Rock, Paper, Shotgun

“WoW Microtransactions Begin”, says the headline on Bluesnews. I gasp and imagine what the RPS community will make of the idea of selling a mini-lich and a panda with a hat – two in-game pets – for $10 a pop. Buying the panda one actually gives money to charity, too. He’s not evil, you see. My journalistic analysis of this occurrence amounts to me inviting you to imagine Scrooge McDuck’s diving-into-gold sequence, only with squealing Blizzard executives instead of an anthropomorphised fowl.

Enormo-trailer ahoy for World Of Warcraft. We’ve got the full thing posted below, along with two fly-through trailers for the zones of Gilneas and The Lost Isles. We get a look at some of the changes to existing zones that have taken place during the cataclysm, as well as some of the new features and classes. Gobbos, and wolf-dudes, obviously, but also some of the new monsters, dungeons, and progression stuff. Oh, and Deathwing the ebil dragon. He’s not happy.
Read the rest of this entry »

The new World Of Warcraft expansion has been announced at BlizzCon. It’s called “Cataclysm”, and will raise the level cap to 85. There’s also going to be two new playable races, goblins and worgen, and the obligatory new dungeons and raids. VG247 got the whole thing in detail over here.

The Monk class was announced for Diablo III, too. And there’ll presumably be a video available soon – the main site has been flattened by the internet for now.

Oh, Peggle. I remember when you were just an innocent wee lad, our precious little boy, wouldn’t say boo to a goose. Now you’re out there in the big wide world, rubbing shoulders with the elite with nary a backwards glance. Just don’t forget that you’re still, you’re still Peggle from the block.

Yes, we’ve had Official Orange Box Peggle, Disappointingly Similar Sequel Peggle and Played Within World of Warcraft Peggle. Now we get, simply, World of Warcraft Peggle – 10 free, standalone bonus Peggle levels.
Read the rest of this entry »

One massively compulsive game playable within another massively compulsive game? Why, that’s like mixing Pringles with heroin. Yes, an official (from Popcap’s end, at least) Peggle plugin has been released for World of Warcraft. Which is a) terrifying b) exciting and c) supports the viewpoint that MMOs are not merely a genre anymore – they’re a platform all of their own these days.
Read the rest of this entry »

I can’t find the source for this on Wired’s own site, so presumably it’s only in the print mag for now. Original source found (thanks, Zuffox). Mike Morhaime dropped the following uber-hint whilst chatting to the US tech mag:

“Let’s just say it’s going to be different and it’s not going to be a sequel to World of Warcraft. It will be different. We’re not trying to replace World of Warcraft with this new MMO. We’re trying to create a different massively multiplayer experience, and hopefully World of Warcraft will still be going strong when that one is released.”

Hmm. I’m still banking on it being something Eve-y or Planetside-y, possibly in the Starcraft universe. It seems hugely unlikely Blizz will move to a new IP – but it would be nice. Do spill your own theory-o-thoughts below.

Man, I’m totally stealing this story from videogaming247. Hell, I’ve even stole the image from videogaming247. But at least I’ve given a working link back Warcry, who covered the press conference where the following was revealed…

When asked to expand upon a button found by sifting through the Lich King beta’s data files named “Paid Character Customization,” Brack initially hesitated to give any answer at all. Several questions later, he went back to the matter, saying that he could, in fact, confirm that World of Warcraft would eventually have some form of paid character customization, though they themselves hadn’t yet worked out any details.

C’mon Pat! It’s Monday morning, but us parasitisic linkbloggers must have standards, goddammit.

Blimey.

Blizzard have launched a new drive for their rapidly ailing World Of Warcraft player base, in a last-ditch desperate attempt to drum up interest in the game, before it has to switch off its servers. Called Recruit A Friend, they’re hoping that by giving incentives to the smattering of players they currently have, they’ll be able to encourage new blood and rejuvenate the MMO.

Ha de ha. Honestly, there can’t be bank vaults big enough for storing all of Blizzards dosh, but they can’t stop. Recruit A Friend has players email their non-WoW-playing chums (is that possible?) to give them a trial activiation key. The motive? A zebra.

Read the rest of this entry »

Reader Huon Longman got in touch with us, asking if we could help out with his thesis study examining the levels of social support derived by players of MMOs based on the resulting social networking, as well as what effects this has on symptoms of anxiety and depression, stress levels, and overall life satisfaction.

Which seems like an interesting study to us, so why not. If you think you’re a WoW player, and interested, there’s an FAQ all about the project below, along with details of where to get involved.

Read the rest of this entry »