MMO News Wrap-Up

Halloween is well and truly upon us, as almost any MMO gamer will know this week. Most of the in-game events have kicked off, so whether you've been killing headless horsemen, tackling demon pumpkins or hunting werewolves, I'm sure you've been enjoying the season. But, as usual, there's a lot more than ghosts and ghouls been going on in the world of MMOs this week, so read on for the latest news and happenings regarding Star Trek Online, World of Warcraft, Warhammer Online, Age of Conan, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Pirates of the Burning Sea, Lord of the Rings Online, Runes of Magic and Champions Online.

Last Friday saw the release of the latest video from Bioware, updating Star Wars: The Old Republic fans on more lore. The trailer tells the story of the battle of Bothawui, in which a small republic force held off a much larger Empire army in an attempt to defend the planet's shields.

Bioware release updates on the game most Fridays, and it's usually a complete surprise what info we get, but today, sharp-eyed fans believe we may finally get news on the Jedi class.

Update: They were right, read all about the Jedi class in our news item.

If you signed up for the SWTOR beta on a 64 bit machine, news came this week that your application may not have gone through due to an error with the system. Bioware is advising everyone who uses a 64 bit Windows or Internet Explorer to re-submit their application.

Mac users finally got a full Mac client for Warhammer Online this week. The client is free to existing subscribers or is available on a free trial. Mac users will notice no difference in the game to the Windows version, and will continue to share the same servers with everyone else.

Blizzard Entertainment released an article this week warning players of the risks associated with buying gold and powerlevelling services for its MMO,World of Warcraft. The game's social areas and trade channels are constantly bombarded with people offering the in-game currency and services, which are a violation of the game's rules. Blizzard are keen to let players know where the majority of gold for sale comes from – stolen accounts – and the affect that has on the community. Players who hand over their accounts to powerlevelling companies often find themselves 'hacked' or out of pocket later on, when their WoW account details or, even worse, their credit card details are used without permission.

World of Warcraft has recently got back on its feet in China, but the former operators, The9, aren't doing so well. The game accounted for a huge percentage of the company's business, so when it failed to renew the contract with Blizzard, The9's share value plummeted. Share holders claim that The9 withheld the news it would no longer be operating WoW, in fact, they claim they were led to believe the future of the company was looking positive. As a result, they are suing The9 for a breach of the Exchange Act. The9 responded to these claims this week, saying they are “groundless”.

On a truly positive note, Chinese gamers may finally get Wrath of the Lich King. Reports from China indicate that the approval is nearing its final stages and may be on shelves as soon as mid November. This would make WoW's expansion in China around one year behind the west, possibly a reason behind this year's change of operators from The9 to NetEase.

WoW players in the west had a nice surprise this week though; the long awaited Race Change service finally went live and, unlike the Faction Change service, players in Europe got it the same time as North American players. This new feature costs £15.00 GBP, €20.00 EUR or $25.00 USD.

Do you enjoy healing in MMOs? Do you have a class that CAN heal but you just hate doing it? Are you constantly called upon to heal for your guild and friends, despite the fact you would really rather not? Our writer, Jeff Hollis, discusses the issue in this week's MMO Weekly, and how developers could make healing more fun. I like healing, personally. It's a much more laid-back role, as it takes away the pressure of doing the most DPS or keeping the agro as a tank. Anyway... on with the news!