Not So Massively roundup: Main Assembly, Atlas, ARK, Grounded, Runeterra, and Minecraft Dungeons

We may be an MMORPG website, but we still keep an eyeball on multiplayer games that our audience is interested in. Here's a quick skim through some of the "not so massively" titles we're watching and their most recent happenings! Main Assembly: Team17 and Bad Yolk Games' early access robot sandbox added underwater content, a […]

Blade & Soul adds the Golden Harvest Festival and a new area with its next patch

When the next patch arrives for Blade & Soul, you can take part in the Golden Harvest Festival and make yourself some good eats. Put together a secret family recipe or just a good old-fashioned harvest feast, then chow down and get rewards at the Wheel of Fate. That all sounds pretty nice, doesn't it? Because […]

Hearthstone patches in early access duels and progression revamp ahead of its upcoming expansion

While the next expansion for Hearthstone, Madness at the Darkmoon Faire, is still set to bring some new cards (naturally), some of its other previously announced features have landed ahead of the expack's launch. The game's 19.0 update has introduced the early access/pre-season of duels, granting players a few days' worth of time in the […]

Phantasy Star Online 2 digs into its Thanksgiving event, offers Guilty Gear and BlazBlue costumes

Phantasy Star Online 2 is cranking up for a packed — and delicious — November. SEGA announced that the global MMO just kicked off its Thanksgiving festival with thematic decorations, special event quests, and chase rewards such as a turkey leg skin for guns. The event will continue through December 8th. If that's not enough […]

Fractured's fall alpha has testers knee-deep in player cities, farming, and mounts

As promised, Fractured's fall alpha is fully upon us now, as the in-development sandbox expands its content and its testing pool once again. Over the last few weeks, Dynamight has been teasing what players will actually be testing in the latest update: everything from the talent tree and smithing to player cities and resource nodes […]

EverQuesting: A sweet sixteen EverQuest II anniversary retrospective

Happy birthday, sweet sixteen! If you think I've waited 16 years to be able to sing that to EverQuest II, well, you aren't wrong. It isn't often an MMO gets to commemorate 16 years of life, so I am taking full advantage of it and celebrating with my favorite Norrath. But beyond the birthday, how […]

You can play last-gen Warframe on the new Xbox Series X/S right now

'Tis the season of the next generation of consoles, which incidentally is also the season for a number of MMORPGs and multiplayer titles to get in on that backwards compatibility action as recent reporting has no doubt illustrated. Count Warframe among that number, then, as Digital Extremes has offered up some more details on what […]

From dockyard disaster to sailing success: How World of Warships learned from the Puerto Rico event fiasco

Gamers tend to harp on game companies for the very public mistakes they make. While most of the criticism is clearly deserved, occasionally a studio will learn from the misstep, listen to the playerbase, and come up with a solution that both meets the financial needs of the studio and the expectations of the players. […]

Final Fantasy XIV offers a few notes for players playing on the PlayStation 5 version

There is not currently a specific version of Final Fantasy XIV made for the PlayStation 5, but while the console does not feature ping-pong ball suspending technology, it does have backwards compatibility. That means owners of the new console can still play the game if they already own it on PlayStation 4, and the official site has […]

ArcheAge's Rise of Nehliya patch is live, adding new zone, quests, and farmhands

As promised, Gamigo has formally posted the Rise of Nehliya patch to both ArcheAge and ArcheAge Unchained as of today. Do note this is an update, meaning it's free, unlike the game's modern DLC. Nehliya includes nine new quests in the main story arc, the new farmhand system, and the Mysthrane Gorge zone. "Mysthrane Gorge […]

Gamers welcomed Microsoft's record-setting Xbox Series X launch with vaping memes

The release of Microsoft's Xbox Series X and Series S systems has reportedly been one of the largest for the company, at least according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, who shared in a tweet that the latest generation marks the largest launch in Xbox history. "In 24 hrs more new consoles sold, in more countries, […]

Guild Wars 2 is currently being rocked by disturbing earthquakes

Suddenly, Guild Wars 2 is on very shaky ground, indeed. In-game, that is. Players are reporting that they're encountering strong rumbles and earthquakes inside the game since this week's patch. So far, there's no consensus on whether these quakes are happening at scheduled times or randomly, but they seem to be indicating an upcoming event […]

WoW Classic explains its Sapphiron tuning, Blizzard raises sub price for Aussies

With Naxxramas' release coming very soon here to World of Warcraft Classic, the devs are fine-tuning the boss encounters — including a slightly controversial one with Sapphiron and its frost aura. Blizzard posted a deep dive into this change which actually ends up being a fascinating insight into the difficulties of creating raid encounters and […]

CCP Games' EVE Online community raised $135,500 for COVID-19 response through PLEX for GOOD

EVE Online is having a good run right about now. Not only is it busy enjoying topping its own Guinness World Records and contributing to citizen science, but today CCP Games announced that the players beat their record – again – when it comes to PLEX for GOOD, the company's long line of charity initiatives […]

The Daily Grind: Do you play on your MMO's public test server?

ArcheAge has the honor of inspiring today's Daily Grind, as I was writing a piece about ArcheAge's next update coming to the PTS and I wondered: Who are all you folks who actually go over there to test? I'm not saying I never go poke around on test servers. You bet I do. But it's […]

The Stream Team: SWTOR dungeon diving to discover droids

During the search for SWTOR's The Shroud, Massively OP's Larry and MJ have come across a dungeon they need to dive into on Belsavis to discover the droids there. But this isn't just any dungeon; it's a puzzle dungeon — one that Larry and MJ must solve in order to continue their quest for both […]

Zombie MMO Dead Frontier 2 swells and grows after its early access launch

Ever since it morphed into an open world MMO earlier this year, Dead Frontier 2 had our attention as a developing title. But how has this zombie survival game fared during a year with a real-world plague raging? It turns out that for a game about dead things, it's been pretty lively. Dead Frontier 2 […]

MechWarrior Online shares a list of gameplay mechanics due for adjustment in the new year

MechWarrior Online community manager Daeron Katz is back once again with a fresh post updating players on Piranha Games' plans to update and address pain points for the multiplayer 'Mech battler, and while the previously promised list doesn't elaborate on each bullet point, it does at least give fans some hope on what things are […]

Albion Online bans more than 600 accounts for buying currency

You are probably aware that buying Silver in Albion Online from a third-party site is not allowed, not least because there's a legitimate first-party option if you really feel the need to purchase currency. But you may be thinking that it's largely a victimless crime. The latest announcement on the official forums stating that 604 accounts […]

Fallout 76 previews the key NPCs of the Steel Dawn update, launching December 1

We're still several weeks away from the Steel Dawn release in Fallout 76; Bethsoft's just announced that it's launching December 1st. And we're even further out from the game's new season. But Bethsoft is rolling out a promo video this week all the same: This one focuses on Rahmani, Shin, and Valdez, the key NPCs […]

Black Desert kicks off Thanksgiving events and announces a digital Calpheon Ball

As you can tell from the header image, the Black Spirit — and by extension Black Desert — loves Thanksgiving. If you love Thanksgiving, too, then you can join in the feast with some festive events kicking off this week. Players can look forward to all kinds of things including planting seeds and fighting off […]

World of Warcraft preps a Shadowlands launch test for Friday

The hype is very, very real for World of Warcraft: Shadowlands right now, especially with a release candidate prepared and the pre-expansion event infecting all of the game's live servers. However, there's still a stretch to go, giving Blizzard time to get ready for the big day. To help with that, the studio is putting […]

Maplestory Fest 2020 at Home kicks off this afternoon

It's happening: Nexon is pulling back the curtain on its third MapleStory festival today, and in keeping with 2020's other gaming shows, this event is a digital one. It's even being called MapleStory Fest 2020 at Home, and you can watch it for free live today starting at 2 p.m. EST on Twitch. "Celebrate MapleStory […]

Roblox is hosting a Lil Nas X concert series in-game this weekend

Korn. BLACKPINK. Travis Scott. Breaking Benjamin. BTS. Alice in Chains. And now, Lil Nas X, if ROBLOX has anything to say about it. Yes, the kid-centric MMO platform Roblox is getting in on the concert scene established in games from AQ3D to Fortnite by hosting Lil Nas X in multiple music concerts on Saturday. "Get […]

Early access game Mini Healer: 'Like healing in an MMO but actually fun'

Love your healers. Respect your healers. Appreciate them. Empathize with their plight in correcting your overzealous chase for DPS or your forgetfulness for turning on defensive cooldowns. Doing that might be easier if you decide to check out Mini Healer, a new single-player RPG on Steam Early Access that seeks to replicate what it's like […]

EverQuest II opens up pre-orders and beta for the Reign of Shadows expansion

The time for EverQuest II players to see each other on the dark side of the moon is night. Reign of Shadows, the latest expansion for the MMORPG, has officially begun taking pre-orders. As ever, those who buy in at certain tiers will be getting a number of goodies, while everyone who pre-orders the expansion […]

Perfect Ten: 10 things to genuinely like about modern World of Warcraft

Over the past year, it's been an interesting and illuminating experience to ping-pong back and forth between retail World of Warcraft and WoW Classic. Depending on the month, I may like and appreciate Classic more or I might feel warmer toward retail. In fact, this past September I drew up a list of 10 reasons […]

Judge dismisses Apple's claim of theft by Epic Games in ongoing litigation

The slow-moving colossus of the legal fight between Epic Games vs. Apple (and Google, lest we forget) has seen yet another ponderous step forward. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has tossed out parts of Apple's counter-suit against Epic Games, specifically the parts that claimed theft along with any hopes that Apple would see restitution in that […]

World of Warships celebrates Veterans Day with missions and charity drives

It's Veterans Day here in the US and Remembrance Day in some European countries and commonwealth countries around the world. It's a day when each country honors its military veterans, tracing all the way back to the end of the First World War. So as governments and families are celebrating their vets, so are video […]

Destiny 2's Beyond Light launch sees login issues and nearly record-breaking Steam numbers

It's been a very big 24 hours for Destiny 2 fans as the Beyond Light expansion has released, bringing along all sorts of new content, some new player concurrency numbers, and some login problems as a result of said concurrency numbers. First, some of the good news: The game is very nearly breaking some of […]

Final Fantasy XIV turns housing demolition timers back on with its next major patch

Housing in Final Fantasy XIV has something of a problem insofar as there are only so many houses to go around and a lot of players who want one. While the team is definitely aware of this fact, it's still a problem worth noting. And this has not been materially helped by the fact that the […]

Lord of the Rings Online tests a major PvP monster play balance pass

Lord of the Rings Online's unique PvP scene — which is called PvMP or "monster play" — is one of the more underdeveloped and underpopulated parts of the game, a fact which makes its players touchy and starved for love. They better prepare themselves for a big, hairy hug, then, because Update 28.2 is finally […]

ArcheAge Unchained is now selling an upgraded ArchePass bundle

At this point, we need a small team of historians and all of the flow charts in the world to properly explain what ArcheAge Unchained (the buy-to-play edition of the game) has attempted to do with its ArchePass. It's sort of a seasonal pass that requires players to put in some effort to unlock its […]

The Daily Grind: How do you keep yourself occupied during MMO content droughts?

Sooner or later, every MMO seems to dip into a lengthy period of little to no development — otherwise known as a "content drought." While it can be frustrating not to have that injection of fun, new activities to enjoy, it's not as if players lack options for other things to do. A content drought […]

The Stream Team: Celebrating EverQuest II's sweet sixteen

The Heroes Festival is in full swing in honor of EverQuest II's 16th birthday, and Massively OP's MJ is going to enjoy a bit of the festivities on Norrath. But after vanquishing a few of Mischeva's Clothworks bosses, she'll return to Luclin to continue the story in order to be ready for the upcoming expansion. […]

Dauntless discusses Hunting Grounds playtests and migrating character progress with Reforged update

Dauntless has taken to calling its upcoming update Reforged, as it will change the way characters progress and replace Patrols and Pursuits with the more open-ended Hunting Grounds hunt type. In order to get ahead of discussions within the game's community, the devs have made a pair of sizeable posts to Reddit in order to […]

Final Fantasy XI: November version update, another Mog Bonanza, and new collector toys

How good are you at guessing numbers? Final Fantasy XI is starting a new Nomad Mog Bonanza on November 11th in which players have to guess at the right three-digit combination to win fantastic prizes. That's fewer digits than the usual Mog Bonanza, but players can only get one marble with inscribed numbers, so you've still […]

EVE Online releases supercarrier updates, dynamic bounties, and the revamped ESS

Over the past few weeks, EVE Online has been outlining a number of changes that were due to the game like bigger and better supercarriers, changes to the Encounter Surveillance System (ESS), and the introduction of a dynamic bounty system. Now, all of that has officially landed with today's release. In addition to these adjustments, […]

Massively OP Podcast Episode 296: Feywild, Markarth, and multiboxing

Justin and Bree discuss Dungeons and Dragons Online, ESO Markarth, WoW multiboxing, Old School RuneScape, and Guild Wars 2 Truce, with mailbag topics on leadership influencing toxicity and a new generation of MMO minigames.

Neverwinter brings the final phase of Redeemed Citadel to PC alongside its Epic Games Store launch

The PC version of Neverwinter has gotten itself a fresh patchin', and with it comes the fourth part of the Redeemed Citadel. Yes, the building that already calls itself redeemed is being more redeemed, and it's landed on the Epic Games Store to boot. The fourth part of Redeemed Citadel will introduce the capstone for […]

Apex Legends studio Respawn projects a firm anti-crunch stance

"We don't do crunch here" is the "ethically sourced whale blubber" label of the games industry — and it's one label that Apex Legends' Respawn is proud to wear. Apex Legends Game Director Chad Grenier pushed back against some complaints that the game's development has slowed down as of late. In response, Grenier said that […]

The Stream Team: Into the Mists in Guild Wars 2

How can you learn to defeat a god? By talking to other gods. The next step in the Guild Wars 2 Path of Fire journey is taking Massively OP's MJ to the Tomb of Primeval Kings to access a portal to the Mists. The Mists: where it's all fun and games until someone releases a […]

Open beta begins for pixel art adventure MMO Naïca Online

Let's face it: The only way that Naïca could get any more cute is if it engaged in some sort of unholy ceremony to drain the life force from puppies. And the only way we can get more engaged with this adorable 2-D MMO is if we end up, you know, actually playing it. Fortunately, […]

Mobile PvP MMO A3: Still Alive launches around the globe today

It's part open-world PvP MMO, part battle royale, all mobile title. It's A3: Still Alive and it has officially arrived to both Google Play and iOS devices as of today. At the heart of the game is the 100 v 100 Dark Presence battle royale mode, along with its open world exploration featuring PvP and […]

The folks working on Raph Koster's Playable Worlds MMO provide clues into what it'll be

If like many hardcore MMORPG players you're keeping half an eye on the very early MMO development at Playable Worlds, the studio Raph Koster founded last year, then you might wanna spend a bit of time this week soaking up a video by YouTuber and friend-of-the-site Napyet. Nap's done a lot of digging into the […]

Wisdom of Nym: The roots of Final Fantasy XIV's awful housing problem aren't clear

Let's start with a simple sentiment that I think absolutely everyone can get behind. However solid the underlying mechanics for decorating houses may be, Final Fantasy XIV's housing is a damn mess. It's open-world with a bunch of added restrictions that manage to feel like it also inherits the worst parts of instanced housing with […]

Destiny 2's Beyond Light expansion sends players to Europa today

No more delays: Destiny 2's Beyond Light expansion is finally upon us today. As promised, the update sends players to Europa, certainly the most interesting of Jupiter's many moons to humans given its icy climate. Expect new quests, the Deep Stone Crypt raid, and the new elemental power known as Stasis. "Titans, Warlocks, and Hunters […]

Choose My Adventure: A slow, steady, and informational search for Artemis in No Man's Sky

I think I appreciate why last week's voting had me follow the Artemis path, as this past week felt a bit like more tutorial steps, some new, most familiar, and all helpful if a bit droll. This isn't exactly to say that I was growing bored during this week's excursion to wherever I am in […]

Star Wars: The Old Republic gets set to reveal its Mandalorian flashpoint

Mandalorians aren't just about Baby Yodas and obsessive armor polishing; sometimes these elite warriors like to throw open their doors and host a wild shindig. Of course, any Mandalorian party always includes poisonous hors d'oeuvres and deadly duels around the firepit in the back yard. This is all to say that Star Wars: The Old […]

World of Warcraft kicks off the Shadowlands expansion event following maintenance today

We hope you haven't gotten your fill of spooky scary skeletons from World of Warcraft just yet, because the Shadowlands pre-expansion event kicks off today following the game's regularly scheduled maintenance. And while the expansion itself will send you into the realm of the dead, you'll be dealing with the undead across Icecrown in Northrend during the […]