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 →

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 →

How Many Players Does CoH/V Have in Q1, 2010?

NCsoft has released their financials for Q1 2010. Following up on my earlier post about City of Heroes / Villains’ performance, I’ve had a look. Sadly, results aren’t good. Chartreuse In Q1 2010, CoH/V recorded 3 348 m Won (about US $2.94m) – it’s lowest quarterly revenue to date. Previously, it was the Q4 2009 … Continue reading →

How Many Players Does Aion Have in Q1 2010?

I’m going to look at how City of Heroes / City of Villains faired in Q1 2010 in a little while, but news that Aion is going to be closing some servers in North America and Europe means this is a bit more pressing. NCsoft’s Q1 2010 financials are out and paint an interesting picture. … Continue reading →

Super Hero Squad, The MMOCCG?

The first trailer for Marvel / Gazillion / Amazing Society-developed MMO Super Hero Squad is up and it definitely gives the impression of the core gaming mechanic being card-based. This makes sense given that every player will want an established IP character, which involves a lot of different Wolverines – everyone can have a Wolverine … Continue reading →