If there was ever an MMO in line for “Best Comeback,” Final Fantasy XIV would be it. In the latest video, Square Enix shows off the custom built gamepad, as well as showing off a good deal of combat and controls.
Tag: PC
New New DC Universe Online Servers!
Pending litigation that I received for the sake of this joke, I am unable to quote a certain Arkmay Acobsjay, and his comment about servers being added after launch being somewhat related to the success of the product itself. Just last week, we saw the addition of one server on the PC and one on the PS3, adding in new player vs player servers. I did note that the addition of two servers shouldn’t be seen as a runaway success, as Aion did the exact same thing post launch, and you may recall the monstrous merger that the game went through a few months ago.
This week, on the other hand, even more servers are being added to mitigate load. The PS3 is receiving three new servers, and the PC is receiving one new server.
PS3:
- Relentless (PvE) US
- Justice For All (PvE) EU
- Absolute Power (PvP) EU
PC:
- Last Laugh (PvE) US
Reaction to DC Universe has been pretty positive, even on the MMORPG.com forums. Will this be one of the few MMOs whose population doesn’t crash one month after launch? I’m not holding my breath, but let’s hope for the best.
More on DC Universe as it appears.
Final Fantasy XIV: Delays And Pricing Structure
I’m not a fan of cross-platform games as the more systems that are added to the fray, the higher the odds for delays due to unforeseen problems on one system. The end result is that, in an attempt to please everyone in the crowd, the developer delays all of the titles in order to ensure a simultaneous release, even if it means a delay of up to a year or more. MMOs, thankfully, have not had this issue. Given their release dates, the rest of us can breath a sigh of relief that Funcom never decided to delay Age of Conan for the never-released 360 port, or Champions Online with the also-never-released 360 port, and now Star Trek Online for its now-canned 360 port. In the case of Champions Online, the 360 version was fairly close to release, shutting down due to issues with Microsoft.
So bully to PC and tough luck for PS3 as Square Enix decided that they will release the PC version of Final Fantasy XIV this September, while the PS3 version will be delayed until March 2011 (at least). The PC version will hit at the end of September, and not much has been said specifically what caused the PS3 version to be delayed.
Even more interesting was the announcement of pricing structure. Players will be given one player and one ‘retainer’ character. The retainer character essentially acts as an official mule, managing the player’s sales and storage. Creating alts is possible, up to 8, but each one will tack on an additional three dollars, a month, to your subscription. Given the versatility of the player (able to level up all jobs), and the possibility of Final Fantasy XI’s grind making its way to XIV, an alt is unnecessary.
More on Final Fantasy XIV as it appears. Hopefully we won’t see any 20+ hour Pandemonium Wardens.
Phantasy Star Universe to Shut Down: Update Time!
Good news, Phantasy Star Universe! The long-awaited MAG+ update will be going live January 29th and will be running through March 12th. This event brings players together to compete for prizes, medals, and more, offering current subscribers on the Xbox360 to enjoy the rewards for plenty of time to come. MAG+, or MAXIMUM ATTACK G+ as Sega calls it, introduces new levels of difficulty and new rewards. The event will also feature live leaderboards, reward information, with the best prizes going to the gold, silver, and bronze.
Oh and Phantasy Star Universe will be shut down on the Ps2 and PC, while 360 servers will remain online for the time being. The shut down is expected to take place on March 31st. The move is, of course, due to low subscriber numbers.
But do not fret, PSUsers!
“this server / service closure is helping to pave the way for bigger and better things for the Phantasy Star franchise in the very near future!”
Yes, the Phantasy Star Online line of MMOs may have a life expectancy of two to three years, and have had every title crash and burn due to low sales and even lower subscriber numbers, but rest assured Sega will be there to make another Phantasy Star Online that will also have a lower life span than your average bottle of water.
More on Phantasy Star seven through thirty as it appears.
MMO Fallout 