Final Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11

February 28, 2010 by admin · Comment
Filed under: PSP News 
ffxivwithclosedbeta580px Final Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11

If you’re anything like us (or our partners over at Massively), you were hurriedly clicking refresh on the official VanaFest 2010 website for news about the now eight-year-old Final Fantasy XI MMO last night. If you were, then you might’ve caught the momentary mention that the first wave of (closed) beta testing for the next Final Fantasy MMO (that’s number 14, for those of you playing along at home) will be going live on March 11.

Square also assuaged fears of missing out on the closed beta by saying that “Those who were not selected in this drawing, fear not, for there will be other opportunities to come,” adding that interested parties should “Be sure to stay tuned!” We figure if we’re not invited, you know, all the more time to play that other Final Fantasy release, right?

[Via Massively]

JoystiqFinal Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Final Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11

February 28, 2010 by admin · Comment
Filed under: PSP News 
ffxivwithclosedbeta580px Final Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11

If you’re anything like us (or our partners over at Massively), you were hurriedly clicking refresh on the official VanaFest 2010 website for news about the now eight-year-old Final Fantasy XI MMO last night. If you were, then you might’ve caught the momentary mention that the first wave of (closed) beta testing for the next Final Fantasy MMO (that’s number 14, for those of you playing along at home) will be going live on March 11.

Square also assuaged fears of missing out on the closed beta by saying that “Those who were not selected in this drawing, fear not, for there will be other opportunities to come,” adding that interested parties should “Be sure to stay tuned!” We figure if we’re not invited, you know, all the more time to play that other Final Fantasy release, right?

[Via Massively]

JoystiqFinal Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Final Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11

February 28, 2010 by admin · Comment
Filed under: PSP News 
ffxivwithclosedbeta580px Final Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11

If you’re anything like us (or our partners over at Massively), you were hurriedly clicking refresh on the official VanaFest 2010 website for news about the now eight-year-old Final Fantasy XI MMO last night. If you were, then you might’ve caught the momentary mention that the first wave of (closed) beta testing for the next Final Fantasy MMO (that’s number 14, for those of you playing along at home) will be going live on March 11.

Square also assuaged fears of missing out on the closed beta by saying that “Those who were not selected in this drawing, fear not, for there will be other opportunities to come,” adding that interested parties should “Be sure to stay tuned!” We figure if we’re not invited, you know, all the more time to play that other Final Fantasy release, right?

[Via Massively]

JoystiqFinal Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Final Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11

February 28, 2010 by admin · Comment
Filed under: PSP News 
ffxivwithclosedbeta580px Final Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11

If you’re anything like us (or our partners over at Massively), you were hurriedly clicking refresh on the official VanaFest 2010 website for news about the now eight-year-old Final Fantasy XI MMO last night. If you were, then you might’ve caught the momentary mention that the first wave of (closed) beta testing for the next Final Fantasy MMO (that’s number 14, for those of you playing along at home) will be going live on March 11.

Square also assuaged fears of missing out on the closed beta by saying that “Those who were not selected in this drawing, fear not, for there will be other opportunities to come,” adding that interested parties should “Be sure to stay tuned!” We figure if we’re not invited, you know, all the more time to play that other Final Fantasy release, right?

[Via Massively]

JoystiqFinal Fantasy XIV closed beta goes live March 11 originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Which MMOs are Kid-Safe? A Parents Guide to Massively Multiplayer Games

February 24, 2010 by admin · Comment
Filed under: PSP News 

There is no shortage of Massively Multiplayer Online games for adults, with titles like Age of Conan, World of Warcraft, Star Trek Online, and City of Heroes. While its great that adults have a nice selection of options for their gaming dollar, what about children? Most adults would rather not have their kids playing Age of Conan, which depicts half-naked women and copious amounts of beheadings and severed limbs.

Graphic depictions of violence are only one aspect of MMOs that may concern parents, while others may be far more worried about language and predatory adults with too much time on their hands. What you will find below is a list of current MMOs that are kid-friendly. In all cases, these games were built for kids and will offer as safe a gaming environment as you can hope to have on the Internet. Nothing is perfect and no system is fool-proof, so active parental monitoring is always a good thing. Games appear in order of popularity.

Poptropica

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs36/f/2008/282/5/4/My_Poptropica_Character_by_sandleaf1.jpg

The most popular MMO with kids is Poptropica. Best of all, its free, though you can buy your child credits for the purchasing of special items. Kids can create their own character, known as a Poptropican, and travel across islands. Players will use problem-solving skills as they uncover various mysteries, explore new areas, acquire digital comic books, watch movies and even compete in head-to-head competitions with other kids.

Visit Poptropica Website

Webkinz

http://oreokinz.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/webkinz-crown-of-wonders.jpg

For kids between the ages of 6-13+, Webkinz is a commercial venture that ties into an existing toy-line, so know going in that you’re dealing with a gateway drug, i.e., play the game and find your kid asking for a real-life Webkinz toy. Commercialism aside, kids really enjoy Webkinz, a virtual world where they can adopt and care for pets, take part in fun activities and even decorate their own home.

Visit Webkinz Website

RuneScape

http://www.gamealmighty.com/gamealmighty/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/ff2b0_runescape.jpg.jpg

RuneScape has been around for what seems like forever, boasting a mammoth player base and huge game world for kids to explore. RuneScape is more like a traditional MMO, presented from a top-down perspective. While kids under 9 may be in over their heads, older kids will find Runescape to be a great bridge to more difficult games like World of Warcraft. RuneScape is highly addictive and has a sizable adult player base.  Fortunately, you can have the chat feature of RuneScape disabled until you child turns 13 years of age.

Visit the RuneScape Website

Club Penguin

http://clubpenguinhacked.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/club-penguin-19.png?w=956&h=636

Club Penguin is published by Disney, so you know you’re in good hands right from the start.  Kids will find a wide-range of activities in Club Penguin and parents can set chat limitation and amount of play time per day, ensuring your kid gets the old homework done.

Visit Club Penguin Website

Which MMOs are Kid-Safe? A Parents Guide to Massively Multiplayer Games

February 19, 2010 by admin · Comment
Filed under: PSP News 

There is no shortage of Massively Multiplayer Online games for adults, with titles like Age of Conan, World of Warcraft, Star Trek Online, and City of Heroes. While its great that adults have a nice selection of options for their gaming dollar, what about children? Most adults would rather not have their kids playing Age of Conan, which depicts half-naked women and copious amounts of beheadings and severed limbs.

Graphic depictions of violence are only one aspect of MMOs that may concern parents, while others may be far more worried about language and predatory adults with too much time on their hands. What you will find below is a list of current MMOs that are kid-friendly. In all cases, these games were built for kids and will offer as safe a gaming environment as you can hope to have on the Internet. Nothing is perfect and no system is fool-proof, so active parental monitoring is always a good thing. Games appear in order of popularity.

Poptropica

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs36/f/2008/282/5/4/My_Poptropica_Character_by_sandleaf1.jpg

The most popular MMO with kids is Poptropica. Best of all, its free, though you can buy your child credits for the purchasing of special items. Kids can create their own character, known as a Poptropican, and travel across islands. Players will use problem-solving skills as they uncover various mysteries, explore new areas, acquire digital comic books, watch movies and even compete in head-to-head competitions with other kids.

Visit Poptropica Website

Webkinz

http://oreokinz.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/webkinz-crown-of-wonders.jpg

For kids between the ages of 6-13+, Webkinz is a commercial venture that ties into an existing toy-line, so know going in that you’re dealing with a gateway drug, i.e., play the game and find your kid asking for a real-life Webkinz toy. Commercialism aside, kids really enjoy Webkinz, a virtual world where they can adopt and care for pets, take part in fun activities and even decorate their own home.

Visit Webkinz Website

RuneScape

http://www.gamealmighty.com/gamealmighty/wp-content/plugins/wp-o-matic/cache/ff2b0_runescape.jpg.jpg

RuneScape has been around for what seems like forever, boasting a mammoth player base and huge game world for kids to explore. RuneScape is more like a traditional MMO, presented from a top-down perspective. While kids under 9 may be in over their heads, older kids will find Runescape to be a great bridge to more difficult games like World of Warcraft. RuneScape is highly addictive and has a sizable adult player base.  Fortunately, you can have the chat feature of RuneScape disabled until you child turns 13 years of age.

Visit the RuneScape Website

Club Penguin

http://clubpenguinhacked.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/club-penguin-19.png?w=956&h=636

Club Penguin is published by Disney, so you know you’re in good hands right from the start.  Kids will find a wide-range of activities in Club Penguin and parents can set chat limitation and amount of play time per day, ensuring your kid gets the old homework done.

Visit Club Penguin Website

Atari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher

February 16, 2010 by admin · Comment
Filed under: PSP News 
live-long Atari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher

Atari may not have published a ton of games in 2009, but that doesn’t mean the company hasn’t been picking up the bottom line. In a press release that reads like the exact opposite of those we saw from the company just a few years ago, CEO Jeff Lapin celebrates the €92.5 million ($126.25 million) in revenue earned in the nine months ending December 31, saying “the company has now strengthened its equity and is in a position to work on an expanded publishing plan.” In so many words, Lapin’s suggesting that Atari is financially bouncing back and maybe even gearing up to (dare we say it?) make more games.

The company cites sales of Ghostbusters, Chronicles of Riddick, Backyard Football, and Champions Online for bolstering revenues in fiscal Q3 and looks forward to a better 2010. The recent release of Star Trek Online certainly doesn’t seem to be hurting his confidence in that department. Lapin says that he’s “very enthusiastic about the launch” of the “promising MMO game.”

But things aren’t all gumdrops and money hats — the Q3 revenues were still down by 1.9% year-over-year. We won’t find out the full year’s earnings until late May, but for now we’ll comfort ourselves with the knowledge that the publisher’s next title, Project Runway, is coming in a few short weeks. Finally!

Source 1 - Big Download
Source 2 - Atari (warning: PDF link)

JoystiqAtari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher

February 16, 2010 by admin · Comment
Filed under: PSP News 
live-long Atari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher

Atari may not have published a ton of games in 2009, but that doesn’t mean the company hasn’t been picking up the bottom line. In a press release that reads like the exact opposite of those we saw from the company just a few years ago, CEO Jeff Lapin celebrates the €92.5 million ($126.25 million) in revenue earned in the nine months ending December 31, saying “the company has now strengthened its equity and is in a position to work on an expanded publishing plan.” In so many words, Lapin’s suggesting that Atari is financially bouncing back and maybe even gearing up to (dare we say it?) make more games.

The company cites sales of Ghostbusters, Chronicles of Riddick, Backyard Football, and Champions Online for bolstering revenues in fiscal Q3 and looks forward to a better 2010. The recent release of Star Trek Online certainly doesn’t seem to be hurting his confidence in that department. Lapin says that he’s “very enthusiastic about the launch” of the “promising MMO game.”

But things aren’t all gumdrops and money hats — the Q3 revenues were still down by 1.9% year-over-year. We won’t find out the full year’s earnings until late May, but for now we’ll comfort ourselves with the knowledge that the publisher’s next title, Project Runway, is coming in a few short weeks. Finally!

Source 1 - Big Download
Source 2 - Atari (warning: PDF link)

JoystiqAtari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher

February 16, 2010 by admin · Comment
Filed under: PSP News 
live-long Atari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher

Atari may not have published a ton of games in 2009, but that doesn’t mean the company hasn’t been picking up the bottom line. In a press release that reads like the exact opposite of those we saw from the company just a few years ago, CEO Jeff Lapin celebrates the €92.5 million ($126.25 million) in revenue earned in the nine months ending December 31, saying “the company has now strengthened its equity and is in a position to work on an expanded publishing plan.” In so many words, Lapin’s suggesting that Atari is financially bouncing back and maybe even gearing up to (dare we say it?) make more games.

The company cites sales of Ghostbusters, Chronicles of Riddick, Backyard Football, and Champions Online for bolstering revenues in fiscal Q3 and looks forward to a better 2010. The recent release of Star Trek Online certainly doesn’t seem to be hurting his confidence in that department. Lapin says that he’s “very enthusiastic about the launch” of the “promising MMO game.”

But things aren’t all gumdrops and money hats — the Q3 revenues were still down by 1.9% year-over-year. We won’t find out the full year’s earnings until late May, but for now we’ll comfort ourselves with the knowledge that the publisher’s next title, Project Runway, is coming in a few short weeks. Finally!

Source 1 - Big Download
Source 2 - Atari (warning: PDF link)

JoystiqAtari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Atari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher

February 16, 2010 by admin · Comment
Filed under: PSP News 
live-long Atari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher

Atari may not have published a ton of games in 2009, but that doesn’t mean the company hasn’t been picking up the bottom line. In a press release that reads like the exact opposite of those we saw from the company just a few years ago, CEO Jeff Lapin celebrates the €92.5 million ($126.25 million) in revenue earned in the nine months ending December 31, saying “the company has now strengthened its equity and is in a position to work on an expanded publishing plan.” In so many words, Lapin’s suggesting that Atari is financially bouncing back and maybe even gearing up to (dare we say it?) make more games.

The company cites sales of Ghostbusters, Chronicles of Riddick, Backyard Football, and Champions Online for bolstering revenues in fiscal Q3 and looks forward to a better 2010. The recent release of Star Trek Online certainly doesn’t seem to be hurting his confidence in that department. Lapin says that he’s “very enthusiastic about the launch” of the “promising MMO game.”

But things aren’t all gumdrops and money hats — the Q3 revenues were still down by 1.9% year-over-year. We won’t find out the full year’s earnings until late May, but for now we’ll comfort ourselves with the knowledge that the publisher’s next title, Project Runway, is coming in a few short weeks. Finally!

Source 1 - Big Download
Source 2 - Atari (warning: PDF link)

JoystiqAtari fiscal Q3 results indicate revival for embattled publisher originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

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