Category: News

The Future of RuneScape's Cash Shop Is In MapleStory


Whether you like it or not, Jagex is taking its cues from majority stockholder Insight Venture Partners, the American investment group and 55% share holder in the British developer. Luckily for me, IVP is turning out to be a pretty predictable company. The path that RuneScape has taken is not unique, and is one used (rather successfully) by another well known publisher and investment of IVP: Nexon. So if you want to see where RuneScape’s cash shop will most likely evolve into, just take a look at Maplestory.

Maplestory also started its shop with gambling, followed by the introduction of a cosmetic only cash shop, blossoming into what it is today. So let’s take a look at what you might see in the cash shop of the future!

  • 2x Experience: This is a given, and should it be included in the near future, completely unsurprising. After all, Jagex stated recently that they would be getting rid of bonus experience weekends just before they opened the cash shop. After all, why give the milk away for free when you can sell it at market?
  • Cosmetic Pets: This is also a given. It is a cash shop, after all, and what would a cash shop be without the ability to say “I paid $10 on a virtual talking, floating pancake with cat ears.” I have no news that Jagex plans on adding a floating, talking pancake with cat ears into RuneScape but if they do, it was completely my idea.
  • Bound Equipment: Remember how Jagex explained giving high level equipment in Squeal of Fortune? That’s right, it can’t be traded. If (and this is a big IF) Jagex does indeed update Solomon’s Store to include high end equipment, you can bet that you won’t be able to trade it. It will likely also be expensive relative to whether or not the item can be lost when you die.
  • Many More Membership Bonuses: This one is a prediction of my own. Jagex has been running numerous membership bonuses designed to keep people subscribed longer (90-120 day membership card vanity items) and throughout months (bonus experience for members). Expect many more free items to come as a benefit of membership. This will likely include powerful equipment, following the rule stated above being bound to an account.

Just a reminder: These are all my predictions and may be completely wrong.

Craft of Gods Disappeared: No Idea Where It Went


Craft of Gods is gone. Dead. Kaput. Gamestop’s Impulse Driven digital distributor is still selling the software, but the website is offline, the servers are apparently not working, and Kalicanthus Entertainment’s website is gone with a shutdown notice. The Craft of Gods Twitter account has not been updated since December 20th, and the Craft of Gods Facebook page has users complaining that the service has been offline and keys nonredeemable since March.

I have reached out to Gamestop to see if the title will be pulled, but as of this publishing the game is still for sale even though there is nowhere to redeem the keys and the game is apparently unplayable as the servers are offline and the game has been abandoned.

Until then, I recommend that you do not purchase Craft of Gods, unless you really like wasting your money.

Phantasy Star Universe Sunsetting For Good In September


While Playstation and PC users already had their experience cut short two years ago, 360 gamers who enjoy a bit of Phantasy Star Universe will be sorely disappointed to hear that the game will be shutting its last doors later this year. In an announcement on the Sega forums, Edward@Sega detailed that servers will come down September 7th, 2012, and that while “network mode” will no longer be available, Phantasy Star Universe will still be playable in single player.

This was not an easy decision but there comes a time when we must consider the level of service and support we can provide for an ongoing game, and balance those concerns against preparing for the future, and providing you with new opportunities and new experiences.

Players with subscriptions extending past September will be refunded by Microsoft on a pro-rated basis. You can read Edward’s notes and his eulogy at the link below. Phantasy Star Online 2 is due for release in Summer 2012 as a free to play title for PC, with versions out for the iOS and Android devices by the end of 2012, and a version for Playstation Vita coming in early 2013.

(Source: SCEA Forums)

38 Studios Is DOA, Entire Staff Laid Off


The 38 Studios saga may come to a close faster than we thought. According to Fox 25 out of Boston, 38 Studios may be out of commission by this weekend at the earliest. If reports are to believed, employees aren’t being paid and are either leaving or being laid off in large quantities. The state of Rhode Island has refused to give any of the money requested, according to Curt Schilling, and many high-up employees have already announced their resignation (including the chief executive and senior vice president).

I am willing to bet that Electronic Arts will likely buy up Big Huge Games as well as the Amalur IP, but this is all speculation.

(Source: Fox Boston)

Mortal Online Q1 2012: Sales Up, Mortal Online on "Major Gaming Platforms"


More news from the Star Vault…vault. The financial details for Star Vault’s first quarter have been released, and it appears the trend may finally break. Back in February, Henrik Nystrom announced a 50% increase in sales and an 80% increase in user activity. During the 2011 interim report, Star Vault revised its projection of breaking even in 2011 to a new prediction that the game would break even in the second quarter of 2012.

According to Star Vault’s reports, the number of monthly subscriptions increased slightly compared to the fourth quarter. The sale of licenses increased 68% from last quarter. Even with the increase in sales, Henrik notes that the game could still be friendlier to new players, which the company intends to accomplish with the release of Awakening in Q2 2012.

It is important to emphasize that the expansion includes enhancements and additions that we hope will appeal to the wider audience. Among other things, it will be easier to get into the game for new players. The expansion will also lead to the constant will be something interesting to do in the game, although it would not be interested in playing conflicts and / or war.

Henrik also mentions Mortal Online appearing on “major gaming platforms.”

According to our assessment, we, following the launch of “The Awakening”, to meet the standard requirements that exist for a game to be approved on the major gaming platforms.

More on Mortal Online as it appears.

(Source: Star Vault press email)

38 Studios Unveils Project Copernicus


We’ve known about 38 Studios’ plan to bring forth an MMO for quite some time, and with the bad news of late (money trouble, not paying loans, meeting with the governor, not paying employees, etc) it may be rather difficult to focus on the fact that 38 Studios is still working on said MMO. While very little is known about the game, 38 Studios released the above fly-through which showcases (at the very least) the art-style that we can expect.

Hopefully we see plenty more from 38 Studios in the future. With an impressive array of names including Todd McFarlane and a story written by none other than the man who owns my very soul, R.A. Salvatore (the monolith crumbling was not my fault, that contract was still fulfilled). Kingdoms of Amalur was a fun game, despite some criticisms, and it would be a grave disappointment to see such an amazing team lose out because of the bean counters.

More on 38 Studios and Project Copernicus as it appears.

38 Studios Missing Payments, Wants More Taxpayer Money


Ever since 2010, I did not think a developer could rattle my nerves as much as Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment and Gary Whiting, but 38 Studios and Curt Schilling are certainly looking to prove me wrong on all accounts. For the taxpayers of Rhode Island, the investment made by their state government by offering $75 million to 38 Studios to relocate and bring 450 jobs to the state, has turned into a nightmare. At this point in time if 38 Studios goes bankrupt, taxpayers will be on the hook for $112 million over the next eight years. Two days ago I reported that Governor Chafee had met with Curt Schilling to discuss keeping the company solvent.

Now we know that 38 Studios did not make its loan payment on May 1st. The Associated Press is reporting that Curt Schilling is now asking for more money from the state, although the amount has not been disclosed to the public. Governor Chafee, who did not support the loan citing 38 Studios’ lack of a successful release record, has committed to protecting the state’s investment and securing the taxpayer money, but has not responded to the request for additional funding.

While the loan doesn’t come directly from the taxpayer coffers, the agreement set up with 38 Studios means that Rhode Island will pay the lenders in case the studio defaults. So if 38 Studios loses, everyone in Rhode Island is going to pay for it.

We’ll have to wait and see as to what happens.

(Source: Associated Press)

Stargate Worlds Just Can't Die, Yet Another Lawsuit


Some of you may remember the Ponzi scheme that Stargate Worlds and MMOGuls allegedly turned out to be. I do, and I distinctly apologize to my editor for forgetting that I had duct taped and locked you in the basement, but then again that is what happens when you interrupt my Diablo 3 time to ask me to talk about Stargate Worlds and Gary Whiting, I don’t care how many times you say please. It has been 18 months since I’ve had to talk about Stargate Worlds, and boy does the time fly when your blood isn’t boiling.

First of all, let’s set something straight: Stargate Worlds is never coming back. Last we heard back in 2010, MGM pulled the license and has absolutely no intention on letting it loose again. Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment’s court appointed receive is in the process of dismantling the long-dead development company and selling it off piece by piece.

But it doesn’t end there, and karma has found its mark. Gary Whiting, noted Ponzi Schemer Multi-Level Marketer is on the receiving end of a growing number of lawsuits by investors in the Stargate MMO. Whiting, who owes more than $6.2 million thanks to two other lawsuits, has another on his hands to the tune of $4 million, from 17 plaintiffs under the accusation that Whiting mislead them into investing in the disastrously failed MMO.

According to the plaintiffs, Whiting lied about Stargate Worlds being near finished, stole millions from the company coffers and never repaid loans.

We’ll see how this turns out in court. I won’t, because this is the last I’ll post about Stargate Worlds.

(Source: The Arizona Republic)

Rhode Island Working To Keep 38 Studios Solvent


Let’s talk history. Back in 2010, Rhode Island lured 38 Studios from Massachusetts to their own state with the promise of a $75 million loan, under the promise that 450 jobs would be created. The loan was a product of controversy among Rhode Island politicians, especially as the loan would be hedged on a studio that had yet to put out a product.

Earlier this year, 38 Studios put out Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, a single player RPG meant to fund the company’s ongoing production of an MMORPG set in the same universe. The game sold, although it received some harsh criticism for being generic, and while fun doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel or innovate the genre.

The Providence Journal states that Governor Chafee has met with 38 Studios to discuss keeping the company solvent. There are no further details to report at this time other than remarks that 38 Studios has been put on a “tight timeframe.”

(Source: Providence Journal)

Kickstarters For You: Pathfinder Online


Pathfinder Online has been featured here at MMO Fallout several times, mostly to discuss the more hardcore routes that the themepark/sandbox hybrid would like to take. From old Everquest corpse runs to bounty systems and everything in between, Pathfinder is the dream of some well known names in the gaming  and role playing businesses. From CEO Ryan Scott Dancey (Chief Marketing Officer at CCP Games) to Lisa Stevens (Vampire The Masquerade), Mark Kalmes (City of Heroes) and a guy named Richard Baker (3rd edition of some indie pen and paper game called Dungeons and Dragons), Pathfinder Online is bringing together all of the big names to hopefully put out the best MMO on the market.

However names don’t pay the bills, and allegedly neither do pictures of seven legged spiders. So Pathfinder Online is on Kickstarter (see: Title), and needs your dosh. The goal to meet is $50,000 by Friday, June 8th. You can head over to the Kickstarter page linked below for a trailer and much more information as to the game itself, including some cool rewards for pledging your lods of emone.

Remember: Kickstarter is a method for aspiring companies to get funding and start out on a closer relationship with their consumers. Your pledge will not be charged until the Kickstarter fund ends (June 8th in this case), and if the goal is not reached you will not be billed at all.

Kickstarter Page

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