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Daily Column
New MMOG Articles at TenTonHammer Today
Hot Content
Real World News - You Can't Make This Up

1. Daily Column

Way back when there was a little game called EverQuest. It may have been dreamed up by 989 Studios or Verant Interactive or maybe it wasn't. All that anyone remembers is that SOE (Sony Online Entertainment) was the company that marketed it into the AAA title that it became.

There are SOE haters and SOE fanbois. One thing that they have in common is the knowledge that SOE isn't going away any day soon.

C|NET recently took a look atvthe publishing giant and talked to John Smedley, the president of SOE. Smeds had this to say,

"Right now our revenue is almost all subscriptions," John Smedley, the unit's president, said in an interview. "In two years, we would like to see no more than 50 percent of our revenue coming from subscriptions, and five years from now we think less than 10 percent of our revenue will come from subscription sources."

The article was timely given our Free Realms: Preview Straight From SOE Gamer Day piece that was posted today. Smeds had this to say about Free Realms,

"In general, Smedley wants to replace subscriptions with a combination of microtransactions, advertising and what he calls the "velvet rope" approach. All three concepts may come to bear in Free Realms, which the company hopes to release on PCs this coming winter and on the PlayStation 3 next summer.While the company's traditional fantasy and science-fiction games have been aimed at a hard-core male audience, Free Realms is basically aimed at children, especially girls. The game will be free to play in general, but will require paid membership for access to special zones and activities (hence the term "velvet rope"). In terms of microtransactions, players will be able to buy virtual in-game items like pets and clothing a la carte. And there may also be advertising inside the game."

Titles like Puzzle Pirates thrive on micro-payments. The good folks at Three Rings Design were kind enough to publicly disclose at GDC this year that they generate more revenue from micro-payments than they do from subscriptions.

I have yet to find a free-to-play MMOG that can hold my attention, but that isn't the case for many. It's almost like I'm a MMOG snob who finds the game somehow cheapened by not paying for it. Crazy? Perhaps.

You can read the entire C|NET article right here. Our The Agency: Preview From SOE Gamer Day is also posted today for your reading pleasure.

Do free-to-play games appeal to you? Do you prefer micro-payments to subscriptions?

Comment in the blog (now with direct link goodness) or email me directly.

2. New MMOG Articles At Ten Ton Hammer Today

Blog: Spy Vs Spy
"The theme of pitting spies against spies has been a fairly prominent one throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. With the announcement of The Agency from SOE Seattle, one would hope that PvP would be a very prominent factor in the game, yet there has been little announced about any PvP action thus far. Cody "Micajah" Bye weighs in on the Spy vs. Spy debate with his own reasons to want to pit spies against spies."
Free Realms: Preview Straight From SOE Gamer Day
"Sony Online Entertainment has a full platter of MMOGs that are currently in the works, everything from online card games to expansions to existing products. The Ten Ton Hammer team had the opportunity to see one of those upcoming games, Free Realms, during the SOE Gamer Day in May. Garrett Fuller's preview of this family-friendly game is waiting for you inside!
Gods and Heroes: Technical FAQ Released
"Welcome to the Gods and Heroes Technical FAQ at Ten Ton Hammer. We've assembled answers to many of your questions regarding SOE's involvement in the game, system specifications, important dates, and the like! Check back often as the FAQ will evolve as we receive more questions!"
Lord of the Rings Online: Guide To Dwarves
"Like a can of Red Bull, Dwarves are short, powerful, and taste bad (don't ask). What sets this race apart from all the others in Middle-earth? Ten Ton Hammer has your complete guide to all things Dwarven, explaining what classes they can play, what deeds can be accomplished, and what traits are available."
Lord of the Rings Online: Is Raiding Required?
"With Shores of Evendim fast approaching RadarX considers the introduction of a 24 man raid. He asks where the large scale raid content is, and is it really necessary? Min/Maxers, end gamers, casual raiders and more are all discussed inside."
Lord of the Rings Online: Experience Mechanics Guide
"Wondering exactly how much you experience you lose when someone helps you with a mob? Curious how grouping affects xp rates? Check out our new guide for all the answers to your experience-related questions."
The Agency: Preview From SOE Gamer Day
"The modern day spy MMO has finally arrived via the fine folks at Sony Online Entertainment. This game was the real show-stopper at SOE Gamer Day back in May, and we can finally talk about it this month. Ten Ton Hammer's Garrett Fuller has written up an exclusive preview of the game based off his impressions from SOE Gamer Day, so go and check it out immediately!
The Agency: Images
"First pirates, now spies. The MMOG marketplace is slowly crawling away from the high fantasy genre and is moving towards other virtual worlds that have yet to be explored. Sony Online Entertainment is taking the first steps into the "super-spy" genre and is creating a game called The Agency to take advantage of the public's love of the intense world of spy thrillers. Along with our preview written by Garrett Fuller, we've picked up a selection of screenshots and the official press release for your viewing pleasure."
Vanguard: Forum Roundup
"Now that the official Vanguard forum is back, we're back to hunting down some of its more interesting and entertaining threads, hacking our way through the jungle so that you don't have to. If you want to go on a safari, but you're not ready to brave the wilderness alone, our forum roundup is the perfect little excursion."
World of Warcraft: Weekly Roundup
"In this week's roundup we can see a ton of updates to our U.I. Repository, how to make tons of gold with Auctioneer and even more leveling guides from our talented staff. In the news we look at Illidan Stormrage's defeat, the new WoW item database and the Blizzcon goodies. The developers talk about swag, spam and talents as well."
World of Warcraft: Making Money With Auctioneer
"In our third update to our Making Money with Auctioneer Guide we go over some more of the actual meat of turning a profit with this U.I. mod along with a ton of tips and tricks on how to get the most gold out of auctioneer. If you haven't been following along, our Auctioneer guide goes over the best way to use a special U.I. mod to make yourself some serious cash."
World of Warcraft: Horde Power Leveling Guide Update - Level 21
"Our Horde Power Leveling Guide continues to expand today with a look at blowing through level 21. If your looking for the fastest way to get your character up to level 60 and into the Burning Crusade content, look no further than this guide!"

3. Hot Content

4. Real World News

Chuck Norris -- If I Am Elected President [Thanks Matt]
...I would go UP Niagara Falls in a barrel.
Pentagon Confirms 'Gay Bomb' **Video with sound**[Thanks Cody]
Sometimes these write themselves.
27 Confessions Of A Former Circuit City Worker
And by former they mean "disgruntled former".

Thanks as always for visiting TenTonHammer.com

John "Boomjack" Hoskin

Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

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