Massively on the Go: Revisiting Star Wars Galaxy's Edge's ARG
A former coworker and I recently went to Disneyland, incidentally on the same day. We were talking about our days there, and she wondered whether the Disney Play app is worth getting for people who aren't into Star Wars. I thought about that for a moment and argued that even for Star Wars fans, the app […]
Swords of Legends Online offers a video preview of fishing
It's been a pretty well established fact by this point that Swords of Legends Online is a game that loves to share videos, and while the videos published by this point have been primarily about combat, the latest one would like to reel that back and reel in some fish. The fishing preview video doesn't […]
One Shots: Bro just wants to hang
I think it's beyond unfair that because a creature or person is suffering from gigantism that they have to be pigeon-holed into the role of a raid or world boss. Sometimes giant monsters just want to hang, binge some Game of Thrones, and play fantasy football, you know? Maybe we can make friends with this […]
The Daily Grind: What do you do to be social in an MMO?
People have been saying to me for years that MMO are less social these days. I've never really understood why; I'm still as social as I ever was. But I think that's part of the equation right there. What you get out of a game is in some ways representative of what you put into […]
New World's Edengrove tempts you to take a bite of its apple
Who's ready for some sweet eye candy? New World continues to serve that sort of thing up in spades in its zone tour videos, the latest of which is up and featuring the gorgeous region of Edengrove. As the name implies, Edengrove is a bright and bustling northern zone with a garden theme (and a […]
Blade & Soul teases Dual-Blades class in new trailer
Blade & Soul certainly isn't hurting for character classes that wield a sword, or even classes that dual-wield, but what if there's a class that dual-wields swords? That's what's coming when the game releases its UE4-powered Revival update in the third quarter of this year: the rather on-the-nose Dual-Blades class. "The 14th class coming to […]
Lord of the Rings Online's Midsummer Festival has returned
Lord of the Rings Online's newest holiday, the Midsummer Festival, has returned for another bout of wedding-themed events. While Standing Stone Games isn't bringing back the Midsummer Hobbit Presents (this year, at least), the studio has introduced a whole bunch of pets, outfit pieces, steed cosmetics, housing decor, and even summer-themed musical instruments. If you […]
The Stream Team: The other side of ARK Genesis 2
One thing that is very different about ARK's Genesis 2 map compared to the previous ones is that it doesn't hide the fact it is a space ship hurtling through the universe. And that means the whole set up is quite different. In fact, the ship is separated into two very distinct sides. Massively OP's […]
Heidel Ball 2021: Black Desert announces summer season server, shows off new Corsair class
Earlier this morning, Black Desert held its digital Heidel Ball event, which was stuffed to the rafters with announcements and reveals. At the top of the list is the new Corsair class, which is arriving on June 29th and can be pre-created starting on June 23rd. As with other classes in BDO, this one has […]
Ship of Heroes calls one and all to its July beta event, postpones launch to 2022
Ship of Heroes isn't going to launch this year, fam, but that doesn't mean you won't be able to play it. In fact, the studio would like you to start getting read for a July summer beta event that will be free and open to everyone. This will be the first time that testers will […]
WRUP: It's only slightly used edition
Ah, I see what you have your eyes on. No, don't let yourself give up so quickly, look closer. The container is what's still holding it together, you see. It's been through quite a lot over its time here, but that doesn't mean there isn't still something ineffable about it, wouldn't you agree? Look here, […]
The Daily Grind: Do promotional server rulesets hurt or help MMO communities?
I was reading some interesting chatter on the Lord of the Rings Online forums following last week's announcement that SSG is rolling out two new progression servers (after closing an old one down). Some players are predictably excited about starting over and experiencing these faster and slower progression shards, but there was a bit of […]
The Stream Team: Taking on AQ3D's new Pyramid of Crocos Challenge
AQ3D is always adding to the game, and this latest content update unveiled the new Pyramid of Crocos Challenge. Massively OP's MJ is ready to test out the new mechanics in this continuation of the Sandsea story dungeon. Word is the all-new water breathing potions will come in handy! Along with a challenge and rewards, […]
Betawatch: Swords of Legends Online opens up the doors for everyone
Eager to try out Swords of Legends Online but haven't had any luck getting into the game's beta testing so far? No worries, now everyone can get in to test for a little while as part of the Steam Next Festival. So you can see what people are talking about, if you're so inclined. More […]
Battle Bards Episode 195: In the mountains
Attempting to summit the very best of MMO music, the Battle Bards head up, up, up into the mountains with this episode! What musical motifs do the ranges hold in online games? The crew of Steff, Syl, and Syp are going to try to find out — if the yeti doesn't eat them first! Battle […]
Warframe devs post schedule for this year's digital TennoCon 2021
You might have been bummed about Digital Extremes' April announcement that TennoCon 2021 would once again be an all-digital event instead of an in-person one, but take heart: You can watch all the Warframe goodies from the comfort of your couch. DE has posted a schedule of what to expect from this year's event, including […]
Blade & Soul: Revolution adds the Blade Dancer, the Blackram Supply Chain, and a new story act
Do you like the Blade Dancer in Blade & Soul but hate its relative lack of presence in a mobile version of the game? Good news, then! Blade & Soul: Revolution's most recent update has added the Blade Dancer into the mobile version, so now you can dance with sharp things to your heart's content […]
SMITE has added Morgan Le Fay to the roster and unveils a Stranger Things crossover for its July Battle Pass
It's one half Arthurian legend and one half the Upside Down in SMITE as the MOBA has made a couple of distinct reveals recently. First on deck is the Dark Enchantress update, which introduced the Arthurian villainess Morgan Le Fay this past Tuesday. Le Fay is a potent mage character that brings plenty of dark […]
SEED writes blogs about Seedling design and emotions, production gameplay, and delicious algae
Followers of the colony creation MMO SEED have borne witness to an absolute deluge of dev blogs out of the game over the past several days, but if you happen to have missed out on any of them, allow us to do a quick rundown of the past six(!) posts. First, we get a look […]
Grab a closed beta key for Gamigo's new MOBA, Skydome
If you've missed out on Skydome's stress test this month, then you're in luck: We've got keys to get you into the ongoing closed beta even after the stress test closes this weekend. Readers will recall that Skydome is Gamigo's latest title; it's a 4v4 multiplayer hybrid MOBA/tower defense title that's expected to hit early […]
Life Beyond unveils plans to introduce MMORPG-like roles in the near future
It's time to once again bring another MMO title that might have fallen off of the radar back into focus. This time around, we're circling back to Life Beyond, the SpatialOS-powered survival MMO being developed by French studio Darewise, the same studio behind the other space survival title ROKH that saw development stall in 2018. […]
Whatever happened to Atlas Rogues?
We all sort of collectively realized that we hadn't really looked back at Atlas Rogues, the PvE co-op rogue-lite respawning of the original turn-based team PvPer Atlas Reactor. Our last report on the game was about a patch that arrived in January, while our first impressions piece found the initial early access release to be […]
Rumor: IO Interactive's Microsoft-backed Project Dragon might be an MMO
Clever Redditors caught an interesting snippet from the Xbox Two podcast that portends some intriguing news for MMO players. Back in April, there were rumors floating around that IO Interactive's next game – Project Dragon – was going to be a Microsoft-backed fantasy RPG that took the studio in a totally new direction. It didn't […]
The Game Archaeologist: Anarchy Online, from development to beta
We all have stories of our very first MMORPG experiences, and the one that I often share is that my initial dip into this genre happened with Anarchy Online. I was intrigued at the scifi angle of this online MMO and already was fond of Funcom due to The Longest Journey, so I took my […]
Star Citizen outlines improvements to the Xenothreat event and offers a peek at the Ninetails event
If you're among those who believe that dynamic events in Star Citizen have room for improvement, know that folks in CIG agree with you. Thus, this week's episode of Inside Star Citizen talks about plans for improving the Xenothreat event; expect clearer objective details and informative dialogue, better friendly fire recognition and penalties, the opportunity […]
Swords of Legends Online offers a free limited-time demo on Steam
Steam Next Fest, the marketplace's big showcase of upcoming titles from a wide variety of genres, is being used as a platform for Swords of Legends Online to stir up some hype for itself. Between now and Tuesday, June 22nd, players can take a free peek at the upcoming martial arts MMORPG by way of […]
World of Warcraft's patch yields another cinematic… but there are more still encrypted ones to find
There's a new cinematic that's been discovered for World of Warcraft's upcoming patch 9.1, Chains of Domination. It's a spoiler. That much you can probably guess just from context. But what is contained within that's so spoilerific? Well, telling you that would just be more of a spoiler. Suffice it to say, though, that if […]
The Pokemon Unite MOBA launches on Switch in July and mobile in September
Even though the best tortoise tank won't be there at launch, Pokemon Unite will be releasing sometime in July 2021 on the Switch as a "free to start" game, followed by a mobile release sometime in September 2021. Don't worry if your friends have a Switch and you don't, as this will be a crossplay […]
Chronicles of Elyria talks rebuilding trust in backer Q&A as the consumer lawsuit continues
If talk could be spun into gameplay, then Chronicles of Elyria would be an impressive MMORPG these days. Unfortunately, talk is just that — talk — until results are seen, and in greater abundance than the recent video of Kingdoms of Elyria. In the meantime, the creator of the Elyria universe, Jeromy Walsh, fielded a whole […]
Fallout 76 devs preview this summer's Steel Reign storyline
Forget falling for uranium fever — investing in some serious steel is where it's at in 2021. At least that is the case for Fallout 76, as the post-apocalyptic RPG is in the midst of a Brotherhood of Steel story arc that began last year and is set to continue with July's big content update. […]
The Daily Grind: Should Bethsoft add multiplayer to Starfield?
Starfield is not going to be a multiplayer game, let's just say that upfront. Bethsoft's expertise is in single-player RPGs, if you ask me, and I can understand wanting to stick to what you're good at. With apologies to Fallout 76 fans, that game is probably the best example I can think of for why […]
The Stream Team: Making merry with Neverwinter Mindflayers
Massively OP's MJ is partying with the Mindflayers of Neverwinter's Underdark. And by partying, she means slaughtering them all (except for her personal minion, Ackbari) and foiling their evil designs in Whispering Caverns. Hey, it will be a fun and merry time for her assassin! Her path today leads her to entering the Iron Heart. […]
Massively Overthinking: Is 'layering' tech actually MMO community poison?
MOP reader ACuriousTanuki left a brilliant comment on a Palia article earlier this month that I thought deserved more discussion. Tanuki wondered about how the game reconcile instancing and layering with its plans for community, given similar situations in World of Warcraft where layering ensures that we seldom meet the same players twice. This isn't […]
Dauntless adds Timeweave Armor, opens a new island variant, and brings back earnable Exotic gear
As a Dauntless player, I can tell you how awesome owning Exotics like the Godhand, the Twin Suns, the Hunger, and Tragic Echo can feel. Now, everyone can experience these unique pieces of kit once more with the game's latest update, which brings the opportunity to earn these Exotics back to the game after their […]
Wild Terra 2 adds in the auction house along with crypt improvements and exotic item levels
Want to put some goods up for auction in Wild Terra 2 instead of manually finding a buyer? Now you can with the game's new auction system that even links players on different servers. The downside is that players will incur more fees for selling this way as opposed to direct trading, so it's up […]
Neverwinter answers player questions about endgame, character builds, and more in an AMA
Neverwinter's plans to squish the level cap from 80 to 20 likely raised a lot of questions in the minds of fans (in spite of the devs offering some explanations). To that end, the devs at Cryptic held an AMA yesterday to field a variety of leveling change-centric player questions. Most of the questions appeared […]
Blade & Soul kicks off new challenges and content with the Winds of Summer update
It's summer time in Blade & Soul (also in the real world), and that means it's time for a challenge. Don't ask how the two connect; you're not going to get a satisfactory answer. The important point is that the latest update brings with it the challenge of Thornwind Cavern. Group up with others to […]
World of Warcraft's 9.1 Chains of Domination is launching June 29
World of Warcraft Retail is finally putting a date on the first major patch post-Shadowlands: Chains of Domination is launching June 29th. "The Chains of Domination content update is packed with new features—brave a new area of the Maw—Korthia, the City of Secrets. Breach the Sanctum of Domination raid dungeon to confront the Jailer in […]
Grab a Eudemons Online summer gift bundle in honor of its 15th anniversary
Long-running free-to-play MMO Eudemons Online is turning 15 years old this month, quite a feat in this genre! "In the past 15 years, this classic fantasy MMORPG has brought us 7 distinctive classes, dozens of expansions, and hundreds of cute and vibrant Eudemons," TQ Digital says. "Eudemons, as the game is named for, refer to the […]
Secret World fan author Blodwedd Mallory releases the sixth book of her series today
We've been following the writing journey of fan author Amber "Blodwedd Mallory" McKee for a long time now. Readers will recall she was greenlit by Funcom in 2018 to write unofficial novels based on The Secret World, now Secret World Legends. Since then, McKee has cranked out five novels to date: To Sir with Love, […]
Star Trek Online showcases two new ships in a livestream and sees its latest PC patch eat up character slots (again)
Star Trek Online held another Ten Forward Weekly livestream yesterday that had a couple of announcements to share with players. First, the stream confirmed that next week's Recruitment Re-run will be Gamma Recruitment, though it will come with some new updates and "soft touches" for recruitment goals. The rest of the stream showcased two new […]
RuneScape Mobile has finally launched for iOS and Android – here's the new trailer!
RuneScape's mobile launch has had the good/bad kind of problem: It's a little too popular for its own good, with 1.8M mobile registrations before it was even live, thanks to a promotional event. In spite of the deluge of downloads that impacted logins yesterday, Jagex has officially launched the game on iOS and Android as […]
Book of Travels features Breath of the Wild-inspired cooking, food, and even moonshine
We're barreling on toward Book of Travels' "chapter zero" early access launch on August 9th, but in the meantime… who's hungry? Yes, the latest dev blog out from Might and Magic for Travellers is all about the food in the game and how you get it. "When it comes to food, our design is comfortably […]
Vague Patch Notes: Bugs are hard in MMOs
So apparently it's been pretty hard to play Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis. I don't know from personal experience (fool me once, shame on you, and all that), but I've heard stories about bugs, lag, and all of the things you expect from MMO launches if you've been around as long as I have. […]
EverQuest adds The Burning Lands expansion to its free-to-play offerings
Here's some really great news for EverQuest's free-to-play community: Daybreak has added a whole additional expansion to the roster of what you can experience. The studio announced that it was folding in The Burning Lands, the game's 25th expansion, in with all of the other free packs for its F2P model. The Burning Lands came […]
Elite Dangerous puts a halt on VR development, releases fourth Odyssey update, and wrestles with connection errors
It appears to be another round of bad news for fans of Elite: Dangerous' Odyssey expansion. First off, Frontier Developments announced in the Supercruise News livestream from this past Tuesday that development work on VR for the expansion is being put on hold; VR will still be supported and current bugs will be addressed, but […]
Swords of Legends Online previews crafting mechanics and elaborates on Rampage PvP flagging
There will undoubtedly be monsters to fight and quests to complete in Swords of Legends Online, but sometimes you need to cool your jets, craft some items, yank some fish out of the water, and craft some tasty meals. Mercifully, there will be plenty of that sort of thing happening as elaborated on by a […]
Interview: Neverwinter's lead designer on the level squish and why the new cap will (probably) be 20 forever
Neverwinter is about to embark on a major retooling of its entire leveling curve, resetting level 80 players to a new hard cap of level 20 and adjusting all of the content in the game accordingly. It's a significant rethinking of the way the game works at this stage in its development, and it's had […]
Bless Unleashed will finally launch on PC August 6
Neowiz and Round8 dropped a big announcement for Bless Online last night: The PC version of the console game born in the ashes of the original PC MMO will finally launch on Steam on August 6th. "The game will be available on Steam first, with the official platform launch following afterwards," the studios say. "Pre-download details […]
Elder Scrolls Online's endeavors reward system finally goes live
After holding it back from the launch of Blackwood, ZeniMax has finally rolled out the new and highly anticipated endeavors system for Elder Scrolls Online. This is basically a reward track that pays out in currency used to purchase lockbox items without having to buy the lockbox itself. "Endeavors are straightforward daily and weekly tasks […]
