Earlier this month, I ran a competition where you could win a Mini Mister Sparkles for Guild Wars 2. But there was a catch: to enter, you needed to design a competition that someone else could win. It was a little fiendish and so very meta, generating a huge number of ideas. Well done to…
Month: October 2013
Mister Sparkles Mini: The Winners (Part 1)
Wow, a lot of you really wanted to get your hands on a Mister Sparkles Mini! And thanks to the kind folks at ArenaNet, I’m able to share even more of them. I’ve chosen five winners this time around, and one of those entries will be the basis for another competition. That second competition starts…
Free to Play: Myth or Miracle?
It’s become almost a perennial tale: an MMO in distress makes the switch to free-to-play and becomes instantly successful. But, without hard numbers, it’s been difficult to appreciate just how much a difference it can make. That has now changed. In a great interview with Daniel Tack at Forbes, Rift Creative Director Bill Fisher revealed…
Pew Pew Pew! Weeeeeeeee-oooow!
Over a year ago, I was drinking an ice-cold lemonade in EA’s Gamescom business suite. Across from me sat Jeff Hickman, VP for Live Services and head of Star Wars: The Old Republic. BioWare had just announced the switch to a hybrid free-to-play approach, and was planning an aggressive update schedule. During the interview, we…
Upgrade Season
Just over two years ago, I built a PC that would be able to play the ‘next generation’ of MMOs. It was a silly notion considering that, at the time, I didn’t have an idea what next generation truly meant. I just wanted to build something that would provide obscene frame rates without leaving me…
WildStar: Rocket-Propelled Narrative
I’ve started a new writing gig, working over at MMORPG.com as their WildStar columnist. I’ll be there every week about the latest developments in Carbine’s upcoming MMO, and I’ll also be active in the comments to answer questions and dispel myths. One response in particular leapt out at me speculating about how immersive the lore…
Pin Your Hopes On It
Competition time! This time though, it’s not me sharing the bountiful loot. Instead, you’ll need to head over to Settler in Exile, where Anhrez is running a crossword competition. The clues for this puzzle have been spread far and wide, so you’ll need to do a scavenger hunt for them. To get you started on…
A Peek Inside The Room Two
When it first launched, The Room caught me by surprise. As the debut title of an unknown studio, the carefully paced puzzle game brought a fresh experience to the iPad. But there was something more to it: an intricate tale of arcane mysticism that refused to be fully unmasked. Since then, Fireproof Games’ initial offering…
PlayStation 4: A Console for MMO Gamers?
About 5 months ago, I made the decision to preorder a PlayStation 4. Some of you might see that as a bold or brave choice, while others might think that it’s ridiculous or short-sighted. A few might even wonder why, as a heavy-PC gamer with a powerful gaming rig, I’m getting a console at all….
Competition: Win a Mini Mister Sparkles!
Mister Sparkles. According to Zojja, he’s the best golem in all Rata Sum. He also has a rather interesting history, even before his adventures in Guild Wars 2. And now he can be yours. Well, at least a miniature version of him. On my recent travels to gaming expos far and wide, I’ve picked up…