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On This Day In Gaming History...
| 2001, FunCom launches official website for new game, "Midgard." |
| 2002, Shadowbane's pre-order CD's ship. Those who pre-ordered in N. America get access to restricted races. |
| 2003, Chris "Vosx" Mancil starts the rumor mill running for "Shadowbane" due to a mispost on the Ubi forums regarding a sever consolidation with new maps and features for the game. |
| 2003, Lila "Jade Dragonfly" Yee, the Community Relations Manager for Asheron's Call 2 joins the "Mythica" team in the same role. |
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The 2003 Yearly Round-up
Last year was a time of a lot of changes, as we saw new games announced, old games awaiting launch and some faces within the industry change places. While we waited for games to come out, they were not that pretty at launch after a number of delays. Here are the significant events of last year within the MOG community.
The 2003 Yearly Round-up -Div Devlin
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September
- GTA announces they are in the last stage of signing an agreement with AKI for the FPS/MMO game Necropolis, which “will make a thick stroke within the MMO Gaming Industry.”
- Disney's receives the official “All Star Software Award” and “Seal of Approval” for 2003 from the Children's Software Review for Toontown Online.
- Ubi Soft announces plans for a new world map and select servers to get a post-launch wipe for Shadowbane by Wolfpack Studios.
- NBC announces the purchase of Vivendi and the merger of the Entertainment division into a new company.
- Even though they are already using the character of “Lord British” within Ultima Online, EA officially announces the return of the King into the games storyline.
- Flying Lab Software announces they have moved the release date to the first quarter of 2004 for “Pirates of the Burning Sea.”
- K2 Network, Inc. announces their MMO game FX Golf, where players can compete against others online playing Golf.
- White Wolf, the publishers of Vampire: The Masquerade file lawsuit against Sony, Screen Gems and Lake Shore Entertainment for copyright infringement with “Underworld” movie.
- Sony closes their message boards to the general public for Star Wars Galaxies, only allowing subscribers to read and interact about the game.
- Free Form Interactive announces their free expansion to Purge Online subscribers titled “Purge: Jihad.”
- Funcom officially launches their expansion to Anarchy Online with Shadowlands.
- EA announces the development of a character transfer service within Ultima Online, which they had claimed for years, could never be done.
- Palestar Inc. announces a free trial for their MMO game Dark Space.
- EA announces the launch of their monthly newsletter and sends out the first round of beta invites for Ultima X: Odyssey.
- NCSoft announces the release of “Lineage: Dark Conquest,” a series of six new episodes to be released over three years which introduces new races and features to the game.
- EA re-introduces sponsored "Weddings, Parties and Remembrance Gatherings,” where Seers will run events for a fee within Ultima Online.
- Ubi Soft and Wolfpack Studios officially announce the Rise of Chaos expansion for Shadowbane.
- Tibia, the MMO game from CIP Productions shuts down one of their servers after a hacker gains access to the central database taking the game down for five days.
- AOL/Time Warner finalized dropping AOL from the name as it "hurt America Online sales.”
- Facing lawsuits from Whitewolf, the movie “Underworld” by Sony is released nationwide to theatres.
- Activision announces that they will be the EU publishers for Star Wars Galaxies.
- Jumpgate by NetDevil is shutdown in the U.S. due to internet worms that invade the servers.
- Tesseraction Games, developers of Enigma: Rising Tide, file a 1.7 million dollar lawsuit against their U.K. publisher GMX Media for breach of contract.
- Ubi Soft announces that the retail price for Shadowbane by Wolfpack Studios has been changed to $19.99 at all participating retail outlets.
- The America Online server for Ultima Online named AOL Legends is opened worldwide to EA subscribers.
- The CEO of There Inc., Tom Melcher leaves his post and the company, with Steve Victorino appointed the acting CEO.
- Vivendi Universal sues Interplay over distribution deals, claiming a breach of contract for their games.
- Dark and Light, “The largest MMORPG you have ever seen,” begins the first stage of beta testing.
- Mythic Entertainment begins beta three for their Dark Age of Camelot expansion, Trials of Atlantis.
- Playtechtonics announces open alpha testing for their MMO/Space game, Starport: Galactic Empires.
- CCP the developers of Eve Online: The Second Genesis announces they have banned a “Network of Exploiters” who were auctioning off credits and items on EBay.
- Mythic Entertainment announces that Dark Age of Camelot has been reduced in price to $9.99 at participating retail outlets.
- Blizzard announces they have banned over 400,000 accounts from Starcraft, Diablo II, and Warcraft III on Battle.Net for the use of cheats, exploits and hacks.
October
- NCSoft officially releases Lineage II in Korea.
- PayPal files lawsuit against Bank One claiming infringement on PayPal's patent for collecting cash over the Internet.
- Dave “ShadowDave” Yee ends rumors for an expansion to Earth and Beyond saying, “none in the works currently.”
- In an interview on HomeLanFed, Thomas “Dreadflame” Sitch from Wolfpack Studios reports that 140,000 copies of Shadowbane were sold.
- FreeWorld, the upcoming MMO game by netCharger begins Phase 6 of beta testing.
- Mutable Realms and Vault Network come to informal agreement for fan site Wish Vault to host the official message boards for the upcoming Ultra MMO game, “Wish.”
- Star Wars Galaxies goes down for over 18 hours as Sony installs the games second patch since release.
- Mythic Entertainment announces that their Dark Age of Camelot expansion Trials of Atlantis goes gold and is expected in stores by November.
- Peter Gabriel signs deal with Cyan Worlds to provide song “Burn You Up, Burn You Down,” in URU: Ages Beyond Myst.
- Vivendi Universal and General Electric ink deal forging a $43 Billion Media Firm.
- Simon Jeffery, the President of Lucas Arts abruptly resigns from the company.
- NCSoft announces that Lineage II released with 130,000-paid account subscribers during first weeks of release.
- Beta ends for Final Fantasy XI from Square Enix as the game servers close until live release.
- Ubi Soft announces their “Return to Shadowbane” promotion in which all former customers can return to the game free for thirty days to view the “dramatic improvements within game since launch.”
- Vivendi Universal offered between $700 and $900 million in cash for VUGames by a “company in the games sector” which was refused.
- “URU: Ages Beyond Myst” from Cyan Worlds and Ubi Soft goes gold with a November release date.
- Mythic Entertainment is ranked 112th on the Deloitte Technology Fast 500, a ranking of the fastest growing tech companies in North America.
- Sony Online and Lucas Arts announces the “Ruins of Dantooine,” an upcoming novel based on events within the MMO game Star Wars Galaxies.
- VUGames announces that their eagerly awaited RTS game, “War of the Ring” has gone gold.
- Cyber Warrior announces partnership with FUZE Software to provide customer support to “Rubies of Eventide” players.
- Sony Online announces that closed beta testing for “Lords of Everquest” officially begins.
- Funcom announces a new Assistant Game Director for Anarchy Online. Marius Enge will assist Gaute Godager until Funcom goes full force with their next AO addition. Gaute moves to a new, unannounced MMO project Funcom is working on.
- Linden Labs announces that their game “Second Life” expands the world of opportunity with an updated version of the game.
- Bioware Corp. is recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers.
- NDL, a leading developer of 3d graphics technology announces that their Gamebryo software is being used for the Dark Age of Camelot expansion, “Trials of Atlantis” by Mythic Entertainment.
- Disney announces they have released subscription cards a the price of $9.94 (not $9.99 like everyone else) for their game “Toontown Online.”
- Funcom announces a free seven-day trial for Anarchy Online, which will include the latest expansion “Shadowlands.”
- Atari and Artifact Entertainment officially announce the release date for “Horizons: Empires of Istaria.” Naysayer's scream the game will not be ready for a December release after so many years in development.
- Linden Labs introduces the first virtual amusement park and spook house inside their game world for “Second Life.”
- Mythic Entertainment removes the Non-Disclosure Agreement for their Dark Age of Camelot expansion “Trials of Atlantis.” Even hardened haters of Camelot like it.
- “Forgotten World,” trying to recapture the lost feeling of the original NeverWinter Nights hosted by America Online opens Alpha testing to the general public.
- “Final Fantasy XI” ships to retail stores and goes live.
- Mythic Entertainment ships “Trials of Atlantis” the Dark Age of Camelot expansion to retail stores and goes live.
- “Planeshift” announces that they have broken 100,000 unique player accounts during pre-alpha.
- Everyone's favorite shoplifting hottie, Winona Ryder celebrates her birthday, free from incarceration!
- Sony Corp. announces they plan to cut 20,000 jobs during a corporate revamp.
- Sony Online announces that they have shipped the expansion “Core Combat” for Planetside to retail stores.
November
- Sigil Games announces they have hired Kevin McPherson, one of the first EverQuest team programmers.
- EA creates a new seat to their board of directors with the appointment of Robert W. Pittman, increasing the number of members on the board from eight to nine. Will players see an increase in subscription fees for EA's MMO games?
- The final installment of “The Matrix” is released to theatres worldwide with “Revolutions.” A worldwide audience, all agree that it sucked badly!
- Vivendi reports posted drop in sales with slips of 59% within units such as VUGames.
- iEntertainment Networks announces that Savage Eden, the popular MMO from Korea is on it's way to the states as “Savage Eden: The Battle for Laghaim” with a closed beta starting.
- Marius Enge, the new game director for “Anarchy Online” at Funcom gives the player community a “State of the Game Address” and announces work has already started for the next Anarchy Online expansion.
- Monika Sarn from renowned MMO guild “The Combine” becomes the first player to unlock their force sensitive character slot and becomes a Jedi within Star Wars Galaxies. Quickly joined by five other players on alternate servers. It must be a conspiracy! Shortly afterwards, the first Jedi character is seen for sale on EBay for $900.00
- “URU: Ages Beyond Myst” officially launches in single player mode only!
- Artifact Entertainment announces they have partnered with NTT/Verio, who will manage their online environment for Horizons as well as other “upcoming MMO projects.”
- Nokia announces that their N-Gage copy protection has been hacked, allowing copied games to be downloaded from the Internet for free.
- Sony announces that mounts and player cities have finally been added to “Star Wars: Galaxies.”
- Linden Labs announces a change to the Terms of Service for “Second Life” allowing subscribers to retain the intellectual property rights to any content they create within game. The first game company to do this.
- Magique Productions announces they will be using the Lithtech Engine for “Caeron 3000 Online.”
- CyberWarrior announces they are having financial difficulty and posting in the negative for “Rubies of Eventide.”
- En-Tranz, the Asian/Pacific publishers for “Shadowbane” by Wolfpack Studios announce they will be bringing further development to the game within house, to meet the needs of their player base, which differ from North America and Ubi Soft.
- Funcom introduces “Anarchy Online: Classic” which includes an updated game client and a 30 day free trial for $9.99
- AT&T files a lawsuit against PayPal claiming they own the patent for making payments over the Internet. (Note: In October PayPal filed suit against Bank One making same claim!)
- Nevrax announces the end of their partnership with Wanadoo France, the publisher and operator for their game “Ryzom” in Europe.
- Turbine announces Vladimir Starzhevsky as the new executive producer for “Middle Earth Online.”
- “Lords of EverQuest” from Sony Online and Rapid Eye, the RTS game based on the world of EverQuest goes gold and ships to retail stores.
- Marc “Huan” Howe, president of CyberWarrior announces the closing of “Rubies of Eventide” due to continued profit loss.
- Java-based MMO game, “Runescape” by Jagex announce they have surpassed over 600,000 active players within their game.
- Players begin impersonating corporate investors within the “Rubies of Eventide” community in an attempt to scam cash to purchase RoE, citing the president of CyberWarrior; Marc “Huan” Howe was dead. All false.
- The EBay battles continue in “Star Wars: Galaxies” as another Jedi appears with bids increasing for the price of $3,000.00U.S.
December
- Sony Online's producer for “Planetside,” Dallas Dickinson announces plans to merge servers in a team letter to the community.
- Mutable Realms and Themis Group announce the first phase of Beta begins for their UMMOG, “Wish.”
- Three Rings announces that “Puzzle Pirates” has ended beta and is set to go live.
- Ubi Soft and Wolfpack Studio's announces that the Shadowbane expansion “Rise of Chaos” has gone gold.
- “Lords of EverQuest” by Sony and Rapid Eye goes retail with servers going live.
- Sigil Games announces the hire of four new artists to their team including Brom to do concept art.
- Epic One and Phoenix Interactive announce they have started the process of beta testing “Fung Wan Online.”
- Take Two Interactive acquires TDK for $12.8 Million.
- Artifact Entertainment officially removes the Non-Disclosure Agreement for “Horizons: Empires of Istaria.”
- CCP splits from Simon&Schuster with “Eve Online: The Second Genesis.” Redesigns website and offers game for download direct from site.
- America Online and GameSpot announce their evil alliance that will give AOL subscribers access to GameSpot articles.
- IGN and GameSpy announce they are merging but will remain separate entities.
- Cryptic Studios and NCSoft announce they have invited their first one hundred beta testers inside “City of Heroes.”
- CyberWarrior announces they have acquired funding to keep “Rubies of Eventide” open, with a smaller development team.
- Equinix Inc. announces their partnership with NCSoft Austin to provide network services for their upcoming MMO games.
- Artifact Entertainment and Atari officially launch “Horizons: Empires of Istaria” and tank the launch on opening day.
- Ubi Soft and Wolfpack Studios expansion for Shadowbane, “Rise of Chaos” goes live, problems arise.
- Sony Online announces that the Everquest Community Relations Manager, Alan “Absor” Van Couvering has been promoted to the role of Game Designer. Alan “Brenlo” Crosby takes over as Community Relations Manager.
- Mythic Entertainment announces their next expansion for Dark Age of Camelot, “Frontiers,” which will focus on Realm versus Realm combat.
- VU Games division cuts staff, 70 employees let go.
- EA and Maxis ban a player from “The Sims Online” for reporting on the dark side of player nature within game. Phreaky-Phreaks for sex fun.
- David “DavidQuick” Kniselet from the Vault Network (Shadowbane, Atriarch, etc.) passes away. Will always be remembered for his work in the community, thoughts and contributions.
- Nintendo's “Mario” character becomes an officially recognized star with his own wax figure at the Hollywood Wax Museum. His figure replaces Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann Moss from “The Matrix” in the lobby.
- GamerTV names Ashley “Valkyrie” Jenkins from the Shadowbane community “Sexiest Gamer” in the U.S.
- Codemaster's founders, Richard, David and Jim Darling honored by Computer and Video Games Industry with the “ELSPA Hall of Fame Award.”
- TKO Software acquires “Dransik,” the MMO game by Asylum Soft.
- Turbine Games secures $18 million in financing so their partners can exploit “Middle Earth Online” and “Dungeons and Dragons Online” properties as publishers.
- Netamin and GameSpy team up to bring “Ultimate Baseball Online” teams into beta with exclusive program to GameSpy subscribers.
- Sony Online announces development of EverQuest expansion, “Gates of Discord.”
- Microsoft sells the Asheron's Call and Asheron's Call 2 franchise back to Turbine Games.
- Sony Online announces that vehicles have finally been included into Star Wars Galaxies. Servers break on release causing need for patch.
- Blizzard announces the hiring of Donna “Katricia” Anthony as the Community Relations Manager for “World of Warcraft.” It is SOL Entres/Araknakat!
- Artifact Entertainment and Radioactive Clown announce their partnership to create an action figures line based on “Horizons: Empires of Istaria.”
- Fourteen weeks into release for the Anarchy Online expansion “Shadowlands,” Funcom announces the first players have breached the secret seventh level, Pandemonium. It's hard to keep power-gamers down!
- CCP develops and releases a new expansion, “Tech Level 2,” for Eve Online as a free download to subscribers.
- Ubi Soft announces they have secured the rights to publish and distribute “Shadowbane,” by Wolfpack Studios in Europe.
- Disney announces the launch of their expansion “The Sellbot Cog Headquarters” for advanced play in Toontown Online.
- After two years of battles, a gamer from China wins a lawsuit in which an MMO games has to make reparations after hackers deleted his characters and items within game.
- Mythic Entertainment files a lawsuit against Microsoft claiming their upcoming game, “Mythica” infringes upon the Mythic name.
- Blizzard announces that beta for World of Warcraft will not be ready for the fourth quarter of 2003, just in time for Christmas. Ya think!
Discuss:What was your most memorable moment of 2003?
Go Back to January, February, March, and April or to May, June, July and August.
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