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Time, space and Guild Wars 2

Rowan Kaiser — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 19:00:00 EST

This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

I suppose that people wouldn't complain about massively multiplayer RPGs all seeming the same if they didn't all have the same perspective, interface, combat system, and progression models, to name just a few things (there are many, many more). Yet I think the most important similarity is in how MMRPGs all use time and space - what you spend your time doing and where it happens. It seems that no matter the game in the genre, you spend roughly the same amount of time questing, walking, fighting, or crafting in similar places - this is part of why The Secret World's investigation quests felt so fresh.

Compare the lack of variety on these terms with first-person shooters, and it's easy to see that MMRPGs (with the exception of EVE Online) lack variety in their rhythm. It doesn't have to be this way. There's no conceptual reason why many persistent worlds have to be notable only for how much it deviates from models set by game such as EverQuest and World Of Warcraft.

Guild Wars 2 doesn't change the common perspective, interface, etc., making it look and play much like just about everything else in the genre. However, in terms of time and space, and how accessible (both in the literal and metaphorical sense of the word) it is. It's a dramatic shift for the genre. Guild Wars 2 makes traveling easy.

Gallery: Guild Wars 2 (2/20/12)

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Time, space and Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stiq Flicks: Guild Wars 2 and Stand By Me

Kevin Kelly — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 16:30:00 EST

Stiq Flicks - from film and video game industry freelance writer Kevin Kelly - examines video games and attempts to pair them with matching films. It's like wine and cheese, but with more aliens.

Guild Wars 2 seeks to revive the MMO genre that has been long-served by the now-aging World of Warcraft. While the game is different in many ways, you'll still be questing, adventuring and most importantly of all, partying up with others in order to become better, stronger and more resourceful.

That makes me think of all of the movies where a band of different adventurers come together in the name of a quest. There's actually a lot more than you would think, ranging from the ragtag group of time-traveling little people who snag hapless Kevin out of bed and into their hijinx in Time Bandits, to the motley group of kids in The Goonies who set out to find One-Eyed Willy's treasure.

There's also a slew of movies that deals with role-playing games. From Tom Hank's first starring role in Mazes and Monsters - based on the book of the same name, which is in turn based on events detailed in the investigative crime book The Dungeon Master - all the way to the documentary The Dungeon Masters, which I highlighted on the Joystiq Box Office a couple of years ago.

But without a great film that combines both a group of adventurers and the role-playing experience, at least until The Knights of Badassdom finally comes out, I'm applying the tried and true archetypes of adventure-partying to the classic Stand By Me.

Gallery: Guild Wars 2 (2/20/12)

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Stiq Flicks: Guild Wars 2 and Stand By Me originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Sep 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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JoyStream: Watch the Guild Wars 2 beta 'stress test' [updated with replay]

Xav de Matos — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST

For a limited time today, developer ArenaNet is putting its upcoming online world, Guild Wars 2, to the test with a four-hour beta event. Joystiq, having recently discovered the joy of yelling into a microphone while readers watch editors fail at video games, will be streaming the tail-end of today's event. Watch it after the break.

From 3:30pm to 5pm ET, the stream from Joystiq's new Twitch.tv account (which you should totally follow) will be open. While Xav de Matos plays through the game with a fresh character, Massively columnist Elisabeth Cardy will be on hand to manage your questions from the stream chat and comments on this post. Hilarious banter between both editors is expected, but not guaranteed.

This event represents a game still in beta and things may not function properly. Due to the nature of a "stress test" we may experience crashes, game freezes, and other performance and connection issues. The stream will later be available on Joystiq's YouTube channel. Subscribe!

Update: The stream is over, but we've added the YouTube embed of what you missed.

JoyStream: Watch the Guild Wars 2 beta 'stress test' [updated with replay] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexon pays $685 million for 14.7 percent of NCsoft

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 22:00:00 EST

Nexon is now a minority shareholder in MMO publisher NCsoft, having purchased 3.218 million shares of the company from NCsoft chairman/cofounder Taek Jin Kim to the tune of ₩804.5 billion ($685.43 millon) - 14.7 percent of total stock. This makes Nexon the largest shareholder in NCsoft, according to VentureBeat.

~~The purchase is part of a two-year agreement between the two South Korean game companies, though the specifics of said agreement remain shrouded in mystery~~. This announcement comes somewhat cooly on the heels of reports that claimed Nexon had designs to take over EA; reports that ended up being far less interesting than originally thought.

Update: Nexon has informed us that the deal was a "one-time purchase" and that they "have not made any announcements about any future plans."

Nexon pays $685 million for 14.7 percent of NCsoft originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 10 Jun 2012 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCSoft's iOS Gem Keeper goes free for now

JC Fletcher — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST

Perhaps our recommendation of NCSoft's Gem Keeper last year piqued your interest -- but your interest didn't reach a 99-cent level of piquedness. Luckily, thanks to a Free App a Day partnership, you can now download the iOS tower defense title for free!

NCSoft's iOS Gem Keeper goes free for now originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott wins lawsuit against NCsoft (again)

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:16:00 EST

Last July, spacefaring game developer Richard Garriott won $28 million in a court case against former employer (and Tabula Rasa publisher) NCSoft, claiming that he was forced to sell his stock in the company at a low point in the market following his termination. NCSoft appealed the decision, and, after more than a year of further legal struggle, an appellate decision was reached in the 5th Circuit Court: Richard's getting paper.

"It would be unjust to allow NCsoft to sit back during trial, observe Garriott's litigation strategy, and then demand a new trial on damages when it dislikes the verdict," the ruling reads. Garriott's former victory was not only upheld -- NCSoft now owes him $32 million with interest and attorney fees. With that kind of cash, he could buy back his old manor, and build, like, five new manors on top of it. Or he could just go into space again; in the long run, that's probably the better investment.

Continue reading Richard Garriott wins lawsuit against NCsoft (again)

Richard Garriott wins lawsuit against NCsoft (again) originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wildstar preview: Have it your way

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST

If I were to ask you how you like to play your MMORPGs, you'd probably describe a perplexing predilection for one of the genre's cookie-cutter classes: "Oh, I'm a Mage-guy, definitely." Though NCSoft and Carbine's recently announced MMO Wildstar will allow you to fill that (or any other) professional archetype, they're taking a broader look at that question, not asking what type of character you prefer to be in-game but what type of player you prefer to be.

The PAX Prime demo of Wildstar showed off some interesting innovations on the MMO formula, like fast-paced combat and an active dodge system that rewards you with bonus XP for your deft avoidance. The most promising aspect of the game, however, is that very core tenet: Wildstar rewards you for playing the game how you choose to play it.

Gallery: WildStar

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Wildstar preview: Have it your way originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 preview: Common sense

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 22:30:00 EST

Of the many -- so, so many -- MMOs represented on the PAX Prime 2011 show floor, ArenaNet's long-in-development Guild Wars 2 easily presents the most outside-the-box thinking. Where other entries in the genre tend to look at their contemporaries and attempt to iteratively repair their rough edges, Guild Wars 2 throws out baby, bathwater and tub, starting with a base that's altogether unprecedented.

Take, for instance, this core conceit: Why do other MMOs require you to stand still to use most of your character's abilities? Why not allow them to fire off powers while ducking and dodging through salvos of enemy attacks? Why not let heroes use their powers, regardless of whether or not they're targeting an enemy? Why not put some action in your MMO, or vice versa? ArenaNet seems to have noticed most developers' proclivity for sacrificing streamlined gameplay for staple MMO characteristics, and repeatedly asked that very question: Why?

Continue reading Guild Wars 2 preview: Common sense

Guild Wars 2 preview: Common sense originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 27 Aug 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WildStar is new MMO from Carbine Studios, NCsoft

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 04:18:00 EST

NCsoft's long in development MMO by Carbine Studios has finally been revealed: WildStar. Being shown for the first time during Gamescom, the cartoony yet stylish MMO features grand vistas and tight spaces with humorous moments. We get a total Firefly vibe, with that type of grand adventure meets Whedon humor.

The game is currently pre-alpha with no release announcement available. If NCsoft keeps with current tradition, it won't announce a date until "it's ready." However, the game is playable on the Gamescom show floor. More details to follow.

Gallery: WildStar

WildStar is new MMO from Carbine Studios, NCsoft originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 04:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First GDC Online 2011 summits announced

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 23:45:00 EST

Despite the brutal, anti-nerd reality that is Texas weather, Austin has become a major hub for development houses that produce MMOs and casual/social online titles. BioWare, NCSoft, Blizzard, SOE, heck, even Zynga; they've all got offices in Austin and collectively they're responsible for a sizable growth spurt in the city's already impressive technology sector. It makes sense, then, that GDC 2011's "Online" chapter should return to the Lone-Star State's capital city.

GDC has, historically, been a conference "for developers, by developers," meaning that it's probably not the sort of show Jimmy Halo and Ricky Killzone want to spend their tuition money on. However! If you're in the industry, or just really, really into game design, you just might find something worthwhile at one of GDCO's recently announced summits.

The Game Narrative Summit, for instance, returns for its 6th year of lectures and dissertations with Eidos Montreal's Mary De Marle giving a talk on "Building the Story-driven Experience of Deus Ex: Human Revolution," and Volition's Steve Jaros hosting a roundtable discussion of development mistakes and war-stories in "Sins of the Past." PopCap's Giordano Bruno Contestabile will be contributing his knowledge of pocket-sized, casual gaming to the Smartphone and Tablet Games Summit, and while the GDC Virtual Items Summit has been announced, no specific session details have been listed as of yet.

If extremely-inside-baseball discussions really are your bag, baby, then summit lectures will be open to GDCO attendees with "All Access" and "Summits & Tutorials" badges during the first two days of the conference's October 10-13 run at the Austin Convention Center.

First GDC Online 2011 summits announced originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 Jul 2011 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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City of Heroes going free-to-play later this year

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:30:00 EST

Paragon Studios' superpowered flagship MMO City of Heroes is surfing the ever-growing trendwave of paid online titles moving into the free-to-play market. The developer has announced City of Heroes Freedom, a free version of the seven-year-old game which will launch later this year. The MMO will follow an increasingly popular model, giving free players access to a partial list of areas and features available to paid subscribers -- however, in an unusual twist, free users will be able to pick and choose exactly which features and areas they want to access.

Premium subscribers get access to the whole kit and caboodle, as well as special rewards they'll be able to choose from every month. These include new costumes, consumables and power sets, almost ensuring their supernatural superiority over their free-to-play counterparts. Basically, they'll be the Justice League to the free players' Alpha Flight.

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City of Heroes going free-to-play later this year originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Jun 2011 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 to avoid standalone MMO expansion model [update]

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST

MMORPG developer ArenaNet is no stranger to implementing standalone additions to its subscription-free title Guild Wars, but it sounds like the studio won't follow the same strategy for the game's long-developed sequel. Speaking to Gamerzines, Guild Wars 2 lead designer Eric Flannum explained, "At this time we don't plan to continue with the standalone expansion model," adding that such add-ons "split our player base unnecessarily and also caused us to focus development effort on things that were redundant with the original release of the game such as tutorial areas and duplicates of already existing skills."

Update: An earlier version of this post misunderstood Flannum's message, which does not count out the possibility of traditional expansions -- only standalone add-ons which do not require the base game, such as Guild Wars: Factions and Nightfall. We apologize for the confusion, and thank the commenters who pointed out the error.

Guild Wars 2 to avoid standalone MMO expansion model [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft profits decline, limited marketing blamed

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 EST

MMORPG publisher NCSoft has reported a year-over-year decline in both revenue and profit during the first quarter of 2011. The company's revenues fell 7 percent from the same period a year ago to 155.4 billion Korean Won (about $143 million), despite increased sales from Lineage 2. Profits showed an even sharper decline, dropping 30 percent to 40.8 billion KRW ($37.5 million).

The company chalked up the losses to "soft sales promotions" of its other two key games, the original Lineage and Aion -- or, as we like to call them, "the one with all the castles" and "the one with all the angels." That's ... about all we know about the two games. You know, ahem, because of their limited marketing budgets.

NCsoft profits decline, limited marketing blamed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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April Fools: Guild Wars 2 introduces modern Commando warfare

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:10:00 EST

Not to be outdone by Blizzavision's World of Duty: Modern Warcraft, it appears NCsoft's Guild Wars 2 will counter with a Commando profession for the upcoming MMO. Featuring the motto: "If it bleeds, I can kill it," the contemporary military unit will "Oscar Mike" into the fight on land, sea or air across the fantasy realm.

Some may argue that the profession is overpowered against evil bunny and dragon tangos, given that the class can equip grenades, drive all types of modern vehicles, and call in gunships, Predator air strikes and naval bombardment... but allow us to assure you that it totally is. Good thing the profession is just another April Fools joke.

Continue reading April Fools: Guild Wars 2 introduces modern Commando warfare

April Fools: Guild Wars 2 introduces modern Commando warfare originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2's GDC presentation now available on video

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST

At last, we know why ArenaNet and NCSoft haven't realeased too many gameplay trailers for their upcoming MMO, Guild Wars 2 -- they were just waiting for GDC 2011, where they'd reveal enough video from the game to drown the internet. Check out four clips from their presentation below!

Continue reading Guild Wars 2's GDC presentation now available on video

Guild Wars 2's GDC presentation now available on video originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PopCap and NCsoft team up for Korean 'PopCap World'

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

PopCap and NCsoft are cooking up a new product that threatens to destroy productivity in Korea: "PopCap World." The games platform, launching later this year, will be operated by NCsoft and will feature 13 PopCap titles at launch. The games will be offered for free with "optional, premium paid elements to be added later." The initial sampling includes hits of Bejeweled and Plants Vs. Zombies, in addition to an "all-new multiplayer" fix called Super Zuma, which PopCap assures was "built exclusively for Korean players."

PopCap's casual empire, originally built on addictive solo experiences, has expanded rapidly to include the addition of social features and Facebook games. And Korean psychiatrists thought "StarCraft addiction" was an issue ...

PopCap and NCsoft team up for Korean 'PopCap World' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars surpasses 6.5 million sales, sequel will be released 'when it's done'

Alexander Sliwinski — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

As Guild Wars 2 preps for its US hands-on debut at PAX this weekend, we followed up with NCsoft about the current state of the series. The publisher informed us that the original Guild Wars has now sold over 6.5 million units. Roughly half of those copies found homes in Europe, with Germany making up the largest fan base, which is why the publisher debuted hands-on gameplay for the sequel at this year's Gamescom.

As for Guild Wars 2's speculated release window, NCsoft is taking the Blizzard approach to the game's launch status and saying "when it's done." A representative for the company told us an MMO -- even one like Guild Wars 2 that is going down a different path -- can't be released nowadays until it's finished. It's a lesson NCsoft learned harshly through Tabula Rasa. Hopefully the eventual launch of Guild Wars 2 will wipe the slate clean of that painful memory.

Guild Wars surpasses 6.5 million sales, sequel will be released 'when it's done' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 trailer explains the MMO Manifesto

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:00:00 EST

Rarely do we ever associate the word "Manifesto" with anything positive -- but this recent trailer/dev diary for Guild Wars 2, which uses the ominous M-word as its moniker, fills us with something close to unbridled joy. Check out what NCSoft and ArenaNet are doing differently in the video below.

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Guild Wars 2 trailer explains the MMO Manifesto originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Preview: City of Heroes: Going Rogue

Mike Schramm — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

I got to play the new Going Rogue expansion for City of Heroes at Comic-Con. I haven't played the six-year-old MMO in a while, so I was out of the loop -- since I'd last played it, Paragon Studios has updated the graphics, added a mission editor, and put out a host of other upgrades and features. But Going Rogue's big feature is something players have been asking about for a while: For the first time in the game, heroes and villains will be able to switch sides with an interesting set of morality quests.

Paragon Studios senior producer Jesse Caceres and the game's art lead, David Nakayama, told me that the alignment change is a natural evolution from all of the other customization choices they've given to players in the past. "One of our strengths is the character creation system," says Caceres, "and with the Mission Architect, players could custom create and craft their own stories, create their own villain groups. We want to give players more options, so with this expansion, we're giving them the freedom to change their alignments from Hero to Villain" (and vice versa).

Continue reading Preview: City of Heroes: Going Rogue

Preview: City of Heroes: Going Rogue originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Richard Garriott wins $28 million in NCsoft suit

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:20:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Spacefaring game designer Richard Garriott has been awarded $28 million in his lawsuit against former employer NCsoft. The Austin American-Statesman reports that Garriott was seeking $47 million -- a much higher figure than earlier reports -- to cover the losses he incurred after being forced to quickly sell his stock in the company at a low point in the market following his termination. He was apparently in quarantine after his $20 million trip into space when NCsoft dropped the banhammer on him. Garriott's agreement with NCsoft was that he would have 10 years to sell his stock if he were ever fired, and NCsoft argued unsuccessfully that he left the company voluntarily.

Garriott said he was "extremely pleased with the jury's decision" in a statement released to the Statesman. Meanwhile, an NCsoft lawyer confirmed that the company is still "considering all options for next steps in the legal process." It might be best to just move on at this point -- you know, start over with a tabula rasa.

Richard Garriott wins $28 million in NCsoft suit originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inactive Aion accounts reactivated for double XP weekend

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Over on the official Aion message boards, NCsoft has announced a "Double Your Fun" weekend, during which all players will receive double experience points.. In addition, all inactive Aion accounts will be reactivated for the weekend in order to entice lapsed players. If you've had an inkling to revisit the world of Atreia, this looks like the weekend to do it. Find the double XP schedule for each server after the break.

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Inactive Aion accounts reactivated for double XP weekend originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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City of Heroes: Going Rogue dev diary has a change of heart

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:30:00 EST

Do you have any idea how tiring it is to be this evil all the time? It's like, we can only keep up this vault-plundering, mustache-twirling, damselnapping, puppy-kicking veneer before it gets a little long in the tooth, you know? We've long been thinking about seeing how the other half lives -- an opportunity that will soon be afforded to us by City of Heroes upcoming, massive content expansion, Going Rogue.

Check out the developer's diary posted above to see the implications of the game's new alignment-switching feature, and to catch a glimpse at the new environments of Praetoria. We think it looks like a fairly renovated version of Paragon City, only with much more moral ambiguity.

City of Heroes: Going Rogue dev diary has a change of heart originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Industry vets joining En Masse Entertainment ... in large numbers

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:30:00 EST

While you're waiting anxiously for the eventual Western release of Korean MMO Tera, En Masse Entertainment is busy hiring up developers with high profile credentials by the handful. From Aaron LeMay (former resource manager and producer at Bungie and Volition), to David Noonan (worked on D&D 4th Edition), to ex-BioWare PR man Matt Atwood, it seems that En Masse is really, really interested in getting the attention of game industry vets.

According to En Masse's announcement, the man credited with creating the Xbox Live Operations Center, Marcus Schweig, has also been hired on to head up network operations. "As we build toward the launch of Tera, we are adding veteran strength to all facets of the company to ensure a topnotch Action MMO experience for our customers," CEO Dr. Jae-Heon Yang says of the acquisitions. Hey guys, you know that Ron Gilbert's up for grabs these days, right? Your move.

Industry vets joining En Masse Entertainment ... in large numbers originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCSoft registers trademark for City of Heroes 2

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:20:00 EST

MMO developer NCSoft's plans for sequelization aren't limited to a Guild Wars follow-up, it seems. Superannuation recently dug up a pair of trademarks for "City of Heroes 2" filed by the studio on April 1. As with all video game trademarks, it's possible NCSoft is just reserving the name and may not have plans for a sequel at this time.

Alternatively, the company might just be pulling an extremely discrete April Fools' Day joke, though it already pulled that off with the recent announcement of City of Sidekicks. We've contacted NCSoft to see what we can find out.

NCSoft registers trademark for City of Heroes 2 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Interview: Richard Garriott's space epiphany, NCsoft departure and Portalarium

Alexander Sliwinski — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:30:00 EST

It's a sad day, my friends. With Richard Garriott starting Portalarium, we may retire the spaceman Garriott photoshop (above). With Garriott back on terra firma and with a new company, it's probably time to bury the image that represents the last couple years of his life, in which Garriott went to space, saw his name on failed MMO Tabula Rasa and encountered professional issues that saw him departing NCsoft and suing it for $27 million. Here are some excerpts from our discussion of Garriott's past and future at DICE.

Joystiq: Before we talk about the future, let's talk about the past a little bit: how was space?

Richard Garriott: Life changing, phenomenal. It is a series of life-changing epiphanies. ... My first thought was when I saw the Earth from space was not, "Oh wow, how high and beautiful it is above this beautiful Earth." It was: "Wow, we are not that high up. I sure hope they made this orbit perfectly circular or we're going to be reentering again real soon." That was my honest first thought when I saw the Earth from space. But it is perfectly circular.

During this whole space situation the NCsoft thing happened. What's the current status of the $27 million lawsuit?

Active, so, therefore I can't talk about it. There's a court date somewhere in the summer. Maybe things will resolve before then, maybe they won't.

Are there any unresolved issues with NCsoft beyond the lawsuit?

No, not at all. In fact, there's even areas where I'm quite supportive of NCsoft, both their products and a number of people there. Not my lawsuit, but there are other lawsuits where I fundamentally take their side on. I really have no bad blood with NCsoft globally, at all. I think they still do great products and have some really great people. I just have issue with one particular aspect of how my employment was dealt with. I thought it was an error and that's the basis of the lawsuit.

Continue reading Interview: Richard Garriott's space epiphany, NCsoft departure and Portalarium

Interview: Richard Garriott's space epiphany, NCsoft departure and Portalarium originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft 2009 financials get high on Aion

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:00:00 EST

Generally speaking, when a company can post a year-over-year growth in the double digits, it's doing pretty well. We write up a lot of financial news here at the 'Stiq, and it's not often that we can report that a company managed a 623 percent increase in its income. And yet, here we are, as GameSpot reports that NCsoft has done exactly that -- thanks in no small part to its latest MMO, Aion. Specifically, NCsoft reported revenues of KRW634.7 billion ($546 million) for its fiscal 2009, an 83 percent increase over the previous year. Actual income (profit, in other words) reached KRW185.4 billion ($160 million), a 623 percent increase over 2008.

Narrowing things down solely to the company's 4th quarter, income was actually up 1009 percent over the same period last year, with NCsoft reporting KRW72.1 billion ($62 million). Fourth quarter revenues, meanwhile were up 99 percent at KRW197.3 billion ($170 million).

Again, all this is mostly on the fantastic back of Aion, which brought in 43 percent of the company's game revenue for 2009, followed by Lineage II with 26 percent, the original Lineage with 23, City of Heroes with 4, Guild Wars with 3 and other titles with 1 percent.

[Via Edge]

NCsoft 2009 financials get high on Aion originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion glitch makes players trillionaires [update]

David Hinkle — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:30:00 EST

Update: NCsoft has informed us the issue has been resolved.

Players on the Azphel server of Aion found quite the surprise recently, as their virtual coin pouch swelled to ridiculous proportions out of nowhere. The culprit: a glitch accidentally awarding players with 30 trillion Kinah. We're not sure about the conversion rates to real money, but when you can tell people you have 30 trillion of anything, we imagine it's impressive nonetheless.

As a result of the glitch, the server's being restored to an earlier point right now, hopefully resolving the newfound financial success of those affected in the game. We'll update you all when the server's back online.

[Via Massively]

Aion glitch makes players trillionaires [update] originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion's banhammer system includes volcano-summoning rabbits

Griffin McElroy — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST

As anyone who's ever played an MMORPG probably already knows, in-game gold sellers are a complete blight on the genre. Nothing is more disruptive to your personal, epic fantasy tale than frequent private messages informing you that "GOLD4CASH $5/500 $10/1200 $20/3000 buy now msg plz!!!!" That's why we were so pleased to hear that the GMs in Aion go above and beyond when it comes to banning these currency-hocking players from the game. They don't just suspend their accounts, you see -- they utterly decimate their avatars.

Check out the video after the jump to see the game's unique brand of justice-serving in action.

[Via Kotaku]

Continue reading Aion's banhammer system includes volcano-summoning rabbits

Aion's banhammer system includes volcano-summoning rabbits originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 trailer introduces us to the game's races

Griffin McElroy — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST

Let's see, there's the human race, the nomadic warrior race, the mystical forest people race, the big ugly race, and the miniature race. Looks like all the MMORPG archetypes are covered! Fine, there's a bit more lore contained within the above trailer for Guild Wars 2, which explains all the motivations and backstories for each of the game's five races. Still, who cares about that stuff? Where's all the loot?

For a comprehensive breakdown of the trailer's plot elements, and some speculation on how the story of the sequel will unfold, we suggest checking out our sister site, Massively. This kind of thing is right in their wheelhouse.

Guild Wars 2 trailer introduces us to the game's races originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCSoft hints at Guild Wars 2 beta in 2010 and launch in 2011

Griffin McElroy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST

The last we heard on the tentative launch window of Guild Wars 2 was a fairly vague "2010 or 2011." Fortunately, if comments made by NCSoft CEO Jaeho Lee during a recent investors' call are on the level, it seems NCSoft has made up its mind about the game's release year. Kind of. Somewhat. A little.

While speaking about the game (and another of the company's titles, Blade and Soul), Jaeho stated, "I believe there will be certain public events in the year 2010 ... at least a closed beta test for those titles. Commercialization will be expected, at this point, probably some time in the year 2011." We can stick it out until the year after next before getting our hands on this good-lookin' sequel -- we just hope it's not pushed back any further. See, we'd really like to invest some time in the game before the world ends.

NCSoft hints at Guild Wars 2 beta in 2010 and launch in 2011 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch the Aion launch trailer while you wait for a server

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:29:00 EST

Approximately 12 hours ago, NCSoft flicked the proverbial switch in the US, thus opening the flood gates to its new MMO, Aion. Unfortunately, many users are still running into some unusually long server queues. If you've already run out of ideas from Massively's server queue survival guide, why not watch this launch trailer for the game you're waiting around for? It's pretty sweet! Don't you wish you could just play the game right now?

...

Oh. Right.

Watch the Aion launch trailer while you wait for a server originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pre-order early admission creating long queues in Aion

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST

And so the story goes: Gamer meets MMO, many other gamers meet MMO, hours-long queues result, forcing gamers to find something else to do. Such is the case with the soon-to-be released Aion, forcing those wishing to play the game to turn to (gasp!) other things.

The problem arose as folks who pre-ordered the game were allowed early entry into servers on September 20. It appears as though so many people put down their money early for Aion that the game's servers simply couldn't handle the flood of new players, creating two or more hour waits for some folks. Our sister site Massively has put together a list of things to do while waiting for the queue time to die down, though we'd suggest you buck the trend now and hop right back into World of Warcraft like you know you're going to do anyway in a month's time.

Pre-order early admission creating long queues in Aion originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCSoft promises at least one major Aion update every year

Griffin McElroy — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST

Though NCSoft's winged MMO Aion doesn't go live until tomorrow (or Friday for Europeans), the developer is already promising additional content for the title. Speaking to VG247, NCSoft's Christian-Peter Heimbach explained, "there will be at least one major update a year," and later added "there will be free content updates for all players, and we're looking then at how big the major updates will be."

It's awfully presumptive for an MMO developer to assume its game will still be alive and kicking one year after its launch date -- however, with a strong base of 400,000 pre-orderers, it seems unlikely that Aion will hastily go the way of Auto Assault.

NCSoft promises at least one major Aion update every year originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCSoft flushing Dungeon Runners on January 1

JC Fletcher — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:15:00 EST

NCSoft will close down the servers for its free-to-play MMO Dungeon Runners on January 1. Producer and lead programmer Stephen Nichols, delivered the news in the form of a "crap sandwich." No, really. "You know ... you say something nice, drop the bad news bomb, then say something else nice."

This particular crap sandwich consisted of "The game just isn't profitable" on a bun of "Awesome players for an awesome game! Kudos!" and "You'll be getting a 30-day game time serial code and digital copies of City of Heroes Architect Edition and Guild Wars Prophecies."

Nichols topped the crap sandwich, which we're sure he didn't expect us to describe in such detail, with a few bonuses for players for the game's "End Time," including boosted XP and loot drop rates. Of course, this is a game with "TURDs" for currency and "Bling Gnomes" that poop out items, so our dwelling on Nichols' metaphor is simply in the spirit of the game.

[Via Massively]

NCSoft flushing Dungeon Runners on January 1 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PalTalk takes patent infringement suit on the road, sues MMO devs

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EST

PalTalk Holdings is feeling pretty zesty following its legal victory over Microsoft this past March, so it's decided to take its patent infringement suit against a few major players in the MMO market. Turbine, Sony, Activision Blizzard, Jagex and NCSoft are all staring down the barrel of PalTalk's litigation cannon -- which, after forcing Microsoft to come to a settlement earlier this year, now has a substantial amount of precedent supporting it.

PalTalk purchased two patents from a company called HearMe in 2002 for technology which shares data between networked computers, allowing users to see the same virtual space as they interact with one another in real time. One could construe that to mean PalTalk owns the patent on online multiplayer altogether -- but we're sure Activision's beefy legal team will have a few arguments to the contrary up its sleeve.

PalTalk takes patent infringement suit on the road, sues MMO devs originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft Europe head confirms PS3 MMO was tabled

Alexander Sliwinski — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:54:00 EST

The oft-hyped but never shown PS3 MMO in development by NCsoft is likely not to be. VG247 reports NCsoft's European Managing Director, Veronique Lallier, confirmed the company is "not working on anything at the moment." The executive stated that the "casual gaming" title the company was working on was "not something [it] continued, unfortunately."

The NCsoft PS3 MMO was first mentioned in the summer of 2007, with a follow-up announcement that the game would be announced by the end of that year. The following year, the company stated it would have "something to announce -- not only announce but to show -- by the second half of this year." Currently, NCsoft is "still looking at opportunities" for consoles. At least that two year charade is over.

NCsoft Europe head confirms PS3 MMO was tabled originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCSoft announces Aion open beta dates, pre-orders get early access

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST

If you're itching to try your hand at NCSoft's upcoming winged MMORPG, Aion, before its September 22 release, a recent press release has announced two methods of doing so. The first is probably the more noteworthy option -- the game is going into open beta for one week only starting Sunday, September 6. The sneak preview will allow players from both of the game's factions to reach level 30, and lets them fly, fight and fly-fight through every locale from the full game.

The second opportunity to beat the release day rush is by pre-ordering the game -- those who pursue this option can pre-select their servers and character names on September 18, then start playing a full 48 hours in advance on September 20. Is the five-dollars-down worth the exclusive pre-launch access? Sadly, we can't make that decision for you. We can, however, tell you what to have for lunch: Nachos. You're welcome.

NCSoft announces Aion open beta dates, pre-orders get early access originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 site opens, first trailer revealed

Griffin McElroy — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:59:00 EST

And what a trailer it is! NCSoft and ArenaNet are taking their sweet time getting the upcoming sequel to their free-to-play MMO, Guild Wars 2, all put together. Finally, we get a look at the delicious fruits of their labor. The five-minute-long debut trailer for the game (posted above) reveals the game's five playable classes, gives a brief summary of the game's overarching plot, and caps it off with a stunning look at the title's varied environments.

There's also a fairly comprehensive FAQ sheet up on the game's recently-opened site -- the highlight from which is a re-confirmation that the game will feature zero subscription fees. Penny-pinchers, rejoice! This particular cost-efficient online RPG is looking phenomenal.

[Via Big Download]

Guild Wars 2 site opens, first trailer revealed originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aion collector's edition announced, spec'd

Randy Nelson — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:00:00 EST

In the ramp-up for the US release of its latest MMO, Aion, on September 1, NCsoft has taken the shrinkwrap off the game's $70 limited collector's edition and -- what's this? -- there's a pretty cool looking figure inside. Okay, it's a "hand-painted Asmodian Daeva." Still looks cool.

Pre-ordering the set will also get you some exclusive in-game items, which range from the ominous sounding Black Cloud Wings to the yawn-inspiring, single use "colored dye." To counter the latter's lameness, you'll be able to blast the included soundtrack CD whilst performing one of the two pre-order exclusive emotes: the "Aion Boogie." In the game, of course.

If the LCE's too pricey, the regular ol' edition comes in a steel case. And ... that's all. Still: steel.

Aion collector's edition announced, spec'd originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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NCsoft has solid Q1 sales, profits thanks to Aion

Alexander Sliwinski — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:00:00 EST

NCsoft is apparently off to a good start in 2009 -- notwithstanding Richard Garriott's lawsuit -- thanks to "solid maintenance" of Lineage and Lineage II, along with sales of its new MMO, Aion. The publisher's sales were up 51 percent year-over-year to $107.7 million in the first quarter, with net income enhanced to $27 milllion, a 315 percent increase. It appears the Korean-based company's numerous international workforce cuts paid off.

NCsoft's CFO, Jaeho Lee, was happy that Aion's launch did not affect the performance of the Lineage series in Korea. Now we wait to see how the rest of the globe embraces Aion. The MMO is prepped to launch in China during Q2, with other major markets set for the second half of the year.

NCsoft has solid Q1 sales, profits thanks to Aion originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 May 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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