Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/JoystiqThe Joystiq Podcast combines insightful commentary on the week's video game news and culture with several disembodied, often spooky, voices. Voices may or may not belong to Chris Grant, Ludwig Kietzmann, Joystiq.com editors, or their guests. Spookiness not guaranteed where prohibited, please check local laws. More information available at www.joystiq.comPAX 2008: Appealing to an MMO Newbiehttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/pax-2008-appealing-to-an-mmo-newbie/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/pax-2008-appealing-to-an-mmo-newbie/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/04/pax-2008-appealing-to-an-mmo-newbie/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Worth it or not, to me personally, pay-to-play MMOs always felt like a ridiculous proposition. Paying to play a game I already paid for is like paying $5 to bite into a delicious burger I just got at the drive-through. Still, the genre continues to spawn new titles as proven at the 2008 Penny Arcade Expo.

While many MMO titles were on display, two were the most talked-about massively multiplayer role-playing games of the show: Warhammer Online and Aion: The Tower of Eternity. Realizing my limited experience with MMOs in the past, the team at Joystiq tasked me with learning as much as I could about each title and see if they could appeal to a genre newbie willing to jump into the online fray.

Continue reading PAX 2008: Appealing to an MMO Newbie

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]]>aionaion-the-tower-of-eternityea-mythicjoystiqfeaturesmythic-entertainmentncsoftpax-08pax-2008pax2008warwarhammer-onlineThu, 04 Sep 2008 23:00:00 ESTDon't be bear naked in Warhammer Online; preorder Red Alert 3!http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/dont-be-bear-naked-in-warhammer-online-preorder-red-alert-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/dont-be-bear-naked-in-warhammer-online-preorder-red-alert-3/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/dont-be-bear-naked-in-warhammer-online-preorder-red-alert-3/#commentsFiled under: ,


You can put down that syringe full of bear hormones - EA's got a much easier (and more affordable!) way of transforming yourself into that most noble of Mother Nature's creatures: simply don Korssar's Helm. You see, the "magical Kislevite helm is imbued with the spirit of the wild North and will magically transform the wearer into a ferocious bear."

There are some caveats however: your ability to live your life as a bear will be limited to the virtual confines of EA Mythic's Warhammer Online MMO (a deal breaker for some, to be sure) and those willing to confine their bearness to WAR will still need to preorder Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 on PC to access the magical helm. Preorder cross-promotion? Clever move, EA. Great to see publishers further incentivizing preorders ... but we're sure there's at least a handful of WAR-heads eager to play as a bear (a bear!) but uninterested in picking up Red Alert 3. In other words: don't throw away those bear hormones just yet.
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]]>Command-and-Conquer-Red-Alert-3EAEA-MythicpreorderRed-Alert-3WARWarhammer-OnlineWarhammer-Online-Age-of-ReckoningWed, 03 Sep 2008 14:58:00 ESTMultiverse to reveal (and probably never release) Buffy MMOhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/multiverse-to-reveal-and-probably-never-release-buffy-mmo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/multiverse-to-reveal-and-probably-never-release-buffy-mmo/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/03/multiverse-to-reveal-and-probably-never-release-buffy-mmo/#commentsFiled under: ,


No, you know what, Multiverse? No. We're not going to do it again. We stood idly by as the announcement of a Firefly MMO had us getting our brown coats out of the closet and breaking up with our girlfriends; a Firefly MMO that, it should be noted, has never materialized in so much as a screenshot. Now you think you can waltz back in with the promise of an MMO based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, another Joss Whedon show? You couldn't even break our hearts with the beloved IP of a different guy?

More proof that this couldn't possibly be real? You'll apparently be able to "play it either as a fully immersive 3D environment or as a Flash-based 2D game." C'mon, that doesn't even make sense! Tell you what, Multiverse: You put an actual, playable build of the game into our hands. Until then, you'll be met with an indifference as cold as your black, dream-crushing hearts.
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]]>buffybuffy-the-vampire-slayerjoss-wheadonmultiverseWed, 03 Sep 2008 12:00:00 ESTThe best of WoW Insider: August 26 - September 1, 2008http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-26-september-1-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-26-september-1-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/02/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-26-september-1-2008/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Of course, if you know Blizzard at all, you know it doesn't really like the whole concept of "release dates" -- the developers prefer to say they'll release the next WoW expansion "when it's ready." But a bunch of retailers have recently pointed their noses at November 4th (with a November 3rd midnight release, so says the sign from an Australian store above), and if that turns out to be true, it's gonna be a busy Election Day. That story and more, all in these highlights from the last week of WoW Insider.

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]]>blizzarddeath-knightelection-dayjoystiqfeaturesmachinimammonorthrendonlinerecruit-a-friendrelease-datewarcraftweekly-recapweeklyrecapworld-of-warcraftwrath-of-the-lich-kingTue, 02 Sep 2008 18:45:00 ESTBigCast PAX special goes crazy with Warhammer Online devshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/30/bigcast-pax-special-goes-crazy-with-warhammer-online-devs/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/30/bigcast-pax-special-goes-crazy-with-warhammer-online-devs/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/30/bigcast-pax-special-goes-crazy-with-warhammer-online-devs/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

While discussion on Warhammer Online is conspicuously lacking, Mythic Entertainment designer Paul Barnett and producers Jeff Hickman and Josh Drescher managed to to venture into some strange, hilarious and very NSFW territory on BigDownload's BigCast PAX special. Listen to the podcast (again, it's NSFW) here.
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]]>bigdownloadpaxpax-08pax-2008penny-arcade-expoSat, 30 Aug 2008 08:00:00 ESTJoystiq interview: World of Warcraft's Tom Chiltonhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/29/joystiq-interview-world-of-warcrafts-tom-chilton/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/29/joystiq-interview-world-of-warcrafts-tom-chilton/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/29/joystiq-interview-world-of-warcrafts-tom-chilton/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We were given the opportunity to sit down with the Lead Game Designer for the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath Of The Lich King, whilst attending the Leipzig Game Convention in Germany. Check out what Tom Chilton had to say about the rationale behind level 55 Dark Knights -- and why Warcraft III fans will love Lich King -- in our brief chat below.

What will you be putting in Wrath Of The Lich King to keep current World of Warcraft players coming back for more?

Lich King is more orientated towards existing players, than new ones. We've raised the level cap from 70 to 80, added a new class, new battlerounds, new arenas, etc. Most of these features are for existing players of World of Warcraft.

Continue reading Joystiq interview: World of Warcraft's Tom Chilton

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]]>activision-blizzardblizzardjoystiqfeatureslgc08lich-kingworld-of-warcraftwrath-of-the-lich-kingFri, 29 Aug 2008 17:45:00 ESTWorld of Warcraft will slowly update graphics to stay freshhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/27/world-of-warcraft-will-slowly-update-graphics-to-stay-fresh/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/27/world-of-warcraft-will-slowly-update-graphics-to-stay-fresh/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/27/world-of-warcraft-will-slowly-update-graphics-to-stay-fresh/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


When a company has one of the most successful MMORPGs games of all time, the last thing anyone there wants to do is throw a wrench into what the customers' rigs can handle. To that end, the Blizzard team explained in a few interviews last week that World of Warcraft's graphical updates will happen over time with expansions. Don't go expecting something like World of Warcraft 2 or a major graphics overhaul, which might hurt the customer base.

In an interview with VideoGamer.com, Blizzard's Rob Chilton explains that "usability" has always been more important to the company than technical prowess. Obviously, Blizzard's judgment on how to run Azeroth, compared to those who yearn for a full-blown graphics overhaul, has paid off in million billions for the developer.

Source -- Brack clarifies graphical update plans (WoW Insider)
Source -- WoW graphical reboot may never be necessary (VG)
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]]>activision-blizzardblizzardgraphicsworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingWed, 27 Aug 2008 16:00:00 ESTBambi brings vengeance to Wrath of the Lich Kinghttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/27/bambi-brings-vengence-to-wrath-of-the-lich-king/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/27/bambi-brings-vengence-to-wrath-of-the-lich-king/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/27/bambi-brings-vengence-to-wrath-of-the-lich-king/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Perhaps the vagaries of reality have finally taken hold and you've done it. You've canceled the WoW account. Now you're back together with the Mrs., you've re-memorized all your kids' names, and you've got something that approximates steady work. Life, it would seem, is perfect. Then you heard the siren call of Wrath of the Lich King and - what is this? - you shut it out. Fine ... be strong.

But can you shut out the opportunity to drive your Sword of a Thousand Truths deep into the spotted fur of Bambi's mother? Sure, you cried during Bambi like everyone else did, but can you really resist transforming sweet, innocent Bambi(na) - spotted in Wrath's Northrend - into the crazy-eyed "Vengeful Bambina"? Blizzard's hoping you can't. But what if the kids see what you've done? You'll lose it all! Again!

[Via WoW Insider]
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]]>BambiWorld-of-WarcraftWotLKWoWWrath-of-the-Lich-KingWed, 27 Aug 2008 09:58:00 ESTThe best of WoW Insider: August 19-26, 2008http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-19-26-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-19-26-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-19-26-2008/#commentsFiled under: , ,


It's "The King and I" in the World of Warcraft lately -- the Lich King is everywhere, and this past week we moved even closer to the release of the most popular online game in the world's second expansion. Joystiq's sister site WoW Insider, as usual, has all the angles covered -- if you want the hottest new spoilers, a more casual look at why the expansion is so important, or just to keep up to date on what's in the old game (wait, there's an old game?), we've got you covered.

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]]>arthasbest-ofblizzardcinematiccontestjoystiqrounduptcg-lootwarcraftweeklyroundupwow-insiderwrath-of-the-lich-kingTue, 26 Aug 2008 20:30:00 ESTWarhammer Online goes gold, loots ithttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/warhammer-online-goes-gold-loots-it/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/warhammer-online-goes-gold-loots-it/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/warhammer-online-goes-gold-loots-it/#commentsFiled under: ,

EA Mythic has announced that its MMO treatment of the classic Games Workshop tabletop game, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, has begun its march towards store shelves.

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (best known in the MMO community as WAR) is finished and off to the magical disc-forging factory, preceding a public beta set to begin September 7, for which more than 800,000 players have registered. A very large, metal switch connected to what are surely fortress-like game servers will be flipped to the "fully on" position September 18, which is when the rest of the world will go to WAR.
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]]>ea-mythicwarhammer-onlineTue, 26 Aug 2008 20:00:00 EST18+ hour boss battles nixed from Final Fantasy XIhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/18-hour-boss-battles-nixed-from-final-fantasy-xi/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/18-hour-boss-battles-nixed-from-final-fantasy-xi/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/26/18-hour-boss-battles-nixed-from-final-fantasy-xi/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


We've heard of 18-hour bras, but 18-hour boss battles? Ridiculous! A couple weeks back, we reported on a Final Fantasy XII guild that attempted to take down one of the game's new big bads, the Pandemonium Warden, only to succumb to fatigue, hunger, sleep deprivation, and general near-deathness at the 18-hour mark. Square Enix now says it has heard the fan outcry against the idea of such longevity-rich enemies and is fixing things.

"In response to these events, we have determined that further alterations are required to prevent such battles from exceeding a certain predetermined length of time," reads the latest community update from PlayOnline. What will these "alterations" consist of? "Included in the version update scheduled for early September will be modifications to the degree of difficulty of Pandemonium Warden (and associated pets), Absolute Virtue (and associated pets), and Jailer of Love. The aim of these changes is to create battles where a decisive outcome may be reached within a shorter period of time."

Square's statement also reaffirmed the company's continued "commitment to a healthy and wholesome game environment." You know, one where players aren't passing out while playing.

[Via Massively]
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]]>final-fantasyfinal-fantasy-xipatchsquare-enixTue, 26 Aug 2008 03:01:00 ESTWarhammer Online cinematic trailerhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/warhammer-online-cinematic-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/warhammer-online-cinematic-trailer/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/warhammer-online-cinematic-trailer/#commentsFiled under: , ,


There's a war going on. No, we're not talking about the one between the Armies of Order and the Armies of Destruction depicted in the recently released cinematic trailer for EA's upcoming MMO Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Nope, we're talking about the war being waged on blogs and in forums over which fantasy MMO-themed video is better: this one or the Wrath of the Lich King opening. Since it's a war, you all have to watch both and pick a side. Apathy is not a choice!
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]]>EAEA-MythicWARWarhammer-OnlineThu, 21 Aug 2008 17:57:00 ESTBlizzard debuts 'Wrath of the Lich King' introhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/blizzard-debuts-wrath-of-the-lich-king-intro/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/blizzard-debuts-wrath-of-the-lich-king-intro/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/21/blizzard-debuts-wrath-of-the-lich-king-intro/#commentsFiled under: ,

Once you finally, finally install the Wrath of the Lich King onto your personal copy of World of Warcraft, what's the first thing you'll bear witness to (besides empty Mountain Dew cans and an empty, empty apartment)? Why, the above video, of course. For your viewing pleasure we present the opening cinematic from Blizzard's upcoming opus.

So, what's it like? C'mon dude, it's a new Blizzard cinematic, do you really want some tubby blogger spoiling it for you? Of course not. Now, get to clicking.
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]]>activisionblizzardleipzig-08world-of-warcraftwrath-of-the-lich-kingThu, 21 Aug 2008 08:00:00 ESTThe best of WoW Insider: August 12-19, 2008http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/19/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-12-19-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/19/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-12-19-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/19/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-12-19-2008/#commentsFiled under: , ,


This gigantic, bladed, slashing monstrosity is one of the most coveted weapons in all of the World of Warcraft, spoken of in whispers by some of the most epic characters in the game: the Ashbringer. And it's set to feature pretty prominently in Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion coming to the biggest game in the world later this year. Joystiq's site covering all things Azeroth, WoW Insider, has the story on this sword and much, much more. Here's our biggest posts from the past week in Warcraft.

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]]>ashbringerbetabeta-newsblizzcondalranjoystiqloreticketsweeklyroundupworld-of-warcraftwow-insiderwrath-of-the-lich-kingTue, 19 Aug 2008 20:30:00 ESTNo cross-platform secret agenting in The Agencyhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/no-cross-platform-secret-agenting-in-the-agency/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/no-cross-platform-secret-agenting-in-the-agency/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/no-cross-platform-secret-agenting-in-the-agency/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Although it was dangled in front of us like a tantalizing carrot, it looks like you won't be able to get any cross-gaming action between PS3s and PCs out of Sony's upcoming spy MMO, The Agency. Last year, designer Hal Milton told us the developer weas looking at it, but in a recent interview with Eurogamer it looks like he's closed the door on things for good. You can thank Shadowrun for ruining it all.

"PC guys say, 'PS3 guys have aim assist and the controls nerfed for them'. And PS3 guys say, 'PC guys have a mouse and keyboard - it's all easier for them'. Even if it's not true." Not that we're complaining, because Shadowrun made us a bit mental. But this really needs to happen in a fun way sooner or later. Which title is going to be able to nail it down and make it work? Super Mario Crossover Party Platformer 2: Now With More Fun has our money.
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]]>Agencycross-platformHal-MiltonMMOShadowrunThe-AgencyMon, 18 Aug 2008 18:45:00 ESTWarhammer Online open beta starts Sept. 7http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/warhammer-online-open-beta-starts-sept-7/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/warhammer-online-open-beta-starts-sept-7/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/18/warhammer-online-open-beta-starts-sept-7/#commentsFiled under: ,


If you can't wait to get your hands on Warhammer Online, EA announced today that an open beta for the game will kick off Sept. 7, giving you a whole 11 days to play before the general populace sullies it on Sept. 18.

So, how do you get in? Just pre-order the game with one of EA's "select retail partners." (We don't know who they are yet, but even money says GameStop is one of them.) Also, those who are already in the closed beta will automagically be invited. So, are you getting in on the ground floor? Or have you been burned one too many times by start-up MMOs?
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]]>betaeawarhammerwarhammer-onlineMon, 18 Aug 2008 11:45:00 ESTSony Fan Faire drops debut trailers for Everquest and EQII expansionshttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/16/sony-fan-faire-drops-debut-trailers-for-everquest-and-eqii-expan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/16/sony-fan-faire-drops-debut-trailers-for-everquest-and-eqii-expan/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/16/sony-fan-faire-drops-debut-trailers-for-everquest-and-eqii-expan/#commentsFiled under: ,


At Sony Online Entertainment's Fan Faire event in Las Vegas, expansions to two of the MMO developer's major titles, Everquest and Everquest II, were revealed and dated: EQ fans will be planting Seeds of Destruction on October 21, while EQII players will find themselves embarking on The Shadow Odyssey November 18. Shortly thereafter, SOE revealed a teaser trailer for each expansion. We debated about which one to feature on the main page, and ultimately decided upon the expansion for the game that hasn't been out for a hojillion years (fret not, Seeds' trailer is after the jump).

The Shadow Odyssey's teaser shows off some of the rather uninviting locales featured in the update, and not much else. The Seeds of Destruction trailer previews the new mercenary system, and flaunts a number of new areas which will be added to the title. Pretty impressive from a game that, if it were a human being, would be entering the fourth grade this Fall, where it would slowly begin to develop funny feelings towards its classmate, Asheron's Call.

Read: EverQuest: Seeds of Destruction teaser trailer released
Read: EQII: The Shadow Odyssey teaser trailer released

Continue reading Sony Fan Faire drops debut trailers for Everquest and EQII expansions

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]]>Everquesteverquest-iiseeds-of-destructionsoesony-online-entertainmentthe-shadow-odysseytrailerSat, 16 Aug 2008 16:00:00 ESTSOE announces EverQuest: Seeds of Destruction and EQII: The Shadow Odysseyhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/soe-announces-everquest-seeds-of-destruction-and-eqii-the-shad/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/soe-announces-everquest-seeds-of-destruction-and-eqii-the-shad/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/15/soe-announces-everquest-seeds-of-destruction-and-eqii-the-shad/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

At its annual Fan Faire, Sony Online Entertainment (SOE) has revealed new expansions for EverQuest and EverQuest II. For EQ players, The Seeds of Destruction expansion offers a new level cap (85), 20 new zones, a new mercenary system, and all fourteen previous expansions in one box. EQII: The Shadow Odyssey will feature brand new zones, some revisits to the original EQ dungeons, a bump in the number of achievements you can get (up to 200), new deities, new quests and a new loot system that lets you pick your loot rewards.

Our MMO-obsessed colleagues at Massively have interviews with the EverQuest design team and EQII Senior Producer Bruce Ferguson about the expansions. All Fan Faire attendees will receive both games for free and will be able to participate in the SoD and TSO betas when they begin on August 19 and September 2, respectively.

Seeds of Destruction will come out October 21, while The Shadow Odyssey is scheduled for November 18. Stay tuned to Massively all week for more Fan Faire coverage.

Gallery: EverQuest: Seeds of Destruction Announcement


Gallery: EverQuest 2: The Shadow Odyssey Announcement

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]]>breakingnewseverquesteverquest-2seeds-of-destructionshadow-odysseysoesony-online-entertainmentthe-shadow-odysseyFri, 15 Aug 2008 22:00:00 ESTNew Final Fantasy XI boss could take 24 hours to killhttp://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/14/new-final-fantasy-xi-boss-could-take-24-hours-to-kill/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/14/new-final-fantasy-xi-boss-could-take-24-hours-to-kill/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/14/new-final-fantasy-xi-boss-could-take-24-hours-to-kill/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Hey, have you given up? We don't mean just depressed. We're talking to those of you who are ready take the precious gift that each day of life is, attempt to put it back in its clamshell packaging and return it for store credit. Then you might just be ready to take on the Pandemonium Warden, a newly added Final Fantasy XI boss that guild Beyond the Limitation plugged away at for 18 hours before finally giving up the fight. They estimate that with 5 or 6 more hours of work they could have finished the job.

"People were passing out and getting physically ill," guild leaders said. "We decided to end it before we risked turning into a horrible new story about how video games ruin people's lives."

So, to recap: There's a boss in Final Fantasy XI that's so tough that people who play Final Fantasy XI enough to be in a guild don't think it's worth their time. Moreover, he was so difficult it was enough to force them to start making responsible choices with their lives. Mother Brain, you can consider yourself trumped.

[Thanks, Anthony]
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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

]]>Final-Fantasyfinal-fantasy-xisquare-enixThu, 14 Aug 2008 11:15:00 ESTThe best of WoW Insider: August 5-12, 2008http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-5-12-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-5-12-2008/http://www.joystiq.com/2008/08/12/the-best-of-wow-insider-august-5-12-2008/#commentsFiled under: , ,


We can't exactly decide whether this freaky-looking Dwarf makes us want to play as a Death Knight more or not, but he does look freaky. This was just one of the hundreds of images and impressions coming out of the Wrath of the Lich King beta this week on Joystiq's sister site WoW Insider. Below are our top posts from the past week, and as you can see, there's lots and lots of Death Knight and Wrath beta news to be had.

News

Features

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SPONSORED BY: Age of Empires III - Real-Time Strategy Game Control a European power on a quest to colonize and conquer the New World. AOE3 introduces new gameplay elements, as well as new civilizations, units, and technologies. http://www.ageofempires3.com/

]]>death-knightgalleriesimpressionsnewswow-insiderwrath-betawrath-of-the-lich-kingTue, 12 Aug 2008 20:30:00 EST