MMORPG.COM News

General: Reviews and the Bell Curve

news@mmorpg.com — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:38:10 GMT

Reviews are always a sticky wicket because of the subjectiveness of the process itself. In today's Devil's Advocate, we take a look at reviews from all angles. Read on and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

General: Becoming a F2P Convert

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:44:59 GMT

The MMO free to play market has exploded over the last year or two with decent high-quality games making it into the MMO space. In The Tourist today, we talk about how becoming a fan of F2P is a good thing. Read on to see if you agree.

Marvel Heroes: Chronicles of Doom Part 2

news@mmorpg.com — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:16:57 GMT

Gazillion Entertainment has released the first episode in a four-part motion comic that will usher in the release of Marvel Heroes Online. The comic lets players in on the backstory behind Dr. Doom's rise to power. Enjoy Part Two!

Neverwinter: Cryptic's Word on Catursday

news@mmorpg.com — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:12:53 GMT

Immediately after last weekend's Astral Diamonds / Zen exploit fix was implemented, we reached out to Cryptic Studios and Perfect World with questions about the issue. We have the answers from the proverbial horse's mouth. Check it out and then join the conversation in the comments.

Neverwinter: Beta Diary #4

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 18:14:57 GMT

In our final beta diary, we take a look at Neverwinter's Crown Jewel, The Foundry. In addition, we examine the Catursday nightmare and offer a few random "etcetera" thoughts about the game that defy categorization. Read on and then leave us your thoughts in the comments.

Neverwinter: On the Duplication Debacle

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:25:48 GMT

Last weekend was a rough one for Neverwinter developers and players alike as it was revealed that an exploit had essentially trashed the game's economy. In a new editorial, we take a look at the debacle and what it means for players. Read on and then leave your thoughts in the comments.

General: The Worst MMOs of 2013... So Far

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:13:33 GMT

While 2013 has seen its share of "good things" in the MMO world (which we profiled in The List last week!), it's also seen some games that seem to represent the exact opposite side of the coin. Which MMOs are we speaking of? You'll have to read (and watch!) The List to find out. Do you agree or disagree with our choices? Let us know in the comments.

Neverwinter: First State of the Game Letter Published

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 23:49:48 GMT

Andy Velasquez has published the first Neverwinter State of the Game letter on the official site. In the lengthy note, Velasquez talks about things the team has worked on to fix during the game's open beta, gives a hint at things the team is working on now and drops a big "ranged" hint about the next character class that players can expect to see enter the game in the near future.

Neverwinter: Foundry Focus: Torment and the Catastrophe

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:27:39 GMT

Rob Lashley continues his series for MMORPG.com that is based around Neverwinter. Called Foundry Focus, Rob shines the spotlight on a specific Foundry quest each week. In this week's article, Rob takes a look at "Torment and the Catastrophe". Check it out and then tell us about your favorite Foundry quests in the comments.

General: Rocket City's Second Chance Heroes On Steam Greenlight

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:41:12 GMT

Longtime MMORPG.com readers will remember our former managing editor, Dana Massey. After leaving MMORPG.com, Dana joined Rocket City Studios. The team's first game, action RPG Second Chance Heroes, is a candidate for Steam's Greenlight program. Let's do our bro a favor and head over to vote it up!

General: When Should MMORPGs Retire?

news@mmorpg.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 00:09:50 GMT

Sometimes our favorite MMOs are closed down in a move beyond our control. But once in awhile, we find ourselves involved in an MMO that simply needs to close, to retire into the great beyond. In today's Tingle's Touchy Subjects, we offer a few thoughts about when that should happen. Read on and then leave some of your ideas in the comments.

Defiance: Free Weekend Incoming

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 20:05:02 GMT

Have yet to try out Trion Worlds' Defiance? If not, this weekend is your chance as the game will be free to download and play via Steam. The weekend runs from May 23-26 and then follow up on May 27 by watching all six of the TV show's first episodes back to back on Syfy.

General: Dawngate: 'Who We Are' Developer Journal

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:49:12 GMT

In this first in a series of upcoming developer diaries, Dawngate's Senior Producer Dave Cerra writes about the design philosophy of Waystone Games, their upcoming MOBA Dawngate, and what we can expect to learn through the title's public closed beta process. Check it out at RTSGuru.com!

Destiny: Law of the Jungle Trailer Released

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:46:16 GMT

Bungie has released a brand new 30-second Destiny trailer that will debut on cable's TNT channel on Saturday, May 25th. The trailer features "the award-winning visual effects studio Digital Domain, "Law of the Jungle" gives players a taste of Destiny's action-packed adventures through a live-action and CG interpretation of the epic game universe."

General: A Guild Management Suggestion Box

news@mmorpg.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:54:38 GMT

Guilds are an integral part of most MMOs yet the tools for running them are often lacking. In her latest column, Genese Davis makes a few suggestions about how to make management and usefulness of guilds more effective. Read on and then leave your guild management suggestions in the comments.

General: Dawngate Beta Key Giveaway at RTSGuru.com!

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:06:34 GMT

RTSGuru.com has been given a 1500-use beta key for the upcoming MOBA Dawngate, whose closed beta begins this weekend. Head to RTSGuru.com and grab one, quick!

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn: Release Date Announced

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:02:40 GMT

The latest Letter from the Producer has been published along with the announcement that Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn will officially be released on August 27, 2013! This should twitterpate players around the globe who have been eagerly waiting for the re-released version.

WildStar: Payment Model is a 'Hybrid' Model

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:55:01 GMT

In a new video interview with Jeremy Gaffney, he reveals that the WildStar payment model is not "unknown" and that it is a "hybrid model". You can check it out for yourself at 16:14 of the Gamebreaker.tv interview.

Aion: Return to the Shugo Tomb

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:10:26 GMT

Aion players will have the opportunity to head back to the dreaded Shugo Tomb with the arrival of the in-game event that is slated to run from May 22nd through June 12th. Players can score some pretty awesome stuff by participating.

Ecol Tactics Online: Browser Candy

news@mmorpg.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:37:33 GMT

Ecol Browser is what we call an "in between game" for many reasons. We have played Ecol Tactics quite a bit recently and have some thoughts to share about how it fits in the MMO space. See why we call it 'browser candy' before heading to the comments.

Pathfinder Online: Alignment System Detailed

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:57:11 GMT

The Pathfinder Online team has posted a long and very detailed blog article about how the alignment system will work in the game on release. According to the post, alignment has been one of the most keenly debated topics on the forums.

Eldevin: New Features & Content Arrive for CBT 2

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:50:22 GMT

Hunted Cow has released the patch notes for the second round of closed beta testing for Eldevin. The team is planning to roll out new content and features for testers to try out. In addition, several significant improvements have been made to existing features based on player feedback.

Guild Wars 2: The MMORPG Invitational - Ready, Set, FIGHT!

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:16:48 GMT

The stage is set, the teams are lined up, and the first of our planned monthly MMORPG.com Invitational Tournaments for Guild Wars 2 is ready to begin this Sunday, May 26th at 12pm PT (3pm ET, 7pm GMT). Read on for the list of our competitors, the tournament bracket, and all the final details!

Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar: Now Available in Canada

news@mmorpg.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 12:58:46 GMT

The Canadian iTunes store is featuring Ultima Forever: Quest for the Avatar. The game is released officially there, other countries to come soon. Rejoice, Canada!

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes: Wayback Wednesday: Vanguard Saga of Heroes

news@mmorpg.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:06:00 GMT

In our latest Wayback Wednesday, we take a look at perennial favorite, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. We've got a terrific in-game video, members of the dev team on hand and some thoughts about the game itself. Check it out and then tell us about your experiences with Vanguard in the comments.

Diablo 3: Visualizing a Year In Game

news@mmorpg.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:56:26 GMT

The Blizzard team has produced an awesome graphical look back at the past year in Diablo III. If you're a fan of numbers, this is a fantastic representation of the activity in D3 over the last 365 days. Check it out!

Rift: Loyalty Rewards Program Detailed

news@mmorpg.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:24:45 GMT

Bill Fisher has posted a new developer diary on the official Rift site to lay out the details for the upcoming Loyalty Rewards program that will arrive with the game's F2P iteration. Philosophically, the program is very similary to Veteran's Rewards but tailored for the new version of Rift.

General: The Pros and Cons of Going Indie

news@mmorpg.com — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:06:47 GMT

Many game makers seem to be jumping on the indie bandwagon these days but is that decision all sunlight and roses? We take a look at both the good and bad aspects of being an independent developer in our latest Independency. Check it out before discussing it in the comments.

Dungeons & Dragons Online: Shadowfell Conspiracy Expansion Announced

news@mmorpg.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:43:53 GMT

Turbine has revealed the first details about the forthcoming Dungeons & Dragons Online expansion, Shadowfell Conspiracy. The expansion is available in two packages, each containing various in-game items and perks. The Collector's Edition will run $49.99 and the Standard Edition is available for $29.99.

Dungeons & Dragons Online: Update 18 and the Shadowfell Conspiracy

news@mmorpg.com — Wed, 22 May 2013 08:27:41 GMT

Turbine recently invited us to check out some of the new content in Update 18: Disciples of Shadow and the upcoming Shadowfell Conspiracy expansion. Learn more below and share your thoughts with us in the comments!