MMO Roundup: RIFT launch coverage, world records, and more
by Alex Ziebart 
Mar 1st 2011 at 1:30PM
 |
Massively's RIFT launch day coverage RIFT's launch has, so far, been an undeniable success. For those of you who decided not to take the preorder plunge and weren't playing during the preorder head start, Massively has everything you need to know about the game -- guides, content previews, soul (player class) reveals, and more. |
 |
World of Tanks sets Guinness World Record This surprisingly popular MMO, which is still hip-deep in beta, already has one record for the books -- literally. Wargaming.net announced that World of Tanks set the Guinness World Record for Most Players Online Simultaneously on One MMO Server. The event happened on Jan. 23, as 91,311 players crowded onto its Russian server. |
 |
DCUO launches first major content patch The first content patch of the recently release DC Universe Online hit live servers this past week, and Massively has all of the details. Help Batman out in the batcave and chase Catwoman over the rooftops of Gotham City! |
 |
Exclusive launch trailer for EverQuest II: Destiny of Velious expansion This past week, Sony Online Entertainment unleashed its seventh expansion for the company's premier title, EverQuest II: Destiny of Velious. In celebration, SOE has released a brand-new video calling all EQII players to arms. It features narration from the Erudite Al'Kabor and boasts footage shot entirely in game. |
 |
Massively Speaking episode 136 Massively Speaking returns this week with Shawn and Rubi being joined by SWTOR columnist and Contributing Editor Larry Everett. Topics include the new Norn race details for Guild Wars 2, EverQuest II's newest expansion launch, DCUO's first patch, Xsyon's postponed release date and more! |
 |
Massively's week in review Don't let WoW Insider do all of the talking when it comes to Massively's best content of the week. The Massively staff themselves have picked out what they think is the best content their site has to offer in their own weekly roundup. |
Filed under: MMO Roundup
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Jack Kelly Mar 1st 2011 3:07PM
I predict one of the lowest nights of activity on the WoW servers ever.
Pyromelter Mar 1st 2011 3:23PM
I might agree if rift was free to play, but it isn't. Has basically the same pricing as wow.
A lot of people are singing Rift's praises right now. Early reviews are much more favorable than Aion was when it came out.
Dreyja Mar 1st 2011 3:27PM
I dabbled with it, frankly it's just not got the "it" that keeps me coming back to WOW. Now a lot of others may like it but I don't see it hurting wow, really. I hope it does fine on it's own, to be sure but yeah, all the hype - I've heard before.
We shall see. It's really a long-run issue.
Jack Kelly Mar 1st 2011 3:39PM
Wasn't implying that it was a WoW-killer or anything but it's solid and enjoyable and people seem pretty unhappy with WoW lately.
Rift seems to have hit WoW at a low point is all.
Glaras Mar 1st 2011 6:41PM
Unfortunately, until there's a Mac version, I won't be able to play Rift, although I would in a heartbeat, as soon as it's available for my platform.
David Mar 1st 2011 10:25PM
NB4 "OMG LOLZ Boot Camp!"
It's not the same as just clicking an icon in your dock. Also, putting Windows on a Mac is like putting ketchup on sushi.
Luis Alluren Mar 2nd 2011 2:04AM
It always comes down to "mine is bigger than yours" and that's when I stop supporting your opinion Wonk
After only 1 year I stop playing wow - just got fed up with all the trolls - what I see in a new game like rift is the chance to be on a leading edge I never was a le to be in wow because I "wasnt there from the start"
I won't be playing much anyways, as I believe a masters comes first - but I think wow is getting a bit behind - in a way you failed to educate a small kid and now that he/she got to be a teenager you can't really control their actions
Elmouth Mar 2nd 2011 2:10AM
Honestly, if RIFT threat their healers better than WoW I'm gonna jump ship until the next burning legion expansion is released.
WoW was great, the lore and background can't be beat.
But cataclysm and it's constant recycling and ridiculous nerfing of the fun factor killed it for me.
Sure you can still do everything you used to do before, but it's all twice as tedious & boring.
Playing WoW has become a chore compared to what it used to be. So yeah, I'm starting to look for that greener grass somewhere else.
jfofla Mar 1st 2011 3:33PM
One Week
That is how long RIFT will be relevant.
Don't waste your money.
Wonk Mar 1st 2011 3:43PM
Are you predicting or hoping?
WoW players are starting to act like a child that is scared a new kid on the block will steal his friends, so he bad mouths and starts trouble to make the new kid the object of attack for all the kids in the hood... but you know, that's what kids do, not adults, which are you... or better yet, what is the WoW players base, children or adults?
I'm starting to wonder.
wutsconflag Mar 1st 2011 4:34PM
@Wonk:
LOL
This same sentiment was expressed every time a new MMO was released. Will Rift be different? Maybe/Maybe Not. I hope so, and I sincerely hope everyone enjoying it continue to enjoy it years from now.
I really do have to wonder about your question about the WoW population, though. Have you actually played this game? I think that would be enough to answer the question right there. Oh, and it's not just WoW. It's pretty much any multiplayer game on the Internet, and one could go so far as to say it's pretty much the Internet, in general.
jfofla Mar 1st 2011 4:59PM
52 years old, which means I am experienced to know better than to run to a flash in the pan.
Remember when all you heard was how WOW stood for Waiting On Warhammer?
AION was God's gift to MMOs?
Check back in a week when RIFT has lost the newness.
jealouspirate Mar 1st 2011 6:05PM
While skepticism is good with new MMOs, I think you'll have to wait at least one month to see how people really feel about the game. That's when the first subscription payment will be due.
Personally I suspect RIFT will be able to maintain a large enough subscriber base to remain profitable, but I could be wrong. Time will tell! Certainly people are having a lot of fun with it right now, and there's nothing wrong with enjoying the game for what it is. Even if your time in RIFT is short-lived.
Wonk Mar 1st 2011 7:12PM
"Have you actually played this game?"
Is that a trick question?
I played WoW for 5 years... over 100 mounts, 140 pets, Raided 4 nights a week for 4 years.. yeah, I've played the game.
I left WoW for many reasons, not for Rift, but I see all the effforts on Rift's forums by WoW players to seed the clouds of hate... trolls, lies, QQ... all there for the viewing. It all speaks for itself, players get stupid when they think another game will somehow taint WoW, they rise up like some angry pitchfork mob storming the castle gates.
Just look back on this blog when a blogger (Alex) dropped a story on Rift, there were pages of hate... to the point where Rift was not even mentioned here for over a week after.
Kylenne Mar 1st 2011 8:11PM
@Wonk: Honestly, I think at this point a lot of people are just tired of hearing about it, especially when 90% of the talk about it on WoW sites is from people who are pissed that their class got nerfed/some other class is OP/insert standard petulant grievance about WoW here and they're going to flounce for Rift unless Blizz fixes it, by god! At least, I know that's why I'm tired of it. It's annoying hearing the same shit over and over again from people you know are going to end up coming back in a month. They always do. It's no different than when people constantly threaten to cancel their sub over some petty bullshit, or claim they already have (yet, mysteriously, they're still reading WoW blogs and forums).
Especially considering that if you've been playing WoW for any length of time, the same thing happens every time a new MMO comes out. It's great that people are excited about a new game, and I think competition is healthy, but the truth is that the people who are honestly going to leave WoW for Rift aren't running their mouths about it on WoW blogs. And they would have quit playing regardless.
Wonk Mar 2nd 2011 4:16AM
"you know are going to end up coming back in a month."
Quit WoW over 4 months ago, the chances of me retuning to it for any reason is slim & none.
Nothing to do with Rift, WoW had simply run it's course and I moved on.
I come here to read the WoW blog because I am a gamer, and as a gamer I read blogs for at least 4 other games I don't play any longer, so please, spare the stereotypes.
I play a game, I don't marry it.
t0xic Mar 1st 2011 4:22PM
My favorite class before Cataclysm was druid. I finished out Wrath with a Kingslayer title as one of my guild's two main progression tanks before burning out. I came back to the game to find erratic changes in bear tanking. I'd almost call it change for the sake of change (and no actual improvements). My resto off-spec was even worse. Change for the sake of making healing "fun" or "interesting".
Make no mistake. I enjoyed raiding with my bear/tree. I had some great times. Unlike a lot of the other players that seem "bitter" by the bad romance that Cataclysm has turned out to be, I'm just walking away quietly.
If Blizzard ever pulls their heads out and realizes that constant re-balancing and removing/adding/nerfing abilities is not "fun" they might win me back as a customer. Until then I'll be playing RIFT.
The game isn't fun anymore. It just isn't.
AltMaster Mar 1st 2011 4:50PM
Not that quietly, it seems. :)
Dril Mar 1st 2011 4:23PM
RIFT? On MY WoWInsider?
I will have your steaming heart, Ziebart, chargrilled with onions and lashings of mayo...
...but first a) I need to close this Earth rift, and b) I REALLY want a chargrilled chicken sandwich before I perform any (very messy) cardiac surgery.
Your heart will remain in the chest cavity for a time at least. But be warned.
Cowy Mar 1st 2011 4:26PM
I'm enjoying Rift and feel it was worth the money spent. My character is currently 26 so I can only vouch for content up to that level... but what I have done so far has been worth trying it out.
It has similarities to Wow. A lot of them. For me I find that very appealing because a lot of my skills and knowledge from WoW can transfer over. Instead of putting on a pair of new dress shoes, this game is a pair of comfortable slippers. The familiarity lets you slip into the game with out too much fuss. At the same time, there is a lot to learn, but its a softer learning curve when you have a WoW background.
It also draws some of the things that are fantastic in other games. I used to LOVE collections in EQ2. I got rather obsessive over the shiny. Yep. Artifact collecting in this game is similar. Lots of fun, lots of rewards, lots of obsession... and that shiny lil glowing ball on the ground... is practically the same. I love it.
I'm really enjoying the Rift events. Best I can describe them, is ...well sort of like world events in Wow, but these are going on all the time. Massive waves of monsters trying to take down outposts and camps, named monsters that have to be defeated... so much fun. The best part is you don't have to get a group and get organized , you go there and join in a public group and you're automatically in. No being judged. No gearscore elitism... its nice. refreshing even. You put in effort, you get rewarded.
There are Warfronts (battlegrounds like WoW) you can do for gear, there are Dungeons you can do in groups, there is questing, you can do artifact collecting for goodies and novelty items (mounts, pets, gear), there are Rifts ( much love), I'm sure theres more I don't even know of yet. Oh... and exploring in this game is rewarded. I love it. Tread the unbeaten path whenever possible, and you might discover some treasure.
Long story short: Me Gusta.