The first expansion to Blizzard’s free card game Hearthstone, “Curse of Naxxramas” will begin on July 23, Blizzard has just announced.
After it became clear that Naxxramas would not be released this week, but Blizzard confirmed that the release is still planned for July, only July 23 and July 30 remained as possible dates. Blizzard has now decided on July 23 in a statement.
It should be noted that on July 23 only the first wing of Naxxramas, the Arachnid Quarter, will open. The four other wings will open at intervals of one week. If everything goes according to plan, the schedule looks like this:
On July 23, the Arachnid Quarter opens; access to this will be free for one month; you can expect the Crypt Lord Anub’Rekhan, the Grand Widow Faerlina, and the giant spider Maexxna.
On July 30, it goes to the Plague Quarter with Noth the Plaguebringer, Heigan the Unclean, and – everyone’s favorite – Loatheb.
On August 6, you take your stand in the Military Quarter and get inspected by Instructor Razavious, take on Goth the Harvester, and check in on the Four Horsemen.
On August 13, players will face the following monstrosities in the Construct Quarter: Patchwerk, Grobbulus, Gluth, and Thaddius. Hopefully, they just want to play.
And on August 20, you will finally deal with Sapphiron and Kel’Thuzad himself in the Frostwyrm Lair.
If you want to find out what the first 10 bosses in Naxxramas are probably capable of, you can find out through this link. So much can be revealed: Blizzard has put in some effort to ensure that the challenges in Hearthstone resemble those in the old World of Warcraft raid.
Information about the costs of unlocking the wings can be found in this post.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Blizzard’s free card game Hearthstone, some cards are constantly accused of being too strong. Now, a Blizzard employee has commented on upcoming nerfs for the strongest cards.
It’s quite a challenge with the cards. The strongest ones are often in the opponent’s hand, and that’s when you really notice how incredibly unfair they are. Yes, they ruin the game and need to be nerfed urgently. Whether Leeroy Jenkins deals 6 damage for 4 mana cost as a cheap finisher or the early played Master Angler Nat Pagle is used for card advantage that decides the game. And those are just the small cards; we haven’t even mentioned the monster legendaries like Ysera, Ragnaros, or Alexstrasza. In many combinations, such cards can ruin a player’s match and day. One calls for a nerf.
The topic has become relevant again, as before the release of Naxxramas, some cards were revealed that will be there and look incredibly strong, likely shaking up the balance thoroughly.
So, a user’s question to Blizzard about whether they are currently planning to nerf significantly overpowered cards with Naxxramas to make the meta-game more balanced is understandable. However, Blizzard responded negatively. They currently have no plans in that direction. They are, of course, keeping an eye on the development.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The fantasy MMO Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has made quite an impression lately and invites former players to return to Eorzea from July 18 to 21.
Final Fantasy XIV is one of the few success stories in the MMO market, a game that generally receives positive feedback after it had a disastrous launch. It has now made a port to the PlayStation 4, which has received much praise, and it has also addressed most of the difficulties from its early days. Producer Naoki Yoshida is being praised everywhere, and the unique MMO within the Final Fantasy universe seems to be developing quite well, having found and established its niche in the market. Recently, with the Patch 2.3. a Monster Hunt System was added.
Now Square Enix wants to invite former players to come back and take a look. So anyone with an inactive account in Final Fantasy 14 can play for free from this Friday at 8 AM until Monday at 8 AM. They just need to download the quite extensive game client. So if you plan to revisit Final Fantasy 14, you might want to start the download soon.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the god MMO Skyforge, which is about to enter Closed Beta, the “Lanber Forest” zone has now been introduced. It suffers – like many zones in so many MMORPGs before it – from pest infestation.
What is it with these insects that we always attribute them with hypnotic superpowers in fiction? In China Miéville’s novel “Perdido Street Station,” huge moths are unleashed on a goth steampunk city. They possess enormous psychic powers and are really quite nasty overall. Whenever Hollywood thinks of aliens, we often see creatures modeled after a bee hive and attributed with a telepathic swarm consciousness, which immediately begins to hack into our consciousness. Even in the old “The Dark Eye” computer games, it was worm parasites that could take over their host.
And now Skyforge has also been hit. The god MMO, developed by the Allods team along with Obsidian, has introduced another zone: a picturesque small town named Kyris forms the heart of the new zones. It is being attacked by a swarm of mantids, which turns the inhabitants into mindless zombies. To make matters worse, the city’s protective god has already delivered the inhabitants to the slaughter (or to the mandible). It’s about time a god aspirant checks on things.
The introduction of the “Lanber Forest” zone is mainly an opportunity for the creators of Skyforge to present some visually stunning screenshots again and to do more “world-building.” Otherwise, there is little new to report from Skyforge. We are still waiting for a date for the Closed Beta or further information on the actual game design. While a lot is already known, such as there will be a free class and XP system, and the controls and combat system are intended to feel as intuitive and “arcade-like” as possible, how all of this will come together is still unclear. At the moment, the main question is which MMORPG elements Skyforge wants to incorporate.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
Yesterday, in a stealthy manner, the announced revision of the WildStar adventures was tackled in the mini-patch. Many players complained that groups for veteran adventures were immediately dissolved once it was no longer possible to achieve a gold rating, which has now been addressed.
Previously, completing an adventure on silver guaranteed a blue item, and completing it on gold guaranteed a purple item, but this has now completely been removed.
As a compensation, at the end of the adventure, one now receives a random item from the end boss’s loot list, which also included the former silver/gold rewards. Additionally, a high medal rating increases the extra rolls on the instance-wide loot list; each rank increases the number by 1, so a “gold run” receives a total of 3 bonus rolls.
At the same time, the gold reward for completing an adventure has also been adjusted. Without a medal, one receives 100% of the original amount, for bronze 150%, for silver 200%, and for gold a substantial 250%, making adventures more worthwhile from a financial perspective as well.
However, not everyone will be able to rejoice at this change: unlike before, the new system now means that a perfectly executed adventure run with a gold rating is rewarded only with a blue item, and the coveted “epics” are missing. But one can probably never please everyone.
Lastly, the drop chances for some VIP abilities have been increased and some minor bugs that had crept in during the big patch the previous day have been fixed.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the MMORPG World of Warcraft, the Closed Beta for the expansion Warlords of Draenor is gradually picking up speed. A second invite wave has started, and new areas for testing are also being unlocked.
A second major invite wave for the closed beta test of World of Warcraft has rolled out in recent days. The demand is still enormous. Community Manager Bashiok even got carried away enough to post a cat pic symbolizing the rush for the keys.
But that’s not all: The beta will soon be expanded to new zones. Testers will soon be able to venture into Gorgond. This zone corresponds to the former Blade’s Edge. Instead of ogres like in Burning Crusade, the orcs of the Iron Horde have taken over here. They consider Gorgond their home base.
Testers will also soon be able to set off to Talador, the Warlords of Draenor equivalent of the Terokkar Forests. A bit later, testers will head to Nagrand.
The expansion “Warlords of Draenor” will be the fifth for the MMORPG World of Warcraft, which still enjoys the largest player base of all MMORPGs despite its advanced age. A release date is not yet known. Warlords of Draenor is expected to be released later this year. The last add-ons were released in September (MoP), December (Cataclysm), and November (Wrath of the Lich King). Therefore, it is difficult to discern a pattern or derive a date from the data.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The Assassin in WildStar is most comparable to the Rogue from other games. He can become nearly invisible with his Nano Skin and sneak up on unsuspecting enemies to assassinate them from behind. But he can do much more! Since he wears medium armor, he can withstand a few hits as well. Therefore, he can take on larger groups or strong opponents by himself.
He is capable of filling the roles of damage dealer and tank, with the latter relying more on high evasion chance and mobility rather than just taking damage. However, the class is certainly not the easiest in WildStar. Not only must one pay close attention to their energy management, but also apply the right Nano Skin at the right time to benefit from the bonuses.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The former lead developer behind the discontinued MMO Warhammer Online, Mark Jacobs, is now taking a jab at his former employer Electronic Arts.
Mark Jacobs is currently working with a team on the spiritual successor to Dark Age of Camelot called “Camelot Unchained“. For this, he is reliant on Kickstarter and the support of fans. However, some are skeptical of him because he allegedly hyped the game excessively during his time at Warhammer Online, portraying it in an overly positive light. This has cost him some trust and may now deter potential fans of the game.
In a forum comment on massively, Jacobs speaks candidly. “Since I left Electronic Arts, I got off the hype train, and I have no intention of getting back on.” Jacobs apologizes to all players who were disappointed with Warhammer Online. He himself was also disappointed, but not with the team that worked hard to meet and exceed others’ expectations.
Warhammer Online was discontinued in December 2013.
After his departure from Electronic Arts and once the confidentiality agreement lapsed, he did not hide the fact that while Warhammer Online had some great elements, it was overall not “ready for prime-time” to compete with the big players.
For the future, Jacobs promises complete transparency to the Kickstarter backers and fans. He wants to communicate at all times what is going well and what is not going so well. And he wants to accept fans’ money only if they are willing to give it to him, ensuring he does not get it through false hype or false promises. Jacobs aims to convince through his work and gameplay videos in the future.
The vicious circle of failure
My MMO says: This is a post from which one can read between the lines a lot of criticism about the current status quo of the MMO industry. With WAR (as the game is also called), one can unfortunately see the mechanisms of the MMO industry. A few months ago, a short report from a former WAR co-developer surfaced, describing how it felt to work on a game that was doomed from the start.
Unfortunately, Warhammer Online consistently fell short of financial expectations. When an MMO starts weakly, it loses more and more players over time. This leads to increasing layoffs and makes it harder for the game to get back on track. However, this cannot be communicated outwardly; instead, the impression must be created that everything is going well, so that remaining players do not leave as well. As WAR is by no means an isolated case, it often creates growing distrust among MMO veterans.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In Neverwinter Online, a free game set in the Dungeons and Dragons universe, the fourth module, the Tyranny of Dragons, is coming. This will bring not only a bunch of dragons but also a new class.
In a gameplay trailer, Cryptic Studios showcases the “Scourge Warlock” in action. And above all, a bunch of fearsome dragons can be seen.
The Warlock will devote himself to dark powers and gain access to “dark spells” and “shadowy beings” that will help him survive in battle against the draconic hordes.
In MMO terms: He will likely be a dot-based ranged DPS pet class, similar to the Warlocks in World of Warcraft or pretty much any other game since the dawn of time. He has three different specs; in one he focuses on dots and direct damage spells, in the second he primarily sends his soul puppet into battle, and in the third he drains life energy from opponents to heal his allies.
The class system in Neverwinter is a bit tricky because it is based on a pen and paper rule set, which includes sub-groupings for a “base class” (the warrior, the rogue, the ranger), meaning a sort of “fixed” specialization (the protector fighter, the two-handed fighter). The Warlock would be the second typical caster class in the game alongside the control mage (who is more of a CC specialist). Recently, the “Watchful Ranger” class, an archer class, has been introduced.
The Warlock increases the number of playable classes to 7 and should give fans even more options, although the original rule set surely has much more in store that Neverwinter could draw from. By the way, in the nice trailer, one can see, to quote The Big Bang Theory, not surprisingly for a Dungeons and Dragons game: numerous dragons.
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In the Buy-to-Play fantasy MMO Guild Wars 2, the second episode of the second season of Living World was released on Tuesday. “Devouring” is its name.
The new season of Living World has been received excellently by fans so far. Especially the fans of the backstory (that is, players who really read every dialogue) are fervently discussing what the events in the first episode mean and how the puzzle of clues can be put together into a coherent mosaic. Some talk about the mysterious Sylvari becoming dominant figures of the second season, while others believe one of the Elder Dragons will play a huge role. Just the thorough examination of the former youth room of the legendary champion Scarlet Briar gave some fans enough material to ponder, waking their inner Sherlock Holmes.
In the second episode, the vines known from the trailer are causing trouble, attacking waypoints and even invading the homeland. Players can dive headfirst into the episode, experience the story, and face new challenges. Once logged in, they unlock this part of the Living Story for all their characters, allowing them to rewatch it anytime, just like rewatching their favorite TV series, to perhaps find the crucial pieces of the puzzle this time.
The third episode will start on July 29, and the fourth episode on August 12, before it goes on a break.
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The fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online is facing a profound upheaval three months after its release. After the launch of arenas or battlegrounds, those who had chosen to ignore TESO later discussed them openly. Now, it seems only a matter of time before at least the arenas arrive. Battlegrounds are also on the radar.
In a podcast with fans of “The Quest”, the Creative Director Paul Sage seemingly spoke off the cuff, revealing some plans and ideas one would expect more from a “The Road ahead” letter by Matt Firor or at least from a formal press release by Zenimax.
Amidst the excitement about the announced introduction of the Champion system, a statement almost gets overshadowed, which is quite important for some players. Sage confirms that players “can definitely expect arenas in the not too distant future.”
For Quakecon, a 3-on-3 map has been prepared and it has already received a lot of applause at E3. However, the most important thing is that regardless of what new content is introduced, whether battlegrounds or arenas, it should not negatively affect Cyrodiil. It must not become emptier.
The question of whether there will be different rewards in arenas compared to the PvP zone Cyrodiil has already been considered, but Sage did not reveal more.
Imperial City should bring life back to Cyrodiil
For Cyrodiil, the team is working on the major PvP dungeon, the Imperial City. Here too, Sage only reveals that players will fight for the right to own this city.
Observers assume that the Imperial City will resemble the PvP dungeon “Darkness Falls” in the MMO Dark Age of Camelot in its function and structure. Each realm had access to the catacombs and was rewarded with particularly tasty drops and opponents. When dominance in PvP shifted, a different realm would gain access, leading to a PvP spectacle among astonished mobs.
Not a word from Sage regarding the console release
Mein MMO states: “Not too distant future” is still vague. We expect further information on this at Quakecon in Dallas. Most of the revelations Sage freely shared in the interview with fans were likely planned for that event.
It will be exciting to see what surprises the guys at Zenimax have in store for the prominently manned panels. One thing is for sure: It is an exciting time for TESO fans or even for former or future players who keep an eye on the game. At the moment, the later The Elder Scrolls Online seems to be taking shape and defining itself. Surely, they always have the console release for Playstation 4 and Xbox One in mind. However, Sage provided no new info regarding this sensitive topic, remaining silent on it.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The F2P transition of the MMO shooter Defiance for PS3 and Xbox 360, originally scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed indefinitely.
After careful consideration and thorough review, Trion Worlds has decided to delay the planned transition to a free-to-play system for consoles a bit further. The reason for this is stability issues on the console platforms that they did not want to impose on new players.
Some elements have been reintroduced into the MMO as part of the crossover with the TV series “Defiance.” Unfortunately, the last version of the game has affected performance. Trion Worlds is now working intensively and with the highest priority on the stability issues. They look forward to welcoming a crowd of new players to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and want to provide them with a stable experience without performance issues.
We have already reported on the transition of the MMO shooter system in a previous article. The creators of Defiance sought some tips from the developers of Rift, who are also working under the umbrella of Trion Worlds on their free-to-play game.
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In Camelot Unchained, the spiritual successor to the PvP classic Dark Age of Camelot, the stats system has now been introduced. And it is surprisingly retro.
Inspired by Pen and Paper
Inspired by Pen and Paper games and a lovely “earlier time”, the concept of the system becomes clear. Unlike modern MMOs, where everything can be customized in character creation, except for anything that affects gameplay, Camelot Unchained will allow for disastrous skill builds even at character creation. The player receives some points to invest in attributes.
Lead developer Marc Jacobs sees it as the players’ freedom to intentionally gimp themselves. And anyone who insists on running around with a weak and sickly tank can certainly do so and bear the consequences. However, unlike MMOs from earlier generations, there will be respec options available.
Stats Increase with Use
The stats in Camelot Unchained intentionally diverge in several ways from the current MMO standard. The concept papers state clearly: “Does not conform to today’s standard -> Good!” There will be stats like “Weight” that make it easier to shove opponents and harder to be shoved yourself. Furthermore, values will determine hearing and vision capabilities.
Additionally, they want to break free from an XP system where a character magically gathers points to then make a career leap by using a “thing” to suddenly distribute the accrued points in attributes they might not have even trained. Therefore, in Camelot Unchained, values will increase through use. Moreover, points in individual attributes won’t make the character “directly” stronger, but rather allow access to new items and abilities.
By the way, with items – similar to the early Dark Age of Camelot – there will simply be no stats. This is to avoid stats inflation.
My MMO believes: Even if Camelot Unchained is something that will only be explored in more depth in 2015/2016, several interesting concepts are already identifiable that seemed a bit out of fashion. However, such a path can help distinguish itself from the mass of MMOs.
Since Camelot Unchained has a clear target audience (former Dark Age of Camelot players), it will be very interesting to see if Jacobs can excite the fans, many of whom reminisce fondly about their time in DAOC but have likely outgrown the typical MMO power gamer age. Therefore, systems that prevent grinding fit well into the concept. The stats system, as unusual as it may seem, certainly makes sense and could provide an interesting variation.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In an interview, H1Z1 developer Jimmy Whisenhunt discussed some aspects of the gameplay, especially the combat system in the zombie MMO, which is set to be released in early access. While weapons should provide an advantage, they should not make the player immortal. Even a machine gun does not protect against taking a deadly arrow.
In the interview with the YouTuber itmeJP, who was fortunate enough to be invited to the SOE headquarters, Jimmy Whisenhunt, Senior Game Designer at H1Z1, shared some of the game philosophies behind the upcoming zombie MMO H1Z1. Since he is primarily responsible for the combat mechanics, the discussion included weapons and how powerful they make the player.
He was asked whether there would be a weapon, like the rocket launcher, that would be so powerful it could decide any fight right from the start. The short answer: “No.” The longer answer: Even with a bow, players should have the chance to win against an opponent with a machine gun. A lot of emphasis is placed on making combat “skill-based” and focusing on how skillfully one approaches an opponent. More like in a “deathmatch.”
No amount of skill can help against a lucky shot
The goal is to ensure that H1Z1 has a high “skill ceiling” so that truly good players can significantly benefit from their skills. However, this does not make them invulnerable. Even the best players might take an arrow from a blind spot to the head, and then no amount of skill will help.
The combat system is given high priority, which means that other aspects are being sidelined at least for the start. There will likely be a relatively simple character creation, similar to Planetside 2. Whisenhunt, as a combat expert, provides a rational justification: “You are faced with the choice of whether to introduce an option or to bring 50 additional weapons into the game.” For him, there is no question how to decide in this matter.
H1Z1 is ready for reddit
Otherwise, SOE aims to remain flexible in their design ideas and adapt to players’ behaviors. So far, according to Whisenhunt, players have never played a game as they had previously imagined. Therefore, it is not very useful to make plans. That is why they are prepared to come up with something when, for instance, a Zerg forms, and a clan of players roams the server together, ruining the experience for everyone else. “We can’t wait to see what a Reddit community or any other group does with the game,” Whisenhunt said.
H1Z1 is currently set to release in early access. Access will be paid initially, but will be free upon release. A date is still not known.
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The eagerly awaited expansion for Blizzard’s free online card game Hearthstone, Curse of Naxxramas, will likely not be released this week.
A simple forum post by community manager Arathil has dampened the hopes of impatient fans for an early release: “We are still on track to release Naxxramas in July, but not on Tuesday.” Since Tuesday is traditionally the maintenance day for the US server (Wednesday in Europe), it is assumed that there will be no access to the Arachnid Quarter of Naxxramas this week, the first of the five wings.
Possible release times then: Next Wednesday, July 23, or the following Wednesday, July 30. Even then, Hearthstone would technically still be “in July,” albeit just barely.
At the moment, it is also said that the special card back that players receive for being particularly successful in the heroic version of Naxxramas is also expected to be revealed before the dread necropolis appears. This means there will be a warning beforehand. A sign to watch out for, so to speak. Unfortunately, Naxxramas will not materialize out of nowhere and lure with undead hordes. As much as players would love such surprise releases – and the actual Hearthstone originally appeared quite unexpectedly back then – it seems that this will not be the case for Hearthstone’s first expansion.
To help you pass the time until the release of Naxxramas (and so that you don’t start tearing apart half the forum like Hearthstone fans did after Arathil’s announcement), we recommend our three articles about the expansion.
What do Hearthstone players say? May you always have good cards? May you never encounter a Miracle Rogue in the dark? Last-minute update 8:00 AM: It has been confirmed on the Spanish Twitter account for Hearthstone that Naxxramas is still coming in July, but not this week.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
In the free fantasy MMO Lord of the Rings Online, the producer has addressed the fans in an open letter and revealed plans for the rest of the year. The new class Beorning is set to be introduced this year but will start at level 1 instead of level 50.
Further changes to the plans are also on the way: The level cap will not be raised for the time being, and a new system for legendary weapons will make its way into the game.
Aaron Campbell has some changes in store for the recently upset fans. He states in an open letter to the fans that they want to listen to player feedback and therefore plan to change some things for the second half of the year.
Thus, contrary to previous statements, the level cap will not be raised again this year. It will remain at level 100, which was reached with Update 14. The fans have made it clear that they prefer to invest more time in the development of gear rather than in additional levels. This feedback has been taken to heart and will be implemented.
In this context, Turbine plans a new system for the progression of legendary weapons. At level 100, it will be possible to further upgrade a legendary item. The current values will be frozen and stored. The item will continue to gain experience (even through later level increases). It will no longer need to be painstakingly taken apart and reassembled. Here, they want to fulfill an earlier promise and provide players with legendary weapons that truly grow with them.
In addition, the planned class of Beorning will launch this year. Originally, the shape-shifters were supposed to start at level 50, right in the action. This has now changed, and they will start at level 1 and also offer Beornings their own “starting experience”, probably referring to a starting area.
The next update will continue the epic story that will lead to the battle at the gates of Gondor. Next, the Haradrim will come, the feared corsairs from Tolkien’s world. They will face the undead oathsbreakers led by Aragorn. For the players, the journey later this year will take them to Pelagir.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
The free-to-play tank MMO World of Tanks is currently testing patch 9.2. It introduces strongholds, which are intended to deepen the gameplay experience of aspiring generals.
Patch 9.2 is all about strongholds, which Wargaming seems to be feverishly working on and is therefore asking as many tank generals as possible to help with testing. The stronghold mode is a kind of guild housing, but you can also lay waste to the strongholds of other clans, similar to the Warplots in the recently released MMO WildStar.
On the test server, every player, not just the commander, will be able to create a stronghold. Wargaming hopes for a larger amount of feedback from this. You no longer have to be in a clan of at least 20 people to try your hand at being a stronghold constructor.
Additionally, the patch will rework many tank models to adjust balance, and some maps will be reviewed again. Some tanks will even receive a whole new coat of paint and will soon shine in an HD model.
In a video preview on YouTube, EiKarrRamba presents the changes that patch 9.2 brings in detail.
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Transformers Universe, a mix of MOBA and shooter, is in Open Beta. First images of the gameplay have appeared and initial reviews are not very promising.
The US site mmobomb has extensively covered the gameplay of Transformers Universe. The game is currently in Open Beta, developed by the browser game specialist Jagex, and apparently has some issues.
According to the first impressions, the gameplay is reportedly not very polished. The 4v4 matches are consistently decided early on. It primarily focuses on team play. Whether Autobot or Decepticon, whoever loses the first battle respawns gradually, trickles back to the action, and is always outnumbered in future fights. A “snowball” effect is noticeable, as an initial advantage or disadvantage becomes increasingly pronounced. Additionally, while the models of the Autobots and Decepticons are well designed, the environment graphics still look somewhat generic.
Advancement also feels quite grindy at the moment, in the early Open Beta; it mostly involves earning enough points through as many matches as possible to unlock more bots or certain upgrades. The term “browser game” is somewhat problematic as well. Downloading the client saves some waiting time and thus becomes a mandatory task.
However, for fans of the genre and especially Transformers, there is a glimmer of hope: the bots indeed vary in their roles as tank, DPS or healer. There is a rich selection and the shootouts look quite appealing and action-packed.
Mein MMO says: After a first second-hand look at an early gameplay video, it is naturally unfair to pass judgment on a game—even if it should only be a mere dipstick. However, Transformers Universe seems unlikely to attract “core gamers”—for MOBA veterans, there are high-profile and well-developed alternatives like League of Legends, Dota 2, and numerous other games. Perhaps Transformers Universe can still do justice to the huge license in a later stage of development. Unfortunately, it does not currently appear to be a title for the premier league.
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The sandbox MMO “The Valley” will enter the first phase of Alpha on July 20.
The team at Fairytale Distillery is based in Munich and has taken on an almost impossible task as a small indie studio: they want to develop an MMO. While many of their indie colleagues are trying to create manageable platformers or high-concept games, the idea of an “MMO” is considered wildly ambitious. However, the sandbox MMO is making great progress and has some clever ideas in the works. They aim to focus on both cooperation and open-world PvP, periodically reset the servers, and reduce grinding per day to a manageable level through an EXP limit.
Even large international MMO sites have taken notice of the game, regularly reporting on it, and it appears that a fan base for the sandbox MMO has already formed in Russia and Poland.
Development is progressing well, having secured significant funding from the Free State of Bavaria. On July 20, the next significant milestone will be reached as “The Valley” enters the first phase of a Closed Alpha.
The team wants to select some testers from the more than a thousand applicants, and then open “The Valley” for visits only for a few hours a week. It is not too late to apply for the last spots in the Alpha.
In Guild Wars 2, players are returning to their US roots and introducing an All-Star voting system to select the best PvP players for Gamescom in Cologne. Eligible to vote: the fans.
All-Star voting is an annual tradition in the four major sports in the USA. Fans can vote for the players they want to see in a special All-Star game. The event often has a festive atmosphere over several days with all the glam, glory, and pathos, where the sport often takes a backseat and fun, watching, and being seen take center stage. But for the players, it is a huge deal and an honor they look back on fondly after their careers.
Guild Wars 2 is now utilizing such an All-Star voting to excite players for their PvP event at Gamescom in Cologne, for which they have been heavily promoting for several weeks. Players have until Thursday morning at 8:59 AM to cast their ballots. They can choose from numerous elite PvP players who have passed the preliminary selection by ArenaNet. Local fans can vote for 5 players each from a pool of 32, consisting of Europeans and North Americans. A delegation of Chinese participants will be chosen by the local publisher Khong Zong.
The exclusive armor set.
The actual tournament at Gamescom, which could also turn into a kind of national competition, will take place from August 14 to 17 and will be streamed on Twitch.
The winner will receive a legendary weapon, an exclusive armor set, and a special finishing move. The real kicker: ArenaNet will cover expenses and flight for the chosen representative to Cologne. This may not seem so appealing for German players, but for players from other countries, it’s a great opportunity to come to good ole Europe.
As a regular mortal, one currently has no chance of winning the prizes, but according to Guild Wars 2, they will also be made available to other players later.
This is an AI-powered translation. Some inaccuracies might exist.
