January 25, 2024
Good day, Avatars! NEWS ON THE HOUR is broadcast at the top of every hour, Tuesday - Sunday, 24 hours a day. The news we report is available for reading on our Discord in the Newsstand section...
Good day, Avatars! NEWS ON THE HOUR is broadcast at the top of every hour, Tuesday - Sunday, 24 hours a day. The news we report is available for reading on our Discord in the Newsstand section...
Written by Alleine Dragonfyre | Reported by Asclepius | PC Games by Drizz Dragonfyre
SOTA Local News
The Syndicate, known as "LLTS" in Shroud of the Avatar, will host a St. Patty's Day Dance Party in Arx Draconis Lowlands on March 16th, 2024. Join the festivities at the Beer Hall from 5 to 8 p.m. Pacific Time. Attendees stand a chance to win COTO giveaways and other prizes. Enjoy the tunes spun by Alleine Dragonfyre from Avatar Radio.
In Knight's Watch, a new Treasure Hunt is on the horizon. Belladonna Rose, the event organizer, plans to engage the community with an interactive challenge on February 17th, 3 pm Pacific Time. Participants armed with a "clue book" will seek hidden clues around town, recording numbers and answers on provided sheets. The event promises a Grand Prize and rewards for second and third place, and everyone receives a "booty" bag of goodies for participating.
Developer Update
Ravalox has posted the following notice on the Shroud of the Avatar official forums: “The Plaque seen in the Chicken Room during the event will be delivered to players who logged in during Build 1686 through Build 1688. If you logged in during these builds while the Chicken Room Portal was present on Novia, then you will receive a plaque (one plaque per account).” He advises that there are many plaques to send out, so allow for time to do so, as they must be delivered manually.
Lightbringer Isle hosts a monthly fishing contest that invites avid anglers to cast lines for the largest fish in the Isle’s salt and lava waters. Prizes will be revealed monthly for each group, with the ultimate Grand Prize awaiting the angler who nets the longest combination of lava and saltwater fish caught. Visit the Shroud of the Avatar official forums for info. Best of luck to all participants!
The weekly Lightbringer Isle Auction takes place every Wednesday. Determine your prices, starting bids, and reserves. Drop labeled items at the Auction House or mail them to Hemnu Lighbringer, along with bid details. Expect a diverse array of offerings for a rich experience. Remember, a 10% commission on the final sale price applies. Visit the Shroud of the Avatar official forums for info.
Download the FREE MMORPG Shroud of the Avatar today.
The Robot Overlords are currently running a music hunt event in Shroud of the Avatar. Participants search for music sheets with a twist. Ten specific sheets of music are now listed on the official forums. Finding one makes you eligible for the grand prize. Discovering five or more earns an additional special reward. Players must post a screenshot of the sheet on the forum thread and its drop to claim victory. This event will continue until a winner is found. Happy hunting!
General Player Event Info
For more information about player-run events, developer game updates, and more happenings in Shroud of the Avatar, or to have your events broadcasted during NEWS ON THE HOUR for free, visit the official Shroud of the Avatar forums and the Avatars Radio Discord at www.avatarsradio.rocks/discord
For information about advertising your in-game business, guild or gaming-related products and services on Avatars Radio, visit avatarsradio.rocks/patron.
Metaverse News
Dungeons & Dragons Ventures into Virtual Reality Realm
Resolution Games and Wizards of the Coast are teaming up to develop the first-ever Dungeons & Dragons virtual reality game. Resolution Games, known for their successful tabletop RPG-style adventure Demeo, received praise from Hasbro, the parent company of Wizards of the Coast. While details about the VR D&D game are scarce, Resolution Games CEO Tommy Palm expressed excitement about working on the Dungeons & Dragons IP. The collaboration aims to bring the rich fantasy world of Dungeons & Dragons to life in VR, catering to fans of digital tabletop games. We’re big fans of augmented reality here at Avatars Radio, so we hope the devs will include it in this new game.
Sea of Thieves Season 11: Navigating Exciting New Waters
Sea of Thieves Season 11 brings major changes, including expanded fast travel and a revamped Quest Table for on-demand Voyages and Tall Tales. Players can choose tailored activities, with options for traditional sailing or fast diving. Rewards are now earned during dives, introducing flexibility in gameplay. The update unveils Raid Voyages, accessible with continued Trading Company ranks. Trading Companies see changes, with a new Cosmetics shop and a reputation cap of 100, offering distinctions and resets for further progression. Season 11, ranging from 5.62 to 8.09 GB, builds on Season 10's fundamentals, hinting at potential growth with Season 12.
Twitch Offers More Profits for Affiliates, Skips Some
Twitch is updating its Partner program, now including Affiliates for higher subscription revenue shares starting May 1, offering a 70/30 or 60/40 split of net revenue shares. The program's name changes to the Plus Program, removing the $100,000 cap on the 70/30 share. Anyone with over 100 paid subscribers receives 60%, addressing concerns amid layoffs at Twitch and growing competition from platforms like Kick. Requiring Twitch creators to have 100 or more subscribers to qualify for a 60% split leaves many still out in the cold and wondering why they are still being ignored. It seems those with fewer subscribers need the money more, not less, than those with a larger subscriber count.
X user Byo’s tweet accusing Palworld developers of stealing Pokemon character models.
Pokémon vs. Palworld: Controversy Sparks Debate
The controversy surrounding Palworld and Pokémon deepens as an X user goes viral for comparing monsters between the two games. Byo's side-by-side videos convinced fans that Palworld's characters might have been directly ripped from Pokémon games. However, accusations of Byo editing models for a biased comparison have arisen. The debate raises questions about Pocketpair stealing Game Freak's assets, but conclusive evidence remains elusive. Palworld, despite controversy, is available for purchase, and purchase Palworld is what 1.8 concurrent players on Steam have done, breaking records for the most concurrent players of a single game in Steam's history.
Image credit: South China Morning Post
China's Gaming Rules Disappear: Stocks Recover, Uncertainty Looms
China's gaming regulator, the National Press and Publication Administration, has removed proposed rules limiting video game spending and rewards from its website, causing Tencent and NetEase stocks to recover from an $80 billion dip caused by the original regulation proposal announcement. Articles 17 and 18 of the proposal sought to ban forced combat and impose spending limits, raising uncertainty. Analysts suggest potential revisions. The NPPA's unusual move sparks speculation about the future of gaming regulations in China, with ongoing concerns about possible changes.
Focus Entertainment Levels Up, Rebrands to PulluP
French gaming publisher Focus Entertainment is set for a major shakeup. Following a 9% revenue drop in 2023, the company plans to rebrand as PulluP Entertainment on April 1. This change is part of a broader restructuring that includes three branches: Focus Entertainment Publishing for third-party projects, The Arcade Crew for indie games, and Studios, consisting of seven internal development teams. Despite challenges, Focus aims to rebound with upcoming releases like Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. Deputy CEO Geoffrey Sardin, formerly of Ubisoft, joins the leadership team.
