Tag: Mark Jacobs

Behind Schedule On Camelot Unchained, City State Entertainment Announces Second Title


Camelot Unchained was Kickstarted in 2013 and is now many years behind schedule. What is City State Entertainment going to do about it? Work on a second game, of course!

MassivelyOP conducted an interview with Mark Jacobs today ahead of the announcement of Colossus, a second game that has been in development since July of last year. Jacobs acknowledges that some people are bound to be angry about this announcement, but promises that the existence of Colossus has brought in improvements that will also be enjoyed by Camelot Unchained.

“I think that people will react the way people always react to things. Some will be angry, some will be “Whatever, as long as we get CU,” and others will be happy, as they will see all the good stuff that is now part of the engine. And, if something is part of the engine, that means it’s part of CU. Others will be happy because they will get to play an additional game besides CU that they are not being charged for, and they’ll be especially happy if they like PvE games.”

You only get to play an additional game if either of them actually hits launch, Mark.

After missing its latest release date expectation, City State Entertainment still has no clue when people can expect to see Camelot Unchained launched. Colossus meanwhile has a tentative release date of the end of the year. If it actually makes that launch date, we will be shocked.

Camelot Unchained Successfully Funded


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Camelot Unchained is the newest MMO from Mark Jacobs, who fans will be familiar with from his work at Mythic Entertainment and on MMO Fallout’s quote board. Camelot Unchained will feature three factions going at it in the massive realm vs realm battles introduced way back with Dark Age of Camelot. Players will be able to take part in battles with hundreds of other players, create dynamic buildings, and even choose a life of nonviolence crafting weapons for your fellow allies to use in battle.

With just over an hour to go, Kickstarter is well past its goal of $2 million, bringing in $2.2 million and counting.

(Source: Kickstarter)

Camelot Unchained Is All RvR, All The Time


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City State Entertainment continues to pump out new information regarding Camelot Unchained, Mark Jacobs’ next MMO. Camelot Unchained may not be coming out for quite a long time yet, but City State Entertainment has been hot on track releasing new information regarding the upcoming title. In the latest developer blog, CSE wants us to be clear: Camelot Unchained isn’t an MMO with RvR tagged on. Instead, RvR IS the game. As the blog post points out, let’s just say there are no drops at all and damn few NPCs. Players will have to rely on other players to craft the best gear in the game, and rely on bashing in the skulls of opposing factions to get some decent loot.

CU is a TriRealm™, RvR-focused game. It is not an RvR-centric game like Dark Age of Camelot and it is certainly not a “just bolt on the RvR; that will work!” game like so many others. It is as pure an RvR game that I have ever worked on, plain and simple. Everything in this game is geared to the TriRealm concept, whether it is the crafting system, housing, skill progression, etc. You will explore, fight, capture, level, etc. all within a competitive RvR world that was crafted with this FP in mind.

The blog post doesn’t go into detail on the leveling system, however it does point out that players will be sufficiently rewarded, even if they aren’t particularly good at RvR. There will also be things to do for players who aren’t so privvy to fighting other players will have activities to keep them busy, from crafting to the game’s housing system.

(Source: City State Entertainment)

Mark Jacobs Announces Camelot Unchained


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It feels like ages since we last spoke of Mark Jacobs and City State Entertainment, the end of September in 2011 if you’re keeping track. Since then, the team has been hard at work on what many of us have hoped would be the spiritual sequel to Dark Age of Camelot. Today, Jacobs has graced us with the announcement of Camelot Unchained, an upcoming MMORPG. Why don’t I let Mark Jacobs tell you more about it?

The core concept for the new MMORPG focuses tightly on three key elements, RvR, housing and a true player-owned economy. The central conflict encompasses a trio of diverse, competing realms – Arthurian, Tuatha Dé Danann and Viking – each seeking to assert its dominance over an open and persistent world reflecting the universally familiar but greatly re-imagined Camelot and European mythos. All aspects of this RvR-focused MMORPG are tied into and support the three realms’ ongoing battle for superiority and control. The player housing and crafting systems will also be very significant components and both key closely into the RvR theme.

Three faction, RvR focused, with housing and a player-driven economy? Someone cancel my happy pills, I shan’t be needing them anymore. For more details, Massively.com has a fantastic interview with Mark Jacobs about the concepts and ideas behind Camelot Unchained. City State Entertainment will be launching a Kickstarter campaign soon to raise funding for the MMO.

(Source: City State Entertainment)

Warhammer Online Isn’t Going Free To Play


I’m sure a lot of people expect me to do the usual poking of fun at Mythic over Warhammer Online, and truth be told I have enough content to fill more than just an introductory and self-parodying paragraph. So for the sake of getting to the point, I will not be referring to Warhammer as “boring crap,” nor will I make a joke about Mythic apparently not seeing the worth in players investing in the MMO, apparently even if that investment is absolutely nothing. And for once, I will stop inciting Mark Jacobs.

VP Eugene Evans over at Bioware Mythic wants the world to know that Warhammer Online is alive and still fighting for survival, and much like the steak supply in a house full of vegetarians, isn’t going anywhere. Evans stated that subscriptions on Warhammer Online have actually risen since the announcement of the free to play MOBA. That being said, if players want Warhammer for free, they’re going to have to turn to Wrath of Heroes. Warhammer, according to Mythic, has no intention on shutting down, nor does it have any intention on going free.

“We also think this is a better approach. You know, how do you make it more accessible? How do you make it a fun experience out of the door? So we’re really starting almost from the ground-up but having the benefit of being able to draw on everything we’ve learned from producing Warhammer Online.”

Since today has seen some conspiracy theories, let’s take a guess on the intention behind Warhammer never going free to play. It’s a successful business move, and if WAR needs anything it’s a bigger community, so who is behind it? Does the team really think that keeping the subscription is best, or does this have to do with EA’s refusal to move their other MMOs into the free to play realm?

Warhammer Online Isn't Going Free To Play


I’m sure a lot of people expect me to do the usual poking of fun at Mythic over Warhammer Online, and truth be told I have enough content to fill more than just an introductory and self-parodying paragraph. So for the sake of getting to the point, I will not be referring to Warhammer as “boring crap,” nor will I make a joke about Mythic apparently not seeing the worth in players investing in the MMO, apparently even if that investment is absolutely nothing. And for once, I will stop inciting Mark Jacobs.

VP Eugene Evans over at Bioware Mythic wants the world to know that Warhammer Online is alive and still fighting for survival, and much like the steak supply in a house full of vegetarians, isn’t going anywhere. Evans stated that subscriptions on Warhammer Online have actually risen since the announcement of the free to play MOBA. That being said, if players want Warhammer for free, they’re going to have to turn to Wrath of Heroes. Warhammer, according to Mythic, has no intention on shutting down, nor does it have any intention on going free.

“We also think this is a better approach. You know, how do you make it more accessible? How do you make it a fun experience out of the door? So we’re really starting almost from the ground-up but having the benefit of being able to draw on everything we’ve learned from producing Warhammer Online.”

Since today has seen some conspiracy theories, let’s take a guess on the intention behind Warhammer never going free to play. It’s a successful business move, and if WAR needs anything it’s a bigger community, so who is behind it? Does the team really think that keeping the subscription is best, or does this have to do with EA’s refusal to move their other MMOs into the free to play realm?

Mark Jacobs Back From The Dead


Mark Jacobs made a name for himself here at MMO Fallout, particularly his quote regarding the launch of an MMO and its success being determined by whether or not the developer could be seen adding servers post-launch. Jacobs famously departed from Mythic Entertainment, and much like Richard Garriot following his departure from NCSoft, fell off the face of the earth in terms of future projects or developments.

Well Jacobs is back and, like countless before him, has formed his own company to divert from the standard corporate environment. Jacobs has formed City State Entertainment, with the goal of creating games for tablets, social media, and mobile demographics. Or as hardcore gamers will call it, Jacobs recognized the market potential in churning out FarmVille clones, games that require little effort to churn out a large profit via microtransactions. Or as a business major would call it, Jacobs will roll in cash for a fraction of the effort put into his previous projects. Jacobs says not to worry, however, as the company has no plans on becoming the next Zynga, and instead will form their own IP that they hope to translate to other medium.

City State Entertainment’s first title is set to release in Q4 2011. The company formed back in March and constitutes a number of ex-Mythic employees. MMO Fallout will be continuing coverage as more information on the first title is revealed.

Warhammer Online To Close More Servers


I normally start out every Warhammer Online article with a now famous quote by Vice President of Mythic Mark Jacobs, but at this point perhaps we can manage with just a bite,

“If you’ve seen a game consolidate servers, you know it’s in deep, deep trouble.”
-Mark Jacobs

Following the huge layoffs at Mythic, and the hints of desperation summoned by the endless trial system, it comes as a surprise to absolutely nobody that Mythic has announced that more servers will be shutting down in the near future.

On the American side, Dark Crag and Phoenix Throne are shutting down, where Europe has at least one server shutting down in the near future. Transfers are set to begin soon, if they haven’t already, and players will be given 20% experience bonuses on their new servers to ease the pain. After this shutdown, Warhammer Online will have five servers in North America, and Europe with eleven servers.

More on Warhammer Online after the break…

Continue reading “Warhammer Online To Close More Servers”

Warhammer Online: No, Play Us! Unlimited Trials!


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This article has nothing to do with high level players.

Patch 1.3.2 has come and gone for Warhammer Online, bringing with it the new New Player Journey, the removal of fortresses, and other balances and tweaks to RvR. Mythic hopes to bring back new players and old veterans alike who are either afraid to join or became sick of the title long ago.

Along with this update comes unlimited free trials. Yes, the ten day limit has been removed, you have as long as you want in tier 1 (That’s level 1 to 10) to experience what the game has to offer, and to form your own ideas as to whether or not the title merits your subscription.

Continue reading “Warhammer Online: No, Play Us! Unlimited Trials!”