Lord of the Rings Online closes the doors to its Ithil progression server
Today the sun sets over a small part of Lord of the Rings Online's Middle-earth, as Standing Stone Games is closing down its underpopulated Ithil progression server. Players have the option of transferring their characters from Ithil to the other progression server or regular servers until the end of the year, however. This closure coincides […]
WoW Classic triggers Burning Crusade's first arena season
It's finally time for World of Warcraft Classic to step into a new (old) era of PvP, as the legacy MMO activated the first season of arena battles this week. "Burning Crusade Arena Season 1 has begun calling forth the finest combatants in all of Outland to converge and compete in three arenas: Ring of […]
The Daily Grind: Should more MMOs offer class swapping?
I'm sure that a number of you are trying out Crowfall's beta and experiencing its special design of allowing players to jump into and out of different "vessels" — or classes — much in the same way that online FPS titles might allow for player choice. Class swapping is certainly one way to extend player […]
E3 2021: Everything multiplayer from Nintendo Direct
Well, Animal Crossing: New Horizons fans may remain disappointed after today's lack of update info, but Nintendo's 2021 E3 news did have a lot of surprises, not just for the single-player crowd but for the online multiplayer crowd we focus on here on MOP as well. We've got updates to Smash Bros Ultimate and Monster Hunter Rise, ports […]
Final Fantasy XIV plans its next Producer's Letter for July 9
It hasn't been that long since the Final Fantasy XIV digital fan festival, has it? Long enough that it's time to get producer and director Naoki Yoshida back behind the camera for another session of talking about the game, at least. Or almost long enough, as the next live letter from the producer has been […]
RuneScape updates familiar behaviors in latest patch, OSRS announces testing for new game client features
We're off to another week of news bits from RuneScape and Old School RuneScape. That's it. That's the lede. I've got nothing more to add this time around. Starting with RuneScape, the weekly patch has applied a Ninja Strike on several familiars' behavior, including a combat mode summoning setting with several options, familiar duration standardized […]
BioWare promotes Gary McKay to studio boss after tumultuous year
After a year of shakeups at BioWare, the game developer now has a new general manager… who is the same as it's old general manager. Sort of. BioWare announced that it was promoting interim general manager Gary McKay to full-time, super-awesome studio general manager. McKay replaced Casey Hudson, who departed the company studio last December, […]
Massively OP Podcast Episode 326: Lost Ark is finally found
Justin and Bree discuss E3 2021, Book of Travels, Elder Scrolls Online, Fallout 76, Diablo II Resurrected, Sea of Thieves, Riders Republic, Transformers Heavy Metal, Albion Online, Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis, Lost Ark, Aion Classic, and LOTRO, with adventures in Sims 4, WoW Classic, SWG Legends, Crowfall, and Albion, plus a mailbag topic on difficulty walls in MMOs.
Trove's new Bard class is live on the PC servers with tons of new costumes
Gamigo has pushed the new Bard class to Trove's PC servers today in what it's calling the Tune-Up update. Yes, it's slated for console too, though we don't have an ETA. The Bard essentially uses fist weapons and lutes to sing and dance and smash its way through combat. "Our little musician – with his […]
Astroneer is adding a hoverboard, new vehicles, and new missions this month in the Jet Powered update
Few games can't be improved with the addition of hoverboards. Think about it. How much better would traversing the world be? And mounted combat? Forget about it; taking down baddies while pulling sick tricks is everything my inner '90s kid would want. This isn't to suggest that the survival sandbox of Astroneer is getting these […]
Guild Wars 2 Seeds of Truth and Point of No Return are freely claimable ahead of Dragon Bash next week
This week's Guild Wars 2 freebies are up for grabs: Everyone can log in and snag two season two living world episodes, Seeds of Truth and Point of No Return, yes even free-to-play accounts. The episodes have been updated with new meta-achievements and rewards; the more achievements you do, the more goodies your account will […]
Choose My Adventure: Dipping a toe in the vast ocean of Star Wars Galaxies crafting and gathering
"Crafting in Star Wars Galaxies was the greatest thing ever in MMORPGs." How often have you read a comment like that? I know I've seen remarks similar to this one cross my eyes on a variety of comment sections and social media. It's been mentioned so often that it's kind of easy to brush it […]
New World begins new teaser video series dubbed Legends of New World
Amazon is kicking off a new video series leading into New World's big launch later this summer. Called Legends of New World, it's somewhere between a tone piece and a lore tease, as the short clip sets the mood for your trip to Aeternum, why you're there, and what exactly you're up against. Spoilers: Conquistador […]
Chronicles of Elyria previews Kingdoms of Elyria gameplay, outlines the path to alpha
Soulbound Studios CEO Jeromy Walsh is back once again to talk about Kingdoms of Elyria in another video, this time providing an extended look at gameplay and talking about how the Chronicles of Elyria spinoff will move through alpha. Alpha backers of the original MMORPG they were expecting to get will soon be invited to […]
Activision-Blizzard extends contentious shareholder vote on executive pay
MMO readers will recall that earlier this year, the industry erupted over a public relations fiasco Activision-Blizzard failed to adequately counter: In the midst of yet another round of layoffs for the company, CEO Bobby Kotick, already one of the highest-paid CEOs in the country, was poised to take advantage of a dodgy clause in […]
E3 2021: Blankos Block Party launches PC early access, announces partnerships with Burberry, Deadmau5, and Marathon Clothing
So apparently the earlier "early access soft launch" has decided to drop the soft launch part. Blankos Block Party, the multiplayer game-building title with NFT character designs, confirmed at E3 that the game has officially started early access on PC as a free-to-play title. Above and beyond that, the majority of the game's announcements were […]
Casually Classic: What if you don't want to raid in WoW Classic Burning Crusade?
If I had to sum up what my WoW Classic guild is doing in these first few weeks of Burning Crusade, it would be "racing to 70, gearing up, and pushing hard to get attuned for raids." Within days of the launch, we had multiple 70s and people regularly announcing some sort of attunement progress […]
Elder Scrolls Online launches Console Enhanced today, addresses 'ESO 2'
Elder Scrolls Online's Console Enhanced patch rolls out to console folks today, as downloading began at the crack o' dawn this morning. As ZeniMax has previously noted, the update essentially allows the MMORPG to run natively and fully on the newer PS5 and Xbox X|S consoles, or at least it will once the kinks are […]
World of Warcraft shows off the new region of Korthia and the Mythic+ rating system
Looking forward to more adventures in the Maw in World of Warcraft's next major patch? No, come back, it's different than it used to be! See, look at this whole preview of Korthia from the official site. It's very different, see? There are factions to work toward, and no Eye of the Jailer, and mounts, […]
Albion Online's mobile launch drove its concurrency numbers to a new high of 270K
On the MOP Podcast that launches later today, I joke about logging into Albion Online this weekend and being assaulted by the sounds of thousands of footsteps from the wild rush of people playing in the game's newbie areas following the launch of the mobile version last week. That wasn't just my imagination; the game […]
E3 2021: Phantasy Star Online 2 releases a live action trailer for New Genesis
I always feel that it's a weird vote of confidence when a video game studio puts out a trailer for a game using live actors. It's that extra marketing push that also attempts to communicate, in an awkward way, that players are welcome into this game world. However you take it, Phantasy Star Online 2's […]
The Daily Grind: Have you ever fallen in love with MMO-ish content in non-MMOs?
Today's Daily Grind is inspired by a thread I spotted on the MMORPG subreddit a while back. The author was talking about stumbling into a non-MMO – Monster Hunter World, in this case – and finding some of the MMORPG content that he wasn't getting out of real MMORPGs, specifically a sense of progression, discovery, […]
Neverwinter prepares for the eighth Protector's Jubilee starting on June 17
The eponymous city in Neverwinter has some problems. Literally, the place is an adventure magnet, and that means it's constantly besieged by monsters, demons, demonic monsters, wildlife, fey arsenals… at some point we think there might have been a squirrel invasion. But the city is still (more or less) in one piece, and to thank […]
Microsoft executives talk about expanding game services, game accessibility, inclusivity, and first-party releases
The head execs at Microsoft have some lofty plans for the wider gaming world if several statements are anything to go by. The company held a pre-brief ahead of this year's E3 showcase featuring a number of gaming executives, all of whom talked up big strategies to expand Microsoft's reach into the gaming market – […]
Among Us outlines plans for more players, more colors, and more features in a roadmap
The popular multiplayer deception game Among Us has lots of plans for new content according to a recent video roadmap. In no particular order, according to the video. Leading off the list is a new Hide & Seek mode that appears to operate about the way one would expect, followed by the addition of Sheriff […]
Lord of the Rings Online previews its new speedy and plodding progression servers
Even as Lord of the Rings Online shuts down its underpopulated Ithil legendary server this week, Standing Stone Games is preparing to launch a pair of new progression servers for the community to enjoy. The twist? This time each one will come with a speed adjustment. According to SSG, Shadowfax — named after Gandalf's swift […]
SWG Legends begins Empire Day festivities, talks Bespin apartments and post-Bespin content
With Bespin already a month in the rear-view mirror, it's patch day for Star Wars Galaxies Legends. The rogue server's update on Monday kicks off the Independence Day-inspired celebrations of Empire Day and Remembrance Day, depending on whether you're a Rebel or Imperial character; players can expect new badges and collections for the event. The […]
Swords of Legends Online offers up videos of its Ancestral Records gameplay
Remember last week when Swords of Legends Online talked up its various gameplay modes in the Ancestral Records? Well, the good news is that you can check that out now in a quartet of new videos about the game. The first one is just about the Ancestral Record in general, but the other three show […]
Diablo II Resurrected executive producer talks about alpha feedback, beta features, and other Diablo title developments
Shortly after Diablo II: Resurrected got its time in the E3 sun to unveil its launch date, Blizzard's Rod Fergusson went into greater detail on the game's testing phases, among other things, in a post-announcement interview. Fergusson stated that the recent alpha test went well overall and received a lot of positive feedback, which led […]
E3 2021: EVE Online talks up the launch of its EVE Academy website
EVE Online promised that it was going to talk about something during the PC Gaming Show portion of this year's E3, and sure enough, it did. Specifically, CCP Games talked up the EVE Academy, which readers will recall was first spotlighted this past May. Not too much has changed since the website's first introduction: Interested […]
Warhammer Online rogue server Return of Reckoning previews new dungeon
Once in a while the MMORPG subreddit plays host to some exclusive and unique reveals for our genre – for instance, the devs of the Warhammer Online rogue server Return of Reckoning shared an exclusive preview of a new dungeon that's coming to the server sometime soon. The dungeon is known as Hunter's Vale and […]
Fight or Kite: Leafling Online is a retro-inspired action MMO for PvPers – and grinders
When I spied our recent article on Leafling Online, I almost immediately jumped in. It's currently in early access, but studio Celtaria Productions claims it's designed to be a free-to-play game with a cosmetic-only cash shop. I'm loving the visuals, the animations, and the whole concept. A retro-stylized MMO is extremely enticing to me. I've […]
The Elder Scrolls Online brings back a free trial of its ESO Plus subscription this week
Did the reveals from E3 pique your interest in The Elder Scrolls Online? Did you happen to miss out on the last time the game offered this kind of promotion? In either case, ESO is once more offering a free trial of its ESO Plus subscription. Just like last time, this trial will not require […]
Wisdom of Nym: Speculating about the mechanics of Final Fantasy XIV's Reaper way too early
So! Last week, I speculated about Sage in what will almost certainly be incorrect predictions regarding the job's mechanics and overall playstyle. Was this a good idea? Who knows! It was an idea, let's leave it at that while also noting that I have a long history of making my predictions public. If I'm wrong, […]
Crowfall's latest Q&A covers the roadmap before and after launch
The June ACE Q&A video from Crowfall is online, and you'll never guess what J. Todd Coleman and Thomas Blair had to talk about. Yes, it's the MMO's upcoming launch, obviously, and the two lead devs took some moments to look back at the progress made and offer a little detail of what's happening next. […]
Ashes of Creation fields fan questions about combat, classes, content challenge, PvP, and social interactions
Yesterday, creative director Steven Sharif joined with the MMORPG subreddit's community rep Protobear to answer several fan questions about Ashes of Creation, which ran the usual broad-reaching gamut of inquiries about various systems and matters related to the developing MMORPG. As ever, Sharif had a lot to say, so strap yourselves in. Sharif first fielded […]
New World offers a brief explanation of Expeditions in newest video
Care to take a delve into the Expeditions of New World? Then perhaps you'll enjoy the game's latest video, which offers a look at how these instanced dungeons (by any other name) operate in the upcoming MMO. The video lauds Expeditions as places where players can find unique foes to fight, puzzles to solve, and […]
E3 2021: Transformers Heavy Metal, Icarus, Halo Infinite, The Crew 2, Babylon's Fall, Ascent, Rawmen, Naraka Bladepoint, Chivalry 2
In addition to The Elder Scrolls Online, Fallout 76, Diablo II Resurrected, Sea of Thieves, Riders Republic, and Redfall, there are a few more multiplayer games of note that were featured as part of E3 and E3-adjacent events. Let's do a quick rundown! Transformers Heavy Metal: Don't tell MOP's Eliot but Pokemon Go company Niantic […]
PSA: LOTRO's Ithil progression server players have until June 15 to log in to their characters before shutdown
Consider this a friendly reminder prompted by SSG's own friendly reminder of the impending shutdown of the Ithil progression server in Lord of the Rings Online. The server will be unavailable for login this coming Tuesday, June 15th, and will ultimately be going dark the following Wednesday; players of the server will have before the […]
E3 2021: Bethesda's Redfall pits co-op teams against a vampire invasion
If you've had it up to here with sparkly vampire love stories, then grab a gun and get to blasting a few of those blood-suckers back into the grave. That's the spirit behind Redfall, a new open world co-op shooter coming out next year from Bethesda subsidiary Arkane Austin. "Play it solo or in co-op […]
The Daily Grind: How do you introduce friends to old MMORPGs?
Whoever said that teachers teach because they can't do has never tried to teach someone new how to play an old MMORPG. Holy crap, this is hard! Over the last couple of weeks, I've been trying to help Chris acclimate to Star Wars Galaxies for his Choose My Adventure series, and he's been gamely following […]
MMO Week in Review: MMOs are back
I don't know about you folks, but I feel as if I'm barely treading water when it comes to keeping up with all the MMO news from the last week. It's damn hard to convince yourself MMOs are in trouble when we're looking at ESO Blackwood, PSO2 New Genesis, Lost Ark, Crowfall, Elyon, Albion Online, […]
The MOP Up: Guild Wars 2 organizes new player tips thread
If you're getting into Guild Wars 2 for the first time or can actually admit that you don't know everything about the game, there's a handy new resource for you to learn all sorts of tips and tricks. ArenaNet organized a #GW2Info thread to populate it with studio and player tips for the MMO. Enjoy! […]
E3 2021: Sea of Thieves kicks off season three with Pirates of the Caribbean collab A Pirate's Life
I can't be the only person who's been watching Sea of Thieves' lack of content lately and wondered what the heck Rare is doing over there. It turns out it's been working on a new story campaign called A Pirate's Life that is essentially a collab between the game and Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean. […]
E3 2021: Diablo II Resurrected launches September 23 following open beta; preorders are live now
We've known that Blizzard was working on Diablo II: Resurrected since the big reveal at BlizzConline, but it wasn't a sure bet when it was launching. Now we know: At E3 today, the company put a September 23rd launch date on the remastered title, following an August open beta that will include five of the […]
E3 2021: Elder Scrolls Online announces Waking Flame and Deadlands, Fallout 76 plans Steel Reign and The Pitt
The Xbox-plus-Bethsoft E3 games showcase held a bit of news for MMO players, if you can rip your eyeballs away from Starfield long enough to get caught up! First, Elder Scrolls Online fans already knew that Console Enhanced had been delayed a smidge. It's now coming June 15th, though, so you haven't got long to […]
PSO2 New Genesis wrestles with server lag and unhappy players post-launch
So, how has your time in Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis been? Personally speaking, I've enjoyed myself quite a bit but also have experienced a great deal of lag, which is certainly the case for a large number of players. The game recently went through some unscheduled downtime in order to address server lag, […]
E3 2021: Multiplayer extreme sports playground Riders Republic unveils September 2 release date
Do you recall the multiplayer extreme sports title Riders Republic? This one was first unveiled in September of last year and announced a shift in release timing from February 2021 to "later this year." During Ubisoft's E3 presentation, we learned just when precisely later this year is: Thursday, September 2nd. The presentation also offered up […]
One Shots: The emperor's new cosmetics
"Ever had one of those dreams where you're declared the sultana's champion at a royal banquet in FFXIV and realize you aren't wearing pants?" Hirku Two asked. In game, no. In real life, yes, but just once. At least when you're in an MMORPG, there's no shame, because someone out there has a cosmetic that's […]
The Daily Grind: What sort of monster do you love to kill in an MMO?
We've made jokes before about how MMORPGs have certain predictable elements in their bestiaries. After all, most games feature the really cute thing (or things) you'd prefer not to fight, the legless blob, the dragon thing, and so forth. But there's also always one sort of enemy you love to kill. Whether it's due to constant […]
