The Indie Game Magazine February 2015 | Issue 46

GAME WATCH Looking Ahead by Nick Cescon G reetings and welcome to 2015 Nexusians! There are some big changes coming to WildStar this year, and it’s time to start getting excited! Last year, we saw the rise of what could have potentially been direct competition to MMO titan World of Warcraft with the launch of our beloved WildStar. However, for many reasons, the steam propelling that engine fell short, and WildStar’s numbers dwindled to the point of near negligible. Carbine scrambled through the tail end of 2014 trying to turn around the dwindling subscription numbers of WildStar, and thanks to some intuitive thinking, fan feedback, and developer genius, that is exactly what happened. Not only did WildStar receive Soundtrack of the Year from popular MMO website MASSIVELY, it was also awarded Best Combat of the Year from TenTonHammer. On top of that, an enticing Holiday sale of the game itself has since injected a whole new batch of new players ready and rarin’ to get their Nexus on with all the remaining veterans. amount of lasting appeal. Beyond the dungeon, it appears Carbine is looking to continue streamlining WildStar’s mechanics and gameplay, but that word in itself means different things to different games. In the past, it has often meant ‘dumbing down’ the core gameplay mechanics to cater to the lowest common denominator. But considering how Carbine still continues to trumpet their intentions to cater to the more hardcore crowd, this would be unlikely. What we’re most likely going to see with this streamlining is more control over customization, as well as things like housing becoming easier to attain and enjoy. But it wouldn’t be too surprising if some things get nerfed down to a more easily accessible point, as Carbine seems to have reluctantly learned their lesson with attunement. Still, given the fresh batch of new players, a new Megadrop, and more accessible customization, this is exactly the type of thing we’ve been waiting for, and if you’re anything like me, you’re excited to see it coming. Until next month, enjoy life in the frontier. I tell ya, it is a good time to be a resident of Nexus. Along with a bolstered player base and renewed interest comes more good news, as Carbine announced the next Megadrop patch titled “The Protogames Initiative,” which includes a Proto-Star themed dungeon slash game show where players vie for not only glory, but cash prizes as well. In true WildStar fashion, the new dungeon will feature a series of different rooms, puzzles, and enemies that are chosen at random every run to create a good Developer: Carbine Studios Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux Website: https://shop.wildstar-online.com/ Twitter: @WildStar www.indiegamemag.com 7

The Indie Game Magazine February 2015 | Issue 46 | Page 7