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SWTOR – MMO subscriber numbers “are funny things,” lots of “variables to consider,” says BioWare

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BioWare’s Emmanuel Lusinchi has said there are many variables and metrics when it comes to figuring out how many players an MMO such as Star Wars: The Old Republic has; therefore, when a number is provided by the company or a retailer, it’s not the full picture.

Speaking with Spong at MCM London Comic Con, Lusinchi said that while he is no expert when it comes to subscriber numbers, he is given feedback when it comes to gameplay events, such as the Rakghoul Plague.

“Subscriber numbers are funny things. How you count them – the math you use – really matters, and there are lots of variables to consider,” he said. “Such as, people that simply subscribe compared to people that actually buy the box. There are very different numbers out there, and you should be smart about which one you use when you talk to the press.

“All games of this nature, have a set of variables that are constantly changing. You will have a certain number of people that buy the box and never install it. I know it sounds strange, but it happens. There are people that play it, and then decide after ten minutes that it’s not for them – that’s a small percentage, but every game has them. Finally you have people who play for a couple of months, finish the story, and then be done with it.

“All of those are natural things to be expected, and they will all impact the subscriber numbers, depending on how you’re counting them in the first place.

“I do get really good feedback – what we call metrics, or telemetry – that allow me to actually do my job. So it’s more interesting for me to get feedback on how many people played the Rakghoul Plague event, something that happened a few weeks ago. To know if people who hadn’t played for a while came back just to play that… was it so that we had a surge in subscriptions so that maybe people that lapsed came back… I get to know how many people – what percentage of people – participated in it, and how many people finished it. And that’s a number I can work with.”

There have been many analyst reports over the last few months citing drops in subscription numbers for SWTOR. Recently, a SWTOR player took it upon himself to do some server population figuring, and found that the average game server has 344 players online at a given time.

SOE takes Wizardry Online under its wing

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Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, MMO industry, Massively Event Coverage

Sony Online Entertainment published its full line-up for E3 -- and it contained one whopper of a surprise. According to the press release, SOE is now publishing Wizardry Online, the hardcore MMO that we first saw a year ago at the expo.

The reveal of Wizardry Online is one of two new titles that SOE's bringing to E3 (the other being Bullet Run). Attendees will be able to get hands-on time with the demo on the show floor.

Wizardry Online is being developed by Gamepot and is a continuation of the classic RPG series Wizardry. The MMO is notable for its decidedly tough-as-nails approach, featuring permadeath, non-instanced dungeons, player killing, and friendly fire.

[Source: SOE press release]

SOE takes Wizardry Online under its wing originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Webzen gearing up for C9 PvP tourney, Witchblade reveal at E3

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Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, real-world, Game mechanics, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Free-to-play

Webzen's Continent of the Ninth Seal, otherwise known as C9, hasn't made a lot of noise in the West as of yet. That may change after next week's E3, when the South Korean action MMO import will introduce a new class and strut its stuff via the championship finals of its PvP tournament. The new class is called the Witchblade, and E3 attendees will get some hands-on time with it as they battle the forces of evil in the game's Blenheim region.

Webzen is also showing off Arctic Combat, a new online FPS set on the frozen tundra of World War III. Check in with Massively next week as we'll be on the ground in Los Angeles to bring you all the latest MMO news and views.

[Source: Webzen press release]

Webzen gearing up for C9 PvP tourney, Witchblade reveal at E3 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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News: Rift: Storm Legion expansion confirmed for autumn release

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This fall players of Trion World's MMO Rift will face off against the dragon lord Crucia and her army of enchanted follows in Rift: Storm Legion, the game's first expansion pack.

Storm Legion will feature an increased level cap, two new continents, additional souls, and a new storyline designed to challenge even seasoned Rift players.

"The world of Telara is massive and sprawling, and players have only experienced a slice of what it has to offer," said Scott Hartsman, executive producer and Trion's chief creative officer. "Storm Legion is the next chapter in the Rift adventure, and takes players deeper than ever before. The expansion offers players an incredible amount of content – new zones, huge overland boss fights featuring hundreds of players, and...

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DARK ORBIT

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DarkOrbit SHOWDOWN AT DARKORBIT Duty calls! Enlist today and become a space pilot. Explore dangerous galaxies far, far away and win interstellar battles in DarkOrbit! DarkOrbit has achieved cult status among space games: Millions of players roam the galaxies looking for raw materials with their guns armed and ready for battle.

RIFT: Storm Legion expansion coming this fall

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Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Expansions, RIFT, Dungeons

The RIFT army cannot be stopped, and neither can Trion Worlds' incredibly hard-working team. Trion officially announced today that RIFT's first expansion, Storm Legion, will be hitting the stores this fall. Executive Producer Scott Hartsman said that the expansion will "triple in size" the amount of content and territory that players currently have. "RIFT: Storm Legion is about more, more, more," he said.

Storm Legion will open up two new continents for play: Dusken (a horror-themed continent) and Brevane (which hosts the cradle of Telaran civilization). Another major city will join the map, the dual-faction town of Tempest Bay.

Each continent will feature its own storyline, with the promise by the devs that the term "story" will feature far more heavily than mere busy work. The main story of the expansion is driven by Crucia, the Queen of Storms, who's bringing her huge entourage to Telara through the Infinity Gate.

Players have much to anticipate when the expansion releases. In addition to the new continents, the expansion will increase the level cap to 60, add capes to our wardrobes, experiment with a player housing system called "dimensions," introduce seven new dungeons and three new raids, add a crafting tier, and see another Chronicle join the roster. Players will also get to play with four new souls, one for each calling (Warrior, Rogue, Mage, and Cleric). Finally, for the brave at heart, the expansion will bring the immense colossus to terrorize the realms, and these open-world colossus battles are supposed to be like nothing we've ever seen before.

Get excited for RIFT: Storm Legion by watching the trailer after the jump!

Continue reading RIFT: Storm Legion expansion coming this fall

RIFT: Storm Legion expansion coming this fall originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 May 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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• Source: Gamespot

Spirit Tales Master Dango Pet Giveaway

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Claim your free pet for this new, free to play fantasy MMORPG.

So who wants a Guild Wars 2 closed beta key?

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Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Guild Wars 2, Giveaways

I could write a bunch of stuff here about how Guild Wars 2 is the most anticipated MMO launch of the year and we bet you really want to play in the next beta if you didn't already pre-purchase the game, but we know you just want that key! So go getchoo one!

Just click past the cut for a link to our giveaway page and complete redemption instructions for your chance to get started in June 8th's closed beta weekend.

Continue reading So who wants a Guild Wars 2 closed beta key?

So who wants a Guild Wars 2 closed beta key? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 31 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Embers of Caerus Kickstarter Campaign Reaches Funding Goal

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In under six days, this sandbox MMORPG received enough backers to continue development.

Guild Wars 2 - Community?

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Even if your game isn't very good, if someone's friend plays it, most likely they will join and this keeps communities, groups, guilds playing your game even if their might be something better available.

MMOGuides: How to Keep Your Accounts Safe

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Prevent hackers from stealing your game accounts with these tips & tricks.

Trion trademarks ‘Storm Legion’ for possible next RIFT expansion name

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Filed under: Sci-fi, Expansions, Lore, MMO industry, Rumors, RIFT

Just a few days ago expansion talk for RIFT was fueled by a mysterious box containing an assortment of items and emblazoned with the phrase "A Storm Is Brewing..." According to legal documents, Trion Worlds just trademarked the title Storm Legion, touching off even more speculation about a possible expansion. Some fans are already discussing what storylines might be developed in such an expansion; so far, the consensus seems to be for evolving the lore of Crucia and Regulos.

While there is no official word on an expansion, signs are certainly pointing towards one. As soon as we get more information we will pass it along.

[Thanks to Marc for the tip!]

Trion trademarks 'Storm Legion' for possible next RIFT expansion name originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 May 2012 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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• Source: Trademark thread

DARK ORBIT

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DarkOrbit SHOWDOWN AT DARKORBIT Duty calls! Enlist today and become a space pilot. Explore dangerous galaxies far, far away and win interstellar battles in DarkOrbit! DarkOrbit has achieved cult status among space games: Millions of players roam the galaxies looking for raw materials with their guns armed and ready for battle.

FFXIV version 2.0 trailer won’t be at E3 after all

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Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Events, real-world, Massively Event Coverage, Final Fantasy XIV

Just as Square-Enix is on the verge of releasing a "flood" of new information about Final Fantasy XIV's much-anticipated version 2.0, the studio says that the players' most wanted video will be missing from next month's major convention. That's right: The FFXIV 2.0 trailer will not be shown at E3 after all.

Square-Enix's Naoki Yoshida wrote of the trailer's completion in a recent producer's letter, but shared that the company is withholding it from E3 in order to package it with a larger marketing campaign. "During our most recent global PR planning meeting, we came to the conclusion that the most effective way to introduce version 2.0 to the world would be with a flood of new material rather than just a trickle," Yoshida said.

Final Fantasy XIV 2.0's public debut is still scheduled for E3, however. The trailer, along with the info-flood, is slated to be revealed this August. Version 2.0 will be a relaunch of the title alongside the PlayStation 3 release. It will feature overhauled graphics, server architecture, multiple in-game improvements, and additional racial/gender choices.

FFXIV version 2.0 trailer won't be at E3 after all originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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• Source: Gamer Escape

BioWare responds to SWTOR layoffs

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Filed under: Sci-fi, MMO industry, Star Wars: The Old Republic

If anyone knows just how brutal and unforgiving the MMO industry can be, it is certainly the folks at BioWare. Last week delivered a one-two punch to the studio, as the team had to contend with layoffs while breaking the news of server merges to the playerbase. Star Wars: The Old Republic Associate Lead Designer Emmanuel Lusinchi admitted that this came with the territory: "The MMO is the toughest part of the game industry without a doubt, and we live in tough economic times in general."

Despite the layoffs, Lusinchi said that the development team is still "one of the biggest" in the industry and has detailed plans for SWTOR's future. Still, that didn't make dealing with the realities of the job cuts any easier.

"On a personal level it's quite difficult to have people that you've been working with for a long time that you know personally, you go to their barbecue and you meet their families and it's never easy," he said. "I doubt it'd be easy in any industry for anyone, but it happens."

BioWare responds to SWTOR layoffs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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• Source: Games Industry