Category: Editorials

Jagex Opens New Studio: New Game In Development


Develop Online reports that Jagex has opened a new studio outside of Cambridge, according to CEO Mark Gerhard. There has been no information revealed about the project other than that it is a “very experimental game,” and that the UK developer remains committed to its focus on quality over quantity.

“We actually do already have a small studio outside of Cambridge, and that’s working on a very experimental game.”

More information will be coming within the next few weeks on the new studio and what they are working on.

(Source: Develop Online)

Jagex: Our Other Projects Were Hobbies, That Ends Now


Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard has always been pretty frank with the internal going-ons at his company, and in a recent interview with Develop, he answered the question as to why all of Jagex’s products that are not RuneScape have either failed to launch or failed to make a profit, and the answer is simple. The company has been treating its non-scape products more as hobby projects than real games. Gerhard believes that 8Realms, Jagex’s HTML MMORTS which shut down recently due to poor response, received precisely the attention it deserved from fans.

“I think to other projects, like 8Realms and things like that, I think that was one of the last hobby projects that we carried through, and obviously that was evident. Now it’s just working on the projects that matter.”

Jagex is currently working on several major projects, including the upcoming combat upgrade for RuneScape as well as the upcoming Transformers Universe MMO currently slated for beta in 2012.

(Source: Develop Interview)

Security Warning: Massive Exploit In Ubisoft UPlay Games


[UPDATE] The exploit has been patched.

“We have made a forced patch to correct the flaw in the browser plug-in for the Uplay PC application that was brought to our attention earlier today. We recommend that all Uplay users update their Uplay PC application without a Web browser open. This will allow the plug-in to update correctly. An updated version of the Uplay PC installer with the patch also is available from Uplay.com.

Ubisoft takes security issues very seriously, and we will continue to monitor all reports of vulnerabilities within our software and take swift action to resolve such issues.”

[Original Story] What does this have to do with MMO Fallout? Nothing, admittedly. Rock Paper Shotgun is currently reporting on an extremely dangerous exploit in a handful of Ubisoft titles, specifically those that make use of the Uplay DRM. While the exploit has not been 100% confirmed, a vulnerability has been discovered which allows a website to pull up the Uplay window and install anything to its hearts content. Essentially a hijacked website could load up a user’s computer with viruses, key loggers, trojan horses, or other destructive software. According to the article, this exploit can also be accomplished via a simple email.

As the article also points out, this is not a rootkit, the exploit is in the browser plugin. If you want to lean on the side of extra security, you may want to uninstall the games completely. The (incomplete) list of affected games is below:

Assassin’s Creed II
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
Assassin’s Creed: Project Legacy
Assassin’s Creed Revelations
Assassin’s Creed III
Beowulf: The Game
Brothers in Arms: Furious 4
Call of Juarez: The Cartel
Driver: San Francisco
Heroes of Might and Magic VI
Just Dance 3
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
Pure Football
R.U.S.E.
Shaun White Skateboarding
Silent Hunter 5: Battle of the Atlantic
The Settlers 7: Paths to a Kingdom
Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction
Your Shape: Fitness Evolved

(Source: Rock Paper Shotgun)

Play The Secret World Free, August 3rd – 6th


If Trion bestows one thing on the world, it should be that your post-launch advertising should be aggressive and essentially ensure you mark every part of your potential customer’s behind with lipstick. Rift pulled this off very well with a wealth of content starting in the weeks after launch combined with regular discounts both in-store and online to where Rift sits now at $5 for a new copy at Gamestop. The Old Republic also attempted this maneuver with a number of weekend passes in an attempt to bring more people into the game who may not have tried it otherwise.

From August 3rd to August 6th, players are invited to try out The Secret World completely free of charge.

Early Access, Inactive Accounts, and Beta Accounts may all join in! If you do not currently have an account for The Secret World, you may register to participate starting today, Friday, July 27th, to have open access to this special celebration weekend!

Funcom has already announced monthly updates to keep The Secret World moving along at a pace that will hopefully ensure players have enough to do for a long time to come.

(Source: Funcom)

The War Z: Sandbox, No End-Game


I can’t wait until The War Z comes out so I can get to end-game and grind the super master zombie raid. What? I can’t do that? Well then. In an interview with PC Gamer, Executive Producer Sergey Titov explains that The War Z is first and foremost a game of survival. Your goal is not to earn achievements or cause zombie slaughter in mass quantities, but to explore the wilderness and survive. As a result, the game will not feature traditional quests. On that note, the game won’t even feature safe zones. As anyone who has seen a zombie movie will tell you, armored fortresses are really just a convenient metal/stone box where humans gather to await being eaten alive.

Additionally, there is no end-game. Instead, the goal is to create a toolset and allow people to play to their heart’s content and create their own games. For instance, one server may have a goal of defending a fortress against a constant zombie attack. Meanwhile another server might task players with simply surviving against the zombies and one another.

This is also why we’re allowing players to rent their own servers and create their own private worlds with their own rules. Some will do just that—building their own virtual “strongholds” so to say and inviting other people to join as long as they are going to follow their rules. Some will band together into clans and will fight other clans—either on public or private servers.

More on The War Z as it appears.

(Source: PC Gamer)

Nominations For 2012 Games Developers Choice Awards Online


It is that time of the year again. The third annual Games Developers Choice Awards Online ceremony isn’t held until October, but the list of finalists has been revealed. Zynga dominates the list of finalists this year with nine nominations, and Bioware’s The Old Republic taking six on its own. Additionally, Glitch received several nominations as well as World of Warcraft and Rift.

The awards are this October, check out the GDCA website.

Best Online Game Design

  • Glitch
  • Realm of the Mad God
  • Star Wars: The Old Republic
  • DragonVale

Best Online Visual Arts

  • TERA
  • Empires & Allies
  • Star Wars: The Old Republic
  • Age of Empires Online
  • Glitch

Best Community Relations

  • World of Warcraft
  • League of Legends
  • Solitaire Blitz
  • World of Tanks
  • Diamond Dash

Best Online Technology

  • Diablo III
  • Star Wars: The Old Republic
  • Indiana Jones Adventure World
  • TERA
  • The Sims Social

Best Audio for an Online Game

  • Star Wars: The Old Republic
  • Tribes: Ascend
  • Marvel: Avengers Alliance
  • Diablo III
  • Indiana Jones Adventure World

Best New Online Game

  • Castleville
  • Star Wars: The Old Republic
  • DragonVale
  • Draw Something
  • Rage of Bahamut

Best Live Game

  • League of Legends
  • Rift
  • Cityville
  • World of Warcraft
  • Eve Online

Online Innovation Award

  • Journey
  • Realm of the Mad God
  • Star Wars: The Old Republic
  • DayZ Mod for Arma II
  • Idle Worship

Shadowrun Online Is Not Free To Play, Adopting Guild Wars Model


Have you backed Shadowrun Online? Judging by the game’s current $100,000 raised in ten days, I’d have to guess “probably.” With 21 days left to go on the Kickstarter campaign, Cliffhanger Productions has some rather major news to announce: Shadowrun is shifting business models. While Shadowrun will still sport a free to play option with microtransactions, players will be able to pay a one time charge for the “campaign” edition, and play on a separate server where cash shop items do not cost real money (they are purchased with in-game cash).

The full game will cost $39.99 at launch, but for Kickstarter we’ll have it in a $25 dollar reward tier. Major updates (Add-on packs) will be launched every 3 to 4 months and will be priced at $14.99 USD.

Check the list below for the difference between free to play and Campaign.

(Source: Kickstarter)

Guild Wars 2 Error Code 122: Fraudulent Registration Code


This is a warning to all players who have purchased Guild Wars 2 or are considering doing so. Gaile Gray has taken to the Guild Wars 2 forums to explain some players who are receiving an Error code 122. I will allow Gaile to explain your situation:

If you receive an Error 122, that means that your code was disabled. Most likely this means that you received a fraudulent code from a third-party seller. If that is the case, you will need to contact the seller and get a refund so that you can purchase the game directly from buy.guildwars2.com or from a legitimate reseller.

The Error 122 is very specific and does point to a disabled code. If you purchased your code directly from us using a legitimate credit card, and you feel that you received the message in error, please submit a Support Ticket.

Thank you.

If you bought Guild Wars 2 but not from the following list of retailers, the key may not be valid and disabled by Arenanet. You will be responsible for contacting the retailer you purchased from and obtaining a refund. Be wary as numerous incidents of fraudulent boxed copies have also been reported, meaning resellers are buying boxed copies and then performing chargebacks, and the codes inside of the box are being disabled. Be on guard, even if the game is being sold at a brick and mortar store, if it is not on the list.

North America
United States Gamestop
Best Buy
Canada EBGames
Digital GameFly.com
GreenManGaming.com
DLGamer.com

Oceanic
Australia EBGames
QVS

Europe
Austria Gameware
Gamesonly
Belgium Game Mania
Bulgaria Pulsar Games
Ozone
Technomarket
Technopolis
Multirama
Plesio
Gaming Gear
Croatia ALGORITAM d.o.o.
Cyprus Micromania
Stephanis
Melesoft
Plug-Ins
Czech Republic Games.cz
Denmark CD ON
Gamestop
GAME
Coolshop
El Giganten
Estonia Euronics (Sandman Grupp AS)
Gamestar Holding OÜ
Finland CD ON
Gamestop
VPD
Gigantti
Anttila
Verkkokauppa.com
Puolenkuun pelit
Discshop
France FNAC
Amazon
Micromania
Virgin Megastore
Germany 4u2play
Amazon
Gamestop
Mediamarkt
Promarkt
Saturn
Greece Mediamarkt
Plaisio
e-gate.gr
theconsoleclub.gr
SP Gaming Net Thessaloniki
Hungary 576 kbyte
CD Galaxis
Iceland Elko
BT
Gamestöðin
Ireland Gamestop
Israel Freak
Italy Amazon
Gamelife
Multiplayer
Gamestop
Latvia Elkor Plaza
Videogames Sia
Euronics (Sandman Grupp AS)
Lithuania Avitela Ltd
Baitukas (Baitukas UAB)
Malta Forestals
Netherlands Bol.com
Bart Smit
Game Mania
Norway Game Zone
CD ON
Gamestop
Komplett
Elkjop
GAME
Poland Gram.pl
Portugal FNAC
Serbia GameS
Komparator
Slovakia Sector.sk
Slovenia Igabiba
South Africa BT Games
Kalahari.net
takealot.com
Spain GAME
GameStop
FNAC
Amazon
Xtralife
Mediamarkt
Carrefour
Sweden CD ON
GameStop
GAME
Discshop
Webhallen
Switzerland World of Games
Softridge
Turkey D&R
UK Play.com
Amazon
Zavvi
Digital DLGamer
Born2Play
Ztorm
Metaboli
Computergames.ro
Deutsche Telekom
GreenManGaming

Happy 3rd Birthday, MMO Fallout!


Happy third birthday, MMO Fallout. For the end of year three statistics, I figured I’d crank the effort meter from one to two and a half. I have a lot planned for the coming year, so stay tuned!

Kickstarter: Shadowrun Online For Just $500,000


Hey bro, can you spot me some cash to fund Shadowrun Online? I only need ten grand for the top level Kickstarter perk. Shadowrun is a game all about gritty action and player factions warring it out over a persistent world. According to the description, players will be able to shape not just the world of Shadowrun inside of the MMO, but that decisions will also affect the future of the pen and paper game. It will be free to play (but not pay to win) and set on the Unity 3D engine similar to Cliffhanger Productions’ other MMO, Jagged Alliance Online.

Based on the pen and paper game of the same name, Shadowrun Online has taken to Kickstarter because publishers are notorious for not knowing their elbows from their, well you get the picture. Players are able to play for free, or opt into a premium subscription that offers perks including boosts in experience, rewards, and discounts at vendors.

There are 24 days left as of this publishing with about $400,000 left to go.

(Source: Kickstarter)