Category: News

[Humor] Broadsword Games Plagiarizes Sony’s Terms of Service


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It isn’t too unsurprising to see a smaller game developer plagiarize a larger company’s legal agreements, but it is hilarious when they forget to take out key words such as the company’s name. MMO Fallout has been covering these incidences since way back in 2010 with Quest Online stealing the fourth pillar speech from Bioware, and since I tend to receive nasty letters from humorless lawyers whenever this story comes up, I’d like to reiterate the humor tag at the top of the page. This is all in good fun.

Broadsword Entertainment has been caught plagiarizing Sony’s terms of service for the Playstation Network from 2013. The original you can read here:

NOTE: THIS AGREEMENT CONTAINS A BINDING INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER PROVISION IN SECTION 17 THAT AFFECTS YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO ANY “DISPUTE” (AS DEFINED BELOW) BETWEEN YOU AND SNEI, SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC., SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT AMERICA LLC, THEIR AFFILIATES, PARENTS OR SUBSIDIARIES (COLLECTIVELY, “SONY ENTITIES”). YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO OPT OUT OF THE BINDING ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER PROVISIONS AS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 17.

And the version in Ultima Online via this player’s screenshot. Goofs on legal pads are always funny, like when Star Vault threatened to punish in-game malfeasance with a ban from Eve Online.

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Atlas Reactor Is Going Free Again


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Atlas Reactor is going free, following the news from earlier this year that the game would be buy to play. In a post on the official website, Trion Worlds announced that players will have access to free character lists that rotate every week and are unique to the player. Reward caches are doled out as you play, handing out random assortments from the game’s hundreds of banners, emotes, titles, icons, taunts, etc.

We want to thank you all for the terrific feedback you’ve offered us in Beta. The launch of Free Mode accompanies Revised Player Progression, which will make obtaining rewards even clearer and more fun than it is today.

You can read the rest of the announcement at the link below.

(Source: Atlas Reactor)

“Fake Ass Witch Hunt” Against Curt Schilling Results In No Charges


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The case of 38 Studios is finally coming to a close as the Rhode Island state attorney general Peter Kilmartin has declined to press charges against Curt Schilling and members of the state economic development board. According to an eight page report filed by the attorney general, there is not sufficient evidence to secure a conviction. While the decision means that no charges will be levied at this time, it does not interfere with the ongoing Securities and Exchange Commission charges levied against the state, nor does it prevent a later case being picked up should new evidence come to light.

Curt Schilling called the investigation a “fake ass witch hunt”

Former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling been the center of attention since the collapse of his game developer 38 Studios in 2012 and the ensuing investigation over a $75 million loan backed by the state of Rhode Island. The loan is being investigated over allegations that the parties involved knew that it would not be sufficient to complete work on Project Copernicus (the Kingdoms of Amalur MMO). The Rhode Island Economic Development Corp as well as Wells Fargo have been charged with fraud in relation to the loan.

(Source: Game Informer)

Nexon Chairman Indicted On Corruption Charges, Bribes His Prosecutor


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A three week investigation has concluded that Nexon founder and chairman Kim Jung-ju likely gave more than eight hundred thousand in bribes to high ranking prosecutor Jin Kyung-joon, in a case regarding suspicious stock transactions. According to ongoing investigations, Jin received 425 million won from Nexon to buy stocks in the company, allowing the prosecutor to amass billions in profit in 2015.

Jin also received tens of millions of won from Kim for travel expenses and other luxuries including a company car and certain business deals. The 49 year old prosecutor has been dismissed from his position and is still investigating other claims of corruption against Kim. Kim Jung-ju, in related news, has stepped down from his position at Nexon.

It is important to note that Kim Jung-ju was found to be working alone. No charges have been, or are expected to be, brought against Nexon or its subsidiaries.

(Source: yonhapnews)

Riders of Icarus Blight of Frost Keep Update Drops Today


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Riders of Icarus players will receive a wealth of new content today in the first major update for the game since it arrived in Open Beta earlier this month. With a level increase to 35, Riders will now have an all-new zone to explore, with its own unique mounts to capture and tame, dungeons to conquer and bosses to vanquish. The “Blight of Frost Keep” update brings content including:

  • Parna’s Coast: Enter the new snow-covered lands of Parna’s Coast to discover new dangers and new mounts as you explore this fascinating new high-level region. With powerful monsters and a misty frost that permeates the area and can affect a players’ mobility if they’re not prepared, Riders will want to team up with others to succeed in the new ‘Field Raid’.
  • The Frost Keep: Riders level 34 and above will find an icy challenge awaiting them in the new Frost Keep dungeon, the stronghold of the Frost Guard and their enigmatic leader. In this barren and lifeless keep, players will have the chance to add ghostly new mounts to their collection.
  • Cavern of the Veil: More mysteries will be unearthed by Riders level 28 and above in the Cavern of the Veil, where they will face off against a variety of deadly bosses deep underground. As players explore, they should keep their eyes peeled to find and tame a rare mount!
  • New Mounts: Parna’s Coast has its own unique environment, and with it comes new mounts to capture and tame, including the Venomous Caspert, Karas and Terror Kerav, who will lend an advantage in the frosty lands.
  • Guild Alliances: Forge strategic alliances with other guilds in preparation for future large scale PVP war events! Players’ efforts will see their alliances grow stronger and their fame spread throughout the land.

This high-level content is the first of several planned updates that will provide new challenges for players to experience, offering added depth to the game and its ever-expanding world of mounts to capture, tame and collect.

“We are excited and grateful to see such a positive response from players in Open Beta,” said Hoon Seok, producer, WeMade. “We have so much more content to come, and can’t wait until it’s ready to share with the community. Their feedback continues to be immensely valuable in helping us grow and shape the game.”

To download  Riders of Icarus and delve into the frostbitten Parna’s Coast, and to stay up-to-date on the latest news and announcements, join the community today:  ridersoficarus.com

Shroud of the Avatar Begins Anew: Final Wipe Today


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Shroud of the Avatar is officially in the phase of launch where the game isn’t officially released but the cash shop has been open for a while and characters are no longer being wiped, or sufficient enough to review as we like to think of it. Following yesterday’s telethon, the Portalarium crew managed to rake in over $130,000 in pledges. Richard Garriott referred to the funding drive as the “best single day ever.”

Now that the servers are finally open, Portalarium’s royalty (those who pledged thousands of dollars) will be able to pick their housing spots first. Those of you whose pledges include deeds will be able to see your time slot for claiming land on your account page.

Since Shroud of the Avatar is officially (soft) launched, stay tuned for more content coverage on MMO Fallout.

(Source: Shroud of the Avatar)

Watch: Albion’s Final Beta Trailer


Albion Online has put out its final beta trailer, dubbed Everybody Matters.

Runefest 2016 Tickets Selling In Record Time


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Runefest, the convention of all things Jagex hosting in London, is coming fast: September 17th. As Jagex prepares to discuss upcoming updates to RuneScape, Chronicles, and their other products, the Cambridge-based developer wants players to be aware that tickets are selling out in record time. Events at Runefest include cosplay parades, challenges, Q&A sessions, a meet and greet, and more.

“We can’t wait to meet up with our fellow ‘Scapers at RuneFest 2016 as they join us for an intrepid celebration as RuneScape pushes new horizons. We’ll be showcasing the new frontiers of the Eastern Isles and announce some of new content heading to RuneScape in the year ahead,” said David Osborne, lead designer, RuneScape. “We’ll also be unveiling our plans for other games in the family, including Old School RuneScape and its ever growing popularity in the eSports sector, mobile versions ofChronicle: RuneScape Legends, and the upcoming 0.5-player game, RuneScape: Idle Adventures.”

More information about Runefest can be found here.

Red 5 Studios Shareholder L&A International Is Effectively Worthless


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When is a Chinese cashmere seller relevant to the gaming industry? When they hold 30% equity in one of the developers. L&A International Holdings Ltd is not only a mouthful, a few months ago they traded for 30.6% equity interest in Red 5, developer of the ever-struggling MMO Firefall. If you’re interested in buying stocks in L&A International, you can’t. The company has been suspended from the Hong Kong stock exchange and its stock is effectively worthless.

At the request of L&A International Holdings Limited (the ‘‘Company’’), trading in the shares of the Company on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited has been halted from 1:14 p.m. on Friday, 22 July 2016 pending the release of an announcement in relation to inside information.

Shares for L&A International Holdings Ltd had dropped to .02 HKD, or slightly over a quarter of a penny USD. L&A International plans on placing more shares in the coming days. The news of their hardship precedes this week’s news that Red5 Studios appears to have undergone another round of layoffs. Community manager FadedPez posted the following on this Twitter:

Firefall’s last update was in May, and the game appears to be bleeding users at a steadily increasing rate over the last four months or so. Looking at its troubled past, it only seems to be a matter of time before the team (what is left of them) throw in the towel.

PSA: How To Fix Your Frozen Neverwinter PS4 Character


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Players in Neverwinter on PS4 are finding that logging out in certain areas causes the game to break, freezing upon re-entry with no fix in sight (including reinstalling the game from scratch). The problem, it appears, is not on the client’s end but on the server’s side.

The issue hasn’t been fixed yet, but there is a quick fix that will get the game working for you.

On certain occasions, loading out of Helm’s Hold, Vellosk and a few other maps, and then logging back in will result in the game freezing on the loading screen. To work around this issue, log into an alternate character, then switch back. You may also submit a ticket to our support at support.arcgames.com.

If you’ve experienced this bug in Neverwinter, did this fix work? Let us know in the comments below.

(Source: Neverwinter)