WebProNews

Tag: MMORPG

  • ‘World of Darkness’ MMO is Officially Dead

    In 2006 White Wolf Publishing, the developer of classic role-playing games such as Vampire: The Masquerade, was acquired by CCP Games, the Icelandic video game developer best known for the popular EVE Online MMO. The transaction appeared at first to be an odd marriage, but shortly after the sale CCP began working on an MMO based on White Wolf’s World of Darkness setting.

    Today some sad, but not unexpected, news has been revealed to both White Wolf and RPG fans. CCP today announced that the World of Darkness MMO project, after eight years of development, is officially dead.

    The game was being developed at CCP’s studio in Atlanta, Georgia. The cancellation of the World of Darkness project means that 56 employees of that Atlanta studio have now been laid off. Everyone remaining at the studio will continue working on projects related to the EVE Online series.

    According to a statement released by CCP CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, the studios efforts on the MMO were “falling short” of the game CCP was looking to create. He also stated that CCP hopes to make it up to World of Darkness fans in the future.

    Pétursson’s statement, in full:

    The decision to end the World of Darkness MMO project is one of the hardest I’ve ever had to make. I have always loved and valued the idea of a sandbox experience set in that universe, and over the years I’ve watched the team passionately strive to make that possible.

    I would like to give special thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make the World of Darkness MMO a reality, especially the team members affected by this decision. Their considerable contribution to CCP will not be forgotten, and we wish them well.

    To our current and former employees and fans of World of Darkness, I am truly sorry that we could not deliver the experience that we aspired to make. We dreamed of a game that would transport you completely into the sweeping fantasy of World of Darkness, but had to admit that our efforts were falling regretfully short. One day I hope we will make it up to you.

    Although this was a tough decision that affects our friends and family, uniting the company behind the EVE Universe will put us in a stronger position moving forward, and we are more committed than ever to solidify EVE as the biggest gaming universe in the world.

    According to CCP all of its studios are now working exclusively on EVE-related projects. This is the first time since 2006 that this has been the case.

    Image via CCP

  • Final Fantasy XIV Finally Out On PS4 Today

    After successfully rescuing Final Fantasy XIV last year and launching the long promised PS3 version, Square Enix got to work on a PS4 version of the MMO. After a lengthy beta period, PS4 players can finally lose themselves in the world of Eorzea.

    Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is now available on the PS4 – both retail and digital. The PS4 version of the MMO benefits from better visuals over the PS3 version alongside better performance. It also comes with a few features exclusive to the PS4 version of the game:

    Utilize the unique features of PS4 and take your adventuring to a whole new level. Share your experience live with built-in streaming, or post a triumphant screenshot when you finally defeat the ferocious Titan. Busy day at the office with no time to play? Use Remote Play on PS Vita to continue your quest, or to finish up your crafts while at the office.

    As for in-game features, it has parity with the PS3 and PC versions of the game. It also has cross platform play so you’ll be able to party and adventure with your friends regardless of the platform they’re playing on.

    There are two things of note for new players jumping into Final Fantasy XIV today on the PS4. First, Square Enix says that only new players get the free 30 day trial for buying the game. If you are upgrading from the PS3 or moving over from the PC version, you won’t get a free trial. Second, there seems to be some confusion as to which number is the activation code and which is the Square Enix members code for those who bought a retail copy. Over on the PlayStation Blog, Square Enix lays it out:

    The activation code included with the game is found on the sheet labeled “Registration Code” – it is 12 digits (in a 4-4-4 format) and is a standard PlayStation Network code that you redeem on PlayStation Store.

    Finally, Square Enix notes that those who bought the standard version of the game can upgrade to the digital collector’s edition by simply using the Mog Station Digital Upgrade service. By upgrading, you’ll get the Fat Chocobo mount, a wind-up moogle minion and more.

    Image via PlayStation/YouTube

  • H1Z1 Is The Latest MMO To Take Zombies For A Spin

    Since its inception as an Arma 2 mod, DayZ has been one of the most popular zombie games around. What makes the game so popular, however, isn’t because of zombies, but rather the interactions players have with others. After all, you have more to fear from the living than the dead in a zombie apocalypse, or something like that. Now Sony wants to try its hand at a similar game with an even stupider name.

    Sony Online Entertainment announced this week that it’s working on a new free-to-play MMO called H1Z1. The game will be coming to the PC and PS4 with an Early Access version hitting Steam in the coming weeks. Here’s how SOE described it in the game’s newly minted subreddit:

    Our vision for this game is very simple but ambitious. We are starting with what I would call “Middle America” – an “anywhere and everywhere” town. The world is massive as you’ve come to expect from our games. Over time we will grow the world until we have our own version of the U.S. after the death and destruction brought on during the H1Z1 epidemic. It will be our own version of America. We’ll have urban cities and desolate wide open places. All connected seamlessly. Our focus is building a sandbox style of gameplay where players can build shelters out of resources in the world. They can even work together to make amazing fortresses complete with weaponry to help defend against both the Infected and other players. Players also have access to a very deep crafting system that can let players make a huge variety of awesome stuff, including weapons (I made a 1911 the other day) and things like Molotov cocktails, explosives.. and other fun surprises.

    It certainly sounds promising, but it also sounds like pretty much every other zombie MMO out there right now. SOE anticipated that reaction and says that H1Z1 will set itself apart from the pack:

    First off, it’s a persistent MMO that can hold thousands of players on servers we host (yes there will be multiple servers with very different rule sets). Why is that a good thing? It means a thriving economy (oh yes… there’s trading). It also means you have potential allies in the all-out war on the Infected… and many an enemy as well. … The main thing that differentiates H1Z1 from the other great games in the genre is the emphasis we are putting on player ownership and building. We want you to be able to form roving gangs that are headquartered out of an abandoned warehouse that you’ve taken over… or a house you’ve built from scratch after having cut trees down and secured the resources to make it. We are giving players the tools to make their own towns, camps and defenses, and they can decide how to set up their base

    While its hard to compete with DayZ these days when it comes to open world zombie games, SOE seems to at least have an interesting concept on its hands with H1Z1. The idea that players can build up the world as they see fit is certainly enticing and may just bring some people over out of curiosity alone. That may not be enough, however, if H1Z1 lacks the emergent gameplay found in experiences like DayZ. Sony is going to have to take a hands off approach with this title and let the player community run rampant if they want it to become as popular as DayZ.

    SOE says they’ll be showing off gameplay from H1Z1 next week during a live playtest. The details haven’t been announced yet, but you can keep checking back at the game’s official subreddit to find out more.

    [h/t: Kotaku]
    Image via H1Z1.com

  • Neverwinter Gets Meta With In-Game Dungeons & Dragons Tabletop Game

    It’s rare to find a video game that captures the fun of playing a tabletop RPG. The old Dungeons & Dragons games used to do this, but the newer ones just feel like average fantasy video games. The latest – Neverwinter – started off like that, but now it has literally introduced a tabletop version of Dungeons & Dragons into the game.

    Arc Games announced this week that it will be introducing a new side attraction in its Neverwinter MMO called Respen’s Marvelous Game. The in-game lore says that a mage named Respen has created a game that allows heroes to create miniatures of themselves and tackle adventures in a board game format. In reality, it’s tabletop DnD and in a DnD video game.

    This isn’t the first time that a game has put players into a board game, but it may be the first time that a Dungeons & Dragons video game has integrated the tabletop version of itself into the game. It’s understandable though as making a Dungeons & Dragons tabletop game work in a video game setting might test some players patience as campaigns can last for hours on end. There’s not a lot of information on Respen’s Marvelous Game so we don’t know how Arc Games intends to shorten their in-game tabletop campaigns. Of course, there’s always the possibility that they won’t and players will have to play a 4-hour long DnD campaign.

    Neverwinter wouldn’t be an MMO without some kind of reward and Respen’s Marvelous Game will reward players who get through its campaign. Arc Games hasn’t announced a lot of those rewards yet, but it did reveal that players can obtain a Green Slime companion. Check it out:

    Neverwinter Gets Meta

    Respen’s Marvelous Game will be available in Neverwinter today starting at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST. There’s no word on how long it will last, but it’s a seasonal event. Players had better complete it before it goes away until next year.

    Image via Arc Games

  • Final Fantasy XIV PS4 Beta Starts February 22

    Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn may be the greatest comeback in gaming history thanks to Square Enix admitting the original game was an absolute mess and rebuilding it from the ground up. The result was an MMO that celebrates the history and legacy of Final Fantasy in the best of ways. Now, PS4 owners will soon get to see what all the hubbub is about.

    Square Enix announced this morning that the Final Fantasy XIV open beta will hit the PS4 on February 22. The first phase of the beta will last from February 22 to March 3 after which a character wipe will occur. After that, phase two of the beta will go from April 4 to April 7 after which the characters created during this phase can be used in the final game which launches April 14.

    Here’s what you can expect from the PS4 version of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn:

  • Upgraded graphics on the PS4 in glorious 1080p.
  • PS Vita Remote Play — craft, gather, and play wherever you go.
  • Share-support — stream your gameplay or share screenshots.
  • Mouse & Keyboard Support — switching over from a PC? No problem!
  • Touchpad-Support — the touchpad of Dualshock 4 is fully supported.

    • If you’re already playing the PS3 version of FFXIV, you can transfer your character to the PS4 version for free starting April 11. Square Enix notes that those who transfer will no longer be able to play the PS3 version of the game.

    On a side note, those who already playing on the PS3 or PC who want to join their PS4 owning friends during the beta can transfer their characters to the PS4 version. This is only necessary during the beta as the final retail version will feature cross platform support between all three versions.

    Finally, here’s a trailer showing the PS4 version of the game in action:

    Image via PlayStation/YouTube

  • The Old Republic Galactic Starfighter Expansion Now Available To Everyone

    Last month, BioWare introduced space combat to Star Wars: The Old Republic as part of the Galactic Starfighter expansion. At launch, the expansion could only be enjoyed by subscribers as free-to-play players had to wait. It turns out the wait was only for a month as the expansion is now available to all.

    BioWare announced this morning that the Galactic Starfighter expansion is now available to all players – regardless of their status. Now those who partake in the game’s free-to-play version will be able to jump into the same PvP matches that subscribers have been playing for the past month.

    “Space combat is an iconic Star Wars experience that adds another level of excitement and immersion within The Old Republic universe,” said Jeff Hickman, Vice President, General Manager of BioWare Austin. “Galactic Starfighter shows that BioWare is committed to giving fans, new and old, the high quality Free-to-Play Star Wars experience.”

    Despite having the new expansion for over a month, certain features were not available to subscribers until its official launch. Starting today, all players will now have access to the following new features:

  • New Gameplay Mode: Team Deathmatch – The goal is to destroy the most enemy players and acquire power-up items to turn the tide of battle.
  • New Starfighter Role: The Bomber – Decimate enemies playing as the Bomber, featuring the strongest hull of any Starfighter, and launch proximity mines and automated drones to defend your team.
  • New Tactical Flashpoint: Kuat Drive Yards – Join your friends to fight through a highly contested orbital shipyard with one of the most prolific warship manufacturing facilities in the galaxy. Available to players Level 15+, this new ‘Tactical Flashpoint’ is balanced for any type of group, comprised of any combination of the four class roles, ensuring you can get into the action quickly. Combat scenarios can change with each play-through and players can earn valuable rewards like the “KDY Orbital Lifter” mount, unique Starfighter Paint Jobs and more!

    • If you want space combat without any of the MMO, you might want to wait for Star Wars Attack Squadron. The PC free-to-play title claims to harken back to the days of X-Wing and TIE Fighter by giving players the chance to pilot classic Star Wars starfighters in 8v8 matches.

    Image via GamersPrey/YouTube

  • ‘Elder Scrolls Online’ Collector’s Edition Announced

    The April release of The Elder Scrolls Online is getting nearer, and Bethesda’s Tamriel-based MMO is beginning to take on its final form. The publisher today announced that The Elder Scrolls Online will, unsurprisingly, get a collector’s edition.

    The Elder Scrolls Online Imperial Edition is packed with all the physical and digital add-ons MMO fans are used to in collector’s editions. The package comes with a foot-tall statue of Molag Bal, a Daedric Prince and the first major villain of The Elder Scrolls Online. In addition to the statue centerpiece, players will get an illustrated 224-page “The Improved Emperor’s Guide to Tamriel” book, a 21″ x 26″ map of Tamriel, and a steelbook case for the game disc itself.

    ESO Imperial Edition

    The physical items will be supplemented with several in-game bonuses, including a White Imperial Horse mount, a Mudcrab pet, and rings of Mara, which can increase experience gain when used between players. Players who purchase the Imperial Edition will also get the opportunity to play as an Imperial in any in-game faction they choose.

    The Elder Scrolls Online Imperial Edition is already available for pre-order through the new Elder Scrolls Online store and other retailers. The collector’s edition is selling for $100, but a digital version of the package containing only the in-game items can also be purchased for $80.

    Along with the pre-order announcement, Bethesda today released a new cinematic trailer for The Elder Scrolls Online:

  • Kate Beckinsale, John Cleese to Voice Characters in ‘The Elder Scrolls Online’

    A recurring complaint for many Elder Scrolls games is that the same voices are often heard from numerous different characters throughout the games. Of course this stems from the fact that there are hundreds of characters in games such as Skyrim and the fact that players spend countless hours in these game worlds. Still, Bethesda seems to have recognized this complaint and spent quite a bit of money attempting to fill key roles for its upcoming Elder Scrolls MMO.

    Bethesda today announced several well-known British voice actors will be playing significant roles in The Elder Scrolls Online.

    The cast is led by Bill Nighy, a character actor known for many roles, including appearances in the Underworld series, Shaun of the Dead, and Love Actually. Nighy plays High King Emeric in the new MMO, a merchant prince who has become the king of High Rock.

    Nighy’s Underworld co-star Kate Beckinsale has also leant her voice to the game, voicing Queen Ayrenn, the leader of the Aldmeri Dominion and the High Elves. Alfred Molina is also part of the game’s political intrigue, playing wizard Abnur Tharn, the leader of the Elder Council of the Empire.

    Seemingly less important characters will be played by John Cleese (of Monty Python fame) and Michael Gambon (Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies). Cleese voices an eccentric character named Cadwell, while Gambon lends his voice to a blind man called The Prophet.

    Major supernatural beings in The Elder Scrolls Online will also be voice by famous performers. Lynda Carter (the former Wonder Woman) will voice daedric princess Azura, while Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) will be voicing the game’s current main villain, the daedric prince Molag Bal.

    All of these performers can be seen in the long introduction video that Bethesda released along with the announcement:

  • Warlords Of Draenor Is Your Next World Of Warcraft Expansion

    In a year from now, we’ll be approaching the 10th anniversary of World of Warcraft. For such an event, you would expect Blizzard to maybe announce a new MMO, but the venerated game developer has decided to stick to its guns and release another expansion for its almost decade old game.

    At BlizzCon 2013, Blizzard announced that the next expansion to hit World of Warcraft will be called Warlords of Draenor. This latest expansion will introduce characters and locations from the first three Warcraft RTS games into the World of Warcraft universe. The expansion will also raise the level cap to 100, and instantly raise one player character to level 90 so they can immediately access the new content.

    “Warlords of Draenor gives players a chance to take a commanding role in one of the Warcraft series’ most crucial conflicts,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “This expansion also includes features that make it easy for anyone to jump right into the action, whether they’ve played WoW at some point in the past or are just setting foot in Azeroth for the first time.”

    In classic Blizzard fashion, the debut trailer is pretty amazing.

    Besides introducing characters from the older games into the MMO, this latest expansion also allows players to build and upgrade garrisons. Blizzard says the garrison will act as “expandable, customizable stronghold that will serve as each player’s personal base of operations throughout the course of the expansion.” Players will be able to recruit NPCs à la Suikoden and have them take care of the garrison while they’re out and about.

    All in all, Blizzard looks to have another hit on its hand that will ensure WoW stays alive for many more years to come. Considering that the developer has reportedly delayed its next MMO until 2016, Blizzard may need to keep WoW alive for at least a few more years.

    There’s no launch date for the latest WoW expansion, but you can probably expect to see it sometime next year.

    [Image: World of Warcraft/YouTube]

  • Colin Farrell Rumored For ‘World of Warcraft’ Movie Role

    Though no video game movie has yet pleased critics, massive hits such as Grand Theft Auto V and box office success such as the Resident Evil movie franchise will ensure movie studios keep going back to video games for source material. Now, Legendary Pictures is in pre-production on a movie version of perhaps the most-played game of all time.

    Deadline today reported that Colin Farrell and Paula Patton are both in talks for roles in a movie adaptation of the popular MMO World of Warcraft. The report’s unnamed Hollywood sources stated that Farrell is far from confirmed for the project, and that director Duncan Jones is currently screen-testing other actors for Farrell’s rumored role. In addition to Farrell and Patton, Deadline also reported that Paul Dano, Travis Fimmel, Anson Mount, and Anton Yelchin are also being considered for lead roles in the flick.

    World of Warcraft is one of the few gaming brands that has the potential to draw millions of MMO fans to theaters. With a fantasy setting backed by a plethora of lore (including novels), a movie adaptation of the game could even end up being decent.

    Other movie studios will also be betting big on video games in the near future. Publisher Ubisoft alone has several film projects in the works, including Splinter Cell and Assassin’s Creed movies.

    (Image courtesy Blizzard)

  • Star Wars: The Old Republic Adds New PvP Zones In Dread War Update

    Star Wars: The Old Republic became one of the biggest jokes of 2012 as the much hyped MMO went free-to-play in less than a year after losing thousands of subscribers. Now the game is starting to see some life again after a few successful additions, including a full-fledged expansion, brought life back into the game. Now EA is continuing that momentum with a big update coming in the game’s latest patch.

    EA and BioWare announced today that Star Wars: The Old Republic will be getting a new expansion on October 1 called The Dread War. The expansion will add new 4v4 PvP Warzone Arenas into the game alongside two new level 55 Operations – The Dread Fortress and The Dread Palace.

    “We are constantly looking to improve the gameplay experience in Star Wars: The Old Republic, finding fresh new ways for players to try it out while offering new, higher-level content to our existing community,” said Jeff Hickman, General Manager of BioWare Austin. “With the addition of the new BitRaider streaming download, the upcoming Game Update 2.4, which includes two new Operations and the launch of PvP Warzone Arenas, there’s never been a better time to join us.”

    The Old Republic remains free to play, but the game does offer subscriptions to players who want to get more out of their experience. To encourage more subscriptions, EA is offering the first expansion – Rise of the Hutt Cartel – free to those who join or rejoin the game as a subscriber.

    Alongside news of the latest update, EA also shared a new live-action promo for the game that highlights the main problem with any Star Wars MMO – there are too many Jedi:

    [Image: swtheoldrepublic/YouTube]

  • ‘Final Fantasy XIV’ Digital Sales Still Suspended

    MMO launches are never smooth. Even when developers throw down the money for extra launch servers and hold extensive beta tests, the hundreds of thousands of people hitting those servers on launch day are bound to cause technical problems. Not only that, but the abundance of new characters in starting areas can begin to frustrate new players trying to complete quests in the midst of a crowd.

    The re-launch of Final Fantasy XIV as Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has been no exception to this rule. Square Enix is attempting to solve the MMO’s popularity problem as so many other publishers have: by suspending sales of the game. It’s not an ideal solution for companies trying to sell more copies of a game, but a necessary one for the health of a subscription-based MMO.

    Square Enix specifically shut off digital sales of Windows and PlayStation 3 copies of A Realm Reborn. The publisher stated in its announcement that more than 187,000 simultaneous users were connected to the game at one point, limiting a large number of players who already bought the game from logging on and playing. From the statement:

    This restriction has resulted in a great deal of inconvenience to players. We are currently working hard to expand the system, including server capacity in both the Japanese and North American & European data centers. Judging from login numbers observed during the early access period, we anticipate that the number of concurrently connected users will reach 200,000 shortly.

    The sales restriction is expected to be lifted some time next week. Square Enix stated that it is preparing to add “additional Worlds” (new servers) to the game to ease server populations.

    (Image courtesy Square Enix)

  • The Elder Scrolls Online Will Cost You $14.99 A Month

    For those of you who are eager to get your MMO on in Tamriel, some recent news may take some of that wind out of your sails. If, however, money is no object, carry on with your anticipation. While those who populate the World of Warcraft are probably asking what the fuss is about, the fact that the upcoming Elder Scrolls Online will feature a monthly subscription rate of $14.99 a month apparently caught some by surprise, at least according to Twitter. Those familiar with the MMORPG traditional business model–before dreaded microtransactions moved in–expected something along these lines, but for others, it appears as if Bethesda and ZeniMax may have just lost some potential customers with their confirmation of the subscription price.

    In an interview with Gamestar.de, Matt Firor, General Manager of ZeniMax Online, did just that:

    Since you’ve been so forthcoming, could you also reveal the available subscriptions? How much will a month of ESO cost?

    We’ll go into details on this later, but the basic monthly charge will be $14.99/€12.99/£8.99 and expect some discounts if you buy multiple months at a time. We’ll also support game time cards as well as a variety of payment methods.

    From the sound of it, players will be able to buy subscription gift cards that will secure blocks of time, much like WoW’s Game Time. Judging by the reaction on Twitter, apparently, some people were hoping for the Free-To-Play/microtransaction model instead of paying a monthly subscription after the base game has been purchased:


    However, at least one lone dissenter prefers the monthly charge to having to buy essential in-game items while they’re playing:


    That, however, seems to represent the minority reaction, but then again, maybe some of the negativity is from people following the current trend. With that in mind, which side of the fence are you on? The “Hell yeah more Skyrim” side that will pay willingly or the side that says the hell with monthly subscriptions?

    [Lead image via]

  • Take A Tour Of Eorzea In Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

    Final Fantasy XIV will be remembered as one of the biggest disasters in gaming history. It may also be remembered as a miraculous turnaround as well thanks to Square Enix owning up to its mistakes and completely reworking the game for a relaunch later this year.

    If you’re interested in the reworked Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, you’ll want to check out Square Enix’s latest video tour series. It’s a fascinating look at the different areas that make up the world of Eorzea. You also get to see the difference in visuals between the PC and PlayStation 3 versions of the title.

    If there’s one thing that can be said, it’s that Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is quite the looker. The original game wasn’t ugly by any means, but the title looks noticeably better than before. The new music is also sounding very nice. In the end, it looks like Square Enix has truly went above and beyond to make sure that Final Fantasy XIV will be remembered as an exceptional, if a little derivative, MMO instead of as a joke.

    Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is scheduled to launch on August 27 for PC and PlayStation 3.

  • The Kwama Return In The Elder Scrolls Online

    One of the complaints levied against Oblivion and Skyrim is that neither title was like Morrowind. Well, that’s to be expected as they take place in entirely different regions of Tamriel, but you just can’t please some people. Those same people may be pleased to know then some of the creatures from Morrowind are back in The Elder Scrolls Online.

    Bethesda released a new trailer today featuring the Kwama – insect-like creatures that populate the world of Morrowind. The creatures live in egg mine caves that are frequently exploited by the local populace as the eggs and other ingredients are integral to the economy.

    In The Elder Scrolls Online, the team has brought back Kwama scribs, workers and warriors. Here’s what players can look forward to:

    Each variation of the kwama has its own attacks, and some of these interact with each other to produce new effects—we call these synergies. The worker can charge and knock a character back, and the warrior unearths a giant rock to launch at its foes. If the warrior lifts a rock out of an area the worker charges through, it creates a swarm of scrib! These combinations play on the natural cooperation between the different kinds of kwama and help them feel like a cohesive group. A kwama on its own may not be a big threat, but they can be overwhelming when they work together.

    The above trailer also gives us another good look at the new first person combat in ESO. It’s looking much better now than it did when the game was third person only. Who knows – The Elder Scrolls Online might just end up being pretty awesome.

    The Elder Scrolls Online is slated to launch in 2014 for the PC, Xbox One and PS4.

  • Travel To Coldharbour In Latest Elder Scrolls Online Trailer

    With Skyrim officially wrapped up, players might find themselves yearning for more adventures in Tamriel sooner rather than later. The Elder Scrolls Online might just scratch that particular itch when it launches later this year.

    in the latest trailer for the MMO, the game’s producers reveal that the Daedric Lord Molag Bal is the key antagonist throughout the game’s main storyline. In fact, he steals the player’s character’s soul at the beginning, and players must fight to get it back. The quest will see players traveling to Coldharbour – the oblivion plane belonging to Molag Bal.

    All of this certainly looks nice, but the real challenge will be convincing fans of Bethesda’s sprawling first-person RPGs to give The Elder Scrolls Online a shot. MMOs, especially those that are subscription based, are not exactly in vogue anymore. Still, Besthesda and Zenimax Online could knock it out of the park by creating an MMO that can last more than a few months before going free-to-play.

    We’ll probably get a firm release date at E3, but The Elder Scrolls Online is still set for launch later this year.

  • Super Adventure Box Comes To Guild Wars 2 [April Fools’]

    Some companies and developer like to create fake products on April Fools’ Day, but a few adventurous types make their pranks a reality. Guild Wars 2 developers ArenaNet took this road less traveled and created an entirely new area within the popular MMO.

    ArenaNet announced today that Super Adventure Box, an 8-bit homage to the games of yesteryear, is a new area that will be available to Guild Wars 2 players for the entirety of April.

    I usually dread April Fools’ Day, but ArenaNet has made my day with this little stunt. The fact that it’s a real area within the game makes it even better. I stopped playing Guild Wars 2 months ago, but I might just have to jump back in for this.

    [h/t: Kotaku]

  • Eve Online Hits Half a Million Subscribers

    Today, Icelandic developer CCP Games announced that subscriptions for its Eve Online MMO have surpassed the 500,000 mark.

    Eve Online is the science fiction MMO that allows players to operate and own their own spaceships while participating in a player-created universe full of political intrigue and trade negotiations. Because of the game’s heavy reliance on trade and economics, it is often disparagingly (or lovingly) referred to as “spreadsheets in space.” Though the game isn’t free-to-play, players who have enough of Eve‘s in-game currency can purchase monthly subscriptions with it.

    “Ten years after release, it is incredibly inspiring that, through a lot of hard work from our Eve Online team, we are crossing the half-million subscriber mark,” said Hilmar Veigar Pétursson, CEO of CCP. “For me, this is a true testament that Eve can live on forever, as long as we do right by her. We have not come to this point alone; millions of players have helped push us to this milestone. I now know in my mind what I previously only believed in my heart: that Eve will outlive us all.”

    In January, CCP began an open beta on the PlayStation 3 console for its new game, Dust 514. Dust 514 is a free-to-play first-person shooter that shares the same world as Eve Online. Actions taken in either game can affect the economy, politics, and outcome of battles in the other.

  • Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn PS3 Beta Sign-Ups Are Live

    It takes quite a bit of work to reboot an MMO, but Square Enix is determined to make the business model work. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is slated to be released some time in the second quarter of 2013, and it appears that the project is nearly complete.

    Today Naoki Yoshida, director of A Realm Reborn, took to the PlayStation Blog this week and announced that PlayStation 3 gamers will soon get a chance to try out the game through a phase of the beta test that is “about to commence.” Players can sign up for the beta at Square Enix’s website.

    A Realm Reborn will feature homages from classic Final Fantasy titles such as Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy VII. From the blog post:

    We consider it one of our missions to reacquaint gamers all over the world with the wonders of Final Fantasy. To this end, we’ll be incorporating the most memorable elements of the series into A Realm Reborn. Mind you, this won’t be limited only to the game’s launch; in subsequent patches, we plan to keep adding more great stuff from Final Fantasy’s 25-year history. For starters, adventurers will be able to take on the Crystal Tower (FFIII) raid dungeon, do battle with classic summons (such as Ifrit, Titan, and Leviathan), and ride magitek armor (FFVI). It goes without saying that there’ll be moogles and chocobos as well. Your trusty steed will fight beside you in battle, and can also be dressed up in neat costumes. Future patches will introduce series mainstay Gilgamesh, and also the fun and excitement of the Gold Saucer (FFVII).

    In conjunction with the beta announcement, a new trailer for the game has also been released. Though it is labeled as an “Exploration Trailer,” it features plenty of battle footage.

  • Star Wars: The Old Republic “Relics of the Gree” Event Teased in New Video

    Last April, the Star Wars: The Old Republic MMO held its first live in-game event. The Rakghoul Plague event, as it was called, had players running around Tatooine and infecting each other with a deadly plague.

    Of course, that was before it became clear that the game was hemorrhaging subscribers, before the massive layoffs that hit Bioware Austin, and before the game embraced the free-to-play business model.

    This year’s in-game event begins tomorrow, February 12 and lasts until February 26. Titled “Relics of the Gree,” the event will task players with uncovering the mystery of an advanced Gree ship that has appeared in orbit around the planet Ilum. Bioware has described the event as one that will be “recurring” throughout the rest of 2013.

    The new teaser trailer for the content shows plenty of space slugs and a giant wampa for players to slay.

  • Elder Scrolls Online Beta Sign-Ups Are Live, 6-Minute Cinematic Trailer Released

    The announcement Elder Scrolls and MMO fans alike have been waiting for has finally arrived. Bethesda has officially opened sign-ups for The Elder Scrolls Online beta testing.

    The sign-up questionnaire can be found on The Elder Scrolls Online website here. The questions include guild affiliation, previous MMOs played, previous Elder Scrolls games played, play style, and a DxDiag file from your computer.

    Gamers who are selected for beta testing will get access to early versions of the game. Bethesda even mentioned that the first beta test will begin “soon.” Of course, “soon” in the MMO world is very relative.

    To celebrate the big announcement, Bethesda also released a big trailer for the upcoming MMO. The trailer, called “The Alliances” is a nearly 6-minute cinematic tease for ZeniMax Online’s vision of a multiplayer Elder Scrolls experience.