MMO Roundup: Selling children for gaming
by Alex Ziebart 
Jul 26th 2011 at 5:00PM
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BioWare hopes SWTOR lasts for decades Those of you worried about The Old Republic's longevity (all three of you) can rest easy, according to BioWare. Game director James Ohlen told Comic-Con attendees that the company hopes the game will stand the test of time. "And our goal -- this being an online game that we're hoping is going to last for decades -- we're going to be, obviously, adding more to the galaxy map as the game progresses," Ohlen said. |
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Chinese couple sells their kids to pay for online gaming According to ABC News, a Chinese couple has been apprehended for selling three children to bankroll their online gaming activities. Li Lin and Li Juan sold their baby daughter for approximately $500, as well as two sons for $4,600 each. The Sanxiang City News reported that the couple were turned over to authorities by Li Lin's mother. The newspaper also stated that the couple was unaware that they were breaking any laws. |
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Beta test weekends set for Star Wars: The Old Republic in September An investor report from Electronic Arts shows that the game will be opening up special beta weekend events for players to get a glimpse of the game starting in September. While the report doesn't say if these tests will be open or closed, they certainly bring to mind the beta weekends that RIFT popularized, with a limited number of players but a great deal of freedom in access. |
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Scott Hartsman says gold farming hurts our games more than we know Trion Worlds General Manager Scott Hartsman shared a glimpse of just how hard gold buying activities hit games and how concerned he and other studio execs are about the proliferation of credit card fraud that results. Your favorite game studio's paying out fraud fees to MasterCard and Visa has more of an impact than you think. |
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Massively Speaking Episode 157 Massively Speaking, Massively's MMO podcast, returns this week with Shawn and four very special guests from the Massively team: Eliot Lefebvre, Brandon Felczer, Larry Everett, and Matt Daniel. Topics include Allods Online's newest patch, Star Trek Online's Season Four launch and the latest Engineering Report, SWTOR's collector's edition contents, and much more! |
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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)
Amaxe Jul 26th 2011 5:12PM
My God, that's shocking! Obscene!
$60 for the Basic edition of SWTOR?
Oh... and that kid selling is horrible too...
Um... what are you all looking at me like that for?
/Flees the mob.
Amaxe Jul 26th 2011 5:12PM
OK, More seriously, that is horrific that some people would be willing to sell their own kids like that. I don't know if it's a gaming addiction, or if they simply wanted to unload their kids, but man... I'm at a loss for words.
Orkchop Jul 26th 2011 5:37PM
No no no, you were right the first time! Have you seen the price of the Collector's Editions, too? I really hope they have a good free trial and Recruit-a-Friend programs!
Amaxe Jul 26th 2011 6:15PM
Well, since we're on the topic, $60 plus subscription fees is more than I can pay barring some life change.
It's disappointing because I've been waiting for it since I heard of the game.
RogueJedi86 Jul 26th 2011 6:58PM
Doesn't WoW have the same cost? I feel like Cataclysm was $50 or $60 at release.
Oteo Jul 26th 2011 7:34PM
Cata was $40, but it's an expansion...
Amaxe Jul 26th 2011 10:11PM
I think when I came into WoW in 2006, it was $29.99. maybe I got it on sale. I thought TBC was the same price, though I might be wrong. I know Cata was $39.99, and I think WOLK might have been too.
Who knows. If EA just updates without xpacs, maybe $60 will be cheap. Right now, I'm priced out.
DonNochay Jul 26th 2011 10:54PM
I find it fascinating that some people on this site can post terrible things, and then recant it in the next breath, and still get UPVOTED for it. While on the other hand, some say completely honest, non insulting things and get downvoted into oblivion because he/she doesn't have pathetic Insider groupies. Consider yourself some sort of WoW Insider rockstar or something, not sure it's terribly cool either way.
Agony Jul 27th 2011 12:25AM
No, DonNoChay, it's because you're a troll and trolls get down-voted.
Amaxe Jul 27th 2011 9:38AM
@DonNochay
Recanting? Talk about missing the point...
The first comment was intended to be a **parody** of a gamer mind giving more importance to how gaming news would impact them over real news that was appalling. The second, my actual thoughts on the child selling incident.
Must say I find the comment of "insider groupies" and "WoW Insider rockstar" to be funny, because often when I criticize something about Blizz or WoW Insider, there are plenty of people willing to vote me to black
Halvan Jul 26th 2011 5:33PM
Absolutely disgusting. Some people don't deserve to have children. The act of reproduction is too good for people like that. If you don't want children, don't have 3 of them you irresponsible wastes of flesh.
DonNochay Jul 26th 2011 10:58PM
"the act of reproduction is too good for people like that"
?@_@?
Wolfbeckett Jul 26th 2011 5:36PM
Man boy children really go for a premium in China! Not that... I would... ever need to know about that... or anything. Ha. Ha ha.
(cutaia) Jul 26th 2011 5:46PM
Now I kind of wish they could go to Chinese prison and be forced to farm WoW gold 16 hours a day, every day. It'd be like one of the ironic punishments in every fictionalized version of hell, ever.
Bluemain Jul 26th 2011 5:48PM
Swtor lost my sale when they decided to have a £5 fee on top of the rediculously overpriced digital version, i hope more people vote with there wallets and sey no to this type of money grubbing
jfofla Jul 26th 2011 5:54PM
Really?
This is the most expensive game of all time. Do you really expect it to cost the same as WOW or RIFT?
Get ready, I predict a $20 or $25 a month sub.
blazenor Jul 26th 2011 6:12PM
False about the fee for preorder, it's 5 minus the total cost.
Oteo Jul 26th 2011 7:36PM
@jfofla
My brother follows SWTOR news pretty closely and showed me an interview where they were discussing having a lower subscription fee than WoW, because they want to be competitive AND will have a cash shop.
Merrena Jul 26th 2011 10:44PM
@Oteo
...Don't know where he saw that but there's not gonna be a cash shop...
Anteia Jul 27th 2011 1:55AM
The thing about charging the 'overfee' is false. It's part of the total cost.. it's a pretty standard pre-order downpayment. Unfortunately, Totalbiscuit spread it around in a rant and seems to be on a crusade against the game since. The very first link to Massively, for example, also fails to note in the article (or did last I checked) that the one who stated it was CLEARLY joking. If you listen to it, which is available entirely online, it was jokingly said. Though, I'm sure they do hope their game lasts a long time.