mmorpg

Photographer Robbie Cooper explores the modern convergence of personal and social identities in a portrait series that pairs gamers with their virtual avatars.

Cooper traveled around the world for three years, visiting places like Korea, China, France, and Germany to capture the online and in-person lives of MMO participants.

His photo project evolved into a photo book called "Alter Ego" that further scrutinizes the role of absorbed fantasy in the gaming metaverse through interviews, biographies, and essays.

The book also paints a range of identities behind the avatars. It's not just a bunch of oily adolescents mashing keyboards in a basement; Cooper's subjects range from a gold farmer in China, a paraplegic in Texas, and even an octogenarian who all teach a valuable lesson to never judge a gamer by his or her avatar.

Plenty more pictures of gamers and their avatars after the page break.… Read more

Bioware and LucasArts have confirmed the official release date for the highly anticipated Star Wars: The Old Republic video game.

The Star Wars MMORPG will be available on December 20 in North America and on December 22 in Europe. After months of speculation, BioWare co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk confirmed the release date at the Eurogamer Expo in London.

"This is an incredible moment for everyone at BioWare and our partners at LucasArts who have dedicated their lives to build this extraordinary game," said Dr. Muzyka. "We appreciate the patience from the millions of fans who have been waiting for the game's release."

Subscription fees are standard for a game of this type, starting at $14.99 (€12.99) for one month. Three month plans for $13.99 per month (total $41.97/€35.97), or six month subscriptions for $12.99 per month (total $77.94/€65.94). Bioware gives gamers 30 days of subscription time free with each purchase of the game.

Those who pre-ordered SW: TOR will obtain early game access, which could be up to five days before the official launch date. … Read more

DC Universe Online is destined to be free to play for PC and PS3 starting in late October, Sony Online Entertainment announced today. An FAQ is available for those curious about the change.

Three tiers of gameplay are coming to the MMORPG--free, premium, and legendary. Existing subscribers will automatically become premium users, and a special $9.99 per month for three months of legendary access is available (have a look at the graphic to the right for more details on access and features in each level).

Reaction to the announcement is a mixed bag on the official DCUO Facebook page, where some are a bit upset about the shift.

"What a joke. No voice chat for F2P, a mere $1,500-$2,000 cash limit for anyone not on the Legendary plan, can't form leagues if you aren't on the Legendary plan, can't even send items or cash in mail if you are F2P! Can't even TRADE items with other players! Come on, SOE, just let this game die if you are going to do this," Caio Rodrigues said.

Others more optimistic. "I'm pleased with you guys for making efforts to keep the game alive, please update the level cap and keep good content coming," Ajay Pollarine wrote in response to the announcement. … Read more

The highly anticipated Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG still lacks a release date, but Bioware isn't shying away from showing off some end-game content.

As a bit of background for the uninitiated, gamers can group together in SW:TOR and tackle challenges called "operations," which are similar to raids or instances found in World of Warcraft. These types of areas are critical to those who have reached the maximum level possible by offering intensive teamwork experiences and the chance to acquire high-powered items. Dallas Dickinson, Bioware's director of production, previews one of those operations, Eternity Vault, in a 10-minute video released a few days ago. … Read more

A slight disturbance in the Force was felt this morning after BioWare, LucasArts, and EA announced that Jedi and Sith everywhere can now preorder Star Wars: The Old Republic for a limited time.

Three versions of the highly anticipated MMORPG are available: Standard ($59), Digital Deluxe ($79), and the whopping Collector's Edition ($149). A preorder FAQ answers some common questions for curious padawans. Those who order soon get access to the virtual world early and obtain special items to make questing easier.

Star Wars fans have clamored for the title since its reveal in late 2008, with an expected release date later this year. According to the official preorder site, here is a breakdown of the three editions: … Read more

Rejoice, World of Warcraft n00bs. The massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is now free to play for up to 20 levels. That means players can now take as long as they need to get familiar with the game before they have to pay a subscription fee.

The game's developer, Blizzard Entertainment, has eliminated the prior free 14-day trial period in favor of the new beginner system, which it's calling World of Warcraft Starter Edition.

The move is brilliant considering that WoW, which was first released in 2004, is known for immersing users in a deep game world. The limited trial seemed too short a time to get acclimated to the rich virtual landscape.

Although the trial subscription had its limits, WoW remains wildly successful, reaching 12 million subscribers in 2010. Will the new trial model help increase the MMORPG's user base? … Read more

A full-fledged MMO on the iPhone? In this week's Tap That App, I take a look at Order & Chaos Online, the massive online multiplayer role-playing game from Gameloft. Featuring a look that very closely resembles Blizzard's World of Warcraft, the game provides a sweeping world in which you'll be able to create a character, choose a class, customize your look, and set off on an adventure.

If you've ever been a fan of online MMOs or just want to see what the fuss is all about, check out this week's Tap That App.

Despite being an excellent location for bachelor parties, Canada is apparently a laggard when it comes to country-wide tech proficiency. Case in point: it just got Netflix. Our northern neighbors can now sign up for Netflix's streaming service for as little as $7.99 per month, which includes feature films from major film studios like MGM, Paramount, Universal, Sony, and more.

We applaud Canada for joining the streaming game, but the news has a catch: although they can access the content online through a computer, a Blu-ray player, and the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii, Canadians still can't sign up for Netflix movie deliveries--it's just streaming, for now. However, they can get the first month free if they sign up now.

Two strange announcements from the world of video games: first, Christopher Nolan revealed that a video game based on "Inception" is in the works. That's all we know for now, but we're looking forward to zero gravity fight sequences...as long as game play isn't as difficult to follow as the film!

Next, the King of Pop is getting his own online game called Planet Michael. The game will be a massively multiplayer online role-playing game like WAR or Guild Wars 2 and will take players through multiple realms, each based on one of Jackson's famous albums.

Even better, Los Angeles-based SEE Virtual Worlds is offering the 3D game for free when it comes out in late 2011.

You still have time to win a pair of tickets to see "The Social Network" with The 404 next Tuesday, September 28. To enter, simply follow us @The404 and RETWEET THIS.

Yes, all you have to do is hit that "Retweet" button OR become a fan of The 404 Facebook Fan Page and you'll be automatically entered to twin. If you're a fan of us on Facebook already, you're already grandfathered in, so good luck!

They may not realize it or admit to it, but women who play Everquest II log in more hours than men or teenagers, are less likely to quit, and report being not only healthier but happier than their male counterparts, according to new research out of the USC Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism.

The data reveals that while 80 percent of players in the study of 7,000 are male, and averaged 25 hours of play a week, the 20 percent who are female averaged 29 hours a week. And that's not all. Women underestimated their playing time … Read more