world-in-conflict posts

We were very happy to learn that Ubisoft wasn't going to abandoned World in Conflict: Soviet Assault when they bought the game's developer Massive Entertainment late last year. The PC expansion pack to the terrific RTS-action game is due out this March (along with a new collection of the original game and the expansion).

Ubisoft sent over some new screenshots from the expansion showing off some of the new content that players can expect to explode play with. As we have reported before, Soviet Assault will contain an all new single player campaign from the Soviet's point of view along with some cool new multiplayer maps and features..

This trailer for World in Conflict: Soviet Assault reveals some of the factions, environments and explosive action players can expect from the game. The alternate history real-time strategy game will include new units, more multiplayer maps, and gameplay from the Soviet perspective. The game is expected to release in March.

Download HD World in Conflict: Soviet Assault 'Berlin 1989' Trailer (333 MB)
Check out all World in Conflict: Soviet Assault downloads

After buying Massive Entertainment late last year,publisher Ubisoft was quiet about if the developer's long awaited RTS expansion pack World in Conflict: Soviet Assault would in fact be released. Today the publisher sent over word that the expansion is indeed still being released in March.

Adding an new Soviet single player campaign along with more multiplayer maps, Soviet Assault will be released as a paid download for previous owners of the game. Ubisoft also plans to release a new retail version (World in Conflict: Complete Edition), containing both the original game, Soviet Assault and other unnamed new features. Ubisot also sent over some new screenshots from the expansion.

[via email press release]

It's been several days since Valve has updated their hit zombie co-op shooter Left 4 Dead but the developer has now issued a new update for the title via their Steam service this evening. What are the more significant changes? Well, Versus mode is now locked on Normal difficulty and also finding a dedicated server is "faster and more reliable" when you start a game from a lobby.

Valve has also added a new game on Steam; World in Conflict, the acclaimed 2007 RTS title from Massive Entertainment. The addition comes courtesy of Massive's new owners, publisher Ubisoft. It's still unknown if Ubisoft will be publishing the long awaited expansion pack for the game, Soviet Assault.

One of the developers and game franchises left twisting in the wind after the Activision Blizzard merger has finally found a new home. Ubisoft has announced that it has purchased the Sweden based Massive Entertainment and the full rights to their World in Conflict RTS series. Financial terms for the deal were not disclosed.

The original World in Conflict was one of the best RTS games of 2007 but when its publisher Vivendi Games merged with Activision the new management team didn't want to take on the franchise or the developer, despite the fact that Massive was already working on a follow-up, World in Conflict: Soviet Assault. Today's press release made no mention of World in Conflict: Soviet Assault's status. We will email Ubisoft to find out if the publisher still intends to release that game.

So have you been wondering why Activision Blizzard decided not to take on most of the merged company's products from Vivendi Games this year? In an conference call with analysts on Thursday following the release of their latest financial numbers, the company's CEO Bobby Kotick said those games simply did not have sequel potiential.

The old Activision certainly has exploited games like the Tony Hawk and Call of Duty franchises but most of the Vivendi Games properties didn't have that kind of feel, with Kotick saying, "With respect to the franchises that don't have the potential to be exploited every year across every platform, with clear sequel potential that can meet our objectives of, over time, becoming $100 million-plus franchises, that's a strategy that has worked very well for us". Activision only took on a few of the Vivendi Games titles, including the upcoming open world action game Prototype and an unannounced title.

However those Vivendi Games left out in the cold by the Activision Blizzard merger have found new homes, including The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Dark Athena which went to Atari (which is also rumored to have gotten the Ghostbusters game). Still awaiting a home; Double Fine's Brutal Legend and Massive Entertainment's World in Conflict: Soviet Assault.

Two new maps for World in Conflict, titled "Ozzault" and "Paradise."

"The following maps are player made maps released on official servers. They can be downloaded using the in-game downloading client, but you can also download them separately here. You need to have these maps to be able to join most official servers. After they are downloaded, place the .sdf file in your "My Documents\World in Conflict\Downloaded\maps" folder."

Download the "Paradise" and "Ozzault" World in Conflict Maps (142 MB)
Download the "Arizona" and "Valley" World in Conflict Maps (135 MB)

Two official maps for World in Conflict just released. Arizona is a "well-balanced Tug-of-War map" and Valley is a "visually stunning DX10 map."

Download the World in Conflict "Arizona" and "Valley" maps (135 MB)

This patch updates World in Conflict's map editor (WicEd) to version 1.2, which will bring a number of improvements including a resolution editor and the ability to import ground textures.

Download the World in Conflict Map Editor v1.2 Patch (41 MB)

Yesterday the word came down that World in Conflict: Soviet Assault, the next game in the RTS game series, would not be one that would be picked up by the new Activision Blizzard merger. Furthermore the game's developer, Massive Entertainment, might be sold off. Today on the Massgate.com web site, the developer's community manager posted up a small update on the site's message boards.

While admitting that "things are a bit up in the air" at the moment at Massive, the message added that " . . . that doesn't worry us too much. Most of us have been around for a long time in this business, and we've been through this sort of thing before. Usually, we come out stronger and in a better position, and that's exactly what we intend to do again. We are confident that we will soon be able to come back with some good, solid news about WIC and the "other stuff" we're working on." World in Conflict: Soviet Assault was previously scheduled for a fall 2008 release.