game Installs?

2013-03-21T08:02:00.001-04:00

Be prepared for long stretches of boredom next Christmas morning, as leaked documentation suggests the next Xbox will feature mandatory game installation.

Leaked development screenshots for the upcoming console -- codenamed 'Durango' and known colloquially as the Xbox 720 -- were posted by vgleaks, along with some Windows documentation that supposedly details the new system's features.

"Every Durango console will have a hard drive, although its exact capacity has not been chosen," the documentation reads. "It will be large enough, however, to hold a large number of games. All games will be installed on the hard drive. Play from the optical disc will not be supported."

In other words, if this information proves genuine then it sounds like gamers will be using discs to install games, but after that the shiny plastic circles will only be good for hanging from trees to scare birds. Seems a little wasteful, non?

The documentation does say, "An installation system is being designed that will allow gamers to begin playing while the game is being installed," so there's hope that you won't have to wait too long for the game to finish saving itself to the console before you can play.

The hardware overview also points to a "high-fidelity Kinect Sensor, which will be required for the system to operate." That also sounds a little ominous, but until we know more it's hard to know what to make of this. "Improved ergonomics" on the controller meanwhile hint at a redesign for the iconic Xbox gamepad.

We'll likely see the next Xbox given an official airing in the next few months, possibly at the E3 gaming trade show that kicks off in June.

What do you think about mandatory game installs? Are they a good idea, or a potentially disastrous move? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.

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[Rumor: PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 Price: Possibly $350]

Original Article: http://crave.cnet.co.uk/gamesgear/xbox-720-to-make-game-installs-mandatory-leaked-docs-hint-50010715/

Need for Speed Most Wanted is on Nintendo Wii U

2013-03-19T19:15:00.002-04:00

Need for Speed Most Wanted U, is now available on the Nintendo Wii U.

This version of Need for Speed is specifically designed for the Wii U. This version comes with features that the other consoles don't have. One of the features is a local co-op mode that allows a second player to use the GamePad that provides GPS and control over the traffic in the course, while the first player navigates the car with a Wii Remote. The GamePad user can also change from day to night, boost up the performance of a car, distract cops, and more.

The other features that the game provides for the GamePad is switching between cars with a simple press on the touchpad, and also playing TV-free by using the screen on the pad. The Wii U version also comes with the Ultimate Speed Pack bonus.

Smite: Gameplay (Video)

2013-03-12T23:51:00.001-04:00

Here is a video to show off gameplay and PvP of Smite. This game is awesome! It's a 3D RTS/MOBO style game. It's not the first, but it might be the best. Check out the video for the action.I was playing as the god "Ymir". He is father of the frost giants. He is a tank, so he is designed to take more damage then the other roles. It's not intended to show off skill. I know, i'm not that great. It's super fun to play though. Thanks for watching.Download the game here: http://www.smitegame.com/The game is free to play. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Why The OUYA Could Be a Gamer's Best Friend

2013-03-11T10:44:00.000-04:00

Later this month, those of you who backed the OUYA project when it launched on KickStarter last year will get your hands on a final unit of the game, three months before it's set to arrive in stores. There's no question that the little Android-based system has a staggering goal ahead of it, coming into a market just when gaming is about to shift over to the next generation with the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's next console looming.

But don't count this little guy out yet. The folks over at OUYA have a plan, one that could present an interesting new take on this generation of video games. Here are a few reasons why this little system could make a huge impact in 2013 and beyond…

It's Affordable

Where most next-gen systems will end up running you around $350 or higher (depending on what you buy – the Wii U is the cheapest around $300 for a base model), the OUYA will end up running you around $100. And while it doesn't look like you're getting much for your money, the system actually has some juice behind it, thanks to its Android support. Plus, that controller actually looks nifty – and the touch pad doesn't take over half the design, as it does on the PlayStation 4's controller.

It's Developer Friendly

One aspect about the system that's easy to spot is the ability to tinker around with its hardware. You can add on however you please, or simply leave it be and see what kind of processing it has to offer, then try your hand at game design and see how the game fares with the rest of the OUYA community. While the PlayStation 4 (and, in some ways, the Xbox 720) will offer game sharing to some extent, the OUYA looks to make it more convenient in terms of making the system what you want it to be.

Development Costs Won't Go Through the Roof

As the next generation of gaming comes rolling in, there's the question of how much money is needed to create that ideal experience. Killzone: Shadow Fall probably won't cost a mere $1 million to make, after all – those are some pretty graphics. And as a result, several development studios – or even publishers, like THQ – may be forced to close down when they don't turn too much of a profit. With OUYA, developers don't have to worry about breaking the bank in creating their gaming experiences, and they see better direct money earnings, since they don't have to pay too many licensing fees as they would on other consoles.

There's a Chance To Build a Real Community, Without a Fee

Unlike what the PlayStation 4 or Xbox 720 will have to offer, the OUYA doesn't require a nominal membership fee in order to interact with it. Sure, you have to buy the games, but that's usually expected anyway. The OUYA community could easily drum up a gaggle of not only indie developers who get to confer with one another, but also players looking for a more "hardcore" style of experience. The OUYA team should take advantage and implement strong communication tools for the system, as well as a forum where people can get to know each other better. And who knows what kind of cool game event it could host in June once the system actually launches. That is around E3 time, after all.

The "Retro" Door Is Wide Open

Along with creating new Android experiences, the OUYA could also be the home of several "retro-style" games for the system. Imagine what the team behind Super Meat Boy could do for the game. Or, for that matter, if Ubisoft released a complete version (online play and all) of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. And that's just getting started – several 8 and 16-bit style games could very well lead the way for an old-school comeback, one in which developers come up with all sorts of tricks that were unheard of in the actual 16-bit heyday. The "classic" gamers would come back, and there are a lot of us out there. And hey, aren't there SNES emulator on Android devices available already? Hmmm...

It Won't Take Up Much Space

This may not be too big of a deal, but those of you with a dinky little entertainment center may not be too fond of having a huge, lumbering PS4 threatening to topple over at any time (assuming its giant). The OUYA is a tiny little wonder, barely taking up any sort of space on your game shelf. The controller's pretty slender too, easily tucked away with your games or TV remotes.

There are plenty of reasons for the OUYA to succeed, and it'll be interesting to see how the system fares over the next few months. Once we get our hands on ours, we'll give you full hands-on impressions, as well as an idea what to expect…

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Original Article: http://www.gamezone.com/originals/2013/03/10/why-the-ouya-could-be-a-gamer-s-best-friend

Skype Might Be Integrated In The Next Xbox Console

2013-03-07T15:43:00.000-05:00

A Skype employee suggests that the service could be integrated into Xbox in the future. In a comment to TechRadar, Skype mobile marketing head Derek Snyder discussed the possibility.

"If it's an Xbox we're trying to connect to - it's probably not that hard to believe we're looking at that - what does that mean for gaming?” Snyder asked. “How does Skype enhance the gaming proposition? Of course Xbox has things with voice and messaging chat at the moment, but does video make sense for that case?"

Integration into Microsoft’s console -- whether it’s Xbox 360 or its upcoming successor -- isn’t necessarily surprising since Microsoft purchased Skype for $8.5 billion in 2011. Last year, Skype job listings suggested that the company was seeking a software engineer for work on Xbox.

Nothing has been confirmed thus far, but we’ve reached out to Microsoft for comment. Until we hear back, read about how we think Skype could work in the next Xbox.

Article Found on IGN.

Be Careful of Fake Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Websites

2013-03-06T08:19:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend, a fake Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 website popped up claiming to have 300 "100 percent functional" beta keys for the next installment of Activision's long-running series. The site asked users to share a link to their site on their Facebook page, and other social networking sites, to receive a beta code. As tempting as it may be, it won't work. The website is fake and has since been shut down after numerous outlets picked up on the scam.

It's important to realize, though, that this type of scam will occur more frequently as we get closer to the next Call of Duty game. Although Activision has already confirmed a new Call of Duty game will arrive in 2013, it has not yet announced what it will be titled. However, last year Captain Price voice actor Billy Murray supposedly revealed he was doing some work on a sequel to Modern Warfare 3 -- a rumor which Activision later claimed to be false.

Moral of the story: even when Activision does announce the next Call of Duty game, don't fall for these fake scam sites.

PSP Vita Birthday: Free Games and Discounts!

2013-03-05T17:46:00.002-05:00

Look I get it Sony. The Vita's first year wasn't as good as you hoped it would have been. And hey, I admit, we don't make it easy on you either, constantly reporting on low sales and using sad images of large animals fighting an uphill battle. However, I do have to admit that your dedication to the platform is pretty solid.

So what better way to celebrate Vita's first birthday than by giving away four free games? Don't get too excited though, as these aren't four PS Vita games. Instead, you're treated to a PS One classic and three PSP games. Thankfully they're pretty fantastic games though.

Wild Arms (PS one Classic)
Patapon (PSP)
Piyotama (PSP)
Patchwork Heroes (PSP)

Additionally, these PS Vita games are all on sale for 30% off, or 50% off if you'r a PlayStation Plus member. Not too shabby!

Army Corps of Hell
Big Sky: Infinity
BlazBlue: Continuum Shift Extend
Dokuro
DYNASTY WARRIORS NEXT
Knytt Underground
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes French
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
LEGO Lord of the Rings
Orgarhythm
Pure Chess
Retro City Rampage
Sine Mora (with Trial)
Spy Hunter
Street Fighter X Tekken
Sumioni: Demon Arts
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
FIFA Soccer 13 (30% off)
Madden NFL 13 (30% off)
Oddworld Strangers Wrath (25% off)

What's more, for every $50 you spend, you'll get $10 back.

If you're a PS Vita owner who is craving more use out of your shiny handheld, then there is no better time than now to jump on these deals. The deal starts today, March 5th, and will go until March 11th

World of Warcraft Patch 5.2 The Thunder King Patch Notes

2013-03-05T17:45:00.001-05:00

Patch 5.2: The Thunder King is now live! Lei Shen has consolidated his power on the Isle of Thunder, and if he’s not dislodged, his reborn army will threaten all of Pandaria. But the return of the Thunder King is good news for you, because it means that new challenges and triumphs await in our latest major content update. A massive new zone, a new raid, server-wide events surrounding the siege on the Isle of Thunder, new factions, world bosses . . . and more. Brace yourself for the storm.

THE THUNDER KING
It has been written that when the great Lei Shen first looked upon the lands of the mantid, he did not feel fear, but inspiration.
As he began to unify his people under a single banner and subjugate the other races of Pandaria, he knew that the mantid would never succumb to his authority. They spoke his language, the language of strength. He commanded his slaves to construct the Serpent's Spine, a magnificent wall that spanned the length of the empire.
It would take many generations to build. But Lei Shen knew how to motivate his subjects. Fear. Fear of the mantid moved mountains, raised armies, secured his empire, and built his wall.

Patch 5.2 The Thunder King Round-Up, a collection of blogs to get you up to speed can be found here.
Patch 5.2 known issues and support information can be found here.
Notes for all World of Warcraft patches can be found here.

Updated March 5, 01:00am PST

World of Warcraft Patch 5.2

General
- New Daily Quest Hub: Isle of Thunder.
  - Here players can join the assault to conquer the Thunder King's island stronghold, unlock new questlines and daily quest hubs, participate in special events, earn the right to visit the fabled Treasure Room, lay claim to an arsenal of powerful Mogu artifacts for their faction, and more.
  - Each faction's finest are spearheading the assault: the Kirin-Tor Offensive led by Jaina Proudmoore and the Sunreaver Onslaught led by Lor'themar Theron. Earning reputation with these new factions offers heroes the opportunity to receive new quests and reputation rewards, including powerful items and an intimidating new mount.
  - After both the Alliance and the Horde have eked out a foothold on the isle, players can choose to perform quests that are PvE or PvP focused. PvP quests will direct players against opposing faction NPCs, but slaying opposing players will grant credit as well.
  - As the heroes conquer the Isle, they will unlock the powerful Thunder Forge, which will allow Blacksmiths to forge mighty raid-worthy items, as well as classic weapons from the past.
  - Heroes can join the war effort and find transportation to Isle of Thunder by visiting the Shado-Pan Garrison in Townlong Steppes on the western shores of Pandaria. The Isle of Thunder will be unlocked progressively based on each based on each realms' participation in the war effort; initially only some of the Isle’s features will be unlocked. Future unlocked content will include the Stormsea Landing and the outdoor raid boss, Nalak, the Storm Lord.
  - Heroes fortunate enough to acquire a “Key to the Palace of Lei Shen” can bring it to the Shado-Pan on the Isle of Thunder and use it to infiltrate the fabled treasure vaults of the first emperor. Heroes are tasked with grabbing as much loot as they can within five minutes. Larger chests will have the most loot, including special keys that can be used at the end of the run for a chance at epic gear and other major rewards. Keys are awarded from rare bosses, hidden chests around the island, and from award satchels obtained by completing daily quests.
- New Raid: Throne of Thunder
  - Lei Shen, the Thunder King, has returned to wreak his vengeance on Pandaria. It falls to the heroes of the Alliance and the Horde to stop the newly resurrected tyrant and his Zandalari allies in the massive new raid: Throne of Thunder.
  - Throne of Thunder is a sprawling citadel housing 12 new raid encounters, and players that defeat Lei Shen in Heroic mode can earn the opportunity to face an additional 13th foe.
  - The Raid Finder version of the Throne of Thunder is divided into 4 different sections, Last Stand of the Zandalari, Forgotten Depths, Halls of Flesh-Shaping, and Pinnacle of Storms.
  - Join the Shado-Pan Assault in their singular drive to see Lei Shen defeated once and for all, and gain access to impressive Valor reward items. Reputation with this faction can be earned only within the Throne of Thunder raid dungeon.
  - Ao Pye at Niuzao Temple in Towlong Steppes is offering to sell Shado-Pan Assault faction gear to adventurers for Valor points. Another NPC will also be selling those items in or near the entrance to the Throne of Thunder on Isle of Thunder.
- The Legendary Quest Continues:
  - Wrathion is determined to know the origin and source of Mogu power, and Azeroth's mightiest heroes will aid the Black Prince in finding out what it is. The search for information will take players into the depths of the Thunder King's Palace, and pit them against trials of perseverance and skill. Along the way, they'll unlock the secrets to a new legendary metagem, the Crown of the Heavens.
  - Players seeking to re-acquire previous Legendary quest rewards (such as gems for Sha-touched weapons) can now speak with the Blacktalon Quartermaster, the surly-looking Pandaren standing in the first floor of the Tavern in the Mists.
- New World Bosses: Nalak, the Storm Lord and Oondasta
  - Nalak, the Storm Lord
    - After the Isle of Thunder has been conquered, the gate guardian of the Thunder King's citadel will appear: Nalak, the Storm Lord. Players will frequently have the opportunity to test their mettle against him.
  - Oondasta
    - Found in a place that has been lost in time, the great devilsaur lord Oondasta has been outfitted for battle with weaponry and armor by the Zandalari, and awaits players brave enough (or foolhardy enough) to seek him out on the mysterious Isle of Giants found in the seas north of Kun-Lai Summit.
- Taking Over The Farm
  - Players that have grown attached to working the land at Sunsong Ranch can now acquire the farm from Farmer Yoon via a quest. The farmhouse becomes a rest point like an Inn, where the player can bind and instantly log out. Work orders will pour into the farm from factions across Pandaria, and completing a work order will earn a reputation boost with the issuing faction.
  - The option to take over the farm is available to characters that are exalted with the Tillers and have unlocked all 16 farm plots.
- New World Boss System
  - All world bosses (Sha of Anger, Galleon, Nalak the Storm Lord, and Oondasta) are now Tap to Faction. This new system offers every eligible player of the same faction that engages a boss the chance to earn loot. Under the new system, players will only be able to earn loot from each world boss once per week.

Classes
- General
  - Area Damage Cap: The area damage cap is now 20 targets (was 10). This means area of effect damage spells now reach their maximum damage when striking 20 targets. If more than 20 targets are struck, then the total damage done is spread evenly over the actual number of targets present.
- Death Knight
  - Death Siphon now heals for 150% of the damage dealt (was 100%).
  - Conversion now costs 5 Runic Power plus 5 per second thereafter, down from 10 Runic Power plus 10 per second.
  - Death Knights now maintain the same health percentage when switching into and out of Blood Presence.
  - Blood Plague now deals 15% more damage.
  - Frost Fever now deals 15% more damage.
  - Strangulate's cooldown has been reduced to 60 seconds (was 2 minutes).
  - Asphyxiate's cooldown has been reduced to 30 seconds (was 1 minute).
  - Blood Parasite now summons Bloodworms with 15% of the Death Knight's health (was 18%) and Blood Burst now heals for 25% per stack of Blood Gorged (was 30% per stack).
  - Frost
    - Howling Blast now deals 8% more damage to the primary target. Damage to other enemies in the area-of-effect remains unchanged.
    - Icy Talons now increases attack speed by 25% (was 20%).
    - Might of the Frozen Wastes now increases melee damage by 15% (was 10%).
  - Unholy
    - Reaping now also applies to Icy Touch.
    - Summon Gargoyle no longer costs Runic Power.
    - Gargoyle Strike now also deals Shadow damage, in addition to Nature damage.
    - Ebon Plaguebringer now causes Plague Strike to inflict Frost Fever, in addition to its other effects.
    - Scourge Strike now deals 3.8% more damage.
  - Frost and Unholy Tier-14 2-piece set bonus has been reduced to 4% (was 10%) increased damage on Frost Strike, Obliterate, and Scourge Strike.
- Druid
  - Cyclone now has a 20-second cooldown for Feral Druids.
  - Symbiosis
    - Dispersion now has a 3-minute cooldown for Druids (was 2 minutes).
    - Shattering Blow now has a 1.5-second cast time to align correctly with the Warrior version of this ability.
  - Displacer Beast has been redesigned. It now triggers Cat Form and grants 50% increased movement speed for 4 seconds after teleporting, and no longer activates Prowl.
  - The healing granted by Cenarion Ward when a target takes damage has been increased by 100%.
  - Frenzied Regeneration now scales 10% more efficiently with attack power.
  - Maim had its damage increased by 100%.
  - Tooth and Claw now scales 10% more efficiently.
  - Mastery: Nature's Guardian now provides 20% more armor per Mastery rating.
  - Rejuvenation now costs approximately 9% less mana.
  - Revive and Mark of the Wild now cost 55% less mana.
  - Faerie Swarm can now snare more than one target at a time.
  - Mass Entanglement now has a 30-second cooldown (was 2 minutes).
  - Typhoon now has a 30-second cooldown (was 20 seconds).
  - The Treants summoned by Force of Nature now deal more damage and healing, and the Force of Nature tooltip will report the capabilities of these summoned pets.
  - Soul of the Forest
    - Balance: Now generates 40 Lunar or Solar energy upon leaving Eclipse.
    - Feral: Unchanged.
    - Guardian: Generates 3 additional Rage per Mangle.
    - Restoration: Now grants 75% Haste on the next spell cast after the Druid casts Swiftmend.
  - Nature's Vigil now has a 90-second cooldown (was 3 minutes), and now increases damage and healing done by 10% (was 20%).
  - Glyph of Cyclone now increases the range of Cyclone by 5 yards (was 4 yards).
  - Wrath damage has been increased by 9%.
  - Balance
    - Starfire damage has been increased by 9%.
    - Starsurge damage has been increased by 9%.
    - Starfall will no longer strike targets that are affected by crowd control effects.
  - Guardian
    - Thick Hide now reduces critical strike chance from all types of attacks made against the Guardian Druid, instead of just melee.
  - Restoration
    - Naturalist: This new passive learned at level 10 by Restoration Druids increases all healing done by the Druid by 10%.
    - Wild Mushrooms will now each gain 25% of the overhealing performed by the Druid’s Rejuvenation effects, up to a maximum of 33% of the Druid’s health in bonus healing, and growing larger as they do so. When Wild Mushroom: Bloom is cast, this bonus healing will be divided evenly amongst targets in the area-of-effect.
  - Feral Druid PvP Gloves now also increases the duration of Bear Hug by 1 second.
  - Feral Druid PvP 2-piece increase to movement speed by 15% while outdoors for Druids in Bear Form, Cat Form, or Travel Form no longer stacks with the Druid talent Feline Swiftness.
  - Feral Druid PvP 4-piece bonus also causes successful interrupts with Skull Bash to reset the cooldown of Enrage.
- Hunter
  - Targeting for Glaive Toss and Powershot has been improved. These abilities will now always hit the primary target and are much more responsive about which secondary targets they hit.
  - Aimed Shot cast time has been reduced to 2.5 seconds (was 2.9 seconds).
  - Bestial Wrath may now be activated when there is no line of sight to the Hunter's pet.
  - Dismiss pet now has a cast time of 3 seconds (was 2 seconds).
  - Powershot now cancels Camouflage when the cast begins.
  - Silencing Shot now has a 24-second cooldown (was 20 seconds).
  - Stampede now has a range of 40 yards (was 30 yards).
  - Steady Shot now deals 20% more damage.
  - Binding Shot no longer has a Focus cost.
  - Wyvern Sting no longer has a Focus cost, and its cooldown is now 45 seconds (was 60 seconds).
  - Glyph of Marked for Death has been removed and its effects are now baseline.
  - The Fetch ability from Glyph of Fetch no longer requires a target. When activated, the pet will automatically choose a nearby corpse to loot.
  - New Glyph: Glyph of Liberation. This glyph now causes Disengage to heal the Hunter for 5% of maximum health when used.
  - Beast Mastery
    - Beast Cleave now causes the pet to strike all other nearby targets for 50% damage (was 30%).
  - Marksmanship
    - Aimed Show now deals 10% more damage and cast time has been reduced to 2.5 seconds (was 2.9 seconds).
    - Chimera Shot now deals 25% more damage and heals the Hunter for 5% (was 3%) of their total health.
  - Survival
    - Black Arrow now deals 10% more damage.
    - Explosive Shot now deals 10% more damage.
- Mage
  - Invocation now removes Evocation's cooldown, and reduces its channeling time and duration by 50%. A completed Evocation now grants 15% increased damage for 1 minute after an Evocation is completed,instead of 25% increased damage for 40 seconds. Passive mana regeneration is reduced by 50% only while Invoker's Energy is active.
  - Glyph of Evocation now causes the Invocation talent to restore 10% (was 20%) health after completing an Evocation.
  - Greater invisibility now has a 90-second cooldown (was 2.5 minutes).
  - Frostbolt cast by Mirror Images now deals 50% more damage.
  - Glyph of Fire Blast has been replaced with Glyph of Inferno Blast. Glyph of Inferno Blast causes damage-over-time effects spread by Inferno Blast to spread to 1 additional target.
  - Blazing Speed is now a level-15 talent, replacing Scorch.
  - Flameglow, a new talent is available at level 30 and replaces Blazing Speed. The passive ability encases the Mage in fiery energy, absorbing damage from each attack made against the Mage equal to 20% of their spellpower, up to a maximum of 30% of the attack.
  - Ice Floes now has a 45-second cooldown (was 1 minute) and its duration has been increased to 15 seconds (was 10 seconds).
  - Incanter's Ward can now be removed by magic dispels.
  - Ring of Frost cast instantly through Presence of Mind now has a 2-second arming period before the Freeze effect is activated against targets in the area of effect. The 2-second arming period can be reduced by Haste.
  - Temporal Ripples from Temporal Shield can no longer be dispelled.
  - Deep Freeze now stuns the target for 5 seconds (was 4 seconds).
  - Rune of Power increases the Mage's mana regeneration by 75% (was 100%) while standing inside the rune.
  - Glyph of Deep Freeze now removes it from global cooldown but also reduces its duration by 1 second.
  - Mage PvP 2-piece bonus now requires Counterspell to successfully interrupt a spell before applying the 4 second cooldown reduction to Counterspell.
  - Arcane
    - For Arcane Mages, Evocation now restores 40% (was 60%) of total mana over 6 seconds, and consumes all Arcane Charges. For each Arcane Charge consumed, the total amount of mana regenerated is increased by 10%, up to a maximum of 80% over 6 seconds. Evocation remains the same for Fire and Frost.
    - Arcane Blast's damage has been reduced by 22.9% and mana cost has been increased to 1.66667% of base mana (was 1.5%).
    - Arcane Missile's damage has been reduced by 22.1%.
    - Arcane Barrage's damage has been reduced by 16.1%.
    - Arcane Charges now stacks up to 4 times (was 6), increases damage by 50% (was 25%), and increases mana cost by 150% (was 75%).
  - Fire
    - Pyroblast has its direct damage reduced by 10%.
    - Scorch is no longer a talent and is now available to all Fire Mages.
  - Frost
    - Fingers of Frost now has a 15% (was 12%) chance to activate from Frostbolt, Frostfire Bolt and Frozen Orb, and a 5% (was 4%) chance to activate from Blizzard.
    - Glyph of Ice Lance now causes Ice Lance to deal 50% damage to 1 additional target, up from 40%.
    - Frostbolt now deals 32% more damage.
    - Water Elemental
      - Freeze no longer does damage and only provides Fingers of Frost on a successful freeze.
- Monk
  - New Level-60 Talent: Ring of Peace
    - Ring of Peace forms an 8 yard sanctuary around a friendly target for 8 seconds, disabling enemy player auto-attacks in PvP, and causing all enemies (both players and NPCs) in the area of effect to be disarmed for the duration. In addition, enemies that cast a damaging spell while within the area of effect will be silenced for 3 seconds. The ability has a 45-second cooldown.
  - New Windwalker and Brewmaster ability added at level 30: Nimble Brew
    - Nimble Brew removes all stun, fear, and root effects, and reduces the duration of those effects if they are reapplied by 60% for 6 seconds. It has a 2-minute cooldown.
  - Chi Wave now does 100% more damage and 14% less healing, and no longer costs Chi, and has a 15-second cooldown.
  - Zen Sphere now has a limit of 2 (was 1), detonates when either the recipient reaches 35% health or the Zen Sphere is dispelled, no longer costs Chi, and has a 10-second cooldown. Its periodic damage has been increased by 22%, periodic healing has been reduced by 61%, and its detonation healing has been reduced by 62%.
  - Chi Burst now does 380% more damage, 69% more healing, no longer costs Chi, and has a 30-second cooldown.
  - Deadly Reach has been removed.
  - Path of Blossoms has been removed.
  - Glyph of Path of Blossoms is now Glyph of Paralysis. This glyph causes the Monk's Paralysis ability to remove all damage-over-time effects on the target.
  - Paralysis is now a physical, non-magical effect, can no longer be dispelled, grounded or reflected, and its base range has been increased to 20 yards. The paralysis effect lasts 40 seconds (was 30 seconds) for non-player targets, 4 seconds when used against other players, and lasts 50% (was 200%) longer when used from behind a target.
  - Spear Hand Strike, used on a target that's facing the Monk silences them for 2 seconds (was 4 seconds).
  - Tiger's Lust and Touch of Karma no longer have a Chi cost.
  - Tiger's Lust can no longer be used on targets that have other temporary speed increases active.
  - Charging Ox Wave now has a 30-second cooldown (was 60 seconds).
  - Dampen Harm can now be used while stunned, and its cooldown will now begin when used, not when the effect ends.
  - Healing Elixirs now heals the Monk for 15% of maximum health (was 10%).
  - Chi Torpedo now deals 15% more damage.
  - Healing Spheres now have a duration of 1 minute. Healing Spheres generated by Mastery: Gift of the Serpent have a duration of 30 seconds.
  - Xuen will now fixate on the Monk’s original target for Brewmasters.
  - Mistweaver
    - Jab now costs 8% (was 4%) of base mana to use.
    - The Glyphed version of Uplift now costs 16% of base mana (was 6.6%) to cast.
    - Life Cocoon can no longer be dispelled.
    - Zen Focus, the 4-piece Mistweaver set bonus, is now more responsive.
    - It is no longer possible to use Thunder Focus Tea while silenced.
    - Renewing Mist had its mana cost reduced by 10%.
    - Soothing Mists now generates chi more consistently and average generation rate is slightly higher.
    - Summon Jade Serpent Statue no longer costs mana.
    - Healing Spheres will now heal for 50% of their original value if they expire without being picked up. This healing will factor in relevant Mastery.
    - Eminence now heals for 25% of the damage done (was 50%).
    - Serpent's Zeal no longer stacks and heals for 25% of the damage that had been dealt.
    - Teachings of the Monastery now provides additional benefits.
      - Tiger Palm damage increased by 100%.
      - Crackling Jade Lightning damage increased by 100%.
      - Blackout Kick now hits 4 additional nearby targets for 50% damage.
    - Muscle Memory is a new passive ability for Mistweaver Monks. Successful Jabs and Spinning Crane Kicks which damages at least 3 enemies cause Muscle Memory. Muscle Memory causes the Monk's next Tiger Palm or Blackout Kick to deal 150% more damage and restore 4% mana.
  - Windwalker
    - New Level-75 Ability: Storm, Earth and Fire
      - The Windwalker can summon up to 2 elemental duplicates that mirror damaging abilities that the Monk uses while they are active. For each spirit summoned, the Monk's damage is reduced: 1 spirit causes the Monk and the spirit to deal 60% of the Monk's normal damage, while 2 spirits will cause the Monk and both active spirits to deal 45% of the Monk's normal damage. Each spirit lasts until the ability is canceled, that spirit's target dies or otherwise becomes unavailable, or they're killed (they can be targeted and have 10% of the Monk's health).
        When using Fist of Fury, the stun effect will only apply from the Monk (not the spirits).
    - Spinning Fire Blossoms’ damage has been adjusted to scale from weapon damage rather than attack power.
    - Combo Breaker is now a passive ability granted at level 15 that grants a 12% chance to make the Monk's next Blackout Kick or Tiger Palm cost no Chi.
    - New Mastery: Bottled Fury
      - Bottled Fury increases the damage bonus provided by Tigereye Brew by .2% per Mastery per stack.
    - Brewing: Tigereye Brew now gains 1 charge after spending 3 Chi (was 4 Chi), increases damage by 1% per stack (was 2%), can stack to 20 but only 10 charges can be consumed per activation, and a user interface alert displays upon reaching 10 charges. Stacks of Tigereye Brew are cleared at the start of a raid encounter. This ability is improved by Bottled Fury.
    - Rising Sun Kick now causes the Monk's abilities to inflict an additional 10% damage (was 15%) on the target.
  - Brewmaster
    - Black Ox Statue
      - The damage requirement to activate Sanctuary of the Ox has been increased by 100%. The spell tooltip has been updated to reflect the change.
    - Elusive Brew now has a 6-second cooldown (was 9 seconds).
    - Mastery: Elusive Brawler now provides 25% more Stagger per Mastery rating.
  - Windwalker Monk PvP 2-piece bonus now also increases the range of Keg Smash.
- Paladin
  - Avenging Wrath now has a cooldown of 2 minutes for Retribution Paladins (was 3 minutes). The cooldown remains unchanged for Holy and Protection Paladins.
  - Light's Hammer now also applies a 50% snare for 2 seconds to targets that take damage from the area of effect.
  - Hand of Purity now reduces all incoming damage by 10% in addition to its other effects.
  - Eternal Flame's periodic heal now provides 100% more healing when self-cast.
  - Judgment now costs 5% of base mana.
  - Repentance now has a cast time of 1.7 seconds (was 1.5 seconds).
  - Sacred Shield’s periodic effect can no longer be dispelled. Each individual absorb effect can be dispelled instead.
  - Seal of Righteousness now causes melee attacks to deal 9% damage (was 6%) to targets in the area-of-effect.
  - Selfless Healer now boosts Flash of Light by 20/40/60% (was 33/66/100%).
  - Glyph of Blessed Life no longer requires Seal of Insight to be active.
  - Glyph of Templar's Verdict can also activate from Exorcism.
  - Holy
    - Blinding Light now has a 1.8-second cast time for Holy Paladins. It remains instant cast for Retribution and Protection.
    - Holy 4-piece PvP set bonus now grants Holy Power when casting Flash of Light, instead of Word of Glory.
  - Protection
    - The base damage of Consecration has been increased by 789%, and it now scales less efficiently with attack power by approximately 11%.
    - Grand Crusader now has a chance to activate when the Paladin doges or parries a melee attack in addition to having a 12% chance (was 20%) to activate from Crusader Strike or Hammer of the Righteous.
  - Retribution
    - Seal of Justice now causes melee attacks to deal an additional 20% (was 16%) as Holy damage.
    - Sword of Light now increases Flash of Light by 100% (was 30%) and increases the Paladin's damage with two-handed melee weapons by 15% (was 10%).
    - Absolve is a new passive ability for Retribution Paladins. Absolve removes all harmful magic effects when Hard of Sacrifice is cast on a party member.
    - Retribution 2-piece PvP set bonus now grants 1000 PvP power (was 800).
    - Tier-14 Retribution 4-piece set bonus has been changed to increase damage on all Seals and Judgment by 10%.
- Priest
  - The amount of healing done by Flash Heal, Binding Heal, Renew, and Prayer of Mending have been reduced by 20%.
  - Spiritual Healing is a new passive ability obtained by Discipline and Holy Priests at level 10. This ability increases the amount of healing done by Flash Heal, Binding Heal, Renew, and Prayer of Mending by 25%. For Holy and Discipline Priests, there is no decrease to the amount of healing done by those four spells.
  - Evangelism's stacking effect now also increases the healing of Penance.
  - Halo will no longer hit enemies that are in stealth.
  - Angelic Bulwark can no longer be dispelled.
  - Dominate Mind now has a 1.8-second cast time (was 2.5 seconds).
  - Angelic Feather now has a 6 second duration (was 4 seconds).
  - Focused Will is now a passive for Holy Priests, as well as Discipline Priests.
  - Power Word: Solace has been replaced with a new talent: Solace & Insanity
    - For Holy and Discipline, Power Word: Solace replaces Holy Fire. It deals the same damage, and interacts with other spells and abilities in the same manner but does not trigger Atonement, is instant, costs no mana, and restores 1% of maximum mana on each cast. Damage dealt by Power Word: Solace will heal a nearby friendly player within 40 yards of the target for 100% of the damage dealt (50% when healing the Priest).
    - For Shadow, this ability causes Mind Flay to gain the Insanity effect on a target affected by Devouring Plague. Insanity increases the damage of Mind Flay by 33% per Shadow Orb consumed.
  - Glyph of Mind Spike only works from Mind Spikes that aren't instant casts from Surge of Darkness.
  - Glyph of Desperation has been replaced with Glyph of Binding Heal. Pain Suppression and Guardian Spirit can now always be cast while stunned.
  - New Glyph: Glyph of Binding Heal applies Binding Heal a third nearby friendly target, but costs 35% more mana.
  - Glyph of Inner Focus has been replaced with Glyph of Weakened Soul. Casting Inner Focus now always grants 5 seconds of immunity to silences, interrupts, and dispels.
  - New Glyph: Glyph of Weakened Soul reduces the duration of Weakened Soul by 2 seconds.
  - Holy Fire is now an instant cast ability.
  - Glyph of Holy Fire has been redesigned. It now increases the range of Holy Fire, Smite, and Power Word: Solace by 10 yards.
  - Power Infusion now increases the Priest's damage by 5% in addition to current effects.
  - Phantasm no longer makes the Priest untargetable by ranged attacks, and the movement impairing immunity effect is now 5 seconds (was 3 seconds).
  - Psyfiend belonging to an individual Priest will no longer cast Psychic Horror on the same target twice.
  - Discipline
    - Mastery: Shield Discipline now also increases all healing done by a lesser amount, but the bonus provided by Mastery has been reduced by 36%.
    - Penance damage and healing has been increased by 20%, now a cooldown of 9 seconds (was 10 seconds), and has a range of 40 yards for both friendly and hostile targets (was 40 yards for friendly and 30 yards for hostile targets).
    - Focused Will now reduce damage taken by 15% per stack, with a limit of 2 stacks.
    - Spirit Shell can no longer be dispelled and now provides an absorb shield equal to the average healing and absorb of the triggering spell, including criticals and Divine Aegis.
    - Rapture now reduces the cost of Power Word: Shield by 25% and provides mana equal to 150% (was 200%) of the Priest's Spirit, but no longer benefits from Spirit provided by short-duration bonuses.
    - Divine Aegis now causes critical heals to apply an absorb shield on the target for 100% of the amount healed instead of healing for twice as much. In addition, it grants Power Word: Shield a chance equal to the Priest's critical chance for the shield to absorb twice as much damage.
  - Shadow
    - Dispersion now belongs to the Shadow spell school.
    - Shadowform now increases the Priest's Shadow damage by 25% (was 20%).
  - The 2-piece Holy/Discipline PvP set bonus has been replaced by the now the previous 4-piece set bonus.
  - The 4-piece Holy/Discipline PvP set bonus has been redesigned. It now reduces the cooldown of Chakra by 25 seconds. When Spirit Shell is active, the mana cost of Flash Heal is reduced by 50%.
  - Tier-14 Holy/Discipline 4-piece set bonus now reduces the cooldown of Penance by 3 seconds (was 4 seconds).
- Rogue
  - Preparation is now a baseline ability learned at level 68 and no longer resets the cooldown on Cloak of Shadows.
  - Versatility has been removed.
  - New Level 90 Talent: Marked for Death
    - Marks a target and instantly generates 5 combo points. When that target dies, Marked for Death's cooldown is reset. This talent has a 1-minute cooldown.
  - New Level 60 Talent: Cloak and Dagger
    - Ambush, Garrote, and Cheap Shot now have a 30-yard range, and will cause the Rogue to teleport behind the target.
  - Burst of Speed now costs 30 Energy (was 50 Energy), can be used in Stealth, and always grants increased movement speed in addition to breaking snare effects, but no longer breaks root effects.
  - Shuriken Toss now causes the Rogue to throw ranged shurikens coated in Lethal Poison and auto-attack at 75% damage (was 80%) for up to 10 seconds if the enemy is farther than 10 yards away.
  - Deadly Throw can now interrupt spellcasting when used at 3, 4 and 5 combo points, and upon interrupt prevents any spell in that school from being cast for 4, 5 and 6 seconds respectively, instead of 5 combo points and 6 seconds.
  - Blind now has a cooldown of 2 minutes (was 1.5 minutes).
  - Cloak of Shadows now has a cooldown of 1 minute (was 2 minutes).
  - Smoke Bomb now reduces damage taken by allies in the area of effect by 20%, in addition to current effects.
  - Nerve Strike now reduces the effectiveness of healing provided by the target by 10% (was from 25%).
  - Shadow Focus now reduces ability energy costs by 75% while stealthed (was 100%).
  - PvP set bonuses have been changed:
    - Vigor is now the 4-piece set bonus and increases maximum energy by 30 (was 10).
    - Deadly Brew is now the 2-piece set bonus and its effects remain unchanged.
  - Assassination
    - Dispatch now deals 15% more damage.
    - Envenom now deals 20% more damage.
  - Combat
    - Vitality now increases attack power by 30% (was 25%).
    - Blade Flurry has been changed. It now strikes up to 4 additional nearby targets for 40% of normal damage.
  - Subtlety
    - Sanguinary Vein now increases the damage the target takes by 20% (was 16%).
- Shaman
  - Chain Lightning will now deal the same damage to subsequent targets as it does to the first.
  - Lava Beam's damage now increases with jumps. Each jump increases the damage by 10%.
  - Elemental Mastery now has a 90-second cooldown (was 2 minutes).
  - Shamanistic Rage is now available to Elemental Shaman as well as Enhancement Shaman.
  - Conductivity no longer requires that the target be within the area of effect of Healing Rain.
  - Healing Rain had its mana cost reduced by 15%.
  - Ancestral Swiftness now increases spell haste by 5% and melee haste by 10%, instead of 5% each.
  - Glyph of Purge now adds a 6-second cooldown to Purge.
  - Stone Bulwark Totem now absorbs 25% more damage.
  - Primal Earth Elemental and Primal Fire Elemental now deal 20% more damage.
  - Elemental Blast now has a chance to increase the caster's Agility for Enhancement Shaman.
  - Glyph of Flame has been redesigned. This glyph now causes the Shaman to heal for 30% of the damage dealt by Flame Shock.
  - Unleashed Fury Flametongue now increases Lightning Bolt damage by 20% (was 30%), and Lava Burst damage by 10%.
  - Flame Shock's duration has been increased by 25%.
  - Lava Burst base damage has been reduced by 33% but now always deals a critical strike. When cast on targets affected by Flame Shock, it now deals 50% more damage.
  - Totemic Restoration no longer allows the Shaman to instantly destroy a totem to obtain a full 50% refund on cooldown. Any totems that have been destroyed or replaced behave as if the totem had been active for at least 1 second.
  - When summoned, the Stone Bulwark Totem has health equal to 10% of the casting Shaman's health.
  - The talent Nature's Guardian now preserves the player's health percentage when its maximum health boosting effect expires.
  - Ancestral Guidance now copies 60% (was 40%) of the amount healed.
  - Conductivity now shares 30% (was 20%) of the healing received from Healing Wave, Greater Healing Wave, or Healing Surge.
  - Elemental
    - Elemental Focus now increases the Shaman's spell damage by 15% (was 10%).
    - Shamanism now increases the damage of Lightning Bolt by 70% (was 50%).
  - Enhancement
    - Mental Quickness now lowers the cost of shocks by 90% (still lowers the cost of other "beneficial, instant, damaging and totem spells” by 75%).
    - Spirit walk now has a 1-minute cooldown (was 2 minutes).
- Warlock
  - Fel Armor now reduces damage taken by 10%, instead of increasing the Warlock’s armor.
  - Blood Fear has been replaced by Blood Horror. Blood Horror costs 5% health, has 1 charge, and lasts 60 seconds with a 30-second cooldown. While Blood Horror is active, melee attacks that strike the Warlock will cause the attacker to be horrified for 4 seconds.
  - Burning Rush now also prevents movement-impairing effects from reducing the Warlock’s movement speed below 100% of normal, in addition to its other effects.
  - The Imp ability Blood Pact has been removed.
  - Dark Intent now increases Stamina in addition to Spell Power.
  - Immolate now deals 15% more damage.
  - Shadow Bolt now deals 15% more damage.
  - Soul Leech now provides an absorption shield instead of healing.
  - Sacrificial Pact now requires the pet to sacrifice 25% of its health to activate (was 50%).
  - Kil'jaeden's Cunning is now a passive talent, and its activated ability has been removed.
  - The passive damage from Archimonde's Vengeance no longer has a visual effect.
  - Grimoire of Sacrifice now increases the damage of abilities by 15% (was 25%) for Destruction Warlocks and 25% (was 50%) for Affliction Warlocks. In addition, it now provides the spell Whiplash instead of Seduction when a Succubus is sacrificed.
  - Glyph of Burning Embers has been removed and its effects are now baseline for Destruction Warlocks.
  - Glyph of Soul Shards has been removed and its effects are now baseline for Affliction Warlocks.
  - New Glyph: Glyph of Ember Tap. This glyph increases the healing gained from Ember Tap by 33%, but the health is restored over 10 seconds.
  - New Glyph: Glyph of Drain Life. This glyph increases the healing gained from Drain Life by 30%.
  - Glyph of Unstable Affliction has been redesigned. This glyph now reduces the cast time of Unstable Affliction by 25%.
  - Affliction
    - Haunt now causes the target to receive an additional 30% damage (was 25%) from Warlock's spells.
    - Unstable Affliction’s backlash effect is now always a critical hit and deals approximately 15% more damage.
  - Demonology
    - Chaos Wave now has a new visual.
    - Hand of Gul'dan now deals 15% more damage.
    - Shadowflame now deals 15% more damage.
    - Soul Fire now deals 22% more damage.
    - Touch of Chaos now deals 15% more damage.
    - Wild Imp's Firebolt now deals 15% more damage.
  - Destruction
    - Conflagrate now deals 15% more damage.
    - Fire and Brimstone now has a radius of 10 yards (was 15 yards).
    - Incinerate now deals 10% more damage.
- Warrior
  - The benefit of Haste from items and consumables has been increased by 50% for all Warriors.
  - Bladestorm now provides immunity to disarm while active.
  - Defensive Stance now reduces damage by 15% (was 25%).
  - Execute now deals 15% less damage.
  - Shockwave now has a 40-second cooldown (was 20 seconds), and striking 3 or more targets will reduce its cooldown by 20 seconds.
  - Second Wind now generates 15 rage (was 20 rage) over 10 seconds.
  - Warbringer now reduces the target's movement by 50% for 15 seconds (8 seconds in PvP), in addition to its other effects. The 3-second stun/knockdown is now in the diminishing returns category for stuns (same as Shockwave and Storm Bolt), and not the proc stun diminishing returns category.
  - Shield Barrier now scales approximately 10% less efficiently with attack power.
  - Storm Bolt now deals 125% weapon damage (was 100%).
  - Enraged Regeneration now costs 30 Rage (was 60 Rage).
  - Deadly Calm has been removed from the game.
  - Glyph of Incite no longer activates from Deadly Calm, and now activates from Demoralizing Shout instead.
  - Glyph of Overpower is now Glyph of Die by the Sword. It increases the duration of Die by the Sword whenever Overpower or Wild Strike are used.
  - Glyph of Death from Above no longer increases the damage dealt by Heroic Leap.
  - Impending Victory will now heal the Warrior for 15% of maximum health when they have not slain an enemy (was 10%).
  - Arms
    - Taste for Blood has been redesigned. It now causes the Warrior to gain 2 stacks of Overpower (maximum of 5 stacks) when Mortal Strike deals damage, 1 stack when the target dodges, and no longer interacts with Heroic Strike. It now requires level 20 (used to require level 50).
    - Slam now deals 220% weapon damage (was 190%) and now costs 20 rage (was 30 rage).
    - Deep Wounds damage has been increased by 100% for Arms Warriors.
    - Whirlwind now costs 20 rage (was 30) for Arms Warriors. The cost is unchanged for Fury Warriors.
    - Overpower now costs 10 rage and reduces Mortal Strike's remaining cooldown by 0.5 seconds.
    - Sudden Death now has a 10% (was 20%) chance to activate from auto attacks or Opportunity Strike. In addition, using Execute makes Overpower free for 10 seconds.
  - Fury
    - Bloodsurge now reduces the Rage cost of Wild Strike by 30 (was 20), and its duration has been increased to 15 seconds (was 10 seconds).
  - Protection
    - The base damage of Shield Slam and Revenge has been increased by 150%, but these abilities now scale approximately 10% less efficiently with attack power.
    - Unwavering Sentinel now improves the damage reduction of Defensive Stance by 10% for Protection Warriors.

Quests
- Warlocks can now undertake a solo adventure that culminates with the ability to change the color of their Fire spells to appear Fel green. The quest begins for those Warlocks determined or fortunate enough to have laid their hands on the fabled Codex of Xerrath.
- Upon reaching level 20 and level 60, characters will automatically receive a new quest directing them to visit the racial riding trainer and mount vendors.

Creatures
- Zandalari forces have begun scouting the shores of Pandaria, searching for the perfect invasion point. The Zandalari can be found in Krasarang Wilds, Dread Wastes, Townlong Steppes, Jade Forest, and Kun-Lai Summit. Zandalari Scouts can be handled by 1 or 2 players, while elite Zandalari Warbringers will likely require a full party of 5 heroes. Defeat Warbringers to gain special drops, including crafting materials, reputation gains, an achievement, and even the chance to get one of three new rare mounts!
- Galleon now respawns much more frequently, but players can only receive loot from him once per week.
- Fite spectral porcupine fite! Three new spectral porcupine spirit beasts have appeared across Pandaria as tamable beasts, though taming them may provide quite a challenge.
- Direhorns have been added as a tamable species for Hunters that have learned the required skill. Aspiring Direhorn owners should seek out clues regarding these auspicious beasts.

Pet Battles
- Many new Battle Pets and Battle Pet abilities have been added.
- Players may now participate in pet battle duels while in the Throne of Thunder instance.
- Master Trainers in Northrend, Cataclysm, and Courageous Yon will no longer field pets with higher than intended stats.
- Brilliant Kaliri, Jade Tentacle, Tirisfal Batling, Firefly, Jade Crane Chick, Gilnean Raven, and Shore Crawler are no longer available in multiple breeds.
- Reflection has been replaced with Deflection, an ability that always attempts to go first and causes the pet to avoid all attacks for that round.
- Anubisath Idol: Sandstorm and Deflection have swapped ability positions.
- Thunderbolt has been redesigned. It is now a powerful team-damage spell.
- Mr. Bigglesworth's Prowl has been replaced with a new ability, Ice Barrier, which blocks two attacks.
- Fluxfire Feline's Wind-Up has been replaced with a new ability, Flux, which deals damage to the enemy team.
- The Tuskarr Kite has a new set of abilities that's more appropriate for a Tuskarr Kite.
- Pets that had been affected by a crowd-control ability will now be granted Resilience, making them immune to crowd control for a short while.
- Volcano's damage has been reduced by 15%.
- Ice Tomb, Elementium Bolt, and Stun Seed's damage has been reduced by 25%.
- Geyser's damage has been reduced by 12.5%.
- Conflagrate's base damage has been increased by 20% and its bonus damage has been reduced by 60%.
- Siphon Life now heals for a flat amount instead of a percentage of the damage that had been dealt.
- Arcane Explosion’s damage to back-line pets has been increased by 20%.
- Supercharge now provides a 125% damage bonus, down from 150%, and lasts for 1 round.
- Frost Shock now properly chills targets for 2 rounds (was 4 rounds).
- Deep Freeze now has a cooldown of 4 rounds (was 3 rounds).
- Ghostly Bite's damage has been reduced by 20%.
- Ghostly Skull: Ghostly Bite and Siphon Life have swapped ability positions.
- Call Darkness now lasts for 5 rounds (was 9 rounds).
- Blocking abilities that last for 2 turns like Decoy, now have a cooldown of 8 rounds.
- Feign Death now has a cooldown of 8 rounds (was 5 rounds).
- Prowl now lasts for 2 rounds (was 1 round).
- Crystal Overload now lasts for 2 rounds (was 1 round).
- Focus Chi now lasts for 1 round.
- Sprite Darter Hatchling and Nether Faerie Dragon: Evanescence and Arcane Blast have swapped ability positions.
- Nether Roach is now a real roach and can now survive the apocalypse.
- Battle Pet Bandages now stack to 25 and are Bind to Account.
- Battle-Stones now have a chance to be awarded from PvP Pet Battles.
- Pets whose color schemes change each time they are summoned have returned. Older pets with this behavior now have it back, as well as some newcomers.
- Level capped players will now have a chance to earn Lesser Charms of Good Fortune after winning a pet battle versus a pet within 5 levels of the highest level pet on their team. Higher-level pets will offer a better chance to earn a charm.
- Winning a pet battle versus a team within 5 levels of the player's highest-level pet will now award player experience.
- Fleeing a pet battle will no longer despawn the pet that was being battled, but doing so will now inflict some damage on the fleeing pet battle team.
- Disconnecting from a pet battle will once again respawn the pets you were fighting.
- Elite Battle Pets have been added to the game world. These rare pets will spawn alone against an entire team. The Beasts of Fable taming quest will now become available from Gentle San or Sara Finkleswitch once Aki the Chosen has been defeated.

Raids, Dungeons and Scenarios
- Throne of Thunder raid bosses in Normal and Heroic difficulties have a chance of dropping items with the Thunderforged designation. Thunderforged items are 6 item levels higher than their Normal or Heroic counterparts and will drop more frequently in 25-player raids. For a more in-depth look at this change, check out this discussion thread.
- To encourage Raid Finder groups to persevere, each time an Raid Finder group wipes on a boss fight all players in the group receives a stacking buff that increases health, damage dealt, and healing done by 5% (up to a maximum of 10 stacks). This buff is cleared once the boss has been killed.
- Satchels obtained via the Raid Finder now have a chance to contain additional rewards, including: consumables, Spirits of Harmony, rare pets or mounts, and Raid Finder versions of Normal and Heroic difficulty zone drops that were previously unavailable from Raid Finder encounters!
- You can now earn bonus reputation for your first dungeon and scenario of the day. You can select which reputation you choose to champion by selecting it from the reputation panel on the character screen. When you queue for a dungeon or scenario, the UI will remind you which reputation you are championing and allow you to change the reputation from there. (You cannot change that reputation once you are in the dungeon or scenario.)
- On Normal and Heroic mode, zone-wide auras have been activated in Mogu’shan Vaults, Heart of Fear, and Terrace of Endless Spring, reducing the health and damage of all enemies therein by 10%. A NPC near the entrance within each zone explains this, and offers to deactivate the buff for the benefit of brave/foolhardy adventurers.
- All players who have defeated Will of the Emperor, Grand Empress Shek’zeer, and/or Sha of Fear prior to the release of Patch 5.2 will receive a Feat of Strength, “Ahead of the Curve,” to mark their accomplishments.
- Elders Lin and Liao in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms now offer Mogu Runes of Fate in exchange for Lesser Charms of Good Fortune. Mogu Runes of Fate allow for a bonus loot roll for Throne of Thunder raid bosses, Nalak the Storm Lord, and Oondasta.
- The maximum number of Elder Charms of Good Fortune a character can hold has been increased to 20 (was 10).
- The chance of getting personal loot in Raid Finder and the chance of a successful bonus roll in Raid Finder have been greatly increased for the following raids, Mogu'shan Vaults, Heart of Fear, and Terrace of Endless Spring.
- Lorewalker Cho has two new tales to tell: Dagger in the Dark and A Little Patience. Though his mystical story-weaving magic (and well, the Dungeon Finder), both Alliance and Horde characters are now able run these previously faction-specific Scenarios.
- Level 90 players that use Dungeon Finder to look for a random Dungeon or Scenario will receive additional bonus Valor Points upon completing specific Dungeons or Scenarios.
  - Dungeons
    - Siege of Niuzao Temple: 5 bonus Valor Points
    - Scholomance: 10 bonus Valor Points
    - Shadow-Pan Monastery: 15 bonus Valor Points
  - Scenarios
    - Brewmoon Festival, Greenstone Village, A Little Patience, and Theramore’s Fall: 5 bonus Valor Points.
- Heroic Pandaria dungeons now award 100 Justice Points per boss. Gold drops for those bosses have also been changed from a static 50 gold to a 40-60 gold range. Less gold will drop in groups consisting of fewer than 5 players.
- Scenarios now award 50 Justice Points (was 25).
- Sunwell Plateau
  - The Kalecgos encounter in The Sunwell can now be completed by a single player.

PvP
- Season 13 has begun! With the start of the new season, Tyranical and Tyranical Elite gear are now available for purchase.
- Tyrannical Primal Diamond is now available for purchase with Conquest Points. This new PvP-oriented metagem offers PvP Power and Resilience.
- Characters who have earned over 27,000 Conquest points during Season 13 will gain access to new vendors that sell Conquest PvP gear for Honor. These vendors can be found near existing Pandaria PvP vendors.
- Mists of Pandaria Season 12 Malevolent Gladiator’s PvP gear can now be purchased with Honor Points instead of Conquest Points, including weapons.
- All newly purchased Season 12 Malevolent Gladiator’s armor, off-hands and shields will have an item level of 476 (was 483). Existing Malevolent items are unaffected.
- Balance, Feral, Windwalker, Retribution, Shadow, Enhancement and Elemental now gain 25% of the bonus healing provided by PvP Power (was 0). Dedicated healers will continue to gain 50% of the bonus healing, and no bonus damage, from PvP Power.
- PvP trinkets that clear loss-of-control effects will now also clear these effects from the player's pet as well.
- For casters and healers, PvP Power is now split evenly between main-hand and off-hand in a manner similar to a dual-wield melee class. This change is retroactive, affecting Season 12 Malevolent and Malevolent Elite items. There should be no net change for any character already using a main-hand/off-hand combination.
- Season 13 caster weapons now cost 2250 Conquest Points (was 2500 in Season 12) and shields/off-hands cost 1250 (was 1000), to reflect the increased value of the off-hand slot for classes that use it in this manner. This change is not retroactive and applies only to Season 13 items.
- Characters that have attained requisite title levels (Centurion, Knight-Captain, Grand Marshal, High Warlord, etc.) through the Rated Battleground system will be able to purchase old PvP items requiring those titles.

Battlegrounds
- Players in low-level Battlegrounds will have their effective level raised to the maximum level allowed in that Battleground bracket. Players' base stats and spells are scaled accordingly, and are treated as the same level when determining hits, misses, and critical effect chance.
- Rated Battlegrounds now award Conquest to the losing team based on their final score. The losing team can earn up to 200 Conquest Points from a very close match.
- Players can obtain a new title "Khan", by completing the following Battleground achievements: Master of the Battle for Gilneas, Master of Twin Peaks, Master of Temple of Kotmogu, Master of Isle of Conquest, and Master of Silvershard Mines.

Professions
- Archeology
  - Mantid Archaeology has been added. Players will be able to uncover common and rare Mantid artifacts.
  - Players can purchase a Mantid Artifact Sonic Locator to focus exclusively on Mantid digsites.
  - The Lorewalker’s Map now randomizes all digsites in Pandaria, rather than just 1.
  - Updates have been made to the “museum” at the Seat of Knowledge.
- Blacksmithing
  - New raid and PvP blacksmithing plans have been added, and can be acquired through daily research of Lightning Steel Ingots.
  - Seasoned Blacksmiths will be able to find a way to create Lightning Steel Ingots once their realm has unlocked the Thunderforges on the Isle of Thunder. These ingots will allow blacksmiths to recreate powerful weapons from the past, updated for Mists of Pandaria. These power weapons will be bind-on-equip and making them will take a significant amount of dedication.
  - For blacksmiths who have lapsed in their trade (i.e., haven’t practiced blacksmithing since the Burning Crusade), there is a (not necessarily cost efficient) way to catch-up. Blacksmiths at your faction’s shrines in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms will be able to teach you training plans for crafting common household items using Ghost Iron.
- Fishing
  - The chance to fish up Flying Tiger Gourami, Spinefish Alpha and Mimic Octopus has been increased.
  - Reputation gains from bringing rare Pandarian fish for Nat Pagle to examine has been increased.
  - Players with a high fishing skill have a chance to fish up new pets. The Pet Journal has clues on where these elusive pets could be found.
  - Fish of the Day: On any given day, there is a location in Pandaria teeming with a type of Pandaren fishing pool.
  - Ben of the Booming Voice, located near the Halfhill Market area will inform players what the “Fish of the Day” is and mark the location on their map.
- Jewelcrafting
  - Jewelcrafters may find the designs for Serpent’s Heart and uncut Primal Diamonds during the course of their adventures (world drops).
  - Serpent’s Heart is a daily cooldown that consumes several Serpent’s Eyes to create a random rare quality Pandaren gem. In addition, there is a small chance that a player will discover the design for the Sapphire Cub or Jade Owl.
  - The design for uncut Primal Diamonds requires Spirits of Harmony and large quantities of uncommon gems.
- Leatherworking
  - New raid and PvP patterns have been added. Leatherworkers can acquire these new patterns via the daily Magnificence of Leather or Magnificence of Scales cooldown.
  - Patterns for Magnificence of Leather and Magnificence of Scales could be found via world drops. These patterns allow the leatherworker to create Magnificent Hides more economically and share a daily cooldown.
  - A new 36 slot leather bag (Magnificent Hide Pack) can now be created through Leatherworking.
- Tailoring
  - New raid and PvP patterns have been added, and tailors can acquire these new patterns via the daily Imperial Silk cooldown.

Items
- General
  - Transmogrification rules have been broadened for several weapon types.
    - Two-handed axes, maces, and swords can be Transmogrified to each other.
    - One-handed axes, maces, and swords can be Transmogrified to each other.
    - Staves and polearms can be transmogrified to each other.
  - The ethereals that offered to upgrade items using Valor or Justice Points have departed Azeroth for the moment. They may yet return in a future patch.
  - The cost of Valor Point gear introduced in patch 5.0 has been reduced by 50%.
  - The cost of Valor Point gear introduced in patch 5.1 has been reduced by 25%.
  - Skyshards are now Bind on Account.
  - Adventurers can now upgrade old heirlooms by turning in the item and paying Justice Points or Darkmoon Prize Tickets, converting them into versions that provide benefits up to level 85. Note, the upgrade process will remove all enhancements on the heirloom.
- Item Enhancements
  - Dancing Steel now has a 15% increased chance to activate.

Sunsong Ranch
- Seed bags have been added that allow planting of crops 4 plots at a time.
- Yoon's Mailbox has been renamed to Sunsong Ranch Mailbox.
- The yield from special crops has been improved to make farming them competitive with gathering these items out in the world.
- Running the Master Plow across underground Virmen will cause them to pop out of the ground at 30% health and stunned.
- Wild Crops will now occur less often.

UI
- The Reputation panel on the character screen will now let players know which reputations they have purchased and used Grand Commendations for.
- There is now an option to show absorb effects (such as Power Word: Shield) on player, target, party and raid frames. This feature is currently enabled if you turn on the predictive healing option. Unlike predictive healing, absorb effects will display for enemy targets.

Bug Fixes
- Classes
  - Druid
    - It is no longer possible for a weaker application of Living Seed to overwrite a stronger one.
  - Paladin
    - It is no longer possible to refresh Inquisition to a lower duration.
  - Mage
    - The cooldown of Cauterize will now properly reset upon entering an Arena.
  - Warlock
    - Grimoire of Service now describes its special abilities on the tooltip.
    - Demonic Circle: Teleport now correctly shares the same cooldown when in Metamorphosis.
- Pet Battles
  - Taming the World now lists its reward correctly in the Achievements pane.
- Items
  - Teebu’s Blazing Longsword once again appropriately illuminates its surroundings.
  - Effects for the following trinkets should no longer activate while outside of combat: Spirits of the Sun, Qin-xi's Polarizing Seal, and Relic of Chi-Ji.
- Mac
  - Fixed an issue that would cause command-left-click to occur as right-click while using trackpad functionality.
  - The Logitech LCD applet for G19/G15 keyboards will now launch with the 64-bit client.

What you need to know about Google Glass

2013-03-03T16:25:00.000-05:00

Google Glass has many definitions when it comes to people. It's a fashion statement for some, it's an unavoidable upgrade to technology for others. The real question is, do people actually want to wear the head piece in public?

There's no denying Google Glass has the ability to change the way the world thinks about communication. But what exactly is Google Glass? What do we know so far, and what direction will this lead us in technology and communication?

What's inside the Google Glass?

The main focus of the glasses is to bring the main functions of our smartphones to a head piece. An Android-powered head-mounted display sits above your right eye, displaying a small heads up display image with information like travel directions and video messaging, all accessible by Siri-like voice commands. A 720p camera is embedded in the front of the device, allowing the user to snap pictures or even stream live video with Google+.

The plastic components of Google Glass will debut in five colors: gray, orange, black, white, and light blue. An “Explorer” version of Glass will snap on to a pair of sunglasses. The glasses links up with built-in WiFi, and can tether via Android or iPhone.

Do we need Google Glass?

When ever these is a new piece of technology, it will vary from person to person. Mainly, Glass is a way to communicate hands-free, to keep in contact with our friends without the need to hold onto a smartphone. The device is also a tool to share your experiences with the social media world. Below is a video from Google attempts to show “how it feels” to use Glass.

Wearing the head piece requires you to look silly. Not everyone is going to feel comfortable walking around, resembling an extra from a crappy sci-fi film. Will Google Glass avoid becoming the next Bluetooth headset?

Where can we buy one, and how much will it cost?

Google is planning to release a consumer version of Glass by the end of 2013. The company has already started selling out developer models for $1,500, but there are hints that the public launch could bring a more cheaper price-tag. The price will make a drastic difference: people will be more likely to strap a computer to their head if buying one doesn't require a small loan.

How will it change the future?

Glass may be the step towards wearing computers as a socially accepted trend. Or it may be years till the majority of people wear it. Regardless, Glass has the potential to completely alter the computing and smartphones. After all, it wasn't too many years ago when a touch-screen phone seemed crazy.

The main point is that we don't yet know how Google Glass or a potential sea of imitations from other tech giants may force us to rethink how we interact with the world. The future is an exciting place.

World of Warcraft: Tier 15 Armor Set Preview Patch 5.2 Throne Of Thunder

2013-02-26T13:48:00.001-05:00

Here is an armor preview for the upcoming patch 5.2 in World of Warcraft. The featured pictures are all part of the Tier 15 armor set.

Death Knight - All Consuming Maw

Druid - Haunted Forest

Hunter - Saurok Stalker

Mage - Chromatic Hydra

Monk - Fire Charm

Paladin - Light Emperor

Priest - Exorcist

Rogue - Nine-Tail

Shaman - Witch Doctor

Warlock - Thousandfold Hells

Warrior - Last Mogu

Before we accuse Sony of being sexist, you should hear about G.I.R.L.

2013-02-25T08:18:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week, Sony announced the PlayStation 4 -- a crowning achievement that marked the incoming future of gaming. For anyone who watched the event, there was one noticeable absence -- and I'm not talking about the actual PS4 machine. In the two-hour long press conference, there was not one female brought on stage to speak. It hasn't gone unnoticed either.

Here we are today, two days after the announcement of the PlayStation 4; rather than celebrating the arrival of a new console, we find ourselves enamored with the fact that no female developers were brought on stage -- a seemingly sexist move on behalf of Sony.

There's obviously a problem in the gaming industry, or else we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. In all honesty, Sony probably could have brought a female up on stage during the show. As Kellee Santiago pointed out, there are plenty of women at Sony in high positions who are qualified enough to speak at the conference. They chose not too, and while that decision can be construed as "sexist," I'm not so sure the company should be labeled as such.

It's so easy to look at this one mishap and immediately jump to conclusions about a company, or how gender is handled in the industry. I'm admitting there is definitely a problem that must be addressed, but to be fair, Sony is trying -- and they do deserve some credit.

Of the many articles published that draws attention to Sony's alleged sexism, few of them point out G.I.R.L.. Oh, what's G.I.R.L. you ask?

G.I.R.L., or Gamers In Real Life, is a scholarship created by Sony Online Entertainment LLC "to positively impact the way females are depicted in video games and create and influence content to be appealing to women."

"Another purpose is to help raise awareness of the serious female gaming audience to the media in an effort to encourage the gaming industry to positively promote women throughout all facets of games, game production and into game management."

The G.I.R.L. Scholarship is a program "designed to educate and recruit more women into the field of video game production and design." As such, it provides a unique opportunity with an internship at SOE, plus $10,000 towards "tuition and other educational expenses at the school at which the student is currently enrolled."

It certainly doesn't sound like the type of program a sexist company would offer. It's easy to paint the picture of an evil, sexist corporation, but isn't it possible to talk about some of the good things they are doing to present females with an opportunity to get into the gaming industry? Why must everything be said with such negative bias? I suppose it makes for a compelling headline.

Let it be known, in no way am I saying Sony should be forgiven simply because they offer a scholarship. We shouldn't view this scholarship as an even trade. There's a much larger problem in the gaming industry regarding sexism and glass ceilings.

We must look at the overall picture and never settle for the at-hand. At the same time, we should give credit where credit is due. This scholarship has been around since 2008, long before this PS4 fiasco. I think that shows Sony's commitment to bringing females into the industry. Let's try to look at the big picture.

The Top 12 MMORPGs To Watch Out For In 2013

2013-02-21T22:40:00.000-05:00

It is with the current landscape of MMORPGs, a genre already so congested, so saturated with content, and built on a business model that demands all of our precious gaming time or bust, that it’s hard to imagine adding more titles to the already burgeoning list.

Fear not, developers and publishers are not to be dissuaded by such paltry things as market saturation or consumer fatigue. Perhaps that’s well and good. 2013 is a year filled with actually interesting looking MMOs, games that promise to deliver something new, that blessed salve, some innovation or other that will propel us into the next generation of the massively multiplayer online gaming experience.

Here are some of them, for your gaming pleasure.

Phantasy Star Online 2

Phantasy Star Online 2 should be interesting. It will be available in 2013 on PC, iOS, Android, and the PlayStation Vita.

This is good news for the Vita in particular, which is a great little piece of hardware with far too few games. A free-to-play MMO can only help the little handheld.

The game is action-based, focusing on counter-attacks and real-time battles. I never played the original Phantasy Star Online, but the sequel certainly looks like something I’ll download on to one of those very expensive proprietary memory chips the Vita uses.

Developer/Publisher: SEGA

WildStar

WildStar looks a lot like the love child of World of Warcraft and Borderlands 2. And it has “Star” in the title. That’s two games in a row with “star” in the title.

But I digress. The game is a humorous, colorful planet exploration MMO bringing a much needed dose of science fiction to the fantasy-saturated genre.

Part Western, part sandbox, the game looks like it might bring some neat and much-needed twists to the tired old MMO combat routine.

Developer: Carbine

Publisher: NCsoft

City of Steam

City of Steam is an action-RPG with MMO elements. The steampunk setting separates it from most other MMOs on the market. Even MMOs with some steampunk elements tend to keep those features on the fringe.

The game just left Closed Beta, so an Open Beta should be just around the corner for players to play—in their browsers thanks to the Unity Web Player.

The browser-based game category is getting bigger and bigger, and City of Steam joins already popular MMOs like Drakensang Online sometime in 2013.

They’re also trying to get the game Greenlit so it can appear on Steam.

Developer/Publisher: Mechanist Games

Path of Exile

It’s been in closed beta for centuries, but the free-to-play action-RPG Path of Exile is now in open beta, and will soon be released to the public in post-beta form (not sure what we’re supposed to call it then.)

The dark, gritty action-RPG isn’t really an MMO, but it is online, and you can find massive amounts of other players to quest with. For solitudinous hermits like your humble narrator, outside of town you can adventure solo to your heart’s content.

The Third Act was released alongside the open beta. The new Act adds 50% more content to what was already a pretty decent-sized game. Developer Grinding Gear Games plans to continue to release new Acts and content regularly, while funding the game through “ethical” micro-transactions that are, so far as I can tell, almost entirely aesthetic.

Developer/Publisher: Grinding Gear Games

Game of Thrones

Publisher Bigpoint is no stranger to browser-based MMOs, so I’m hoping the final product for Game of Thrones: Seven Kingdoms is as fun as it sounds.

The sandbox MMO is yet another sandbox style game, pitting three factions (the Baratheons, the Starks, and the Lanisters) against one another. You play as a regular warrior from a minor House and can pledge fealty to one of the major Houses, betray them whenever you like, and engage in massive castle sieges.

It sounds like it could be the very first Game of Thrones video game that might, in some small way, live up to the books. The game will feature some material from and consistency with the HBO show, though how that actually factors into gameplay remains to be seen.

Developer/Publisher: Bigpoint

ArcheAge

ArcheAge is one of the coolest sounding MMOs I’ve read about. Not only is there full-fledged naval combat, there are also hang-gliders. You can race people on your hang-glider. And yeah, they had me at hang-glider. Or maybe at naval combat. Either way, I’m sold (at least in theory.)

The game is a great big sandbox MMO where you can build your own house, work with trade routes, and engage in PvP.

Whenever I start getting actually excited about an MMO I realize that I need to check my expectations, but ArcheAge is certainly doing a good job at making me want to play it.

Developer: XLGames

Publisher: Trion Worlds

Bless

Bless reminds me a lot of Guild Wars 2. It’s built using the Unreal Engine 3, and it looks gorgeous. It’s also supposed to be very story-driven, with a storyline for each of the ten races designed to be emotionally charged.

Whenever I see MMO screenshots that look as good as these, I always check my optimism. Guild Wars 2 looks really good, but the screenshots made it look better (a trick the original Guild Wars was also guilty of.)

After all, bandwidth is an issue when you’re playing online, and an MMO can only deliver so much graphical goodness before the pipes get too clogged. But man, that elephant looks amazing doesn’t it?

Developer/Publisher: Neowiz Games

Wizardry Online

I’m not sure you can capture the old Wizardry games in an MMO. Without some severe limits, it’s hard to capture any single-player experience in an MMO.

“Wizardry Online is the most hardcore fantasy MMO ever created,” reads the game description. “The difficulty level is insane. The dungeons are brutal. There is no auto-healing. You will earn your levels. Your crimes taint your soul. Your allies could betray you at any moment. And when you die, you die forever.”

Permadeath in any game is hardcore, but in an MMO? That takes moxie. Kudos to Sony for taking chances.

Developer: Gamepot

Publisher: Sony Online Entertainment

Age of Wushu

No classes, no levels, and no European medieval setting. In Age of Wushu, you play as a martial artist inside (yet another) sandbox world, though this time it’s a beautiful East Asian setting.

The game is billed less as a grind-and-level game and more of a celebration of art and music and, yeah, intricate martial arts combat. You pick a martial arts style and then hone your craft. But you also pick a profession, and live as part of the world.

I like the idea of doing away with levels. I think RPGs in general crutch on the leveling system way too much. Go back to the early days of Dungeons & Dragons, and you’ll learn rather quickly how unimportant levels used to be.

Emergent gameplay aside, the game does appear to have a reprehensibly awful cash shop and F2P revenue model that probably won’t survive a Western audience.

Developer/Publisher: Snail Games

Neverwinter

Neverwinter may not be the prettiest new MMORPG but it’s gotten solid feedback from people.

I’m more interested in the Foundry DIY world-building system, which allows players to create content that is then curated and added back into the Neverwinter universe, than I am in the game.

But even the game, so far, looks to be shaping up into a solid, even slightly old-school, action-RPG.

Developer: Cryptic Studios

Publisher: Perfect World

Black Desert

I’m not actually sure whether this is going to come out in 2013 but it looks really cool.

A big, sandbox world, totally seamless, with sort of absurdly beautiful people apparently modeled after Skyrim mods, Black Desert has been one of the least-marketed games I’ve ever seen and has still managed to put together one of the most exciting MMO trailers I’ve ever seen—which you should go watch over here. Even if some of the elves look suspiciously like Orlando Bloom.

Developer: Pearl Abyss

Publisher (Korea): Daum Communications

The Elder Scrolls Online

Finally, we come to the most controversial entry in our long, long list: The Elder Scrolls Online.

Many people worry that this could spell the doom of the single-player Elder Scrolls game. To that, I say pfaw! Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls games sell far, far too many copies and expansions to die at the hands of a maybe-successful MMORPG.

Besides, TESO looks really good. Combat is overhauled, for one thing, and I’m not that big of a fan of the combat in games like Oblivion andSkyrim, so who knows? Maybe we’ll see an evolutionary step that will actually translate to better single-player games from the franchise.

Just as importantly, TESO is huge, spanning all the Elder Scrolls realms. I’m not going to be stuck in gray, dreary Skyrim, or boring, generic Cyrodiil. I can go to Morrowind and beyond.

Just like with the rest of these games, there’s no telling if it will be any good, or if it’s good if it will capture a big enough audience to compete against the princes of the market, but I’m hoping TESO succeeds.

Developer: Zenimax Online Studios

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

[The Elder Scrolls Online Open Beta Sign Up]

PS4 Announced, Your move Microsoft

2013-02-21T18:55:00.000-05:00

Sony has finally announced the PlayStation 4, officially kicking off the next-gen console war. With Sony confirming a holiday 2013 release for the PS4, it's assumed Microsoft's next-gen console will launch somewhere around the same time. Sony was the first to show their cards (even though they didn't reveal what the actual console looks like). It's now up to Microsoft to respond. But how can Microsoft effectively launch a counter-attack with the next Xbox?

GIVE US EXCLUSIVES THAT CAN ACTUALLY COMPETE WITH THE PLAYSTATION

Halo, Forza, Gears of War, and a bunch of Kinect titles? Needless to say, Microsoft's list of exclusives don't quite compete with what Sony offers on the PlayStation. Sony may not have revealed their heavy hitting exclusives last night, but you can bet they are saving that for E3. Although much of what we saw from PlayStation exclusive developers were tech demos, Sony has clearly shown gaming as their primary focus moving forward.

Microsoft, on the other hand, seems keen on catering to an audience broader than just “gamers” with the next Xbox. And with Xbox 360 entertainment app usage surpassing online gaming, there's really no reason for them to change their strategy moving forward – unless they plan on competing with the PlayStation more directly.

Every console moving forward will offer entertainment apps. That really won't set the next Xbox apart. Microsoft has exclusives that can compete with the likes of The Last of Us; they just need to add to that library. And they need to add more than just Kinect titles, which brings me to my next point.

DITCH THE KINECT...OR AT LEAST SUPPORT IT WITH QUALITY TITLES

As evidenced by Microsoft's latest requirement that all future apps support Kinect functionality, this one is obviously not going to happen. Microsoft has it engrained in their minds that “everything is better with Kinect.” I really don't know how they can look at the current lineup of Kinect offerings and come to that conclusion, but for the time being, that's their slogan.

If Microsoft wants us to take the next Xbox seriously then they need to ditch the Kinect, at least in spirit. Of course, we all know Microsoft isn't about to abandon their venture into motion-based gaming. They've invested too much into it. And somehow, it's selling incredibly well. If that's the case, and the next Xbox is indeed going to introduce the Kinect 2, at least support it with quality titles. You can still have your dance and exercise games, but let's get a little more serious than Wreckateer.

KEEP THE CONTROLLER

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Thankfully, Sony recognized this and although they slightly altered its concept and functionality, they didn't completely abandon the DualShock design. I hope Microsoft took notes because the Xbox 360 controller is one of the most comfortable controllers I've ever held. Don't change it.

It appears Microsoft, in an effort to support its Xbox SmartGlass initiative, is looking at having an iPad-style tablet controller with its next console. It seems that the tablet controller will serve as an all-purpose device that you can use while watching TV, browsing the internet, or playing games.

The switch over to a tablet controller isn't the only worry, though. There's a lot of talk about motion-based gaming, especially with the next Xbox. There's rumors that indicate Microsoft is completely abandoning a traditional controller in favor of Kinect movements; and that would be a huge mistake. For some reason, and Microsoft isn't alone in this, it is believed that a more immersive experience is offered by removing the controller from the gamer's hands. Sorry, but I don't feel the game is any more realistic by having me pretend to perform an action. It not only makes me feel stupid to pantomime these things, but playing games like Call of Duty just feel right with a controller. Please don't change that.

WOMEN?

What should've been hailed as a ground-breaking moment in gaming has instead been overshadowed by thoughts of sexism as Sony didn't have one female presence on stage. As it was pointed out numerous times by folks on Twitter, not one female developer was brought on stage -- in the entire two hour show. Microsoft would be wise to learn from Sony's mistake.

Although, they shouldn't just bring a woman on stage for the sake of having a woman. That, to me, would be more disrespectful than not having any at all. I'm sure there are plenty of qualified female game developers and studio leads working on projects important enough to discuss during the unveiling of the next Xbox, and Microsoft would be smart to bring those to light. PlayStation 4's lead architect was a male, as were many of the game directors; is there a fundamental problem in the way the industry promotes males/females to higher positions?

I originally thought that by announcing the PlayStation 4 so early, Sony would have effectively taken itself out of the running for 'Best of E3.' But as we saw last night, we're still left with plenty of questions. Like what does the console actually look like? Sony will likely use its E3 conference as the opportunity to reveal the actual console, the price details, and exact release date, along with a multitude of exclusive games. In other words, Microsoft won't be alone in announcing its new console. If Microsoft intends on hogging the E3 spotlight, they need to come out swinging. They'd better be prepared -- have the console ready, the price set, and the release date handy.

Having already announced its new console, Sony has the clear advantage right now. They revealed just enough to get us talking, but kept enough secret to keep us wanting. Unless Microsoft is planning its own conference prior to E3, it looks like the spotlight will be shared. That means the next Xbox had better stand out. The Wii U is out. The PlayStation 4 has been announced. Your move, Microsoft.

[Rumor: Xbox 720 Price: Possibly $350, expected to launch this fall]

Take control of the PS4 with the Dual Shock 4

2013-02-20T20:31:00.002-05:00

With a next generation console, like the PlayStation 4, the world needs a new controller for the next decade. Through working with game developers, Sony has made their controller to suit the needs of those making games for their system. With a better feel, tighter sense control, enhanced rumble functions, and a reduction to latency – this controller will give players the comfort they are used to with advancements for future gaming.

The Dual Shock 4 will also include a touch pad in the center for more options and control, a headphone jack will allow players to communicate easier with one another, and a light bar. This last feature will work with a second peripheral. The sensor will be able to observe your movements for more friendly ways to identify players.

The controller will also allow users to share their experience with a dedicated "Share" button. This allow gamers to directly stream their games to their friends, and allow their friends to interact with them.

Play ‘everything everywhere’ on the PS4’s Cloud Service

2013-02-20T20:30:00.001-05:00

The new PS Cloud Service will open the entire library of past PlayStation titles to your fingertips from PlayStation’s cloud service on your PS4. Your favorite nostalgic games from PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 will be available through what Sony is calling the fastest cloud service.

These games will be available to play at anytime and anywhere from your PlayStation network device via the cloud. In the words of David Perry, President of Gaikai, the cloud will allow you to play “everything, everywhere.” He continues with the comment:

"This is not an investment in technology...[but] an investment into the millions of loyal PlayStation gamers across the world"

The goal of this new cloud is to “change the way we play.”

Basic PlayStation 4 Specs Revealed

2013-02-20T20:28:00.000-05:00

Taking a cue from their introductory video, Sony didn't build a box. They live by one rule: push the boundaries. Andrew House said the gamer is the focal point of their efforts. Consumer-centric and developer-inspired, they slowly eased into the PlayStation 4 announcement.

Mark Cerny, Lead System Architect, said that Sony started this process early in the PlayStation 3's lifecycle. Admittedly, he said the PS3 has hit its limits in the functionality it can support. That said, the team had several goals for the PS4:

Nothing between you and the game
Fluidly connect to a larger world
What do developers want

Sony finagled their way around the topic in 2008, resulting in a console that's by game creators, for game creators. It has a supercharged PC architecture, an X86 CPU, an enhanced PC GPU, and 8 GB of unified memory, as well as local storage HDD.

System memory uses GDDR5, providing a further boost to the GPU performance. Tasks will only use a fraction of the PS4 GPU. Cerny admits he's excited to see what developers can do with all of the power.

PS4 Able To Play Games as They're Being Downloaded

2013-02-20T20:26:00.003-05:00

After saying how a secondary custom chip in the PS4 will handle background processing, Mark Cerny -- Lead System Architect -- dropped a PS4 bomb. The PlayStation 4 will allow you to play a game as it is downloading. It was rumored that this would be a feature of Sony's next-gen console, so mark that as one true rumor.

Sony said their long term goal is to "reduce download times of digital games to zero."

In addition to this feature, with the simple press of the power button, you will be able to suspend and resume your gaming session. Pressing the power button puts the console into a low engergy consumption state.

Sony Reveals The PlayStation 4

2013-02-20T20:15:00.001-05:00

Credit: Cnet

NEW YORK--Sony has unveiled the PlayStation 4.

The PlayStation 4 has been announced in New York City. The name is definite; its features, still to be detailed. Among other things, the new PlayStation platform will be open to episodic and free-to-play content.

[Basic PlayStation 4 Specs Revealed]

The PlayStation 4, as discussed in the early moments of Sony's event, has a "supercharged PC architecture" with an X86 CPU, "enhanced PC GPU" (unspecified as of yet) with GDDR5, 8GB of memory, and traditional hard-drive storage.

The new DualShock 4 controller is indeed the one rumored. It has enhanced rumble, a touch pad, a share button, headphone jack, and light-up bar that looks like a transplanted top of a Move wand. In addition, a stereo camera bar, which looks very Kinect-like, works with the light bar for motion controls.

The Sony event thus far has continually emphasized simplicity and ease of use. Immediacy of response reducing lag time while accessing content is also one of the promised PS4 features (unlike the extremely laggy Wii U, perhaps). A secondary custom chip will allow background downloading, and games will be playable as they’re being downloaded.

[Play ‘everything everywhere’ on the PS4’s Cloud Service]

Sony promises you’ll be able to scan the last few minutes of your gameplay with the push of a button and share screenshots and clips, or spectate and chat during other people’s games, and Sony promises a serious revamp of friend-making, using “real names.”

The core social elements of the PS4 are being promised to work on smartphones, tablets, and the Vita as well -- on stage, the clean-looking social browser was shown on various devices, including streaming video of gameplay.

Gaikai cloud technology, acquired last year by Sony, was also discussed, as a way of offering the "fastest gaming network" and enabling what is promised to be a trial-based way of playing games before buying. This would work via streaming-game technology.

Gaikai technology will also be used to power the PS4’s spectating experiences, and that ability to continually one-button broadcast your game progress. It sounds a lot like the sort of stuff PC gamers have loved, and it’s certainly the first time a home gaming console has entered this territory. The streaming/sharing technology will also work with Facebook and UStream.

[Take control of the PS4 with the Dual Shock 4]

Remote play will be enabled as well, promising second-screen gaming on the Vita. It sounds somewhat like what the Nintendo Wii U enables on the GamePad, except in this case the experience will be translated onto a fully independent handheld device. If this works as promised, it could help make the PS4 and Vita a hardware match worth getting -- improved transmission times between the Vita and PS4 are also being promised. More will be discussed on that “later in the year.”

[PS4 Able To Play Games as They're Being Downloaded]

Sony's also promised not just PlayStation 3 backward-compatibility, but PlayStation 1 and PS 2 retro gaming as well via a "PlayStation Cloud Service." Whether this will be true disc compatibility or cloud-streaming remains to be seen.

More to come...

Live Stream: PS4 Revealed - Sony PlayStation Meeting 2013

2013-02-20T15:21:00.003-05:00

[Update: PS4 Officially Announced. Read More]

Live Stream

Sony's PlayStation Meeting 2013 will start today at 6:00pm Eastern Time. (2/20/13)

The event is being held in New York City. We are all expecting the PlayStation 4. Over the last few weeks we have been overwhelmed with all the rumors circulating the PS4. It's time to finally see the truth from Sony. Watch the live stream here in the above video stream player.

If you're looking to pass the time, check out some of these next generation console rumors. Let's find out if these rumors will be coming true.

[PS4 50% more powerful than Xbox 720]

[PS4 & Xbox 720 will not support used games]

[PS4 & Xbox 720 will cost $350]

Rumor: PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 Price: Possibly $350, expected to launch this fall

2013-02-18T21:05:00.000-05:00

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Sony and Microsoft are both expected to announce their next-generation gaming consoles at the Electronics Entertainment Expo in June, or even a little before then. While we have seen rumored specs for both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 720, one thing that has escaped us is a possible price tag. In a research note to investors on Monday, Colin Sebastian of Baird Equity Research suggested that both consoles could retail for between $350 and $400 in the U.S., Games Industry International reported. The analyst revealed that during the Consumer Electronics Show last week he spent time “with a number of companies involved in video game development and distribution,” who informed him that the next-generation consoles will be “largely built from ‘off the shelf’ high-end PC components, along with hybrid physical/digital distribution models, enhanced voice controls and motion sensing, and broad multi-media capabilities.”

[PS4 50% more powerful than Xbox 720]

Sebastian believes that “a PC-based architecture (Intel chips in the case of Xbox) should have a number of advantages over custom-developed silicon.” In his opinion, there will be less of a “learning curve” for software developers compared to completely new technology, and the cost of production and retail price points should be lower than prior console launches.

Microsoft launched the Xbox 360 in 2005 with a top end price of $399, while Sony released the PlayStation 3 a year later for $499 and $599 respectively.

“It will be easier to build online services around PC chip architecture, including flexible business models (free-to-play, subscriptions) and multi-media (over the top) content offerings,” the analyst added. “For Microsoft, this design will also allow for more integration with Windows 8 and Windows Mobile devices.”

[PS4 & Xbox 720 will not support used games]

Sebastian expects Sony to launch the PlayStation 4 in October and Microsoft to launch the Xbox 720 in November.

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