When free makes money: How the MMO Tera gains subscribers by dropping subscriptions

Publisher En Masse moved TERA off mandatory subscriptions and is finding major success.

How major MMOs are celebrating Christmas in-game (gallery)

Some have you saving Santa, some have you killing him -- but either way, he's giving up that holiday loot.

GamesBeat’s Guild Wars 2 gallery exhibit

GamesBeat is celebrating the MMO's release with an exhaustive image exhibit featuring all of the races, professions, and character creation options available to players in the game.

GamesBeat Weekly Roundup

If you follow VentureBeat but don’t regularly check our GamesBeat site, here’s a list of the best games stories we ran over the last seven days that you may have missed.

TERA publishing VP reminisces starting a company, westernizing an MMO, and a little friendly competition (exclusive)

Chris Lee, Publishing VP at En Masse Entertainment, looks back on the last two-and-a-half years of starting a new company, westernizing an MMO, and promoting a major new game.

What does a game “producer” do, exactly? (exclusive)

"Being a producer on TERA is full of challenges, but one of the most surprising challenges is describing exactly what it is that I do."

World of Warcraft still on top with 10.2M subscribers in first quarter

Activision Blizzard reported a hold-steady 10.2 million subscribers, with continued player engagement due to a recent content update and the beta of expansion Mists of Pandaria.

MMORPG writer discusses the thin line between labor and love (exclusive)

In this GamesBeat-exclusive developer diary, David Noonan gives an intimate look into what it takes to craft the story to a 500-hour-long game originating from Korea.

Activision Blizzard’s quarterly earnings report predicted to shine come Wednesday

Activision Blizzard will report its first-fiscal-quarter earnings on Wednesday, May 9, after the market close. This will come two days after its arch-rival Electronic Arts reports its earnings, and the two together will paint a better picture of the grudge match between EA's Star Wars: The Old Republic and Activision Blizzard's flagship online game World of Warcraft.

After insane development cycle, online game TERA finally poised for launch

Taking on World of Warcraft is no small task. Just ask the folks who made TERA, the massively multiplayer online world that launches in North America for the first time tomorrow, May 1.

TERA is in a rare category of …

GamesBeat’s online art exhibit: TERA

TERA has some of the best character design of any game, comic, or movie of all-time. There, we said it. So check out our massive galleries containing over 400 images of the different races, classes, and elaborate gear found in the game!

TERA gallery: Popori classes and gear

Nature guardians awakened by the elins, the poporis live harmoniously in the nature world. Their diminutive stature and warm fuzzy appearance belies their instinctive ferocity in battle. They may walk upright, but their emotions and instincts are closer the animals they once were. Confident and unashamed, poporis rarely feel guilt, embarrassment, or sadness.

TERA gallery: Human (M) classes and gear

Millenia of wandering brought the humans into contact with every other race living in TERA. The knowledge and understanding of the civilized races made them the perfect coordinators for building an allied society. The Valkyon Federation represents a new hope for the world, with humans at its core.

TERA gallery: Human (F) classes and gear

Millenia of wandering brought the humans into contact with every other race living in TERA. The knowledge and understanding of the civilized races made them the perfect coordinators for building an allied society. The Valkyon Federation represents a new hope for the world, with humans at its core.

TERA gallery: High Elf (M) classes and gear

High elves are eager to prove themselves trustworthy allies of the federation. No one questions their skills, but some question their hearts. The elves strive to overcome their own xenophobia, acquired in the aftermath of an all-too-recent war.

TERA gallery: High Elf (F) classes and gear

High elves are eager to prove themselves trustworthy allies of the federation. No one questions their skills, but some question their hearts. The elves strive to overcome their own xenophobia, acquired in the aftermath of an all-too-recent war.

TERA gallery: Elin classes and gear

Never aging, the wise and battleworn elins still appear as vulnerable and innocent as their goddess was in the moment of their creation. Also known as the daughters of Elinu, these divine spirits are committed to upholding their goddess's dream-keep nature safe, no matter the cost.

TERA gallery: Castanic (M) classes and gear

Known for their dark, wry humor and bold manner, castanics refused to be chained to their dark past, and now strive each day to forge a new future. Fierce and independent, castanics make superb allies... or deadly enemies.

TERA gallery: Castanic (F) classes and gear

Known for their dark, wry humor and bold manner, castanics refused to be chained to their dark past, and now strive each day to forge a new future. Fierce and independent, castanics make superb allies... or deadly enemies.