Posts Tagged ‘massive entertainment’
World in Conflict Patch 10 Removes DRM
Massive Entertainment has released the tenth patch for World in Conflict, offering several bug fixes and tweaks, including rebalancing of some units.
However, the patch offers far more than a couple of fixes – it removes the DRM that required the DVD disc to be in the drive during single-player missions. It also enables multiplayer compatibility with the Complete Edition re-release and the stand-alone Soviet Assault expansion pack.
Both the aforementioned releases hit this week. The Complete Edition features both the original and the expansion pack.
Hit the jump for full list of changes.
World in Conflict Console Port Canned
Ubisoft sent out word that the console port of real-time strategy title World in Conflict has now been cancelled; it was originally set for release in fall 2008.
"A console version of World in Conflict is not planned for release at this time," said an Ubisoft rep.
The PC version was developed by Massive Entertainment who was co-developing the console port with Swordfish Studios (50 Cent: Blood in the Sand). Following Activision’s merger with Blizzard Entertainment, the two branches of Swordfish were sold to Monumental Games and Codemasters.
The World in Conflict: Soviet Assault project was saved when developer Massive was sold to Ubisoft last November. The PC expansion is now planned for release later this month.
World in Conflict Expansion This March
Ubisoft today announced that it will publish the Soviet Assault expansion pack for World in Conflict this March.
Those who have the original game now will be able to purchase and download the expansion pack online; those who will be new to the game can purchase a new World in Conflict: Complete Edition that includes the original strategy game, the expansion and unspecified “all-new features”.
The pack was originally scheduled for release last Fall, but was delayed after former owner Sierra merged with Activision and decided to sell the stufio off. Ubisoft acquired Massive in November 2008. The expansion allows players to see the conflict from the Soviet perspective; it will feature new multiplayer maps, new films and new characters.
It is due out on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.
Ubi Making Massive Work on “Light MMOs”
Famed strategy games developer Massive Entertainment was bought by Ubisoft in the past week, and with new ownership comes a new direction: “light MMOs.”
This comes straight from the horse’s mouth himself – Ubi president Yves Guillemot – who said: “They are going to help us to also get closer to the MMO space… in the future, we will come with RPGs and RTSes also in the MMO space."
Massive is best known for its work on critically acclaimed RTS title World in Conflict as well as Ground Control. The studio’s previous owner was Activision Blizzard, which sold the studio as it no longer fit with their future vision for the company.
Activision Selling World in Conflict Studio
Studio executives have revealed that Activision Blizzard is currently in talks for the sale of World in Conflict developer Massive Entertainment following the recently completed merger between Activision and Vivendi Games.
“It seems like we have plenty of options. We’ve had some good meetings here,” said Massive founder and president Martin Walfisz. “Being a part of a merger like this is a strange situation, because obviously the new organization has to look over all of its assets, everything it owns and its strategy for the future.”
“For the past six months we’ve been waiting for the merger to go through and to under stand whether they see us as a part of their future or not,” he added. “Apparently they didn’t want an RTS studio in Europe, and to be honest we would have loved to have worked with Activision, but we’re pretty confident in our capabilities and there are not many studios that can match our quality.”
He wouldn’t say which companies have expressed interest in buying the studio, nor was he sure about the future of the console editions of World in Conflict: Soviet Assault, which is now without a publisher.