Never let it be said that no crowdfunded MMOs ever succeed: This week week in MMO crowdfunding, Albion Online launched for what one might say the third time, this round going fully free-to-play and seeing its concurrency (and review-bombing and lag too) spike into the heavens. Meanwhile, we dived into the current state of Crowfall in our PvP column, got a peek at Star Citizen’s criminal system, cheered the announcement of Elite Dangerous’ next big thing, and saw movement on Chronicles of Elyria’s land rush. And as for Oath, the MMO that hit Kickstarter earlier this month asking just $35,000? It’s raised nearly $6000 of that ask so far. Read on for more on what’s been up with MMO crowdfunding over the last week, plus our roundup of all the crowdfunded MMOs we’re following! Albion Online Recent MMO crowdfunding news Albion Online is officially free-to-play today – and already ‘under heavy load’ - Fancy getting your peekay on in an … [Read more...] about Make My MMO: Albion Online is free-to-play, so of course the review bombing has begun
Uncover the secret of the eidolon wall
Sea of Thieves – Also Misrepresented
As rough starts go, it’s hard to find many rougher than the one ATLAS had recently, but that’s not the only pirate-themed game to have launch issues. Does anyone remember Sea of Thieves? I do, and mostly because the launch was so disappointing that it’s stuck with me since last year’s dead arrival. advertisement Sea of Thieves was a game that almost physically hurt because it should have been incredible. The production value was exceptional with great client stability and incredible sea physics that were only matched by how gorgeous the game’s environment was rendered. It was a game I sailed around in for hours and just enjoyed seeing it, but then that was it. There was nothing to do because the actual content was missing from the game.I’m still not really sure how in the world you develop a game that incredibly polished without actually having content that engages me enough to log back in. Though to … [Read more...] about Sea of Thieves – Also Misrepresented
Betrayal is the Next Path of Exile League
When Path of Exile launches the Betrayal league in December, it will be the game's biggest one to date. Players will set off on an adventure that will see them tracking down members of the Immortal Syndicate and targeting them for assassination. But it's more than a simple "find and kill" adventure, but one that features twists and turns, alliances and broken friendships all on the path to finding the Syndicate's leader. advertisement Players will meet up with a brand new Master named Jun Ortoi who is investigating the Immortal Syndicate, an elite group of villains who literally hold power over death. In fact, with the Syndicate, dead isn't necessarily dead. Ultimately, the prize is learning the name of the head of the Syndicate, but to get there will require investigative skills, fighting tons of monsters, assassination and the interrogation of members to squeeze them for as much information as possible.One of the hallmarks of the Betrayal league is the "corkboard" … [Read more...] about Betrayal is the Next Path of Exile League
The Soapbox: The western port of Bless Online feels like a curse
To say that the development of Neowiz’s high-fantasy MMO Bless has been somewhat beleaguered would be an understatement. Since the Korean import’s Western release was announced in 2011, it has weathered numerous delays; the loss of its would-be publisher, Aeria Games, which dropped out of the project in 2017 citing concerns about “quality standards”, and an ambitious “rebuild project” wherein Neowiz announced a massive overhaul of the game’s core systems and even considered “[abandoning] the current structure and [making] it from scratch.” Despite these obstacles, however, Bless made its Stateside debut last month when it hit Steam as an Early Access title. Its launch, however, has been every bit as tumultuous as its development, if not more so: Alongside the standard slew of post-launch hiccups that tend to plague any major MMO release, such as login queues and server outages, Bless had to contend with constant balance issues, … [Read more...] about The Soapbox: The western port of Bless Online feels like a curse
Blizzard Jumps on the Social Justice and Identity Politics Bandwagon
The Blizzard Entertainment we once knew and loved has vanished into the mists of time. Blizzard was once a shining city on a hill that stood out as a beacon of gamer-centric righteousness in the sleazy wasteland of the video game sausage factory. Blizzard’s extraordinary game development philosophy defied conventional wisdom. Blizzard did things their way. They didn’t care what anyone thought and their fans loved them for it. Today, the maverick Irvine-based gaming studio once known for its unwavering commitment to quality has been transformed by ambitious leadership that wants to turn Blizzard into the next Disney. But, there is a price to pay. To gain membership into this exclusive club you must be willing to sell your soul and conform to the obligatory leftist worldview that is held by most California-based entertainment and tech companies. For the last few years, the new Blizzard — Blizzard 2.0 — has proceeded to implement their part of the Faustian bargain. … [Read more...] about Blizzard Jumps on the Social Justice and Identity Politics Bandwagon