This week is slow as I wake up… due to various happenings, my schedule is almost reversed this week and I’m finding myself eating breakfast at 2 in the afternoon. I’ve never minded being a night owl, but it is sad that I’ve been missing my gaming buddies all week and having to play it solo.
It’s another week that heralds both a death and a birth. It seems as though there’s been quite a few server shutdowns lately, I wonder is it an over-saturated market or just bad games? Either way, it still makes me sad. Every game, no matter how bad it is, has someone, usually someones, who worked hard to try and bring it into the world, and I’ve never seen a game that didn’t have at least one person who enjoyed it. I’ll kill a few zombies in TSW in honor of this week’s dying game.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Join iTZKooPA, Juggynaut, and pixiestixy for this MMOcast. This weeks topics are:
E3 2010: The Contest is still looking for winners. An executive decision will be made if three people don’t find the glasses, so submit your entry no matter what!
Cataclysm CE announced. Curse of the Worgen comic incoming.
New Guild Wars 2video showcases developers, gameplay. Watch it, it delivers on some of the promises.
Rumor: Star Wars: The Old Republic‘s space combat to be on-rails. Space combat trailer is now in the wild.
GamesCom 2010: BioWare announces 10 advanced classes. Guild Wars 2 demo video here, necro class confirmed
Discussion:
It’s a busy week with news, announcements trailers and teasers, yet no game releases since APB, which isn’t doing so hot. With WoW in a downswing and nothing on the immediate horizon, do you think this window is a missed opportunity by developers/publishers?
The touted free-to-play model has traditionally been associated with a less-than-polished experience, dull game mechanics, and the overpowering influence of a cash-shop. Most F2P games have already enjoyed success in their domestic market, and there isn’t much of an incentive to adapt the experience for overseas players. In the vast majority of cases, the transition to the West seems like an afterthought or an attempt at gaining some easy money. However, the last two years have become a sign of change for the free-to-play model and the quality of games associated with it.
In 2009, Turbine announced that Dungeons and Dragons Online was going free-to-play. This triggered a wave of horror in the gaming community as doomsayers claimed the game was destined to close its servers for good. When DDO emerged from this transformation stronger than ever, it also signaled the first signs of change for the business models associated with MMOs in the West. Since that time, more and more developers seem willing to experiment with different ways of monetization.
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Join Amatera, Heartbourne, and pixiestixy for this MMOcast. This weeks topics are:
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Join the Lore Hounds as we discuss the latest news in the MMO world. The lineup this week includes Juggynaut, iTZKooPA, and Amatera.
Also, get involved with our podcasts! E-mail us at podcast@lorehound.com or leave us a voicemail using the button below or simply call us at (304) 884-LORE. Remember you can follow us on Twitter for a chance to win a Celestial Steed mount, too!
