mmog

Since multiplayer online games like World of Warcraft first rose to pop culture prominence, subscription fees have fueled the revenue stream for developers. Now, a new report from market researcher iSuppli suggests microtransactions will drive industry growth in years to come.

Basically, fewer new players are signing up to play MOGs, the report says, but those who are playing are dropping their money on add-ons and other in-game enhancements.

The iSuppli analysis reports that subscriber revenue in the combined North American and European markets for PC massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) and standard MOGs declined for the first time ever in 2010--piling up $1.58 billion in 2010, down 5 percent from $1.66 billion in 2009.

That decline seems even more dramatic when compared with the 10 percent annual growth in 2009 and the 21.6 percent increase in 2008. IHS did the math and speculates that the subscription market will decrease on an annual basis through the year 2015, when revenue will shrink away to $1.33 billion. … Read more

Earlier this month, Ubisoft announced that the Xbox 360 and PlayStation versions of its game based on the career of Michael Jackson would be delayed until early next year. As it turns out, 2011 will finish with another game based on the so-called "King of Pop"--a massively multiplayer game with entire realms dedicated to each of his albums.

This morning, Los Angeles-based SEE Virtual Worlds announced that it will publish a Michael Jackson-themed MMOG, Planet Michael (PDF), based on the works of the late singer. The company is behind the Entropia engine, which powers the free-to-play MMORPG … Read more

Java-based massive multiplayer online game RuneScape on Monday is increasing its detail level for all users. It's the second major graphical overhaul the service has undergone since launching in 2001 and is noticeably better than previous iterations.

Part of that change is the further utilization of the player hardware, which has made considerable improvements over the years due to GPU-intensive operating systems like Windows Vista and OS X Leopard. Runescape HD doesn't need a $400 graphics card, though it'll play on any machine with a 64MB 3D Graphics card or an equivalent thereof. Players also need a … Read more

Just a reminder that Blizzard Entertainment will be releasing "World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade" on January 16 in North America and Europe. The expansion pack for WoW will be available for about $40, with a special collector's edition for $70. Auctions of the collector's editions on eBay have already began to solicit bids of up to $200 at last look.

Blizzard will be extending its technical support hours and staying open for two consecutive Saturdays in order to accommodate possible issues or questions that may arise from installation of "The Burning Crusade," the … Read more