Hello and welcome to the sixteenth edition of the Eorzea Examiner, ZAM’s column on Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. For this week’s column, we're going to take a look at the recently released MMO from Carbine Studios, WildStar. This one's going to be different than when we looked at The Elder Scrolls Online earlier this year; I won't be trying to help anyone choose between the two. Instead, we're going to look at WildStar as inspiration for changes in FFXIV. While the games themselves are quite different, some systems could still be used or modified to improve things for everyone here in Eorzea.

Can't get enough of ArcheAge? Well, you're in luck! Trion Worlds and XLGames have put out Founder's Packs, a way for you to support the free-to-play game and get gear – and game access – in return. They're available at $50, $100, and $150 tiers with varying levels of luxury. Here's what the lowest tier, Silver, offers you:

For an MMO, it's important for players to stand out; not just with how you look, but also what you do. In their latest Feature Guide, Trion Worlds and XL Games discuss the detailed system in ArcheAge that helps set you apart.

ArcheAge has finally made a leap into the Alpha phase and has dropped their NDA! Current testers are encouraged to stream, share screenshots and more, so check out Twitch if you want to watch some gameplay. To celebrate the Alpha launch a new trailer has been released!

As spotted by Justin Olivetti at Massively, XL Games is currently implementing a new system in ArcheAge which will allow players to create their own factions.

On the Lost Continent--the northernmost of the three available--players will be able to claim their own territories and build upon them. When sufficiently powerful, players can proclaim themselves their own faction, commanding power and invoking the right to taxes and more.

Before I begin this report from the floor of E3, I have to make a confession: I have an enduring love of sand boxes.

Perhaps it was my too infrequent trips to the beach as a child, or, more likely, my concerns that the cycle of MMO production recently has centered around content that is far too quickly consumed and fails to capitalize on the only great advantage that the MMO genre has: its social aspect.

I shared that concern with one of XL Games' lead developers, but that conversation can wait for another day—and article.

We’ve been drooling over the beauty of ArcheAge for some time – enough to give the sandbox MMO a coveted place on our list of MMOs to Watch in 2013. Today, our chances of playing the game moved one step closer with the news that Trion Worlds will be publishing it in western markets.

Using the Red Door platform, Trion will be working with developer XLGames to bring Archeage to North America, Europe, Turkey, Australia and New Zealand. It follows Crytek’s Warface in being powered by Trion’s online platform.

We’ll be watching closely for further developments from Trion and XLGames, including news when the highly anticipated western beta is likely to start.  In the meantime, take a look at this gorgeous trailer for the Asian Open Beta.

Gareth “Gazimoff” Harmer, Senior Contributing Editor

The long-awaited open beta for the much-anticipated sandbox MMORPG ArcheAge is here! Well, at least if you're in Korea. But all is not lost - we all get to see the intro cinematic, which is, of course, the most important element of any game.

ArcheAge is a game that is solidly on the radar of those of us waiting for the next great sandbox MMO. Well, the wait is one step closer to reality today, however, for now, only our Korean friends can truly get a taste of what's to come.