I consider Defiance one of the more underrated online shooters of its time. A tie-in with the Syfy (ugh) channel’s post-apocalyptic space-western TV series, it offered open-world looting and shooting roughly on par with Borderlands, but with a greater focus on cooperative multiplayer and (in my humble opinion) better guns. Today, its much-touted relaunch – Defiance 2050 – was released as free-to-play, although those expecting a massive overhaul for the game might be disappointed.

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Despite being tied into TV show of questionable quality, MMO shooter Defiance wasn’t half bad, offering similar kicks to Borderlands, but with with more solid combat and guns that feel designed by human hands instead of being cobbled together mostly at random. It’s relaunching this July 10th (with an open beta scheduled for June 22nd-25th) under name Defiance 2050. Redesigned as free-to-play from the ground up, and leveraging a somewhat beefier engine that’s less prone to cropping scenery, enemies and players out of existence.

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Defiance was an odd little thing. A solid enough Borderlands-esque MMO loot n’ shooter, tied in to a mostly-okay TV series. It came, it saw, it faded from the public eye and joined the ranks of a thousand other forgotten MMOs; still active but seldom talked about, supported by a skeleton crew of developers.

While Trion Worlds have done well to support Defiance over the years (including a respectably generous transition to a free-to-play model and a hefty expansion to its map later on) it’s always been held back by its engine, designed around the restrictions of PS3 hardware. Now, the game is getting a current-gen revamped re-release under the banner of Defiance 2050, and is accepting beta applications now.

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Trion Worlds, the crew most notable for MMOs Defiance and Trove, have turned their attention to the small scale. Well, comparatively anyway. The studio’s been working on a new free-to-play, team-based, turn-based tactical combat team called Atlas Reactor [official site], an amalgamation of XCOM tactics with Overwatch aesthetic, from the look of it. Check it out for yourself after the jump.

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I defy you to name a recent-ish MMO that hasn’t gone F2P or isn’t at least trending that way. Defy you, I say! If you said Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, well… good job. I feel kind of silly about all those theatrics now. But if you said Defiance, then MWAHAHAHAHA you have fallen for my ruuuuuuuuuuuse>. The only MMO with its own Syfy TV show is going free-to-play in June. That’s… exciting? I don’t actually know, as I haven’t played it save for a demo session on the film set of the TV show (a recreation of St Louis, Missouri in Toronto, Canada because uhhhhhh). Reception seemed pretty tepid when the game first launched, though. I wonder if it’s picked up the pace sense then? Oh well. Scant F2P details below.

… [visit site to read more]

At this rate, Trion Worlds might soon be forced to change its name to Trion Islands, or maybe Trion Small Yet Charming Spanish Getaway Vacation Villa. After the Rift team got hit by a major round of layoffs late last year, Defiance‘s band of trigger finger scratchers has taken a possibly even bigger hit. While the exact number is unconfirmed, many reports place the total at around 100, which is a worrisomely not-small portion of the entire company. For its part, Trion has confirmed the unfortunate turn of events, but it’s been illusive otherwise. The company’s statement is after the break, in addition to a few further details.

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Defiance describes itself as an “online open-world shooter”, but it can’t pull the wool over my eyes – I know it’s really an MMO. Look at it, pretending to be something new and different even while thousands of players sprint around chasing experience points and killing infinite, infinitely respawning monsters. You can’t fool me, Defiance! I defy your description of yourself. I DEFY IT.

Defiance also a tie-in to a new sci-fi serial on the Syphilis channel, but as the trailers suggest it’s a sort of grey pantomime I currently have no intention of watching it. Perhaps an hour* with the game, which as far as I can ascertain is designed to be standalone as well as tie-in, would change my mind? (more…)