The Stream Team: Cruising to complete EverQuest II's Blood of Luclin

Massively OP's MJ anticipates that the Reign of Shadows expansion will launch sometime next month, so she wants to finish the Blood of Luclin story before it does! That doesn't leave too many EverQuest II-sdays to wrap up the signature quest line. Join us live at 8:00 p.m. to see what new things MJ discovers […]

RuneScape rolls out Construction Contracts with its latest update

The time has arrived for RuneScape players to stop holing up in their houses as a means of leveling up Construction. The new Construction Contract system previewed last week is now being rolled out completely, alongside the expected swath of bug fixes and minor improvements one would expect for a patch. If you caught up on […]

Path of Exile improves its stash tab functionality and fixes bugs

If you like sentences which start with the words "fixed an issue," reading the patch notes for the latest Path of Exile update will be one of your most exciting events of the week. There are tons of bug fixes in here, ranging from Heist-specific bugs to just general improvements to various areas of the game. […]

SMITE brings the trickster tanuki Danzaburou to its playable roster in December

Almost anything can be improved with a raccoon dog, never mind one that has a penchant for trickery. Say hello to Danzaburou, a mythological trickster tanuki of Japanese legend that will be arriving to SMITE this December. Danzaburou will play rather uniquely, according to the press release announcing his arrival, using gold to gain a […]

Massively OP Podcast Episode 297: Beyond Light

Hey, Bree isn't here on the podcast today! It's going to be anarchy, fridge raiding, and free love! Or it'll be Chris and Justin going Beyond Light with Destiny 2, grabbing all of SWTOR's daily rewards, checking out Nexon's and Pearl Abyss' quarterly reports, and gabbing about what books should be made into MMOs. It's […]

Ashes of Creation's Steven Sharif discusses lore and some related gameplay mechanics in an interview

Sure, we're all about the gameplay of MMORPGs, but there's always a little time for some lore as well, and that was the primary thread through a video interview with Steven Sharif of Ashes of Creation, courtesy of YouTuber Simurgh. In the interview, Sharif discussed the inspiration for the world of AoC, confirmed that players […]

Whatever happened to post-apoc MMO shooter The Skies?

Tracking the progress of post-apocalyptic MMORPG shooter The Skies has been a bit of a journey, particularly if you follow the game's tag, since the game's title uses some pretty common words. When we last got a good look at this one, developer EFORB was promising a beta on PC in 2016 and a beta […]

Bungie casts a spotlight on the Black at Bungie Inclusion Club and its efforts to uplift Black devs and BLM

Racial equality is still a vital topic and an important fight in a wide variety of sectors, including game dev. It's why Bungie helped to create the Black at Bungie Inclusion Club, which was elaborated on in a recent dev blog post. Just what is an Inclusion Club (IC)? They're internal collections of Bungie employees […]

Animal Crossing New Horizons shares holiday events and new gameplay features in a free November 19 update

The next couple of months are all about the holidays in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. A big ol' info drop from the game has offered up details of new seasonal events, new features, and a lot of adorable new items to chase after as part of a free update on November 19th. It all starts […]

Dual Universe drops new voxel creation trailer, explains how it'll protect individual creator blueprints

Let's outline a scenario. You make a blueprint for a great ship in Dual Universe. Your acquaintance Trab asks you for the blueprint, which he takes and then alters to be almost identical but with text implying that you smell like sweaty farts on the side. Trab then resells it to everyone. Isn't that bad? Yes, […]

Elder Scrolls Online won't directly support play on the new ARM-based Macs

Bleeding-edge, early-adopting Mac gamers who happen to play Elder Scrolls Online definitely need to point their eyeballs at Bethsoft's latest missive to players, as the studio has announced it won't be able to directly support the new Macs, which will use custom ARM CPUs. The use of these CPUs, Bethsoft says, requires software rewrites or […]

Flameseeker Chronicles: First impressions of Guild Wars 2's Icebrood Saga: Truce

So here we are, we're finally entering the home stretch of the Icebrood Saga. Today sees the release of the first chapter of Champions, the four part finale of this saga. Typing Guild Wars 2 release titles is starting to become exhausting, so rather than the verbose and overly punctuated title "Guild Wars 2: Icebrood […]

Microsoft CFO says Bethsoft IPs can still go cross-platform but also wants new games 'first, better, or best' on Microsoft

As the news of Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media, Bethesda Softworks, and its various studios has settled in, there's been one niggling point that's sort of hung in the air: whether Bethsoft's IPs will be allowed to flourish on other platforms or they'll be Xbox and Microsoft exclusives. During last week's Jefferies Interactive Entertainment conference, […]

Choose My Adventure: Paradise planets, destroyed freighters, and hellbeasts in No Man's Sky

It would be super easy for me to make this week's ride in No Man's Sky a picture book. Not just because the game has a photo mode, but because this week had me focusing on exploration, which meant landing on as many planets as I could to find neat stuff to encounter, look at, […]

Atlas Rogues, Gamigo's Atlas Reactor spinoff, begins $14.99 early access tomorrow

Gamigo's deserving of some kudos this year, as after sunsetting Atlas Reactor in the wake of its Trion Worlds buyout, it's now bringing it back as a spinoff called Atlas Rogues. And while it's not exactly the same game, it might satisfy a wider range of players, as Rogues is more of a "rogue-lite" co-op […]

Enter to win a Neverwinter Carmine Bulette mount and ghost friendo for PC

With the final phase of Neverwinter's Redeemed Citadel rollout live for PC players last week, PWE has kindly granted Massively OP 25 keys for the Pack of the Carmine Bulette to give away to our PC readers! Each pack includes a retint of the Carmine Bulette mount as well as a Ghost companion. Critically, the […]

TERA Console changes up producers, delays crossplay patch

Big changes are in the works for TERA Console, requiring fans to exhibit some degree of flexibility this month. Change number one involves passing the torch from one game producer to another, as Tamura Koji announced that he is leaving the project next month to be replaced by Huh Joong-hee. "[TERA Console] was a project […]

WoW Classic starts Naxxramas raid attument while World of Warcraft nerfs gear

World of Warcraft Classic is certainly feeling the pinch of Shadowlands attention deficit disorder, so the opening of Naxxramas in early December can't come soon enough. For those who want to be raiding this floating death fortress on Day One, Blizzard has unlocked the ability to go through the attunement process. "We have updated WoW […]

The Daily Grind: What was the best Guild Wars 2 living world season?

To date, there have been approximately five Guild Wars 2 living world seasons. Technically, The Icebrood Saga, which began last year, isn't a season, but it's close enough for Daily Grind purposes. And of course, the very first season, which was very event-focused rather than map-focused, is no longer fully playable. But I bet a […]

The Stream Team: Reviving the Ranger life in Path of Exile

Massively OP's MJ really enjoys her life of crime in Heist, but she is also really missing the life of a Path of Exile Ranger. It's time to revive her! Tonight, MJ's heading over to Standard League to run around with a bow for a while. Tune in live at 8:00 p.m. for this return […]

Life Beyond adds improved base construction, 'true MMORPG' controls, and bug fixes in recent updates

Things in the developing survival sandbox Life Beyond are shifting once more, and while most of the updates have been generally on the smaller side to this point, the 0.10.00 patch has made a few larger adjustments that those playing or following the title may want to know about. The first larger feature of the […]

Minescape is a custom-built recreation of RuneScape in Minecraft

What happens when you combine Minecraft with RuneScape? You get a boxy version of the classic MMORPG, or more specifically, you get Minescape, a passion project of Günther "scipio3000" Jungbluth since 2012 that's currently on its third season of updates. Minescape boasts 24 skills, bosses to fight, dungeons to plumb, and plenty of items to […]

EVE Pulse thanks players for PLEX for GOOD donations and shows off an updated jump clone panel

EVE Online has once more cobbled together a new episode of the Pulse, which rounded up the game's latest developments. As one would expect, the video touched on the latest game update, which added supercarrier, ESS, and bounty changes as well as opened the new Jita hub, and offered some words of thanks to players […]

Shroud of the Avatar drums up hype for… more lights in player towns

In what's being touted as a part of ongoing "amazing" quality-of-life improvements to Shroud of the Avatar, the game's newest newsletter is talking up the addition of more lights to player-owned towns. Yes, those who are stewards of cities and towns within the game world will now be able to generate more in-game lumens. Truly […]

Albion Online tweaks Corrupted Dungeon mobs and balances item skills in its latest update

The most recent update to Albion Online is mostly about turning dials around, so it's not exactly what one would call a barnburner of a patch. Still, things being adjusted is important to note, especially for those who are invested in certain pieces of gear or content. The content adjustment in question is related to […]

Star Citizen demonstrates the creation of props by making a Picoball live on stream

There have been broadcasts where the devs of Star Citizen have taken fans along for the creation of things like weapons and ship concepts, but have you ever seen an episode of Star Citizen Live where you saw a volleyball turn into a penguin-faced friend? Well, you have now. John Carney from the Props and […]

Vendetta Online discusses Chromebook support, trading improvements, and capital ships with a legacy

It's the journey and not the destination that's important, as the axiom goes, but recounting that journey in a spaceship sandbox can often only be done by word of mouth, with no in-game record of a ship's exploits along the way. That looks to be changing in the case of Vendetta Online, which outlined the […]

World of Warcraft offers up a trailer for the upcoming Shadowlands launch

Ready for a cinematic tease for World of Warcraft: Shadowlands? You really should be because the expansion is launching in just around a week, so you're running out of time to get ready. Also, it's here right now and just below, so even if you're not ready for the full expansion just yet, the trailer is […]

Mabinogi introduces limited-time boosts and a dungeon guide system to help players progress

Mabinogi has been out for a while — since 2008 here in North America, to be precise — so it would be reasonable to think that newer arrivals would be at something of a disadvantage in terms of getting to higher tier content or navigating their way through what's available. That's what the game's most […]

MapleStory Fest shows off a new class for MapleStory M, new 5th Job skills and new areas for MapleStory

The digital version of MapleStory Fest has come and gone, and with it a number of reveals for both MapleStory and MapleStory M as one would expect out of the event. For MapleStory M players, there's the new Demon Avenger class that's arriving to the game with an update on December 1st. Details were a […]

Wisdom of Nym: My personal red lines for Final Fantasy XIV

What would get me to stop liking Final Fantasy XIV? It's not exactly new or surprising to say that I'm fond of this game; a good chunk of my career has been predicated upon my enjoyment of the title thus far, and I use it frequently as an example of how to do things right with […]

Cyberpunk 2077 confirms PS5 and Xbox Series X release and backwards compatibility, shares a rap music video

Seeing as single-player (and eventually multiplayer) RPG Cyberpunk 2077 has been delayed for a third time, the game will now arrive as the current crop of gaming consoles arrives, and when it does, it will be backwards compatible, according to a recent press release from CD Projekt Red. In addition to this new feature, those […]

Fight or Kite: Is Crowfall ready to be your daily MMO?

A question that comes up consistently for any Kickstarter MMOs is whether or not the game is ready to be played. Love it or hate it, Kickstarter games have often opened up player access to these games like never before. And a lot of backers will remind you that the game is in development, the […]

V4 introduces the Archer class and a limited-time boost event in its November 18 update

Sure, the mobile/PC MMORPG V4 has classes like a Gunslinger and a Boomblade, but perhaps you're the sort who prefers some more traditional ranged attack options. Then you'll love the Archer, which is coming to the game this Wednesday, November 18th. Of course, that's not to infer that the Archer is a bog-standard bow and […]

The Division 2 brings Title Update 12's Optimization Station and Summit improvements to PTS

Oh, if only real life had an Optimization Station. I'd be able to make my gaming PC run better. I could make sure my coffee maker was brewing the best coffee possible. I could optimize my face. Sadly, such a station does not exist in the real world, but it does exist in The Division […]

EverQuest II wrangles with login issues for nearly a week, extends Heroes' Festival to November 19

If you're an EverQuest II player, then you've likely been having a rough time logging in to the game over the last week. A forum thread recounts login problems that have been cropping up as early as this past Wednesday, which have been traced back to "service provider level networking issues" according to one post […]

The Daily Grind: Should MMOs have hunger and thirst mechanics?

I swear this isn't a Thanksgiving-motivated Daily Grind, but it might as well be! I am a big fan of video game cooking skills and often pick up those professions in MMORPGs that offer them. In fact, in SWG Legends, my main character is literally a chef. So naturally, I really want food to exist […]

MMO Week in Review: Next-gen is now-gen

The Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 systems launched this week, which meant that a lot of companies who weren't launching games along with them got the heck out of the way, including many MMO studios. On MOP, we busied ourselves musing on the ups and downs of World of Warcraft, contemplating LOTRO's lifetime sub, and […]

Spellbreak addresses player uproar surrounding upgradeable cosmetics in the upcoming Chapter Pass

Spellbreak is a free-to-play game that also has to make money, and one of the most newly common ways for free titles to make cash is with the premium edition of a battle pass. With that in mind, the devs at Proletariat don't want to force people's hands into their wallets, as outlined in an […]

The MOP Up: League of Legends' possible stolen identity

Have you ever had this happen: A new video game character is introduced in one of the world's most popular MOBA — and it's based on you? All the time, we bet. Well, according to an author who identifies herself as "Stephanie," League of Legends' Seraphine is based on her. She points to a brief […]

PSA: Guild Wars 2's Path of Fire expansion is on sale at half price

It's time once more for another Guild Wars 2 sale. Specifically, the Path of Fire expansion has its price slashed in half (non-affiliate link), whether you get the standard or the deluxe edition. Additionally, both versions of the expansion will pack in Heart of Thorns expansion as well. The sale will be running until just […]

Global Chat: Don't look, but Fallout 76 is actually good now

Even the most jaded opponent of Fallout 76 has to admit that Bethesda has been making progress in bringing the online RPG up to spec. Cary over at Virtual Bastion said that this year's improvements, most specifically the One Wasteland leveling revamp and subsequent fix, has made a convert. "Long story short, wow…I had a […]

Return of Reckoning makes a bloody WAR even bloodier

Warhammer Online's rogue server, Return of Reckoning, has developed a reputation of being one of the most frequently updated emulators out there, which definitely helps with making this title feel as alive and vibrant as WAR was during its original run. So simply nod with respect as you see the November 11th patch notes scroll […]

One Shots: Bring your poor, your tired, your zombies

For a while now, IronSalamander's been taking amazing pictures of the colorful and stylish Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, but I think today's headliner was the first to really grab me. It's like looking at a screenshot of an animated film. "Here is the Zomboss version of the statue of Liberty, just after the […]

The Daily Grind: What's the ideal MMO raid length?

If you've been around in the MMO genre long enough, you know that the idea of raiding has changed a lot. In Ultima Online, the closest thing we had were crawls, and they'd go on for hours as people came and joined the fun. In EverQuest, raids went on as long as they needed to, […]

Make My MMO: Welcome to Kasa, Book of Travels' central city

This week in MMO crowdfunding, Book of Travels popped back on our radar with a preview of its capital city, Kasa, which will serve as the game's hub and shopping center and harbor. "With its deep waters, Kasa has been the launching and landing place for Travellers for time immemorial, and for most visitors it's […]

Massively on the Go: Pokemon Go's quality-of-life changes aren't half bad

So, Niantic's pushed out a few more changes to Pokemon GO, and it's not all doom and gloom! In fact, a few changes have been either better than I predicted or outright unexpected. While we have several new cups for PvP, a better rating system, some UI changes, and legendary Pokemon returning to the reward pool, […]

The Stream Team: A look at the new lich challenge and creepy clown in AQ3D

AQ3D is known for its weekly updates, and this week's update packs in some goodies! First, there's a new lich challenge fight: Noxus' Return. Even though it cautions players to go in full gear (and the new max level of 31!), Massively OP's MJ is willing to dive in just to check it out. Next […]

The Stream Team: Honey, I shrunk the survival Saturday with Grounded's free weekend

Are you a fan of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids? Are you a fan of survival games? Massively OP's MJ loves both, and she just discovered a game that merges the two! She's checking out Grounded, a new survival sandbox in early access that just so happens to be hosting a free weekend right now. […]

LOTRO Legendarium: Was LOTRO's lifetime sub the best deal ever?

When Lord of the Rings Online ramped up to its launch in early 2007, Turbine offered a tantalizing deal to potential players. If they were willing to part with $299 up front ($199 for LOTRO's founders), the studio would flag their account as a lifetime subscription. This meant that from then on, they wouldn't have […]