DC Universe Online server merges start today

The 26 servers of DC Universe are being merged into only 4, with the US and Europe each getting one PC and one PS3 server. This'll bring much larger populations and let you play with chums from other servers.

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The 26 servers of DC Universe Online online will begin merging into just four instance-based 'MegaServers' from today, so hopefully you never again have to fight crime alone (or commit crime, if you're one of the superstitious cowardly lot). While Sony Online Entertainment's superhero MMORPG is safe from DC's upcoming comic book reboot event, it seems it's getting its own Crisis on Infinite Earths.

The merge will bring benefits including "much larger populations," playing with chums who were previously on other servers, easy switching between PvE and PvP modes, a better-stocked auction house, more people to play with in Alerts, Duos, Raids, Legends PvP, and whatnot, executive producer Lorin 'DeadMeat' Jameson explained.

The four post-merge MegaServers will be split between the US and Europe, each getting one PC server and one for PlayStation 3. The first merge will begin today, bringing all European PC servers together. The US PC servers will merge together on August 10, followed by the US PS3 merge on August 11, and a European PS3 merge on August 15. Each merge is expected to take 10-14 hours, during which you won't be able to play on the merging servers.

Lest the world be swamped with heroes and villains, it'll be instanced with multiple "phases." If you want to play with someone in a different phase, you'll be able to join forces with a simple command. The split between PvE and PvP players, who were previously on separate servers, will also be handled by phasing; this'll also let you switch from one playstyle to the other.

Name clashes will be troublesome, though. If you share a name with another player on a server yours is being merged with, one of you will have to give it up. Jameson explained that SOE is using "the fairest system possible" to determine which gets to keep the name, with the other(s) getting a free name change token to come up with a new title. The same also goes for guilds. Because nobody wants a repeat of the confusing situation in the comics, where half a dozen different characters can lay claim to a single name.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    August 8, 2011 7:00 AM

    Alice O'Connor posted a new article, DC Universe Online server merges start today.

    The 26 servers of DC Universe are being merged into only 4, with the US and Europe each getting one PC and one PS3 server. This'll bring much larger populations and let you play with chums from other servers.

    • reply
      August 8, 2011 7:04 AM

      One has to wonder if these 2nd class MMO launches are really profitable, since they keep pushing these things out. I mean they honestly couldn't have expected this to be the next big thing, or could they? Could it be that the game copy sales, combined with the little subscription income they get, cover the development and server costs? Or are they really just shooting in the dark and hoping for the best?

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        August 8, 2011 7:07 AM

        i remember reading you don't need WoW numbers to be profitable, even a modest subscriber base is good if you keep costs down

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          August 8, 2011 8:04 AM

          Yea but if your reducing 26 servers to 4 then you don't even have modest numbers. DC Online is just one of many MMO's that will go the way of the Dodo bird over the next few years. They will reduce servers, try to to F2P but will eventually shut down. There' was just a glut of to many samey MMO's made after the success of WoW and the market just isn't there to support them all.

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        August 8, 2011 7:52 AM

        The game had been in development for 5+ years and there are several indications SOE shoved it out the door early to get what money they could. Even with an under performing launch a company will get some money back which is better than none. While not as expensive as SWTOR, DCUO had to cost a lot for both the DCU license and the voice acting.

      • Ebu legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
        reply
        August 8, 2011 8:11 AM

        There's a difference between "Profitable" and "Oprah money"

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      August 8, 2011 8:17 AM

      holy shit. 26 down to 4. City of Heroes is still running on all their original U.S. servers. (They may have done something to the euro ones, i dunno)

      O'course, some of the CoH servers are desolate wastelands...

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      August 8, 2011 8:24 AM

      ouch...that's gotta hurt.

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      August 8, 2011 9:54 AM

      Another MMO slowy going to die.

      They do not understand and i guess they do not care or want to you can NOT get away with the push it out half made and expect people to stay around long enough to get it done.

      There are alot of MMos that are dead or about to die since they push them out and go we are going to get billions back only to wounder why the game ends up dead a year later.

      The big mmo games EVE WOW and i guess Rift are doing good since they well made yes both EVE and WOW was pushed out half arsed but back then you could get away with it if they was to try it now they would fail like the rest.

      Rift is the only well made MMO that works since it was not pushed out to soon and with there addons there doing quite well.

      The more money you throw at the game has no effect APB had around 100M put in to it only to be a epic fail.

      FF14 i expect to have over 100m but its failing due to been half made and having a UI that needs like 30 clicks to open the craft window.

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        August 8, 2011 9:57 AM

        half made? the game was in development for over five years. If there wasn't enough there for a decent launch then the game was obviously in development hell and was sucking a lot of money from Sony.

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      August 8, 2011 10:17 AM

      I'll give it a try when it's FTP.

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      August 8, 2011 12:42 PM

      I was a long-term WoW player (played from closed beta up until earlier this year) as was a buddy of mine and we both enjoyed this game, though it was very clear they needed to fix & change some things for it to really be "successful". Such a shame - it could've been a lot of fun Sony :(

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        August 9, 2011 7:44 AM

        Agreed. I picked it up on release and played it for a good 2 months. Unfortunately, after that time frame our league had cleared the raids and there wasn't much left to do besides PVP.

        Too bad, such potential.

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