Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, or just Hearthstone for short, is a collectible card game (CCG) MMO based on the Warcraft franchise. Like other Blizzard titles, Hearthstone appeals to both casual and hardcore audiences. The game is simple to pick up, but difficult to master.
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Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment Playerbase: High Type: CCG Release Date: Mar 11, 2014 (NA/EU) Pros: +Good variety of characters. +Excellent draft system (arena). +Well-balanced. +Lots of cards (4,500+). +Solid cross platform mobile play. Cons: -Many cards are bad and unusable. -Expansion content requires lots of gold to unlock.
A look at MMO News and updates for the week ending May 11, 2020. This is episode 244 in a weekly series every Monday that will cover all major MMO news and updates. The games covered this week were: Guild Wars 2, Crucible, Dual Universe Online, Total War: Elysium, Albion Online, Activision Blizzard, Royal Crown, and World of Warcraft. Links to individual news articles we covered this week:
With everyone staying indoors thanks to the Coronavirus quarantines, no one should be surprised that Activision Blizzard reported strong earnings in the first 3 months of the year. Revenue for the quarter which ended on March 31, 2020 came in at $1.79B, which beat the company's own projections by over $100M.
World of Warcraft, despite DOUBLING in monthly active users in the second half of 2019, showed continued growth in Q1 2020. The upcoming launch of Shadowlands later in the year should only further increase the game's playerbase.
Business Highlights for Q1 2020:
Activision
Activision had 102 million MAUsD in the first quarter.
Call of Duty: Warzone launched on March 10, 2020 and has reached over 60 million players to date.
Life-to-date, Modern Warfare has sold through more units and has more players than any prior Call of Duty title at this point after its release.
In the first quarter, Call of Duty: Modern WarfareÂŽunitsell-through was the highest for the franchise outside of a launch quarter. Following substantial year-over-year growth versus the prior title in January and February, unit sell-through accelerated in March, driven by upgrades from Warzone as well as rising demand amidst shelter-at-home conditions.
Also in the first quarter, Modern Warfare in-game net bookingsC more than doubled year-over-year versus Black Ops 4.
Call of Duty Mobile continued to build on last Octoberâs breakout launch with new content, features and events aimed at optimizing engagement, retention and player investment.The game saw increased reach and engagement in March, driven by an increased cadence of compelling content and events as well as shelter-at-home tailwinds.
Originally planned in a local city-based homestand format, the inaugural season of the professional Call of Duty LeagueTM pivoted all matches to online play and remote production for the remainder of the regular season, to keep players and fans safe while still delivering premium esports content to a global audience.
Blizzard
Blizzard had 32 million MAUsD in the first quarter.
After doubling in the second half of 2019, World of Warcraftâs active player community1 increased further in the first quarter, driven by both new and returning players, as the team continued to deliver more content between expansions than ever before.
Each of Blizzardâs key franchises experienced a month-on-month increase in MAUsD in March as a result of shelter-at-home tailwinds.
HearthstoneÂŽ engagement improved sequentially, driven by the new Battlegrounds game mode launched in November, and strong execution in live operations.
OverwatchÂŽengagement increased meaningfully in March and the Overwatch LeagueTM successfully moved to online play and remote production during the quarter.
King
King had 273 million MAUsD in the first quarter.
MAUsD grew month-over-month in both January and February, and further accelerated in March as shelter-at-home conditions came into effect.
Candy CrushTM franchise MAUsD grew year-over-year in each month of the quarter, with double-digit growth in March. Within the franchise, the community played more game rounds than in any quarter since Activision Blizzardâs acquisition of King.
Candy Crush SagaTM and the wider Candy Crush franchise were once again the top-grossing title and franchise in the U.S. mobile app stores.2
Advertising net bookingsB grew over 75% year-over-year, even against the backdrop of the sudden decline in demand across the digital advertising sector in March.
Neverwinter is a 3D action MMORPG set in the epic Dungeons and Dragons world of Forgotten Realms. Iconic locations such as Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter, and more await players in this story-driven MMORPG. The game features skill-based combat that requires players to aim individual attacks and dodge incoming attacks.
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Publisher: Arc Games Playerbase: High Type: MMORPG Release Date: June 20, 2013 PvP: Arenas Pros: +Great voice acting. +Story-driven gameplay. +Fast, fun, and fluid combat. +Amazing Foundry system (Player-made adventures). Cons: -Some cash shop items feel necessary (bag slots). -Unfair PvP matchmaking system. -Some content only available to paying members.
A look at MMO News and updates for the week ending May 4, 2020. This is episode 243 in a weekly series every Monday that will cover all major MMO news and updates. The games covered this week were: Mortal Online 2, Ashes of Creation, RuneScape, Bless Unleashed, Starborne, Legends of Runeterra, Black Desert Online, Final Fantasy XIV, Elder Scrolls Online, Astellia, Tera, and Population Zero. Links to individual news articles we covered this week:
A look at MMO News and updates for the week ending April 27, 2020. This is episode 242 in a weekly series every Monday that will cover all major MMO news and updates. The games covered this week were: Final Fantasy XIV, Shot Online, Cabal Online, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Guild Wars, Zenimax Online, Twin Saga, Magic Legends, and World of Warcraft. Links to individual news articles we covered this week:
Shot Online, the free to play golf MMO by GamesCampus, launched the 'RE-NEW' update today which introduces the following new things to the game:
New rewards for lvl 190+ players
New 'Golf Club' training system
Bonus XP event (+20% EXP)
New Golf Courses (Dino Park and Volcano) added to Miniature Mode
New Items, optimizations, and more
With Pangya shut down, Shot Online remains the only free to play Golf MMO out there. Despite the game's age (launched in 2004), it still has a dedicated playerbase.
Official announcement:
The main highlight of this update is the newly added Golf Club content. It is a new feature which allows players over level 190 to receive extra benefits. Players can enjoy co-player rounding with the Rounding Acquaintance system to earn A-points, which can be used to combine items.
In addition, Golf Club provides a training system where players can manage their characters. Players will be rewarded with various items once the training is successfully completed.
To celebrate the new update, special events have been organized by the Shot Online team. During the event period, a 20% EXP bonus will be given to players so they can quickly level up in order to unlock the Golf Club content faster. After unlocking this new feature, players can receive gifts such as One Point Lesson Ticket +500, Artifact Pouch, Blessed Legend Craft Hammer, and more just by posting a screenshot of the content on the forum and leveling up in the Golf Club.
Along with this update, several renewals have been made to enhance gameplay. New golf courses, Dino Park and Volcano, have been added to the Miniature Mode. The update also provides new items and optimizations on physics issues, object transparency, and more. Moreover, in-game content like the NPC Shop, Item Mall, Course Drop Box, and Item Recipe System have been renewed.
Following the update, renewal, Lost and Found, and more events will be available for players. Each event is composed with special item rewards including the Gold Platinum Membership (30 days), Legend Change Ember, and much more.
Cabal Online, an older MMORPG launched back in 2008 by ESTsoft, launched its 'Triumph' update today which introduced the following to the game:
2 New Dungeons (DX Flame Nest and DX Holy Windmill)
New collection System
Guild Treasure System
Force Wing Transcendence
Merit Medal Platinum Rank
Cabal Online bills itself as an action MMORPG with its fluid combat and combo system, but its not a true action MMORPG like Black Desert Online or Blade and Soul.
Twin Saga, the free to play anime MMORPG published by Aeria Games, launched its latest update today titled Patch 25. The update introduces the following:
Increased Level cap to 95
Increased Profession cap to 95
2 New Zones (Trade Fjord and Fairy Valley)
New Dungeon (Shadow Cavern)
New Story Quests
A New Senshi Quest
Special Events (Easter event, Start of Spring event)
10 New Astral Adventures
Twin Saga is developed by the Taiwanese game studio X-Legend Entertainment, the same studio behind Aura Kingdom, Grand Fantasia, La Place, and several other anime MMORPGs.
A look at MMO News and updates for the week ending April 20, 2020. This is episode 241 in a weekly series every Monday that will cover all major MMO news and updates. The games covered this week were: Shadow Arena, Hytale, Blade and Soul, World of Warcraft, Eve Online, Legends of Runeterra, Final Fantasy XIV, Phantasy Star Online 2, and EverQuest. Links to individual news articles we covered this week:
