Some of the new features players can expect on these new realms include:

• Faster Phase Unlocking: All six planned content phases will be condensed to a one-year timespan, with new phases unlocking every couple of months.
• Faster Leveling: To accommodate the quicker cadence of content releases, experience gains—specifically those awarded for quest completion—will be increased.
• Raid Boss Tuning: Bosses will be tuned slightly harder to match the increases in player power from the 1.12 patch tuning.
• Quality of Life Changes: Players can look forward to additional changes to raid encounters (such as disabling world buffs in raids), raid boss debuff changes, increased profession gathering nodes, and more.

To be eligible for the open beta, be sure to have the option to opt into WoW betas turned on, which can be found in your Battle.Net/Blizzard App profile.

For the full rundown of everything new with Season of Mastery, Blizzard has released a lengthy blog post which you can check out here.

Be sure to join the MMOSWorld community Discord: https://discord.gg/D8MYHkG

The post WoW Classic Season of Mastery Open Beta Begins Tomorrow appeared first on Mmos World.

Additionally, Nintendo Switch gamers have the option to take control of their heroes in a whole-new way using the console’s built-in gyroscopic motion controls, which let players tilt their console to line up the perfect shot as McCree, pilot D.Va through the air, or quickly turn to deflect incoming projectiles as Genji.

Overwatch Legendary Edition for Nintendo Switch will be available in a boxed version (containing a code to download the game) and digital version via the Nintendo eShop (suggested price of £34.99). Both versions come with 15 bonus skins for a range of heroes to kick-start players’ collections, as well as a three-month Nintendo Switch Online individual membership so players can jump into action and start battling alongside, and against, their fellow Nintendo Switch gamers immediately.

Check out the store page here: https://playoverwatch.com/en-us/nintendo-switch

The post Overwatch Legendary Edition Announced For Nintendo Switch appeared first on Mmos World.

If there’s one thing us MMO players enjoy, it’s that of a good MMO crossover between franchises. To-date, many have tried them on a minor scale, such as promo purchase rewards for skins and other trivial goodies. But in 2019 and beyond, some studios have set the bar incredibly high, with tangible crossovers that players can experience either through PvE or more. So here are our favorite and best MMO crossovers we’ve seen so far.

Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XIV

This is one of those mash ups that franchise fans have been drooling over. This month, the FFXIV x FFXV crossover event is going on, and it’s great to see Prince Noctis in Eorzea. Players were able to partake in a few adventures alongside Noctis. He’s arrived mysteriously in the Regalia, and needs to find a way home. But not before some shenanigans, as we slowly figure out plot details. The entire chain features a couple of duty fights which had awesome mechanics. In the end, this was a touching tale and if you have the MGP, you could even grab the Regalia in the Gold Saucer. For 200,000 MPG you can have FFXIV’s very first 4-seater mount thanks to FFXV.

Final Fantasy XIV and Monster Hunter: World

We had to start off with this one. Final Fantasy XIV and Monster Hunter: World – two Japenese MMOs that couldn’t be any different from each other. On the one hand, the former is a globally beloved JRPG franchise. The MMORPG is thriving and continues to offer hours of fun for players. The latter while new to the scene, is steadily becoming the most popular – probably already is – monster hunting game in the genre’s history. So what does Capcom and Square Enix decide to do? Well a crossover of course. FFXIV players can now hunt a popular MHW boss in-game for appropriately themed rewards. Frankly, we’d be disappointed if we don’t see more of this happening in the future.

World of Warcraft and Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm

Anyone surprised to see this here? This is Blizzard doing what Blizzard does best – offering a platter of fan service to loyal players who’ve been part of Blizzard’s roster of games forever. Both Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm features popular characters from the World of Warcraft lore. And before you snicker, you’d be surprised to know just how much pulling power this has for both games. Sure, Hearthstone may be a filthy casual card game that even non Warcraft fans can get into. But don’t underestimate the power of a Warcraft themed crossover. Imagine the hype if Deathwing was announced as a Heroes of the Storm character. In fact, just this year, Blizzard added the popular Alterac Valley as a battleground to the pleasure of WoW heads everywhere.

Defiance 2050 and RIFT

RIFT was given a new berth as it launched a brand new fresh start progression server RIFT Prime in February last year year. Not content with one reboot, the studio also relaunched its 2013 FPSMMO Defiance – which had a TV show crossover in the past – with an updated graphics version called Defiance 2050. Both launches were pretty successful and to celebrate at the time, and the studio had a crossover event. For a few weeks, monsters from Defiance would appear randomly from world events in the MMORPG RIFT. Players could hunt these down for rewards and boast that “they were there” when the unlikeliest of crossovers took place in the MMO world.

Wildstar, Blade and Soul, Guild Wars 2 and Master X Master

Perhaps the one that flew under the radar was the epic collaboration of characters within NCsoft’s MMO universe. 2017’s Master X Master – a hybrid MOBA game – turned heads when its hero roster featured popular characters from all of NCsoft’s games. This included Rytlock from Guild Wars 1/2, Mondo Zax from Wildstar and many more. Unfortunately for MXM, the game didn’t last the year, and was eventually shut down in late December 2017. But for as long as it was live, by all accounts, players had a fun time using their favorite MMO characters to duke it out in small arena maps with fun abilities.

Monster Hunter: World and The Witcher

You know MHW just got a whole lot better when Geralt of Rivia himself appears in-game. The crossover content revolved around a new, original quest line available to all Monster Hunter: World players who reached Hunter Rank 16 or above. Starring legendary monster slayer Geralt of Rivia, once again voiced by Doug Cockle in the English version of the game, ‘Contract: Trouble in the Ancient Forest’ tasks the witcher with tracking down and dealing with a powerful force known as the Leshen. Defeating this mysterious creature will require the skills befitting a seasoned professional, and gamers will have at their disposal the White Wolf’s arsenal and abilities, including his silver sword and combat magic. Players will also engage in dialogues with other characters, influencing how the story unfolds through choices they make — a hallmark of The Witcher series.

The post The Best 2019 MMO Crossovers We’ve Seen So Far appeared first on Mmos World.

If there’s one thing us MMO players enjoy, it’s that of a good MMO crossover between franchises. To-date, many have tried them on a minor scale, such as promo purchase rewards for skins and other trivial goodies. But in 2018 and beyond, some studios have set the bar incredibly high, with tangible crossovers that players can experience either through PvE or more. So here are our favorite and best MMO crossovers we’ve seen so far.

Final Fantasy XIV and Monster Hunter: World

We had to start off with this one. Final Fantasy XIV and Monster Hunter: World – two Japenese MMOs that couldn’t be any different from each other. On the one hand, the former is a globally beloved JRPG franchise. The MMORPG is thriving and continues to offer hours of fun for players. The latter while new to the scene, is steadily becoming the most popular – probably already is – monster hunting game in the genre’s history. So what does Capcom and Square Enix decide to do? Well a crossover of course. FFXIV players can now hunt a popular MHW boss in-game for appropriately themed rewards. Frankly, we’d be disappointed if we don’t see more of this happening in the future.

World of Warcraft and Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm

Anyone surprised to see this here? This is Blizzard doing what Blizzard does best – offering a platter of fan service to loyal players who’ve been part of Blizzard’s roster of games forever. Both Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm features popular characters from the World of Warcraft lore. And before you snicker, you’d be surprised to know just how much pulling power this has for both games. Sure, Hearthstone may be a filthy casual card game that even non Warcraft fans can get into. But don’t underestimate the power of a Warcraft themed crossover. Imagine the hype if Deathwing was announced as a Heroes of the Storm character. In fact, just this year, Blizzard added the popular Alterac Valley as a battleground to the pleasure of WoW heads everywhere.

Defiance 2050 and RIFT

Trion Worlds have been busy this year with two of the studio’s flagship MMORPGs. RIFT was given a new berth as it launched a brand new fresh start progression server RIFT Prime in February this year. Not content with one reboot, the studio also relaunched its 2013 FPSMMO Defiance – which had a TV show crossover in the past – with an updated graphics version called Defiance 2050. Both launches were pretty successful and to celebrate, the studio had a crossover event. For a few weeks, monsters from Defiance would appear randomly from world events in the MMORPG RIFT. Players could hunt these down for rewards and boast that “they were there” when the unlikeliest of crossovers took place in the MMO world.

Wildstar, Blade and Soul, Guild Wars 2 and Master X Master

Perhaps the one that flew under the radar was the epic collaboration of characters within NCsoft’s MMO universe. 2017’s Master X Master – a hybrid MOBA game – turned heads when its hero roster featured popular characters from all of NCsoft’s games. This included Rytlock from Guild Wars 1/2, Mondo Zax from Wildstar and many more. Unfortunately for MXM, the game didn’t last the year, and was eventually shut down in late December 2017. But for as long as it was live, by all accounts, players had a fun time using their favorite MMO characters to duke it out in small arena maps with fun abilities.

The post The Best MMO Crossovers We’ve Seen So Far appeared first on Mmos World.

If for whatever reason you have not played Starcraft II yet, the chance to dive in for free is coming real soon. Blizzard announced over the weekend that its leading real time strategy game is going free to play on the 14th of November.

The free to play release is in conjunction with the arrival of a new update, Legacy of the Void. Both new and existing players can then play a bunch of things for absolutely no charge. This includes the Wings of Liberty campaign, competitive multiplayer modes and the co-op mode. The latter will also provide a few Commanders for players at the cost of nothing.

For players wishing to experience later chapters, Heart of the Swarm, Nova Covert Ops and the latest Legacy of the Void update can be purchased separately. They will cost roughly $14.99 each.

As a thank-you to the dedicated StarCraft II player community there are rewards too. Current owners of StarCraft II prior to October 31, 2017 will receive a special Eidolon Ghost skin and three founder’s portraits. The goodies will arrive on November 14th as well.

“We’re excited to give even more people around the world a chance to find out why it has inspired such a passionate global community” – Mike Morhaime, CEO of Blizzard

It’s fantastic news and RTS players will definitely appreciate it going free to play. SC2 is still a great game even after 5 years, and players still play it competitively. If you have not heard of it, you can watch a variety of esports matches involving the game. That should give you some idea of what to expect.

The post Starcraft II Is Going Free To Play On November 14th appeared first on Mmos World.

Blizzard will be hosting a free weekend for Overwatch very soon. In fact, since we all love free stuff, we’ll get to play it next weekend.

The free event will start on Friday, 22nd September and last until Monday the 25th. Players from all platforms are eligible, so that means PC, PlayStation 4 and XBox One folks as well. It’s also important to note that any progress you achieve will be carried over should you decide to buy the game.

The post Overwatch Will Be Getting A Free Weekend Soon appeared first on Mmos World.

Blizzard is keeping busy with it’s MOBA, Heroes of the Storm by adding Kel’Thuzad. The popular character from the Warcraft universe is the latest hero to join the game’s roster. The announcement comes from a really cool comic video which you can check out below.

In addition to Kel’Thuzad, the upcoming update also adds more customization. There will be new skins for Sonya, Zagara and Jaina to earn as well.

The post Kel’Thuzad Is The Newest Hero Coming To Heroes Of The Storm appeared first on Mmos World.

If we could go back in time, no one in the early 2000s will believe that pro gaming will turn into a full time career. Look how far we’ve come, thanks to the rise of e-sports and the enourmous prize money teams and individuals take home.

The competitive scene has been dominated by team PvP games. Think Counterstrike, Starfcraft and DOTA, the frontrunners who’ve put e-sports on the map. Team shooters are making a massive comeback, with Blizzard and Overwatch leading the way. Earlier in the year, Blizzard announced its new Overwatch League. The league consists of several pro teams with around six players each, on top of a pool of free agent players. According to reports, a pro player in the Overwatch League can potentially earn up to $50,000 a year. In addition to that, there’s bonuses too such as dental and insurance. Anyone else mind blown yet?

Sure, it’s not what other players can take home from a month of playing in the DOTA Internationals competition. Heck, it’s even less than what a manager in a decent company will take home a year. But the point is, pro gaming is evolving into something of a stable career, beginning with what Blizzard’s doing with the Overwatch League.

The post Overwatch League Players Can Earn Up To $50,000 Per Year appeared first on Mmos World.

Blizzard has shut down another World of Warcraft fan server. The Felmyst server – recently in the news – is a fan concoction. The server is very much a nostalgia server, set in WoW’s Burning Crusade expansion era.

In mere days since the news of the server emerges, Blizzard moved in swiftly to shut it down. We know now that a cease and desist letter is sent to the creator of Felmyst, Gummy. In a post in his website, he details the chain of events that lead to the closure. He’s even contemplating sharing the source code with other players for educational purposes. Here’s a quote:

The post Blizzard Shuts Down Another World Of Warcraft Nostalgia Server appeared first on Mmos World.

In a recent interview, Luke Smith, a dev working on Destiny 2 revealed something interesting.  According to him, World of Warcraft’s dungeons are an inspiration behind the design on Destiny’s own dungeons.

The team wants to recreate that epic feel and flow of MMO grouping dynamics. And the best way to do that is to study the biggest MMORPG of all time.

But how will that incorporate into Destiny 2’s raid designs? From what Luke says, it will be from a cooperative gameplay point of view. In WoW, players are integral to the success and shortcomings of the group. On top of that, the dungeons themselves are full of intricate mechanics that might work for and MMO shooter.

No one can deny that World of Warcraft is the ultimate theme park MMORPG. And for it to receive that accolade, content is king and over the years, its been fantastic.

WoW’s dungeons are nothing short of fun, full of great moments, interesting mechanics and difficult challenges. It’s no wonder that Destiny and Luke Smith in particular uses that for creative inspiration. Because let’s be honest, who doesn’t?

Majority of MMORPGs out there are inspired by World of Warcraft. If anything, I think potential players will be excited about Destiny 2’s upcoming dungeons.

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