The first three weeks of EQ launch were so horrible they gave everyone a free month.  They were also still fixing classes and graphics glitches 4 months in. 

Most of the launches on the list have been annoying but EQ easily heads this list as worst launch, although, in their defense, its not like they had anything to go by.  They were one of the first MMOs.

I have never had any problem with hype, but I do have a problem with lying.  Some of the media advertisments that surround so many games today revolves around what I would call "snake oil salesmen" tactics.  While I am all for promoting the various features of this or that game, it invariably goes far beyond that.  We have seen various scenes in the game industry where promissed features were not included until a year or more after realease.  We have seen situations where marketers have stretched the truth farther than any reasonable person would even dream.  We have seen situations where the hype surrounding a game was nothing more than hot air and the eventual game either vaporware or shut down within a year.

I understand that marketers want to showcase their game in the best possilbe light but don't promise me things that may never dome to pass.  Do market features that may take a year or more to introduce.  Don't release a game where the first year amounts to a paid beta.  Don't release a game with obvious bugs and glitches.  Don't sell me a game where the core rules need to be changed a year down the road in the name of "balancing".

In other words, don't lie to me or insult my intelligence and then justify it in the name of marketting.

For the most part, devolopers who make single player games know not to cross some of these lines in the sand.  In many cases, they would have even bigger reason to, given that they only need to get the box sold to make their money.  However the reputable companies have learned that if they screw with their customer base they won't have one.

For some reason the rules are different with MMOs.  Not only do companies seem to have a wider lattitude of what they are willing to say, but their customer base seem to be willing to allow them that lattitude.

1.  Box sales and Subscriptions really have nothing to do with each other.  There are several titles that are F2P that had box sales.  GW2 will be F2P, I doubt any of us will be getting it free.

2.  Stating the obvious.  Pretty well anyone can say that there are millions willing to pay a subscription, since millions of people currently are.

3.  This is also hardly enlightening,   As long as there is one more person today willing to pay a subscription than there was yesterday, that can be called growth.  Since most companies are extremely closed mouthed bout their current paying subscription numbers, it would be extremely difficult to determine overall hard numbers across the industry.  One could assume this is true, as we have seen an expanding market whenever a new game has come out, but assumption is not fact andwhether that is growth in the subscription model or just growth in the overall industry would be difficult to determine.

Not sure what the 2nd half of the article has to do with subscription model at all.

I am not impressed with this kind of writing, it insults the readers intellect and puts forth "fluff writing" as meaningful dialogue.

Very disappointing.

Power of the consumer?

I am sorry, but I find this a hilarious concept in relation to any company running an MMO.

My experience with Everquest, WoW and a host of other MMOs is that there is little indication that they care 2 cents about individual subscriptions.  I have never seen a game company react positively to anyone who has said "change this or I will cancel my subscription".  However I have seen plenty of times when the person has received a Customer Service version of "sorry your leaving, don't let the door hit you on the way out".

I have a lifetime sub to LOTRO.  I have gone months without playing only to return for a month.  I have played on one week and off the next.  I purchased the lifetime sub because it was convenient for ME.  I purchased this sub because I saw the large potential (then unrealized) and had confidence that something with the LotR IP would have lasting endurance.  The $199 price tag was equivalent to about 13 months at normal subscription rate.  Assuming you play longer than a year (and the game lasts longer than a year) everything after that is pure gravy.  I paid a premium to play as I wish and I will save hundreds of dollars with my lifetime subscription over the long term.

Now, there are some that will pay for a lifetime fee for a game sight unseen and never get their money's worth.  These same people never gave more than 2 seconds thought to their (reasonably) substantial purchase.  Don't blame the subscription format for that, blame the idiots who chose to buy the subscription without an ounce of due diligence.  These are the same people who send money to South African money launderers and buy $6 lattes.

Originally posted by Stradden

“With this acquisition Heatwave greatly expands its core development capabilities as well as adding a well-known, award-winning title to its expanding intellectual property portfolio. This game hits the Heatwave ‘HIP’ mark in terms of its social gaming features and the intrinsic entertainment value found in its mythological storyline, high action adventure and beautiful art style. ”

While I am somewhat happy to read G&H may resurrect,  Can someone tell me how a game that was never released can be considered "award winning"?  Don't you have to actually be released before you start getting awards?

Most anticipated awards don't really count, at least for the game.  Perhaps the marketing company might deserve it.

 Wow.  Amazing how snide people can get when there is no accountability.

For the record.  I hold no opinion as to which  should win which award.  There is no secret agenda here.  I am not pulling for one game or another.  There is no hidden conspiracy to zerg a certain game and carry the day.  My point was... wait for it... that a couple dozen guys giving an award to this or that game has minimal importance.  However tens of  thousands of  people supporting one game or another is at least useful to both we as the gamer and the industry.

Last year when the nominees were picked by the editors, we voted on those nominees.  The editors picks were compared against the winners of the voting process.  I think that's far more useful in the long run than what is being done now.

Originally posted by Rekindle

now we have a nice balanced spoon fed list of content given to us.  

Isn't that the hallmark of the times we live in?

I understand that there are difficulties with the voting way of doing things.  There are always people who try to cheat the system no matter what you do.  I don't think you should abandon the system because of that.  Modern society would look very sad today if that was the prevailing attitude.

What surprises me is the number that have voted for ambivalence.  It probably shouldn't have.

No disrespect to the staff of this website but, frankly, I don't care that a handful of editors think that this game deserves an award and this other game does not.

Not very long ago, and for a very long time, it was we, the purchasing, playing public, that voted on these nominees.  The yearly awards were based on the opinions of thousands, not just the handful that work for this website.

By excluding your public you have rendered your awards pointless.  Even if I agree with your choices (and I do in many cases) they are no longer a reflection of the mmorpg.com gaming public.  I no longer consider your awards credible.

 If you find a game that fits your criteria, let me know.  I will go play it with you.

City of Hero's fits most of your criteria except its not classic fantasy.  Lord of the Rings is shiny, but I find the classes are a bit flat.  Runes of Magic is a great free to play and probably fits your criteria best. but, like LOTRO, I find the combat a bit dull.

For myself, I am going to Aion.  When it goes Open Beta I suggest you try it out and see if it "fits".  It won't be a perfect fit, it isn't a perfect fit for me either, but it will probably entertain you enough till the next big shiny.  

You could also give up MMOs entirely for the time being.  Dragonage Origins is comming out in November and is looking to be amazing.  I realized ages ago my problem was that I wanted the same things from my MMOs that I wanted from my Single RPGs (Oblivion, Fable, Daggerfall, Final Fantasy).  This may never happen.  Its hard to be the great hero of the world when there are hundreds of great heroes who look like you, dress like you, have the same skills as you and are doing the same quests as you; all at the same time as you.

"No, they can't come in.  The Emberflame guild is killing me at 1:00, the Nerasia guild is killing me at 2:00 and I still haven't had lunch yet.  I have no time for PUGs today.  They will have to make an appointment." - Onyxia

 Best - Horizons:  This was easily the friendliest, co-operative and outgoing community I have ever seen in an MMO.  Its a shame that game was plagued with so many problems.

Worst-Guild Wars:  Arrogance, selfishness and vindictiveness abound.  Its not often I see a community completely facemelt a profanity filter.  Player attitudes have improved somewhat in recent years (but that means little since you can only go up from rock bottom).

Age =/ maturity

I can tell you that one of the most respected lead administrators of wikipedia.org was 14 at the time he received his position.  This was, of course, downplayed to avoid just this sort of reaction.

If the OP feels that this individual has abused his powers, I would suggest he make his case.  I would hazard a guess that every moderator on every board has abused his powers in one form or another, either of their own volition or under orders.  Age would have nothing to do with that.

In my experience, however, the abuse of power generally amounts to a moderator not letting someone indulge in their god given right to talk crap.  That too, is not age related, just maturity related.

Perhaps the reason so many companyies are going fantasy is that none of them have got it right yet.   Usually we have to put up with the company's Vision (tm by Sony) of what they think fantasy is.  I find it interesting that so many single player fantasy games "get it right" (by that I mean come closer to the average persons concept of fantasy) then most Fantasy MMOs.  I think the reason for that goes to the core of the Fantasy concept.   Fantasy and Heroism have always been inexorably linked.  Pick up any Fantasy novel (the true roots of Fantasy and not DnD) and you will be reading about a person (or group of people) striving against great odds.  In the end, sacrifices are made and the good guys win the day after acts of tremendous heroism.  The real question is, can this core concept of fantasy be translated into an MMO?  How easy is it to be heroic in a world populated exclusively by Heros?  Is there anything Heroic about slaying a great wyrm at the end of a long quest, knowing that the same wyrm will just respawn 3 hours later?  When you take the heroism out of fantasy  you are left with a bunch of pointy eared humanoids weilding pointy objects killing successively higher level orcs all day.

Personally, I think they should start doing non-fantasy mmo's more often.   In most cases, as long as people have phase cannons, light sabres, BFGs, etc., they are happy.  (Provided, of couse, the game is done well and you don't change all the rules mid-stream).  I have given up on any true rendition of Fantasy in an MMO.  I think it only fair that others get a chance to see their genre come to life.  Perhaps developers will be more successful.

I have to admit this was a great disappointment to me.  I had subscribed to The Chronicle and looked forward to their publishing.

After almost two years of delays, they finally announce to the community that this title would be shelved indefinately.  I hope they manage to publish, but they should probably change the name.  There is alot of dissatisfaction surrounding their title.

In their defence, after they made this announcement, they offered refunds to whomever desired them.  I received mine so I assume others received theirs.

This kind of nonsense hurts the whole game community.  I can tell you that I will not be pre-ordering any other games any time soon.