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NCsoft earnings report shows healthy growth
February 05, 2013

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NCsoft earnings report shows healthy growth
NCsoft just released its fourth quarter 2012 earnings report, and things are looking pretty good across the board for the multi-MMO company. NCsoft's earnings are up both quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year due to the releases of Blade & Soul and Guild Wars 2, not to mention "record-breaking annual revenues" from Lineage.

Guild Wars 2 accounted for 45% of the company's sales in Q4, followed by Lineage (24%) and Blade & Soul (10%). ArenaNet's newest game increased the North American market from 16% in Q3 to 25% in Q4.

It's not completely sunshine and roses, however. Lineage II and Aion both experienced declines during the period. NCsoft's net income was in the red for the quarter and its stock has slid since September, losing half of its value in the process.

[Thanks to Paul for the tip!]

MassivelyNCsoft earnings report shows healthy growth originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Initial DayZ video blog shows new stand-alone footage
February 05, 2013

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New DayZ video blog
A lot of stuff has been happening in the world of DayZ here lately, and creator Dean "Rocket" Hall has uploaded a fresh video dev blog to bring all of you zombie sandbox survival sim fans up to speed.

Hall is joined by production assistant Matt Lightfoot, and the duo have a quite a lot to talk about over the course of the dev blog's 15-minute running time. Topics include major map improvements, the new clothing system, a streamlined UI, and the newfangled ability to spawn loot inside buildings. See for yourself after the break.

Continue reading Initial DayZ video blog shows new stand-alone footage

MassivelyInitial DayZ video blog shows new stand-alone footage originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Take a gander at DDO's Update 17 screens
February 05, 2013

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Take a gander at DDO's Update 17 screens
Players will be experiencing the new and improved Gianthold when Dungeons and Dragons Online releases Update 17 this month. Turbine's launched a new page dedicated to the update, and that page contains many, many pretty pictures that convey story and wonder in a digitized format.

Check out 10 of these new screenshots in the gallery below, and while you're at it, why not read up on our recent tour of Update 17?

Gallery: DDO Update 17

MassivelyTake a gander at DDO's Update 17 screens originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forge developer diary discusses the state of the game and what comes next
February 05, 2013

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You'd think a game with a title like Forge would be all about competitive smelting, but no.
Forge isn't your typical MMO, set up as a straightforward PvP arena without niggling little issues like outside quests to get in the way. The development team behind the game has been looking at its current state, and in the newest address to the players they state what the game is doing wrong and how to fix it.

The diary makes it clear that while the number of people playing Forge is down, they believe a lot of that has to do with the steep learning curve new players experience. To fix this, there are plans for a new starter area in which players can practice against bots to get accustomed to the combat and the game mechanics. The team also plans to improve the tutorial and the UI so that what an ability does is more transparent.

For players already at the higher end, this is still good news -- the matchmaking system will be updated, visual customization will be improved, and you'll be able to respec at any time to ensure that you aren't stuck with poor choices forever. Check out all the details in the latest development diary.

MassivelyForge developer diary discusses the state of the game and what comes next originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MechWarrior Online shows off its pretty new baby
February 05, 2013

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It's not very pretty after all.
Would you call your multi-ton death machine a pretty baby? If you're playing MechWarrior Online you just might, especially since that's the name of the newest hero 'Mech introduced to the game. Considering the machine is loaded with an LRM 15, a PPC, two lasers, and a high top speed for a 80-ton 'Mech, we can see why you might coo affectionately that it's your pretty little darling yes it is.

But maybe your existing 'Mech is already the apple of your eye. That's all right, there's still plenty to like in February. The team at Piranha Games is working on a UI overhaul for the MechLab to allow players a clearer picture of what happens when upgrades are slotted in. There's also the third phase of matchmaking, new patterns for decorating your machine of choice, and performance improvements for all computers. But if you're still excited at the thought of a pretty new machine to pilot, you can check out a trailer for the prettiest of all babies past the cut.

[Source: Piranha Games press release]

Continue reading MechWarrior Online shows off its pretty new baby

MassivelyMechWarrior Online shows off its pretty new baby originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online gives a report card to Retribution ships
February 05, 2013

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EVE Online gives a report card to Retribution ships
"The introduction of new ships always sparks considerable initial interest and Retribution was no exception in that regard," CCP Recurve wrote in a new EVE Online dev post today. "Hundreds of billions were spent on blueprints and manufactured ships."

The article analyzes the popularity between the five new ships (one mining frigate and four destroyers), noting that the Algos and Corax have proven to be more desirable in PvP. The Venture both sold more blueprints and was destroyed more than the others since the expansion launched, although the mining frigate did account for a sharp uptick in harvested gas overall.

If breaking down stats and crunching all sorts of interstellar numbers are your thing, then check out the post for the nitty-gritty details on these ships' performances.

MassivelyEVE Online gives a report card to Retribution ships originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just how safe is your online account?
February 05, 2013

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Just how safe is your online account
This week is Gamer Safety Week, and we hope you got your Gamer Safety Week shopping done early because the malls are packed!

The Merchant Risk Council's (MRC) Gamer Safety Alliance (GSA) wants to help you be the safest online netizen that you can be by raising awareness for this second annual event. After a few bad years of an account hacking epidemic in online games, this year's Gamer Safety Week theme is "account safety and security in the online world." Tips include adding security proofs to your accounts, keeping hardware and software updated, utilizing phishing filters, creating strong passwords, and more.

You can read more about keeping your online accounts safe at the MRC's website.

MassivelyJust how safe is your online account? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flameseeker Chronicles: Flame and Frost
February 05, 2013

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Flameseeker Chronicles Flame and Frost
Well, my goodness! We've got a week of the Flame and Frost prelude patch behind us, and what a week it's been! The patch notes for this sucker were impressive; for a relatively minor patch, the Flame and Frost prelude brought in a lot of tweaks and updates. I'm kind of glad for that, as quality of life additions were top on my list for hopes for Guild Wars 2 in 2013. I'm very pleased with ArenaNet for shoring up the content that's already out rather than leaving it be in the rush to get out new content.

So! Let's take a look at what ArenaNet brought us in the past week.

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Flame and Frost

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Flame and Frost originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    EverQuest II starts its new year with new challenges and dungeons
    February 05, 2013

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    The new challenge for this drake here is swinging its wings without impaling itself.
    Another expansion is out for EverQuest II, but this is no time for the game to rest upon its laurels. Producer Holly Longdale recently took to the game's forums to make it clear that the developers have big plans for the game in 2013, and they've been hard at work since December putting together a long-term plan for what will happen over the next year. That starts with a new patch on February 26th.

    The update will include a new two-group dungeon in Wurmbone Crag along with a raid version of Dreadcutter. Beyond that, there's improved bag functionality as well as new daily, weekly, and monthly objectives for players to complete for special rewards. And that's not even the next big game update, which is scheduled for some time in the spring. Even though we're in the second month of the year, it's the start of a new cycle for EverQuest II's development, and hopefully players will be pleased with what it has to offer.

    MassivelyEverQuest II starts its new year with new challenges and dungeons originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Eldevin is coming to your browser, and it's got the trailer to prove it
    February 04, 2013

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    If that crab-guy on the left is playable, they've got a strong initial showing here.
    So how do you want to try your new games? Do you want them in a separate client or do you want them as something you can just run in your browser? The team at Hunted Cow Studios is aiming at the latter with its upcoming game Eldevin, a large-scale fantasy MMO currently in development for browser play.

    Eldevin is meant as a story-based game, containing all of the hallmarks you'd expect from a normal MMO -- dungeons, quests, a long-format story, PvP, and so forth. The designers are aiming at content on par with client-based AAA MMOs, but the game will be playable on an operating system and on lower-end machines without a loss in quality.

    Sound intriguing? Then you can check out some early screenshots of the game and its UI as well as a new trailer just past the break. Closed beta signups are available now, with testing commencing in March and open beta and launch slated to follow later this year.

    [Source: Hunted Cow Studios press release]

    Gallery: Eldevin

    Continue reading Eldevin is coming to your browser, and it's got the trailer to prove it

    MassivelyEldevin is coming to your browser, and it's got the trailer to prove it originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 04 Feb 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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