When Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) delayed DC Universe Online (DCUO) at the start of November, they threw out some bait to potential players: pre-order by November 15 and you were “guaranteed” beta access by November 30. Guarantee is a strong word to use in this context. For PC players, the potential to meet this guarantee … Continue reading
Filed under Alpha / Beta …
Marketing Console MMOs Is Hard – DCUO Again
In my opinion, console MMOs are going to be a major addition to the MMO industry. Sure, there have been some, but I see huge dollars out there for the first next gen console MMO that lands. Of course, there are challenges with console MMOs. However, if there was ever going to be a case … Continue reading
DCUO Beta: No Guarantees for Europe
DCUO’s big current push is their just launched beta and the offer that all those who preorder the title by November 15 are guaranteed beta access by November 30. Tying beta access to the preorder strikes me as a cynical way of pumping up preorder numbers, which can in turn be used promote how popular … Continue reading
DCUO Delayed Until Q1 2011; Please Pre-order It Anyway
In an announcement that surprised me so much I remained sitting in my chair, DC Universe Online has been delayed until Q1 2011. There was an indication that things weren’t going swimming given the lack of marketing build-up before launch, but now the November launch is off and has been replaced by a November public … Continue reading
The Brave, Brave Marketing Decisions of DCUO
A defining aspect of the superhero genre is bravery. The hero stands often outnumbered and outgunned, but is driven to do things to create a finer world. Regardless of what powers they have, the hero has bravery as a shield against doubt and as something that drives them forward. Inspired by this theme, Sony Online … Continue reading
DCUO: All Quiet On The Beta Front
DC Universe Online is set for a November 2 2010 launch date – exactly two months from today. Although you’ve been able to pre-order the game for a few weeks now, there is still no announcement of when any kind of public beta will be starting. Although it is concerning that some kind of public … Continue reading
DCUO: Madly Scrambling To Launch
On November 2, 2010, DC Universe Online is scheduled to launch. Public beta still hasn’t started and announcements of features being cut are starting to appear. At the SOE Fan Faire, the DCUO panel revealed that DCUO is likely to launch with only six power types: Ice and Fire are the ‘tanker’ powers. Gadgets and … Continue reading
Voice Overs Are The New Black
When it comes to upcoming MMOs, voice overs are the new public quests. By which I mean: thing you have to have to look cool. Star Wars: The Old Republic is going to be fully voiced. Some people are very excited about that. DC Universe Online is going to have an all-star voice acting cast. … Continue reading
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
Champions Online Alpha / Beta: A Retrospective (And Some Fallen Earth Too)
It’s funny how quickly things can change. If you’d asked me how Champion Online (ChampO) had been in its alpha / beta phases and how well Cryptic had run it, I would have told you that it was the best alpha / beta I’d been in. The devs were open to feedback, made a lot … Continue reading
World Class Villains 