Guild Wars 2's Lunar New Year events are set to go live today
So we've got some good news and bad news. The good news is that Guild Wars 2 is going live with its Lunar New Year patch today. The bad news it had an "unexpected technical problem" and is being held back for what will hopefully be only a brief pause while that's fixed. "The annual […]
Destiny 2 just revealed Season of the Chosen and a full roadmap through May
As promised, Bungie's brought the goods for Destiny 2 today by way of Season of the Chosen, launching next week on February 9th and running through mid-May with the requisite new content and loot, though of course the best stuff is reserved for season pass holders. "In Season 13, Guardians will jump into the Battlegrounds, […]
Choose My Adventure: An intriguing but PvP-free first foray into Warhammer Return of Reckoning
I promised that this month's CMA column would feature my attempts at getting into some PvP MMO action. Sadly for you (but mercifully for me), the opening steps I've taken in to Warhammer: Return of Reckoning were not so active in that regard. Still, I'm beginning to slowly appreciate what makes this game beloved by […]
Lord of the Rings Online's latest update has broken the patcher for older OS users — here's how to fix it
This news is for those players of Lord of the Rings Online who are playing the game on a PC running Windows 7 or earlier. With the launch of update 28.3, players on older OS's are experiencing some inability to update their game clients. Standing Stone Games is aware of this and has put out […]
MMO Business Roundup: Gamestonk is tipping toward over as shares dip below $100 a pop
Welcome back to a fresh roundup of MMO and MMO-adjacent business news! Gamestonk: It's starting to look as if last week's wild GameStop stock squeeze is over, having severely wounded several hedge funds along the way. Though investors and Redditors had pushed the stock to a peak of $469 last week and it began yesterday […]
Last Oasis' latest update rebalances the essential act of blowing stuff up
It's a smidge delayed, but it's here today: Last Oasis is pushing out a big patch on Steam. Developer Donkey Crew says it's holding back new VOIP options and fixes for "a few days" to get the rest of the update to players. So what is in it? An overhaul to blowing shit up, largely […]
Apex Legends brings a new character, map changes, legendary magazines, and gameplay changes in Season 8
There's a fresh season just on the horizon for the battle royale shooter Apex Legends, bringing with it a whole lot of new updates. At the top of the list in the latest patch notes is a new character, Fuse, whose propensity for explosives lets him hold more grenades than other characters, throw grenades farther […]
RIFT starts testing planar incursions, opens an official Discord server
When it first launched, RIFT's biggest selling point was its dynamic world events system that included the titular rifts, invasions, and more. It's this system that Gamigo is looking to leverage with its new Planar Incursions event. Testing for this world event is now on the PTS, with dedicated players putting it through its paces. […]
Final Fantasy XIV brings more Blue Mage and relic weapon content with patch 5.45 today
It's time to go fighting until you're blue in the face… and then use that to learn a new spell. Yes, it's another Blue Mage update in Final Fantasy XIV, complete with new quests, new gear, and new spells to learn from various enemies and bosses throughout the game. And yes, some of them will […]
The Daily Grind: What's the worst MMO game mechanic ever?
Weeks ago, I saw a thread on the MMORPG subreddit about the worst mechanics in MMOs. I clicked on the link, scoffing, thinking surely this thread couldn't top some of the awful mechanics I've seen. And then the OP described an MMO where players lose levels for dying in PvP, and you know, I gotta […]
The Stream Team: Making some Midyear Mayhem in Elder Scrolls Online
The year of collecting tickets for Indriks in Elder Scrolls Online is done, but now you can run events to collect tickets for new pets. Of course Massively OP's MJ can't resist that! So even though the first event is PvP, she's all in. Tune in live at 8:00 p.m. to make some mayhem with […]
Massively Uplifting: 2021 begins with Trove's tree, Warframe's Tennobaum, and Star Trek Online's Tribbles for charity
Ready or not, here 2021 comes! And that's a relief to many. It's no stretch to say that we want 2021 to be a better year than last, and you can't go wrong starting it off with good deeds and charity. There are plenty of folks already off to making that happen thanks to their […]
Conan Exiles hopes to fix Xbox One server connection crashes sometime this week
Yes, we've heard precisely this same thing before out of Conan Exiles, but if there's been one constant, it's that the issues with the Xbox One version of the survival sandbox have been a particularly tough nut to crack. However, producer Scott Junior once more promises that relief is in sight, specifically for Xbox One […]
RuneScape adds player-created Activity Pets and marks the Ninja Team's anniversary with a quest
This week in RuneScape, it's all about Ninjas and pets. Which sort of reads like Jagex is encouraging players to pet ninjas when the devs are actually talking about the addition of Activity Pets and a celebration of the Ninja Team's first anniversary in the game's weekly update post. Please do not pet the Ninjas. […]
Blizzard teases February's BlizzConline 2021 outlook, 30th anniversary bundles
Yes, BlizzConline is still happening, and yes it's still called that. Blizzard has dropped a new trailer for the all-digital show today along with a recap of what to expect when the event kicks off on February 19th, though the full schedule is still forthcoming. "Day 1 will kick off at 2 p.m. PST on […]
Google is shutting down its Stadia development studios, though Stadia games remain playable
It comes as absolutely no surprise to anyone who has been paying even the smallest amount of attention that Google Stadia has been struggling to keep itself afloat. More bad news came for the streaming service today, as Kotaku announced that Google is shutting down its internal development studios for the platform, which means two […]
Star Citizen's Tony Z on how dynamic events will work in the game
It's pretty easy to assume that the entirety of gameplay in Star Citizen will be player-driven in the sandbox, but the Assault on Stanton event — and more specifically this week's Star Citizen Live — shows that dynamic events will also play a big role in terms of gameplay. Provided things go to plan, of […]
Final Fantasy XI asks players to find love for man and beast alike on Valentine's Day
Yes, it's almost time for Valentine's Day – or, as it's known in Final Fantasy XI, Valentione's Day – and that means the joy of an event for players to participate in. And this year, the game is asking you to help find love for both people and chocobos at the same time. Wait, what? […]
MechWarrior Online promises less grind, new 'Mechs, and weapon improvements in 2021 roadmap
A couple of weeks ago some of the devs of MechWarrior Online outlined the multiplayer title's update plans for 2021 including the release of a roadmap. That roadmap has since been shared, elaborating on the four so-called "themes" of each quarter's development focus. Most of the targets for the first quarter such as the removal […]
Class action suit accuses Valve of using its 'dominant' position in the marketplace to drive up prices
It's an understood fact of PC gaming life that the Steam platform is the standard for digital games storefronts, and it's that position of power that has lead five gamers to file a class action lawsuit this past Thursday against Valve, claiming that the company is abusing its power to mark up the prices of […]
Warframe showcases new character and Railjack improvements in livestream
Digital Extremes is back on its livestream thing with the first broadcast of 2021 for Warframe, and this one has plenty to say about what's coming to the game with the next major update. In this update, known as Call of the Tempestarii, players can look forward to a brand-new 'Frame by the name of […]
Not So Massively: Wolcen's Bloodtrail is worth coming back for
I've been a fan of Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem from the start, but with how long things went quiet after the initial post-launch updates, I was starting to get worried. Thankfully, the silence has now been broken with the launch of the first Chronicle, Bloodtrail, which brings with it plentiful polishing as well as new […]
Fortnite and Verizon have put together an in-game stadium to celebrate the Super Bowl
It's either time for the biggest football game in America or a reason to check out some superb owls. It's almost Super Bowl Sunday and Fortnite is getting all up in the act thanks to a promotion with Verizon that has led to an in-game football stadium in Creative mode. This new stadium, which is […]
Wisdom of Nym: What to expect from Final Fantasy XIV's announcement showcase Friday
My original plan for this particular column was to just write the title "The Final Fantasy XIV announcement showcase is on Friday" over and over until I hit the required word count for a column-length feature. That idea didn't pass the basic litmus test of "explaining it to my boss," who noted that I already […]
Guild Wars 2 proclaims 'significant reduction in lag' after patch
ArenaNet is claiming at least partial victory over some latency issues that plagued Guild Wars 2 in 2020. The studio announced that the patch put out in mid-December accomplished its mission in beating down that lag monster and making the MMO a better place for all. "We released an update on December 15 and have […]
LOTRO patches further adjustments to troubled legendary item grind
With the third round of changes regarding legendary items in Lord of the Rings Online arrives, the community still isn't having it with SSG's infuriating restrictions to gaining the items that they need for this system. Patch 28.3.1 arrives today with adjustments to the max levels of certain scrolls of empowerment, increasing the level range […]
Albion Online previews Call to Arms, taking faction warfare to a new level
What's the next big thing for award-winning Albion Online? The colorful MMO just revealed Call to Arms, a content update that's going into testing next month. Call to Arms is centered around two big improvements to the game. Faction Warfare 2.0 will give PvP players the ability to dominate whole regions — as well as […]
RuneScape offers a look at its upcoming avatar visual refresh
On the whole, RuneScape is a pretty nice-looking game, but flipping back through my own images from my run through the game for CMA I have to agree that the player avatars could do with a bit of a makeover. Luckily, that's just what Jagex has in mind and what was shared in a recent […]
The Daily Grind: What's the most obscure MMORPG you've ever actually played?
We have a random column here on MOP where we rattle off new or obscure titles – usually we call it MMOs You've Never Heard Of, and usually they really are games few people know about and games we seldom cover twice. But I like at least giving them a mention. What I don't wind […]
MMO Week in Review: Gamestonk, Amazon, Jagex, and Blackwood
Well this was a fun week – the week everyone learned how to stock market, and it was all thanks to GameStop, which is finally good for something! Meanwhile, Amazon is a dumpster fire, Jagex is in the midst of what we can describe only as a right proper imbroglio, and Elder Scrolls Online is […]
AdventureQuest 3D pits werewolves against vampires, adds Bernie's memeworthy mittens
Just in time for Valentine's Day, werewolves, vampires, and horror is overtaking AdventureQuest 3D. Hey, this game doesn't follow the traditional holiday schedule! In the cross-platform fantasy MMO's latest patch, a secret down in the basement of Boog's tavern will unleash a terror that no one — no, not even you — is prepared to handle. […]
The MOP Up: Dark Age of Camelot's 2021 roadmap
For an older MMORPG, Dark Age of Camelot isn't resting on its cyber-laurels. The RvR title posted its initial plans for 2021, and all of it sounds exciting! "We will have patch 1.128 coming out directly to live servers [this past] week with several much-requested bug fixes, including the social window display issue, some new […]
Shadow Arena introduces two new heroes and adjusts defense points in latest update
Shadow Arena, aka the battle royale game with fun modes but nobody around to play them, continues to push out updates in defiance of its low player numbers. This latest update has unleashed a couple of new heroes to the game's roster as well as adjusted how defense points (DP) work. First, the new heroes: […]
Global Chat: Amazing quality-of-life MMO mechanics
Little things can mean a whole lot, especially if they impact your gameplay for the better. MMO blogger Contains Moderate Peril wrote a list of five quality-of-life features that he's loved in his games. "I feel that Guild Wars 2 handles this mechanic the best, insofar as every player has the ability to revive another," he […]
Star Trek Online's new Legendary Anniversary Pack unleashes a torrent of rage from players
In case you somehow missed it, Star Trek Online has released a new Legendary Anniversary Pack to commemorate the game's 11th year of operation. The reaction from players to this new bundle, however, has not been exactly warm. Unless you consider flames to be warm, but that's a bit too literal. The game's official Reddit […]
One Shots: Where do you find penguin wear?
When you head out to the final frontier in Star Citizen, make sure that you take your favorite, um, penguin? Sure, that sounds like an essential addition to the crew. And if you take a penguin, you best go shopping for warm penguin wear, because you don't want this little guy to get chilly. He's […]
The Daily Grind: What one change would you make on a rogue server for a live MMO?
Wow! Great news here, you are personally allowed to operate a rogue server for that live game you like! Seriously, you've got a whole team ready to support you running that server, that's pretty awesome. No, don't ask about how it happened. The negotiations of the hypothetical thought experiment legal department are arcane and best […]
Ashes of Creation plans a new website, 20 biomes, and February 19 milestone test
The month of January is almost over, but there's still some news to be heard from the devs of Ashes of Creation in the form of their monthly development update stream, which gives fans and backers a progress report on what's being worked on and what's coming next for the MMORPG. In terms of updates, […]
World of Warcraft makes Torghast unlocks account-wide
Here's some really good news for players who are groaning in anticipation at running those lengthy Torghast levels in World of Warcraft! Blizzard hotfixed a way to share those achievements across your entire account, meaning that you only have to accomplish this once to enjoy the benefits for your army of alts. "Now, when you've […]
The Game Archaeologist: Lost Continents, the Jules Verne MMO we never got
If you're looking for an alternate vision of futuristic science fiction, you would do well to dive back into the worlds of 19th century author Jules Verne. His forward-thinking designs and stories influenced movies such as Back to the Future Part III and theme parks such as Euro Disneyland and Tokyo Disneysea. Jules Verne's imaginary […]
The Stream Team: Checking in on the now free-to-play Will to Live Online
Although development has been steady (and the game is now free-to-play), it has been a very long time since Massively OP's MJ has been in to check out Will to Live Online. Maybe her will just wasn't strong enough, or perhaps she was scarred too much by the rats! Whatever the reason, she has blocked […]
Camelot Unchained previews the Verdant Forest and creation of 21 different races
The latest Unveiled newsletter from Camelot Unchained has a lot to talk about, but then again when you're trying to describe the creation of a forest biome and 21 different in-game races, you're going to end up with a lengthy newsletter and a monthly blog recap to top it off. On the subject of the […]
Report exposes mismanagement, bro culture, and trend-chasing at Amazon Game Studios
We've all heard about how someone or something is "too big to fail," but in the case of Amazon Game Studios, it's been one failure after another, with the cancellation of Breakaway after a development hiatus, the beta do-over and then full cancellation of Crucible, and a wholesale direction shift for New World, which led […]
WRUP: Beekeeping strategies edition
DON'T: Yell at your bees. DO: Yell encouraging things at flowers while making it clear that the yelling is not directed at the bees. DON'T: Throw fire at your bees. DO: Teach your bees about alternating and direct current in electricity. DON'T: Take all of your clothing off and run around your beehives while dripping […]
The Daily Grind: How often do you start over in MMOs?
One of my all-time favorite things to do in MMORPGs is to wipe the slate clean and start over. I've been going nuts doing that this month, rerolling in several of my favorite games and experiencing that "fresh character smell" that hints of possibility and future adventures. Sure, this isn't always practical if you have […]
The Stream Team: AdventureQuest 3D's Blood Moon is about to rise
AQ3D's Darkovia story continues this week with the release of the next chapter, Before the Blood Moon. Now that Saferia and Constantine are in charge of the Vampires and werewolves, peace between the two races can finally happen. But there is an ancient power that can disrupt it all — or perhaps even help! Massively […]
Betawatch: Magic Legends hits open beta on March 23
It took a bit longer than expected, possibly longer than the developers had hoped, but it's finally happening. Magic Legends has an official open beta date of March 23rd, far enough away that there's time for refinement ahead of the date itself but close enough that it's worth looking forward to. Isn't it nice when things […]
Mu Online launches Season 15 Part 2, Mu Origin 2 introduces a new Rune system
Talk about MMOs that have way too many versions of themselves; it's time to look at some new updates to Mu! Specifically, the PC game Mu Online and the mobile title MU Origin 2, both of which have gotten some fresh injections of content. In Mu Online, Season 15 Part 2 is now live, bringing […]
Aion asks players to defend the Garden of Growth with its new auto-hunting mechanics
Darn, hunting things in the Garden of Growth in Aion is going to take a while. Seriously, the whole thing that players are doing is popping enemies for an hour while gaining experience boosters and occasional stones. If only there were a way to just set the game to play itself for you during the […]
Runes of Magic opens the Dasein's Labyrinth event zone for a limited time
Yes, the event zone that has been introduced in Runes of Magic calls itself Dasein's Labyrinth, which implies that it introduces one of our community's most hated MMO features. This one, however, doesn't sound so bad, and there's even an option to fight a boss instead. From now until Thursday, February 4th, players that are […]
