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Age of Empires Online ceases content development

What you see right now in Age of Empires Online is what you’ll get… forever. Microsoft Studios announced that it’s ceasing any further development on the title effective immediately due to finances. The studio will release a “small amount of content” in the near future, but following that, the game’s features and civilizations will be set in stone as it moves into a support phase.

That doesn’t mean the game’s getting cancelled, however. The announcement emphatically states that Age of Empires Online will continue to operate as is, will have future community events, and it is not “dying.”

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The amazing Pirate101 plows into 2013

pirate

What’s so good about Pirate101? Every time we make a post about this game, it’s a new opportunity to use pirate-speak.

Avast ye scallywags and pay attention to KingsIsle’s Jay Gordon, who’s got a new producer’s letter for the powder monkeys who play the game.

Amid raising the flag and giving a pep talk to the crew, Gordon does slip some scuttlebutt about what’s coming to Pirate101 this year: “Looking ahead, 2013 is going to offer a veritable treasure trove of all-new pirate adventures and we can’t wait to unveil new worlds, quests, game play features, ships, equipment and the wide variety of companions and fantastic combat attacks now in the works.”

 

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Final Fantasy XIV New Content

folder-rising-dragon-iconFinal Fantasy XIV launched in Q4, 2010 and ended in Q4, 2012.  Over that time there were 23 version builds and a number of sub-builds.  Many of the initial customers dropped out of the game early on and many other potential customers simply avoided the title given the weak reviews.  Many missed out on seeing the evolution of Yoshida’s vision for A Realm Reborn.  For the next two columns, I am going to look backwards to better assist us in moving forwards.  In this column, I look at features added to Final Fantasy XIV prior to the End of an Era event.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn - Levequests and Party Combat (Alpha)