ArenaNet president talks microtransactions and the risks of going subscription-free
Guild Wars 2’s payment model is one of the few things it has inherited wholesale from its predecessor. When ArenaNet announced their plans for a subscription-free MMO back in 2005, they were consciously moving in a different direction to the then-entrenched practice of recurring monthly payments. Seven years later, the MMO industry is a different place. Free-to-play is on the rise, and the amount of MMOs with compulsory subscriptions is dwindling – but no-one, as yet, has borrowed ArenaNet’s balance of boxed games and expansions with no monthly fee. During a recent visit to the studio, I had the opportunity to sit down with ArenaNet president Mike O’Brien for a chat about the industry. So why hasn’t the Guild Wars model been copied?
Guild Wars 2 World vs. World PvP guide
Guild Wars 2’s World vs. World PvP is one of the things that separates its competitive game from the majority of modern MMOs. Small-scale battlegrounds have become the norm, and the classic MMO dream of hundreds of players skirmishing across an open world has faded. World vs. World, then, is a mixed breed: something new that continues the legacy of something old. Playing it for the first time at ArenaNet’s offices during the last beta weekend, I was reminded strongly of Mythic’s Dark Age of Camelot, the 2001 MMO that featured expansive faction vs. faction PvP. The comparison shouldn’t be a surprise: ArenaNet has more than one ex-Mythic designer on its team.
Guild Wars 2 microtransactions work like EVE PLEX, claim ArenaNet. “Everyone wins.”
ArenaNet president Mike O’Brien has announced that Guild Wars 2 will feature a microtransactions system that allows players to purchase cosmetic and “time-saving” items with real money.
“You get a complete and playable game no matter what”, O’Brien stresses in his latest post on the ArenaNet blog, “but we think we can provide additional content and services that you’d be happy to pay for.”
City of Heroes Dev Diary: Designing Darkness Control
PC Gamer routinely features Developer Diaries: tales of what goes on behind-the-scenes in the development studios making your favorite games. In this entry, City of Heroes’ Senior Systems Designer Phil “Synapse” Zeleski talks about designing the new Darkness Control power set. Let us know what you’d like to see developers discuss in future diaries in the comments.
City of Heroes Dev Diary: Balancing story and combat in Bloody Bay
PC Gamer routinely features Developer Diaries: tales of what goes on behind-the-scenes in the development studios making your favorite games. In this entry, City of Heroes’ World Designer Cord “Think Tank” Carney talks about their design goals of the Drowning in Blood trial, and how they tried to balance story and combat inside. Let us know what you’d like to see developers discuss in future diaries in the comments.
City of Heroes Dev Diary: Designing Dilemma Diabolique
PC Gamer routinely features Developer Diaries: tales of what goes on behind-the-scenes in the development studios making your favorite games. In this entry, City of Heroes’ Senior Designer Chris “Baryonyx” Behrens talks about the five main mandates that’ve shaped Paragon Studio’s design of the game’s new endgame Incarnate Trials. Let us know what you’d like to see developers discuss in future diaries in the comments.
With the addition of the Incarnate system in Issue 20: Incarnates, we introduced a complete end-game experience to City of Heroes. Fundamental to this experience is the Incarnate Trial. Since last April, we’ve introduced six Incarnate Trials to City of Heroes, and the upcoming Issue 22: Death Incarnate will bring the seventh, Dilemma Diabolique.
Aion announces free-to-play plans for North America, all content will be free
If I could demand one thing for free, it would be a five pound tub of licorice. If I could demand two things, it would be full access to a mystic realm of winged beings and a five pound tub of licorice. Aion: Ascension, the major update coming to Aion this spring, fulfills most of my desires with their newly announced F2P business model. Everything previously released and in patch 3.0 will be absolutely free for everyone. Yes, everything for free—well not my licorice, but those tubs of delicious red chewies aren’t really NCsoft’s to give away in the first place.
Guild Wars’ Winds of Change concludes on a high note
Like a turbulent gust blowing off the Jade Sea, the latest installment of Guild Wars’ Winds of Change clears away the heavy fog that has been hanging over players since learning of the Ministry of Purity’s duplicity. With the Ministry not as innocent as it once seemed, the Kurzicks and the Luxons at it again, and Cantha in peril, heroes are needed. Who will answer this call? Why the players of course!
With the nine new quests available, as well as new rewards both in game and in the store, players will have plenty of fat lootz to entice them back to the adventure in Winds of Change.
EU Giveaway: win Access to the Aion free-to-play beta
Aion is a CryEngine powered MMO in which you play as a winged, angelic warrior tasked with defending the gorgeous realm of Atreia against invading forces. Constant updates since launch have added new zones, flighty PvP, cute pets, afros and more. The once-ponderous levelling speed has been boosted time and time again to give players the chance to see more of Aion’s beautiful zones. It’s going free to play in Europe in the coming months and we’re giving you a chance to spread your wings early.
We’ve got 500 keys to give away for the Aion free to play beta. If you get into the beta, you’ll automatically be granted ‘Veteran’ status when Aion free to play goes live. This will give you a few extra features over starter players, like the ability to open up your own shop.
All you need to do to enter is put your name and email address into the Aion beta key competition page, which you can discover through this link right here.
I want in on the Aion beta. Give me wings, PC Gamer!
And that’s all there is to it. If you win a key, you can redeem it on the Aion Free to Play site. They’ll be sent out once we all 500 have been snapped up, so tell your friends if you want in quicker. The Aion client is available to pre-load here. Good luck!
Games of 2012 – Guild Wars 2
As the MMO coalesced into its modern form, quirks that were initially necessary compromises became widely-accepted features. Mute characters that embody utility rather than personality; quest objectives that only relate tangentially to the story that frames them; raid bosses designed to be killed and killed again by the same groups of people. Good games have been made – and are being made – on those principles, but it’s hard to argue that they’re sacred cows. Instead, they’re the elephants in the room that Guild Wars 2 is setting out to slay.
“MMOs aren’t always great RPGs,” says Eric Flannum, lead game designer. “Most MMOs try to set a tone for the world, but they don’t necessarily try to tell you a story about your character.” Guild Wars 2 isn’t alone in placing renewed emphasis on the player’s story, but it is making the most comprehensive array of changes to the way the MMO functions in order to do it. Everything from quests – sorry, events – to guilds and grouping has been rethought in order to create the most dynamic and finely crafted experience.
Halting the grind: Leveling in Aion just got easier
Aion is often the poster child for grind-heavy MMOs. At launch, this was very true, but NCsoft has made a lot of changes over the years in an attempt to alleviate some of that monotony, although some modifications have been more effective than others. Recent changes drew me back to see if I could climb out of the leveling ravine.
Guild Wars 2 Mesmer revealed, can summon clones armed with magic shotguns
As expected, the latest Profession to be revealed for Guild Wars 2 is the Mesmer. As you might expect from the name, Mesmers specialise in using mind tricks and illusion to defeat their enemies. It’s a less subtle art than you might expect. Auras of invisibility and doppelganger companions are all standard fare for your average combat magician. It’s the portal/laser beam sword combination that really sells the profession. It looks perfect for some high level PvP trolling and, with skill names like “Chaos Storm” and “Mind Wrack,” feels like a powerful addition to the Guild Wars 2 roster.
You can find out more about the specific abilities the Mesmer will be able to wield on the new Mesmer section of the Guild Wars 2 site. Meanwhile, here are twelve new screenshots of the various Mesmer warriors from the trailer above.
Aion to go free to play in Europe in February
Ultra-pretty flighty MMO Aion is set to drop the monthly subscription fees and go free to play in February next year. The free to play version will be rolled out in the UK, France and Germany first before spreading across the whole of Europe. “In the last few months the lands in Atreia have become more and more deserted,” NCSoft write on the new Aion free to play site, “we want to reinvigorate the world of Aion and attract new adventurers to the towns.” There’s no mention of a free to play version for the US yet.
Aion’s been updated many, many times since its release. New dungeons, new endgame quests, new missions and pets that will collect your loot for you are a few additions. The seriousness of the stoic angel warriors that made up Aion’s character base on launch have thawed considerably over the years with the addition of new outfits, afros and a ton of new gear.
City of Heroes: Freedom review
Surprised that City of Heroes went free-to-play? Of course not. Make a list of all the RPGs that could easily get away with gouging their audiences into oblivion, and an ageing but popular one that’s already built on genuine character customisation is always going to come top. Can’t you just see the accountants now, dancing naked through their editors with a pricing-gun, before retreating to their dark lair to watch the money come tumbling in from all those fire swords and boob-windowed leotards and whatnot?
Yes. The thing is… that’s not what they’ve done. Far from it. City of Heroes: Freedom is one of the most generous free-to-play games ever. Bad news for crime. Great news for us.
Lineage II embracing free-to-play “later this year,” putting no limits on non-paying players
These are strange times we live in. “Free” no longer means free. It’s simply code for “Your monetization scheme is in another castle.” Thankfully, up hasn’t become down yet, and left and right are still in working order – but really, it’s only a matter of time at this point.
Thankfully, NCSoft’s Lineage II is among the few attempting to stave off the topsy-turvy future. When its Goddess of Destruction expansion takes the game free-to-play “later this year” (via Gamasutra), it won’t be plotting alternate courses right into your bank account. Free players will actually have access to, well, everything. No tiers, no red tape, no strange inability to comprehend mailboxes. Items purchasable with real money, meanwhile, will provide added convenience and cosmetic benefits.
