MMO Fallout

Eve Online Graphic Novel Released

CCP Games has announced that the first issue of Eve: True Stories is now available for download. The graphic novel series follows the real events of players in the game Eve Online, with the first issue in the series devoted to the fall of the Band of Brothers alliance. The novel is published by Dark Horse Digital, written by Daniel Way (Deadpool) and features the artwork of Tomm Coker (Daredevil Noir) and David Palumbo (Aliens).

Interested readers can nab the issue for free using the Dark Horse app. Three more issues are set to release over the course of March and into early April, with a hardcover edition coming in June. More information can be found at the link below.

(More Info: Eve Online)

Salem Resetting Characters and Merging Servers

Hang on to your britches, pilgrims. We haven’t heard from Salem in quite a while, so today’s news probably isn’t all that surprising. In order to consolidate players and implement a new map generation system, the folks at Seatribe have announced the game will be wiped and restarted under a new server.

The current server architecture is overestablished compared to our actual needs. Long term it is not feasible for us to keep running multiple servers dropping to as low as single digit populations during off-hours. A reset allows us to concentrate population to one, cardinal server, which appears more in line with the game’s actual needs.

Several players have welcomed the upcoming wipe, noting that a power disparity has allowed a select few to essentially take over servers and kill anyone who might present a threat or progress in any meaningful way. Earlier last year, Paradox Interactive cut involvement with Salem, returning full development back to Seatribe.

(Source: Salem)

MMOrning Shots: A City Fallen

Today’s MMOrning Shot comes from Guild Wars 2, where players are currently doing their best to fight back in the battle for Lion’s Arch. Players are tasked with rescuing citizens and animals and fighting back Scarlet’s minions. I would have stayed longer, but the miasma made the area too lethal to remain in any longer.

Check out MMOrning Shots every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. To submit your own screenshot, send an email to contact@mmofallout.com.

Webzen Posts 67% Drop In Annual Profits

Webzen has released their 2013 earnings release, and the results are a mixture of bad and probably salvageable. Despite a 26% rise in revenue over last year, operating profits dropped by 67%. To put the loss into better perspective, Webzen’s 2012 revenue amounted to $53.6 million USD (approximately), with $45.6 million of that going toward operating expenses, leaving around $8 million left as operating profit and that doesn’t even factor in taxes. In 2013, while revenue gained 26% to $67.47 million, operating costs surged even higher by 42% to $64.87 million. So while revenues grew during the year, operating costs resulted in the final operating profit plummeting.

With a number of titles still in development, Webzen’s portfolio is looking rather slim at the moment. The last year saw the shuttering of Archlord, SUN, and Arctic Combat, with only two of the four games currently listed on Webzen’s global website actually being playable. Games like R2 and Mu Rebirth are still “upcoming,” with development continuing on other titles including Archlord 2. Also worth noting is that revenue from domestic sales fell slightly while overseas grew by a wide margin to 73% of Webzen’s total revenue.

Another factor of operating cost could be related to Webzen’s 100% acquisition of gPotato.com back in February.

(Source: Webzen Earnings)

Less Than Massive: Irrational Games Closure

Ken Levine announced today that he plans to shut down the Irrational Games studio following the release of Bioshock Infinite’s next DLC, Burial at Sea Part 2. Levine and a select group of other developers from the studio will form anew under Take-Two Interactive in order to work on smaller games that provide a closer relationship with the customer.

The Bioshock franchise will remain with Take-Two Interactive.

(Source: Gamasutra)

Final Fantasy XIV Available On Steam and 50% Off

Final Fantasy is now available on Steam, and deal seekers can log in now to nab the title for 50% off for the time being. Until February 25th, you can nab the standard edition for $14.99 and the Collector’s edition for $24.99, with the latter including several exclusive digital items. Each purchase comes with 30 days of free game time, providing the Square Enix account you register it to does not already have a copy of FFXIV registered to it. If you already own the standard edition, it is still cheaper to upgrade to the digital collector’s edition through the Square Enix website ($19.99) rather than by buying the edition on Steam even with the 50% off.

Offer ends February 25th.

(Source: Steam)

MMOrning Shots: Darkness Falls

Today’s MMOrning Shot comes to us from Aventurine with Darkfall Unholy Wars. A recent patch to Darkfall changed the manner in which rewards are obtained by guild controlled villages. Rather than dumping the rewards in the guild vault, players must use new equipment for requisitioning rewards, as well as globules of greed obtained by bandits throughout the land. Only one player may requisition resources from the point at any given time, and can be interrupted by moving too far away, breaking contact, or being stabbed in the face. It is also possible for non-guild members to come in and steal village rewards.

I think. Check out MMOrning Shots every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday only here at MMO Fallout.

Pantheon Flying Under Kickstarter Goal

In case you haven’t been paying attention, Pantheon’s Kickstarter ends in just under a week. With six days left in the campaign, Pantheon’s Kickstarter has still yet to reach the halfway mark towards its $800 thousand goal. The fact that several high-level backers have apparently withdrawn their pledges doesn’t help the overall figures either. Regardless of what you blame the shortcomings on, it is more than evident at this point that, barring some magical second coming of Donald Trump, that Pantheon will not be meeting its goal.

As far as Pantheon goes, failure on Kickstarter is not the end of the game by a long shot. Brad McQuaid has posted numerous times on Twitter that work shall continue on the MMO while Visionary Realms seeks out alternate forms of investment.

(Source: Kickstarter)

Perfect World Extends Support Hours

Perfect World Entertainment has announced that, to better serve their customers, the publisher will be extending their customer service and billing support hours.

We are pleased to announce that our Customer Service and Billing support hours have been extended to better, and more quickly, serve you. Starting now, our support teams will be working during the hours of 10AM to 7PM PST, 7 days a week. Need any help with login issues? Let us know. Having in-game problems? We’re here to help! Make sure to bookmark our support site here and reach out to us anytime.

In the future, Perfect World hopes to add live chat to their list of services.

(Source: Neverwinter)

MMOrning Shots: Eldiving In

Today’s MMOrning Shot was taken in Eldevin. I have no idea what being hated by the Crimson Macabre will do to my reputation, but it was well worth slaughtering several hundred of them to achieve. How big is that organization anyway?

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