MMO Week in Review: Guild Wars 2's Jormag Rising has arisen
This week in the world of MMORPGs, Guild Wars 2's latest episode, Jormag Rising, rolled out to hungry players, albeit without voice acting just yet thanks to the pandemic. Meanwhile, DCUO, Black Desert, and PlanetSide 2 got meaty updates; the LOTRO downtime saga was more or less resolved; ArcheAge and Phantasy Star Online 2 announced […]
TennoCon 2020: Watch the full demo of Warframe's Heart of Deimos reveal
The TennoCon 2020 live reveal of Warframe's Heart of Deimos was quite a bit to take in, so we understand if you missed anything the first time around. Or maybe you can't wait until the August 25th launch and just want to revisit that thematic landscape to revel in the infested atmosphere for a while. […]
Overwatch hosts an AMA, Hearthstone adds a playable kitty hero
You can play as a kitty in Hearthstone. Yes, there's been some patch notes for update 18.0 which sets the table for the arrival of Scholomance Academy as well as some adjustments to Battlegrounds, new minions, and other gameplay tweaks, but none of those is important. Because you can play as a kitty now. The […]
The MOP Up: All Points Bulletin revs its engine upgrade
This past weekend, Little Orbit's All Points Bulletin ran its second open beta test as it prepares to roll out the huge Unreal Engine 3.5 upgrade for the crime shooter. The dev team said that this was another important step toward a full release of what will hopefully be a better performing game. And this […]
Runes of Magic plans an August filled with bonus drops and extra expies
It turns out it's been 115 days since we last talked about Runes of Magic, an unintended slight for an MMO that once commanded a weekly column on Old Massively. We're rectifying that today, as Gameforge is kicking off summer events in the game starting next week. "Different, exciting events await you each week this […]
Jukebox Heroes: The ultimate guide to MMORPG music
It's been a long, strange, and wonderful journey to explore MMORPG music with you here in Jukebox Heroes. And while I am anticipating many years to come of future soundtrack journeys, I wanted to take inventory this week of the places this column has traveled in the past. So I present to you the Jukebox […]
Ashes of Creation shows off gathering, spell effects, and a dungeon in its latest livestream
This past Thursday saw yet another peek at Ashes of Creation gameplay and development footage from the folks at Intrepid Studios. The video first kicked off with a number of spell effect previews as well as a look at the level up effect among other visual previews. The devs also discussed what sort of visual […]
One Shots: The ultimate tree house
When I asked for pictures of plant houses in online games, I wasn't quite expecting that notion to sprout and grow into this tremendous hangout in Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2. I want to go to there. "Plants you say?" Iron Salamander asked. "I could have linked a ton for obvious reasons but limited […]
The Daily Grind: Have you ruined your sleep for an MMO?
My wife and I were so excited for the launch of World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade that we pre-ordered well in advance and were all set to go for the midnight launch, lining up with others outside of the Gamestop before it released, feeling tired and worn but so excited to get our copies […]
Battle Bards Episode 174: Dragon Oath
Running from 2007 to 2016, ChangYou's Dragon Oath is probably one of those MMORPGs you've never heard of, nevermind actually played. Yet when Syl stumbled upon it on YouTube, she knew it was a soundtrack for the Battle Bards to highlight. Take a journey with the team today as they visit this Bhuddist-inspired MMO and […]
TennoCon 2020: Warframe's infested open world Heart of Deimos launches August 25th on all platforms
To the moon, Tenno! A Mars moon, to be exact. If that was your guess for Warframe's Heart of Deimos expansion, you got it. But did you guess "rideable infested dragonflies"? Giant sun and moon worms locked in eternal battle on the surface? K-drive combat? Playable mechs? The ability to take skills from one Warframe […]
TennoCon 2020: Warframe art panel showcases new frames and infested everything
While the biggest reveal isn't until later tonight, that doesn't mean Warframe players aren't being treated to tons of tasty tidbits at TennoCon 2020. The art panel was bursting with reveals and sneak peaks of many new warframes, skins, and infested-themed pets, monster, weapons, and more. Here's a round up of the highlights of the […]
Diablo Immortal offers a slightly gussied-up 'new' trailer
Shh, don't worry. We won't spoil your deepest, darkest secret — you know, the one about how you're actually still kind of interested in Diablo Immortal, even though it's the whipping boy of the Blizzard community. We wouldn't dream of exposing that the thought of playing Diablo on your phone (yes, a phone!) has appeal. […]
The Game Archaeologist: Clone Wars Adventures, the Star Wars MMO everyone kinda forgot
Whenever the topic — the argument — of Star Wars MMOs arises, the debate is usually between the merits of the sandboxy Star Wars Galaxies and the themeparky Star Wars: The Old Republic. While opinions and passionate feelings whirl into the atmosphere on these games, I can't help but think how fortunate Star Wars fans […]
LOTRO and DDO hand out additional compensation for VIP accounts
As both Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons and Dragons Online gradually resume normal operation following nearly two weeks of server instability, Standing Stone Games is trying to make it up to both the discontent and the patient. On top of special gifts handed out to all players in both games, the studio is […]
WRUP: The power of fist edition
Step 1: Have a hand. Step 2: Curl your fingers together so that the tips of your nails – your sweet, tender nails, so delicately painted, so marvelous, so pristine – are touching your palm. Step 3: Curl your thumb and place one side of it against your closed fingers. There should only be one […]
The Daily Grind: What would your ultimate MMO character creator look like?
In the wide field of MMOs, there are great character creators and there are… there are the less-good ones. You know, the ones that give you the choice of three faces (one of which has to be "old crone nobody picks") and two shades of robes. The ones where developers mistakenly think that players will […]
The Stream Team: Getting done with Warframe's Deadlock Protocol, day 3
With Warframe's TennoCon 2020 coming tomorrow, Massively OP's MJ wants to work on completing Deadlock Protocol before the big announcement of what's on the horizon. With luck, she leveled her Xoris enough to help complete this story mission series and find out why she was "summoned" there. And who doesn't want to completely thwart Nef […]
Betawatch: The silence on Squadron 42 was all about a video not being pretty enough
So Star Citizen fans were more than a little miffed that the news on Squadron 42 had slowed from "a crawl" to "did that move or was it just the wind" levels of activity. That makes sense, especially since at one point the persistent universe was supposed to be the optional multiplayer sideline and not […]
Albion Online's Guild Season 10 begins August 22 — here's the schedule of events
It's about that time for the guilds of Albion Online to test their might, prove they're the best, and maybe get their ridiculous guild name on a leaderboard for all to see. Guild Season 10 is looming, kicking off on Saturday, August 22nd, and the devs have posted the schedule of events. The season begins […]
Dual Universe's August beta will also see the end of NDA
Dual Universe is sort of repeating itself in its latest newsletter, but then tooting the horn of an upcoming beta launch is to be expected. What's different in the announcement, however, is confirmation that beta will also spell the end of the game's NDA, which means fans should expect a whole lot more user-created content […]
Fallout 76 enlists the community to build a Brotherhood of Steel base
WoW Classic isn't the only game in town that's throwing massive community construction events these days. Starting early next month, Fallout 76 is enlisting its entire band of vault dwellers to help make a new base. And not just any base — but one for the incoming Brotherhood of Steel. "The Brotherhood of Steel have […]
Animal Crossing New Horizons now lets players trip and fall, create penis-shaped fireworks
There's been a recent update made to the adorable Animal Crossing New Horizons, including the ability to visit a dream version of other players' islands in their sleep, backup their island and save data, and take in fireworks shows every Sunday which can be modified to include custom fireworks designs. So, naturally, everyone started filling […]
Grab a Crossout Beach Buggy code from Gaijin and Massively OP!
Post-apoc MMO action game Crossout has football, and I'm not even kidding! Gaijin has spent the better part of the summer on its Steel Championship series and its new map. In celebration, Gaijin has granted Massively OP a stack of keys to give to our readers – and do note that these giveaways are the only […]
Legends of Aria just announced The Shifting Sands, its fourth season of content
Just a few weeks after leaving early access and finally formally launching, Legends of Aria is already moving on to its next content phase. Season 4: The Shifting Sands is coming August 10th, with fresh dynamic encounters in the Barren Lands. Not so barren anymore! "Journey throughout the Withering Sands and Flat Wilds to discover […]
The summer of no E3 seems to be treating publishers and developers just fine in terms of buzz
This is the year of no E3, the year with no big summer convention in which everyone packs together in a building to see the latest games that can be anticipated for the years to come. Of course, somebody has already speculated that we don't really need trade shows any longer, but this year is […]
Rumor: Halo Infinite leak suggests a free-to-play multiplayer experience
So, who had Halo goes free-to-play on the summer 2020 bingo card? OK, not really, but a leak circulating on the internet today suggests that Halo Infinite will be some sort of free-to-play multiplayer mayhem. The leak comes by way of Smyths Toys Superstore (what), which seems to have accidentally announced the free-to-play status of […]
Here's what to expect from Elder Scrolls Online at QuakeCon 2020
With COVID-19 still raging around the country, Bethesda has turned this year's QuakeCon into a virtual event running August 7th through August 9th. Do the math: That's just a week away! And Bethsoft has posted a full schedule of what to expect and when, including panels for all of its core games. Most notable for […]
The Survivalist: Astroneer's worst mistake was using Nitrado servers
Wonder rant powers, activate! It's been a long while since I have been pushed to the point of activating rant mode. I can be chill and forgiving about quite a bit. But here I am — knit brows, frustrated growls, and all. What could possibly have frustrated me to this point, especially regarding Astroneer, a game […]
Star Citizen shows off the Greycat ROC mining buggy and blows up an Idris
Star Citizen's latest video digest is all about breaking stuff up, whether it's breaking up rocks for materials in the newly revealed Greycat ROC or watching an Idris break up into huge pieces of dead spaceship as it blows apart. In the first half of the video, we're introduced to the Greycat ROC, a little […]
WoW Factor: Ah, yes, the chest of mystery in World of Warcraft's Shadowlands
Am I the only one who feels like there's actually been a bit less news about Shadowlands ever since it opened up beta testing? Or maybe I just haven't been focusing as well. Could be a bit of both. What's definitely the case is that I was paying attention when some of the systems underpinning […]
Amazon's Crucible delays next beta phase
For hopeful fans of Amazon's Crucible, it has not been the most comforting of summers. At the end of June, the studio announced that it would be taking the title back to closed beta for an extensive rework due to its poor reception. It was so abrupt and concerning that the Massively OP team pondered […]
World of Warcraft introduces the ability to switch Covenants in its latest Shadowlands beta build
Testing for World of Warcraft's upcoming Shadowlands expansion just got a little more interesting. The most recent beta build of the expansion has introduced the ability for players to change their chosen Covenant. Players will reportedly have to go through a series of confirmation windows to leave a Covenant, while returning to a Covenant involves […]
Magic Legends' next starting class is the white mana-using Sanctifier
Magic Legends has finally deigned to show off the latest of the multiplayer ARPG's starting classes. Say hello to the Sanctifier, a veritable beacon of white mana light described as a "refreshing take on a more classic, dedicated support class." The Sanctifier wields a long-range Divine Bolt as a primary attack and a massive Wave […]
DC Universe Online's Wonderverse is now available, with its new raid, mission, and alert
As promised, DC Universe Online's Wonderverse episode rolled out after hefty patching last evening. Daybreak's Dimensional Ink Games has delivered a Wonder Woman-centric storyline, or maybe we should say Wonder Women-centric, since Wonder Women from multiple eras and timelines are featured. Don't think about it too hard; this is supposed to be fun! Expect the […]
The Daily Grind: How should MMO end-of-life care play out?
Nonameplease recently sent us a concerned email about the future of MMOs, specifically Star Trek Online. "I have spent a ton of money on rare ships," he told us. "When this game finally shuts down, I'll be SOL…. unless there is an emulator. Even though my previous purchases won't be carried over, I'm guessing the emu […]
The Stream Team: Now we return to our regularly scheduled Neverwinter adventures
With all the festivals lately, it seems like months since Massively OP's MJ has adventured through Neverwinter's story. (Oh, it has been!) Can she even remember where she left off? Oh ya! Tonight, she returns for her meeting with Dying Howl, the primal spirit for the wolf tribe. Sounds totally safe, right? Tune in live […]
Final Fantasy XI's August update includes the first new storyline after Rhapsodies of Vana'diel
It appears that even the claims of Final Fantasy XI's story being finished were greatly exaggerated. That's not news, of course, but it is notable that the game's August version update scheduled for August 6th includes the first part of a new storyline exploring what is said to be a corner of Vana'diel not previously […]
Tree of Savior adds a new raid and some powerful new weapons
Well would you look at that, Tree of Savior is still kicking out the jams. Good for you, you plucky, painterly, pretty little MMOARPG. The game's most recent update has some pretty sizeable new things for max level players, including an all-new raid and some potent weapons for the game's classes. The raid takes place […]
Star Trek Online shows off the game's summer reward ship, the Risian Weather Control Vessel
Risa is a resort planet. That's its whole thing in Star Trek in general and Star Trek Online in specific. It turns out that part of what has made it viable as a resort planet is the Risian Weather Control Vessel, a scientific ship made to manipulate weather patterns that increasingly turned into an ever-more-engineered […]
Path of Exile is launching on Mac in September
If you're an MMO fan and a Mac user and you really want to do those two things together… well, you're a trouper, we'll just say that. Grinding Gear Games will make your MMOARPG funtimes a little easier, however, when it drops a "Mac specific version of Path of Exile" in September. That's it. That's […]
Final Fantasy XIV offers a few more tidbits about patch 5.3 to its special site
Flight! Letting slip the surly bonds of gravity and taking to the skies! Final Fantasy XIV has let players fly in the expansion zones before now, but starting with patch 5.3 players can take flight in the base game zones as well once the initial 1-50 MSQ is completed. And that's one of the bits […]
Torchlight III will celebrate the '12 Days of Wipemas', just later in August
Torchlight III players already knew that there was a wipe incoming as a result of Relic retooling, but developer Echtra Games is apparently looking to "have a little fun with it" by celebrating the 12 Days of Wipemas. The downside is that today PWE and Echtra announced a delay for the wipe and associated festivities: It's […]
New World's first 'density' stress test begins today at 5 p.m. EDT
MMO gamers are gearing up for stress testing in Amazon's New World today and into the weekend. As we previously posted, today's event kicks off at 5 p.m. EDT. Alpha players and Amazon preorder players who bought the game before July 26th should've already gotten their keys and access info, while Steam preorder players will […]
First impressions of Dauntless' new sword and revamped Ramsgate, live today
The old Ramsgate is dead and gone. Destroyed by some sort of cataclysmic event, and with only the mysterious orb from the Umbral Deeps to thank for anyone making it out alive, this event is both the kicking-off point and explanation for why Dauntless has chosen to refresh the long-standing primary hub. I was granted […]
TERA announces 'team-based battle mode' called TERA Battle Arena, launching in 2020
So here's a press release I wasn't expecting to get in my inbox today: En Masse MMORPG TERA is apparently rolling out a "team-based battle mode" called TERA Battle Arena later this year. My first thought was that this is was just a typical MMO PvP mode with an attention-grabbing name, but on closer inspection […]
Red Dead Online's new Naturalist role has also re-introduced extremely hungry predators
The recently added Naturalist role appears to be turning in to a monkey's paw wish for Red Dead Online players that were hungry for some kind of content update. Not only is this new Frontier Pursuit adding more animals to hunt, it's also added more animals that hunt players. Up to this point, finding game […]
World of Warcraft changes how Conduits work and has a new type of weekly chest in Shadowlands
The first version of the Conduit system in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands didn't exactly go over well with players. No one was excited by the prospect of having to farm for various items to slot into soulbinds and then hope for a more powerful one to drop later. This is, thankfully, why the design has […]
First impressions: Fall Guys Ultimate Knockout is a battle royale game for people who hate battle royale games
Is anyone here familiar with Wipeout? It was an obstacle course game show where contestants had to avoid some pretty plush yet hard-hitting goofy obstacles in an elimination format. It was a lot like Ninja Warrior except it didn't take itself quite so seriously, or was like American Gladiators without the '80s fabulousness. I'm bringing […]
The Guild Wars 2 community is debating whether precursors belong in lockboxes
Guild Wars 2 players are busy on Reddit this week debating whether precursors should be even tangentially in the Black Lion chest loot table following a game update that added Gnashblade's Exotic Weapon Grab Bag (which had a remote chance to drop precursors) to the game's lockboxes. ArenaNet has already hotfixed the grab bag to […]
