Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Tim Cain becomes design director for unannounced NCsoft titlehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/tim-cain-becomes-design-director-for-unannounced-ncsoft-title/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/tim-cain-becomes-design-director-for-unannounced-ncsoft-title/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/tim-cain-becomes-design-director-for-unannounced-ncsoft-title/#commentsFiled under:


NCsoft's Carbine Studios announced today that Fallout and Fallout 2 producer and designer Tim Cain has been named design director for the company's unannounced project. Carbine has pretty much been off the radar since last year when the studio was first announced and Tim Cain had the title of programmer director.

We're not that well versed in nit-picky game designer titles, so we actually asked Tim Cain what his new title means. Cain writes us: "As the programming director, I was responsible for trying to realize the ideas of the design director. I would take his requests for features and system specifications and coordinate my team of programmers to create those features and systems. If game development was a train, I was shoveling the coal into the engine to keep it chugging along. Now as the design director, I am the conductor of the train. I get to decide where we go and where we stop."

Now we patiently wait on a name for this secret project that's apparently been in development since the studio's inception in 2005.

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]]>carbine-studiosncsofttim-cainAlexander Sliwinski2008-10-07T16:30:00+00:00NCsoft Austin to expand at a 'dramatic pace'http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/ncsoft-austin-to-expand-at-a-dramatic-pace/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/ncsoft-austin-to-expand-at-a-dramatic-pace/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/19/ncsoft-austin-to-expand-at-a-dramatic-pace/#commentsFiled under:


This according to David Reid, the president of publishing at NCsoft's recently christened Seattle office, who despite rumors to the contrary recently assured Edge that the company's Austin office, which includes customer service, QA and the Tabula Rasa team, isn't going away anytime soon. Quite the opposite, in fact, as Reid describes Austin as "critically important" to NCsoft.

"We really do believe that Austin is going to grow at a fairly dramatic pace over the next few years," noted the exec. Growth is expected to be fueled by the company's upcoming MMO Aion, as well as other unannounced projects based on NCsoft's existing franchises. Truly, we're excited to hear of NCsoft's future plans, though we imagine not half as much as those in Austin who can now rest easy knowing, for the time being at least, any slips they may find at their desk when they arrive in the morning will be anything but pink.

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]]>aionncsoftncsoft-austintabula-rasaJason Dobson2008-09-19T05:00:00+00:00NCsoft creates NC West, confirms UK layoffshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/10/ncsoft-creates-nc-west-confirms-uk-layoffs/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/10/ncsoft-creates-nc-west-confirms-uk-layoffs/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/10/ncsoft-creates-nc-west-confirms-uk-layoffs/#commentsFiled under: ,


NCsoft is doing some massive consolidation and bringing NC Interactive, NC Europe, NC Austin and ArenaNet under one umbrella: NC West. The publisher will focus on becoming the "world's premier western publisher of MMOs" ... we're sure Blizzard is shaking. By year's end, NC West's headquarters will be established in Seattle.

The company also confirmed rumors that 58 positions at the company's UK office, most of which were in product development, are "potentially redundant." Joystiq's Corp-speak Translator(R): They is fired.

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]]>breakingnewsfiredlayoffsnc-westncsoftncsoft-europencwestAlexander Sliwinski2008-09-10T15:45:00+00:00PAX 2008: Appealing to an MMO Newbiehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/pax-2008-appealing-to-an-mmo-newbie/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/pax-2008-appealing-to-an-mmo-newbie/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/pax-2008-appealing-to-an-mmo-newbie/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Worth it or not, to me personally, pay-to-play MMOs always felt like a ridiculous proposition. Paying to play a game I already paid for is like paying $5 to bite into a delicious burger I just got at the drive-through. Still, the genre continues to spawn new titles as proven at the 2008 Penny Arcade Expo.

While many MMO titles were on display, two were the most talked-about massively multiplayer role-playing games of the show: Warhammer Online and Aion: The Tower of Eternity. Realizing my limited experience with MMOs in the past, the team at Joystiq tasked me with learning as much as I could about each title and see if they could appeal to a genre newbie willing to jump into the online fray.

From the beginning, this opinion piece is based on two key goals: play each game for a limited time and discuss the design with people close to the development. Each separate goal was decided to find out if either, or both, title has the ability to bring me into an online world for an extended period of time.

"While the game is built to scale well, Aion hitches on its graphical fidelity as a selling point."


Initially the biggest difference between the two titles are the visuals. Aion, which is powered by the original Crytek engine, looked vastly superior to Warhammer Online, but when I was shown Aion running on minimal specs, it immediately took the wind out of the title's sails. While the game is built to scale well, Aion hitches on its graphical fidelity as a selling point. That isn't to say Warhammer Online is a slouch in the graphical department, Aion just pops out more if your machine will be able to run it the way it was on display.

Jumping into each title posed very different experiences. Warhammer Online feels more traditional in gameplay, reserving its grand ideas for mission and story structure to keep players coming back. Aion's gameplay shakes things up with a strong focus on chain (combo) attacks and movement -- where level 10 players sprout wings for fast movement in lieu of mounts after a few "ascension" missions.

"As a player who wouldn't know where and when to begin team play, public quests are an exciting idea."

One of the better concepts for Warhammer Online is how gameplay is structured. An idea that picks and chooses concepts from other titles, players can partake in standard missions but also in preset scenarios which players can initiate or join at any time. The example I played through saw my Greenskin Shaman jump in the second tier of a attack scenario Public Quest. A friendly giant had been terrorized by baddies and players within the scenario were tasked with defeating a preset amount of the critters.

Once 20 were killed the second tier began, telling players to revive the fallen giant by collecting kegs of brew for him to drink. Once the correct number was reached, the giant used a large bomb to destroy a castle door, sending Dwarves pouring into the area. Defeating them closes off the third and final tier. As a player who wouldn't know where and when to begin team play, public quests are an exciting idea.

Warhammer Online also tries its hand at territory grabbing that will change the possession of the world based on successful raids. Think of the way Chromehounds on the Xbox 360 tried to work online.



Aion, on the other hand, focuses more on exploration and discovery of the other species. Mission structure is based on discovering the changed world as two very different factions fight for understanding and power. The shining difference is the interesting combo-skill attack system that takes away from, what I personally felt, was boring number-hitting attack moves in other MMOs.

A very basic theory on the two different structures could be lobbied at a large, established world versus a new world that hopes to entice players. Warhammer, if you weren't aware, is timeless to fans and the MMO from Mythic Entertainment is an extension of that established universe. Aion is a brand new experience from NCsoft that hopes to draw players in with beautiful visuals and rewarding tasks (ie. the ability to fly without use of a mount).



This editorial isn't meant to recommend one over the other, nor is it meant to disclose every piece of detail for each title. As someone who hasn't sunk into the genre this idea is based on looking for features that could appeal to my twitch gaming habits. So far, both titles offer something I'm willing to put time into. The only hope is that each game can sustain its appeal over time and will make me feel better about paying $5 to bite into that burger.

Ed. Note: This article has been changed to reflect the official name of the situations outlined, known as Public Quests.

Warhammer Online Coverage Make sure to check out all of Massively's previous Warhammer Online features, and don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!

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]]>aionaion-the-tower-of-eternityea-mythicjoystiqfeaturesmythic-entertainmentncsoftpax-08pax-2008pax2008warwarhammer-onlineXav de Matos2008-09-04T23:00:00+00:00Some NCsoft Austin layoffs confirmedhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/13/some-ncsoft-austin-layoffs-confirmed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/13/some-ncsoft-austin-layoffs-confirmed/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/13/some-ncsoft-austin-layoffs-confirmed/#commentsFiled under: ,


[Update: NCsoft has confirmed 21 layoffs, saying the cuts are coming from "positions on the Dungeon Runners team after deciding not to port the client to other platforms at this time" and "products which we have not previously announced and were in prototype phases." The number is much smaller than previously rumored numbers, lending context to earlier responses that the rumors were "pretty outrageous."]

Just a few short days after rumors that NCsoft would be cutting jobs at its Austin, TX location first bubbled to the surface - rumors that NCsoft told Edge were "just crazy" and "pretty outrageous" - comes word of several high-profile layoffs. Massively reports that April 'CuppaJo' Burba - an associate producer on Dungeon Runners and a popular community member - and Scott Jennings (aka Lum The Mad) - a project lead on an as-yet-unannounced MMO being developed in Austin - have both been laid off. Jennings also writes on his blog that his entire "team was let go as part of 'refocusing'" though he doesn't specify if the MMO they were all working on has been canceled or not.

There's no word yet on the fate of Tabula Rasa - rumored to be moved from Austin to Seattle, and placed under ArenaNet's watchful gaze - or of the sorta-recently acquired City of Heroes/Villains, but you know the drill: we'll let you know when we know.

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]]>BreakingNewslayoffsNCsoftNCsoft-AustinNCsoft-North-AmericaNCsoftrChristopher Grant2008-08-13T16:07:00+00:00Rumor: NCsoft to shutter Austin studio, reassign Tabula Rasa to Guild Wars devhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/rumor-ncsoft-to-shutter-austin-studio-reassign-tabula-rasa-to/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/rumor-ncsoft-to-shutter-austin-studio-reassign-tabula-rasa-to/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/rumor-ncsoft-to-shutter-austin-studio-reassign-tabula-rasa-to/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Hot on the heels of news that Midway would be laying off approximately 90 employees from its Austin location comes a tip from a reliable source that NCsoft Austin (a.k.a. NCsoft North America) is on the verge of eliminating all of its development staff. The studio is currently home to the teams behind Tabula Rasa and Dungeon Runners, the latter of which will "be closed," according to our source. We've been told that only customer support staff will continue to operate out of the branch.

Future development of Tabula Rasa will reportedly be handed over to Seattle-based Guild Wars creator Arena.net, with Massively reporting that the title may meet a similar fate as Dungeon Runners if it "fails to turn the tide of subscribers and expectations." It has also learned that any future collaboration between NCsoft and Tabula Rasa principals Richard and Robert Garriot will be "limited in scope," due to a souring of relations with the Korean management team over their title's lackluster performance.

With regard to City of Heroes, a source at NCsoft's Bay Area studio confirmed with us that its development staff will be completely unaffected by the events transpiring in Austin, saying that the title's status is "sound." Further to this, the source echoed Massively's report that only the Austin studio is being affected, with remaining development proceeding normally in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Korea.

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]]>arena.netbreakingnewscity-of-heroesguild-warsNCsoftNCsoft-North-AmericaRumortabula-rasaRandy Nelson2008-08-12T18:30:00+00:00NCSoft summons its chi for martial arts MMOhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/05/ncsoft-summons-its-chi-for-martial-arts-mmo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/05/ncsoft-summons-its-chi-for-martial-arts-mmo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/05/ncsoft-summons-its-chi-for-martial-arts-mmo/#commentsFiled under: ,

Forgoing super heroes and knights in shining armor, NCSoft is turning to martial arts and Korean mythology for its latest MMO entry, Blade and Soul. The game is being built on Unreal Engine 3, and while it's currently planned for release only in Korea, its visual style and unique gameplay could help it get a foothold in the States.

From the looks of the first video, the game appears to draw heavy influences from Capcom's online hack-'n-slasher, Monster Hunter, working in character designs which seem like they could have been created for the PS2 action title Bujingai. Interactive environments are also part of the mix. In other words, it's definitely not the MMO equivalent of Jade Empire, but maybe BioWare will get to that after its so-not-a-secret KOTOR MMO?

[Via Massively]

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]]>blade-and-soulncsoftteam-bloodlustunreal-engine-3Randy Nelson2008-08-05T20:30:00+00:00NCsoft says Tabula Rasa is doing finehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/11/ncsoft-says-tabula-rasa-is-doing-fine/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/11/ncsoft-says-tabula-rasa-is-doing-fine/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/11/ncsoft-says-tabula-rasa-is-doing-fine/#commentsFiled under: , ,


An NCsoft Europe spokesperson tells Eurogamer that Tabula Rasa has a growing player base and isn't in any trouble. Recent reports suggest otherwise, as NCsoft was apparently too embarrassed by the game's performance to mention it in its recent Q1 financial report. NCsoft states that a recent European trial met with "great demand" and it'll do a similar promotion later this year.

It's no secret that Tabula Rasa's had a slow start, but just how bad is it? If MMOGCHART is to be believed, Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa has approximately 75,000 players, the same subscription numbers as his decade-old Ultima Onine.

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]]>ncsoftncsoft-europerichard-garriotttabula-rasatabularasaAlexander Sliwinski2008-06-11T17:00:00+00:00Tabula Rasa largely absent from NCSoft financial reportshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/06/tabula-rasa-largely-absent-from-ncsoft-financial-reports/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/06/tabula-rasa-largely-absent-from-ncsoft-financial-reports/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/06/tabula-rasa-largely-absent-from-ncsoft-financial-reports/#commentsFiled under: ,


Wherefore art thou, Tabula Rasa? Though we knew the title's been a bit slow to start, we were still a shocked when Richard Garriott's MMO was largely absent from publisher NCSoft's Q1 financial report. As Massively reports, the title appears only twice throughout the publicly accessible earnings report, and neither time in a particularly favorable light.

In a conference call following the release, CFO Lee Jae-Ho confirmed that the "Tabula Rasa operation" has not yet been profitable for NCSoft. This point, however, was only addressed during the Q&A session, and otherwise entirely ignored during Jae-Ho's formal presentation.

For those interested, Massively presents a more thorough breakdown of the financial standing of Tabula Rasa. We'll summarize here by saying "it ain't good."

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]]>ncsoftrichard-garriotttabula-rasaScott Jon Siegel2008-06-06T22:15:00+00:00Cryptic Studios appoints former SOE exec as CEOhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/cryptic-studios-appoints-former-soe-exec-as-ceo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/cryptic-studios-appoints-former-soe-exec-as-ceo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/03/cryptic-studios-appoints-former-soe-exec-as-ceo/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There's a new set of massively multiplayer hands on the wheel at Cryptic Studios, as the developer has announced the appointment of MMORPG industry vet John Needham as the company's new CEO. For those playing catch up, Cryptic, which is known for its infatuation with superheroes, developed the popular City of Heroes and City of Villains MMOs, properties it sold off to publisher NCSoft late last year before moving on to develop the decidedly not-Marvel MMO Champions Online.

Needham is not completely out of his element at Cryptic, having worked as a senior exec at Sony Online Entertainment since 2001. However, while he handled a wide range of duties at SOE, from business development to QA testing, it remains to be seen if this prepared him to don spandex and wield executive powers at the Los Gatos, CA based MMO dev.

[Via Big Download]

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]]>champions-onlinecity-of-heroescity-of-villainscityofheroescityofvillainscryptic-studioscrypticstudiosJohn-NeedhamJohnNeedhamncsoftJason Dobson2008-06-03T01:00:00+00:00NCsoft, Foundation 9, Atlus also skipping E3, other attendees confirmhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/ncsoft-foundation-9-also-skipping-e3-other-attendees-confirm/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/ncsoft-foundation-9-also-skipping-e3-other-attendees-confirm/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/02/ncsoft-foundation-9-also-skipping-e3-other-attendees-confirm/#commentsFiled under: ,


The E3 2008 confusion continues. Following the soon-to-be merged Activison and Vivendi Games' departure from the Entertainment Software Association and its E3 press event, we got to wondering who else might not be showing up for the annual game industry showing. The list of attendees on the (password-protected) E3 site leaves out some pretty big names, including MMO-publisher NCsoft who tells Joystiq that, though it's been an ESA member since last year, it will not be attending E3 this year because the timing of the event didn't work out for their upcoming releases. Gamespot reports that Foundation 9 won't be attending, stating, "We just didn't feel like we got enough out of the investment last year in order to justify the expense this year." Atlus also confirmed to Joystiq that, despite attending last year's summit, it too would be skipping out on E3 2008.

Gamespot confirms that other names missing from the list - Bethesda, id Software, Majesco, and D3Publisher - still plan on attending. Kotaku claims that id Software is not attending despite Gamespot's story to the contrary. We've contacted id for clarification. They also assert that Her Interactive (best known for their popular Nancy Drew games) won't be attending, though the publisher didn't attend E3 last year either. We reached out to peripheral manufacturer Nyko who said that, though they aren't listed on the official site, they will nevertheless be attending.

As for a specific reason for the absences, outside of timing and exposure, Kotaku cites several unnamed sources who pin the blame straight on current ESA pres Michael Gallagher's well-tailored lapel. Is Gallagher out of touch with the video game industry?

[Update 4:58pm: Added Atlus and Nyko details.]


Read - Activision/Vivendi leave ESA, skip E3
Read - Five Publishers Drop Out of E3 This Year, Some Blame ESA President
Read - NCsoft, Foundation 9 bypass E3 '08

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]]>ESAFoundation-9id-SoftwareNCsoftChristopher Grant2008-05-02T16:27:00+00:00NCSoft licenses Unreal Engine 3 for two MMOshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/ncsoft-licenses-unreal-engine-3-for-two-mmos/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/ncsoft-licenses-unreal-engine-3-for-two-mmos/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/25/ncsoft-licenses-unreal-engine-3-for-two-mmos/#commentsFiled under: ,


Mo' MMO news now, with Guild Wars publisher NCSoft announcing its licensing of Epic's Unreal Engine 3 for use in two upcoming, still unannounced massively multiplayer titles. The company previously incorporated Unreal technology into Lineage II and giant-mech shooter, Exteel. Much like the rest of us, it seems the folks at NCSoft simply can't resist a well structured rendering pipeline.

"Unreal Engine 3 has a well structured rendering pipeline, and its graphical quality is superb thanks to advanced lighting and shadowing systems," said Young-muk Choi, lead programmer for NCsoft's Development Unit. "Tools within the Unreal Editor empower us to instantly produce and optimize our outputs, and we especially love how the engine enables designers to easily prototype concepts without the need for programming." Jay Wilbur, VP of Epic Games, returned the press release back patting by saying, "We expect to be completely wowed by what they do with our latest technology."

So do we, Mr. Wilbur. In fact, it'll take a lot to wow the millions who've already been thoroughly WoW'ed.

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]]>EpicEpic-GamesNCSoftUnrealUnreal-Engine-3unrealengine3Ludwig Kietzmann2008-03-25T18:00:00+00:00Producer admits Tabula Rasa is starting slow [Updated]http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/producer-admits-tabula-rasa-is-starting-slow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/producer-admits-tabula-rasa-is-starting-slow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/03/06/producer-admits-tabula-rasa-is-starting-slow/#commentsFiled under: ,


Though it certainly looked promising pre-release, it has seemed to us that Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa isn't exactly taking off. We're not playing it, and as far as we know, we don't know anyone who's playing it. Now, in a "State of the Game" post on NCsoft's official website, producer Starr Long admitted that they haven't received the reception they would have liked, saying, "the game has not taken off as quickly as we had hoped."

The admission comes almost a month after reports of major financial trouble and layoffs for NCsoft caused by the game. That said, Long does have some good excuses, and he reaffirms that NCsoft is still devoted to seeing the game succeed. Meanwhile, Richard Garriott is training to go into space. ... We don't have a joke here, we just thought you should know.

[Via Eurogamer]

[UPDATE: Starr Long is, in fact, a male, not a female. We regret the error.]

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]]>ncsoftrichard-garriotttabula-rasaJustin McElroy2008-03-06T21:00:00+00:00GDC08: The future of MMOshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/gdc08-the-future-of-mmos/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/gdc08-the-future-of-mmos/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/gdc08-the-future-of-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Earlier today fans of Massively Multiplayer Online Games were given a rare treat: a look into the future of the genre. Five veteran members of the gaming industry debated the finer points of MMO game creation as it exists today, and how the games of tomorrow will be bolted together. Participants included Cryptic Studios' Jack Emmert, NCsoft's Matt Miller, BioWare's Ray Muzyka, Nexon's Min Kim, and Blizzard's Rob Pardo. Each designer brought their own unique points of view to the conversation, and their visible conflicts made for a not only entertaining but informational dialogue.

The biggest point of contention during the discussion was the subject of Microtransactions; while Nexon's business model is based entirely on that concept, Cryptic's Emmert was a staunch opponent of the practice in general and as a "magic bullet" in specific. Mr. Emmert also dug several times at Blizzard and Rob Pardo, cracking jokes like "Isn't it true that Blizzard is going to buy the entire continent of Africa?" and essentially stating that the Massive gaming industry is deeply sick as a result of WoW's success.

The entire liveblog of the discussion is available over at Massively, and is well worth a look.

Gallery: GDC08: The Future of MMOs

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]]>biowareblizzardcity-of-heroesmaplestorymatt-millermin-kimncsoftnexonray-muzykarob-pardoworld-of-warcraftMichael Zenke2008-02-22T01:30:00+00:00NCSoft to announce first console game this yearhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/13/ncsoft-to-announce-first-console-game-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/13/ncsoft-to-announce-first-console-game-this-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/02/13/ncsoft-to-announce-first-console-game-this-year/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Though NCSoft has made a name for itself as a PC-based MMO developer and publisher, the South Korean company will soon be expanding to the console business, with plans to announce its first title before the second half of this year.

Wired recently spoke with NCSoft president Chris Chung, who confirmed that a title is in the works for PS3 and that it would not only be announced this year, but shown. When asked whether NCSoft would be porting one of its popular PC titles to the console, Chung stated that it's important to design gameplay suited to the console's strengths. Whether this means an entirely new title, or simply a console-oriented version of an existing IP remains to be seen.

[Via Massively]

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]]>ncsoftScott Jon Siegel2008-02-13T05:00:00+00:00NCSoft cancels Spacetime MMO, layoffs followhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/14/ncsoft-cancels-spacetime-mmo-layoffs-follow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/14/ncsoft-cancels-spacetime-mmo-layoffs-follow/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/14/ncsoft-cancels-spacetime-mmo-layoffs-follow/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Publisher NCSoft has canceled work on Blackstar, a science-fiction MMO deep in development by Austin-based Spacetime Studios. As a result of the cancellation, Spacetime has been forced to lay off 12 of its employees, but remains somewhat optimistic and committed to the IP.

Spacetime shares news of the cancellation on their official website, making it clear that they are disappointed by NCSoft's decision, but that they will not allow it to affect their relationship with the company. For the 12 employees who were laid off, Spacetime will supply severance, extended benefits, and letters of recommendation. On the official site, Spacetime encourages developers looking to hire to contact them for more information about these individuals.

As for BlackStar, Spacetime appears dedicated to continuing work on the MMO, and looking for other publishers once all contractual obligations with NCSoft have been completed. Spacetime has handled this entire matter with incredible class and dignity, and we wish them the best of luck.

[Via GameDaily]

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]]>blackstarncsoftspacetimespacetime-studiosScott Jon Siegel2008-01-14T06:00:00+00:00City of Heroes, City of Villains IPs sold to NCSofthttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/06/city-of-heroes-city-of-villains-ips-sold-to-ncsoft/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/06/city-of-heroes-city-of-villains-ips-sold-to-ncsoft/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/06/city-of-heroes-city-of-villains-ips-sold-to-ncsoft/#commentsFiled under: ,


Independent developer Cryptic Studios has announced the sale of its intellectual and proprietary rights to super-powered MMO duo, City of Heroes and City of Villains. NCSoft, having acted as publisher for both franchises, will be taking ownership and will further license Cryptic's technology for future games. If all goes according to plan, both parties hope to make the transition invisible to currently playing saviors and psychopaths.

In a separate FAQ, Cryptic notes that this sale of two cities was prompted by the studio's desire for "complete creative freedom" and resources to delve into new titles and worlds. No changes to existing accounts are foreseen, as Cryptic believes the franchise is "in good hands at NCSoft." In fact, many of the same hands will still be involved, with NCSoft offering Cryptic members employment and forming a team dedicated to providing new content for each title. Seemingly content with what it accomplished with City of Heroes and City of Villains, Cryptic likely made a wise decision by letting NCSoft maintain the game while it explores new territory. Bring on City of Morally Ambiguous Freaks, None of Whom Resemble Marvel Characters (Especially Not Wolverine)!

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]]>City-of-HeroesCity-of-VillainsCityofHeroesCityofVillainsNCSoftLudwig Kietzmann2007-11-06T18:25:00+00:00NCSoft unveils Carbine, armed with former WoW, Fallout devshttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/04/ncsoft-unveils-carbine-arms-with-former-wow-and-fallout-devs/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/04/ncsoft-unveils-carbine-arms-with-former-wow-and-fallout-devs/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/04/ncsoft-unveils-carbine-arms-with-former-wow-and-fallout-devs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

MMO factory NCSoft today took the wrapping paper off of Carbine Studios, its latest developer. According to the press release, Carbine has some very apt cogs in its machinery deriving from 17 former Blizzard employees, "including lead and senior developers from the World of Warcraft team," including lead designer Kevin Beardslee, who is now the vice president of design.

Additionally, former Fallout designer Tim Cain has been tapped to be the programmer director. Carbine is currently working on an unannounced MMO, according to their website. No other details have been revealed, but the team definitely has a powerhouse of employees.

[Via Gamasutra]

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]]>blizzardcarbinecarbine-studiosfalloutncsoftworld-of-warcraftworldofwarcraftwowRoss Miller2007-10-04T17:55:00+00:00City of Heroes going back in timehttp://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/03/city-of-heroes-going-back-in-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/03/city-of-heroes-going-back-in-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/03/city-of-heroes-going-back-in-time/#commentsFiled under: ,


NCsoft has pulled the glasses off of its next update and revealed its secret identity. Issue 11, "A Stitch in Time," will allow players to travel into the past of the City of Heroes universe and relive (or live for the first time) some of the major events that helped to shape Paragon City.

Of course, there will also be the requisite new power sets ("Dual blades" is obvious, but we're curious about "Willpower") and enhanced customization of weapons to match the depth of the costume creation system in the game. It all sounds cool, but we're curious: Are any of you still playing CoH?

[Via TVG]

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]]>cityofheroesncsoftupdatesJustin McElroy2007-10-03T15:58:00+00:00Tabula Rasa delayed until Nov. 2http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/02/tabula-rasa-delayed-until-nov-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/02/tabula-rasa-delayed-until-nov-2/http://www.joystiq.com/2007/10/02/tabula-rasa-delayed-until-nov-2/#commentsFiled under: ,


Despite confirming an October 19th release date early last month, NCSoft has announced their years-in-the-making MMO Tabula Rasa will see a minor delay, bumped two weeks back to November 2. A message from the game's producer, Starr Long (now that's a stellar name!), on the official site explains, "This short but critical amount of time will give us time to address several issues including stability and balance as well as allowing our players to test the continent of Ligo (L38+) and our major changes to crafting for a few weeks rather than a few days."

Don't get all worried pre-orderers, your Halloween plans aren't ruined after all; you'll still get the game three days early on Oct. 30. Everyone else, what can we say besides we're sorry?

[Via Gamespot]

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]]>BreakingNewsdelayNCSoftTabula-RasaTabulaRasaChristopher Grant2007-10-02T23:09:00+00:00