(Apologies for the resolution at this size – click on the images to see things a bit more clearly.)
Filed under Launch …
APB Learns Something Else From The Movie Industry
In the movie industry, if a studio is releasing a film they know will be savaged on release, it is a common practice to not let movie critics see it before it launches. This maximises the number of people who will see the awful film because they won’t be warned off by bad reports at … Continue reading
Two Quick Points
Point 1: E3 is soon and Star Wars: The Old Republic is going to receive nothing but good press, probably even a few ‘Game of E3’ or equivalent titles. It’s BioWare, it’s EA, it’s Star Wars, it’s a hugely expensive title and no video game reviewing organisation wants to be left in the cold by … Continue reading
APB: Collecting Money Is Important
Although there are always cases of companies doing TOO well in collecting money from players, one of the quickest ways a MMO folds is if they can’t get enough income to keep the doors open. As such, putting thought into how that payment model should be structured is critical. Hellgate: London stands out as a … Continue reading
DCUO Announces November 2010 Launch
When I said the other day “unless [DC Universe Online] is planning to start beta in July and launch in December – that’d be a rush – a launch before 2011 is unlikely“, I didn’t mean it as a challenge. However, in the final seconds of a recent video, Jens Anderson announced a November 2010 … Continue reading
THQ Truth Or Lies An Even Chance
THQ has announced something a bit different – a video game that will be able to tell if you are telling the truth or lying simply by analysing your voice. Helpfully enough, they’re calling it Truth or Lies. Apparently it has a “proprietary voice calibration system” that will analyse stress levels in a player’s voice … Continue reading
Star Trek Online Overview (Now That the NDA is Gone)
I’ve been beta testing Star Trek Online as best I could, given time zone differences and game stability problems. Here’s my opinion at this point: Conclusion: – An “action Trek” rather than a “diplomacy Trek” that is probably Trek enough for most people. It’s a bit light on, but fun enough. – In a better … Continue reading
Cryptic’s 100k Plan?
This could just be an interesting coincidence, but I also think it answers a number of questions about Cryptic’s MMO development strategy. In July 2009, G4TV asked Cryptic’s Chief Creative Officer (and fan favourite punching bag) Jack Emmert how many players Champions Online needed for success: G4: Speaking of it being successful, when you’re launching … Continue reading
Looking Back At Advice on a Star Trek MMO
Way back in the dark mists of January 2008 Eric Heimburg, who was Perpetual’s Lead Systems Designer on Star Trek Online back before that company folded, wrote a few points out to Cryptic / whoever might get the Star Trek MMO. With Cryptic’s STO launching just a few short months away in February 2010, I … Continue reading
How Many Players Bought Champions Online At Launch?
Massively.com recently asked the question about how important subscription numbers are to consumers. On an immediate level they probably aren’t vital, but longer-term they point to a game’s survival and potential to be a success. This is especially true for MMOs launched since 2008 – their typical active player numbers have seen sharp declines since … Continue reading
World Class Villains 