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
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DCUO Announces Pre-Order Packs, Then The Open Beta
DCUO does things backwards in my opinion, by announcing the pre-order bonus packs you get for putting your money down, followed by the announcement of open beta registration. Only by a few minutes, but it does seem backwards to me – theoretically pre-order bonuses are the kind of things you promote just before release, not … Continue reading
APB (Now That The NDA Is Gone, Or Maybe It Isn’t)
I’m not actually sure that the APB NDA has gone, but the game has launched, so I’m going to rely on the legal precedent of O’Really vs Ya’Really and put up my pre-launch opinions anyway. So, APB: Conclusion: – This particular attempt at GTA Online is probably going to struggle to hold large numbers of … Continue reading
Blizzard Has Sent You A Friend Request
Blizzard recently implemented its own social network application called RealID, which launched as a totally optional adjunct to World of Warcraft. Two weeks later and the indication is that “totally optional” actually meant “compulsory with the launch of the Cataclysm expansion“. The reaction to this move hasn’t been positive, with a lot of the criticism … Continue reading
APB: Advertising Over VOIP
Something I hadn’t heard of before: advertising over VOIP. Particularly in a MMO. Especially in a MMO that charges a box cost and subscription fee to play. Kudos then, I guess, to APB for being so creative. You can pay to turn it off by paying for Vivox Premium services, or alternatively use a different … 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
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
Did UbiSoft’s DRM System Work?
Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a controversial issue, with hyperbole on both the pro- and anti-sides. Stripped of rhetoric, it’s actually a cost-vs-benefit issue: how many PC players are developers willing to irritate (cost) in exchange for reducing day 1 piracy (benefit)? what benefits do the PC gamers get in exchange for having to meet … Continue reading
DC Universe Online: Talking Loud, Ain’t Saying Nothing
I have to say I’ve been massively impressed with how DC Universe Online has managed to spin the same (or standard) information out time and time and time again, each time as though it is something new or surprising. Sure, it’s to be expected in new MMOs, but DCUO has really taken the art form … Continue reading
World Class Villains 