How to Change Browser's User Agent to Bypass Websites (Google Chrome, Mozilla, Edge)

If you're trying to access a website that blocks certain mobile devices, websites usually detects your browser's user agent to check the type of device you're using. But did you know that web browser has actually a settings for it where you can mock your device information into a different device.

How to Change User Agent

To change your browser's user agent, you need to open Developer Tools. You can find this by clicking 3 dot or the hamburger icon in your browser then More Tools > Developer Tools. Or simply press CTRL + Shift + i.

Once Developer Tools, pop up at the bottom. At the upper right corner of it, click the 3 dot icon "Customize and control DevTools", then go to More Tools > Network Conditions.

From here, there will be a User Agent and by default, it is set automatically. To change your browser's user agent. Uncheck the Select automatically.

Then fill-in the user agent of the device that you want to pretend to. For example, mocking your device as a Huawei P30 Pro:

Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; Android 9; VOG-L29) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/73.0.3683.90 Mobile Safari/537.36

Once you've done changing your user agent, refresh the page that you're trying to access and you should able to bypass the device restriction.

That's it!


Intel launches 11th Gen Intel Core Processor, Rocket Lake-S

Today, Intel launches the 11th Gen Intel Core S-series desktop processor, code-named "Rocket Lake-S". Together with this, its flagship Intel Core i9-11900K can reached a processing speed of 5.3GHz with Intel's latest technology, the Thermal Velocity Boost. For the first time, this lineup also supports 20 x PCIe 4.0 for faster M.2 SSD and GPU cards which will bring gamers and PC enthusiasts a performance boost.

The 11th Gen Intel Core S-series desktop processors launched worldwide on March 16, 2021, are led by the flagship Intel Core i9-11900K. It can reach speeds up to 5.3 GHz with Intel Thermal Velocity Boost. (Credit: Intel Corporation)

The new processer was engineered on a new Cypress Core architecture which are designed to transform hardware and software efficiency and increase raw gaming performance. The new architecture brings up to 19% gen-over-gen instructions per cycle (IPC) improvements for the highest frequency cores and with its built-in graphics card Intel UHD that features Intel X graphics architecture for rich media and intelligent graphics capabilities. This will help games and application to give more performance that relies on high-frequency cores to drive high frame rates and low latency.

Design for Gaming

With the new 11th Gen desktop processor, Intel is pushing its new processor for improved gaming performance breaking the limits which delivers amazing and immersive experience for everyone.

The flagship 11th Gen Intel Core i9-11900K, features an unmatched performance of up to 5.3GHz, 8 cores, 16 threads and 16mb of Intel Smart Cache. It also supports fast memory speed with DDR4-3200 to enable smooth gameplay and seamless multitasking on the platform.

Here are the improvement against its previous generation:

  • Up to 19% gen-over-gen IPC performance improvement
  • Up to 50% better integrated graphics performance with Intel UHD graphics
  • Intel Deep Learning Boost and Vector Neural Network instructions supports for artificial intelligence (AI) interence for deep learning tasks.
  • Enhanced overclocking tools and features for flexible overclocking and tuning performance and experience.

Intel also collaborated with over 200 top game developers to bring Intel's optimization to their game, engine, middleware and rendering.

The new processor will also supports the long-due PCIe 4.0 lanes. Here are the complete specs of the new Intel 11th gen.

Core i9 Core i7 Core i5
Prices i9-11900K ($539)
i9-11900KF ($513)
i9-11900 ($439)
i9-11900F ($422)
i9-11900T ($439)
i7-11700K ($399)
i7-11700KF ($374)
i7-11700F ($298)
i7-11700T ($323)
i5-11600K ($262)
i5-11600KF ($237)
i5-11600 ($213)
i5-11600T ($213)
i5-11500 ($192)
i5-11500T ($192)
Maximum Base Frequency 3.5 GHz 3.6 GHz 3.9 GHz
Intel Thermal Velocity Boost Technology Single/All Core Turbo Frequency Up to 5.3/4.8 GHz n/a n/a
Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology Up to 5.2 GHz Up to 5.0 GHz n/a
Intel Single Core Turbo Frequency Up to 5.1 GHz Up to 4.9 GHz Up to 4.9 GHz
Max Number of Cores/Threads 8/16 8/16 6/12
Intel Hyper-Threading Technology Yes Yes Yes
Intel Smart Cache Size 16 MB 16 MB 16 MB
Memory Type Support Up to DDR4-3200 Up to DDR4-3200 Up to DDR4-3200
Number of Memory Channels 2 2 2
Intel UHD Graphics (Intel X graphics architecture) 750 750 Up to 750
Graphics Dynamic Frequency Up to 1300 Mhz Up to 1300 Mhz Up to 1300 Mhz
Intel Quick Sync Video Yes Yes Yes
Processor Core/Graphics/Memory Overclocking Yes Yes Yes
Intel Virtualization Technology Yes Yes Yes
Intel AES New Instructions Yes Yes Yes
Intel AVX2 Yes Yes Yes
Intel BIOS Guard Yes Yes Yes
Intel OS Guard Yes Yes Yes
Intel Identity Protection Technology Yes Yes Yes

To check the complete specs, you can check the SKU tables here.


Super BomberMan R Online is coming to PC and Consoles, a free-to-play 64-player Battle Royale

Konami is set to release the Super Bomberman R Online battle royale game on PlayStation 4/5, XBOX One, Switch and PC via Steam. It is a free-to-play title that will allow up to 64-player to fight in battle arena like game. Super Bomberman R Online was first released for Google Stadia back in September 2020, with this new announcement, players in all platform will much enjoy this addictive game as it will also support a cross-platform play in which players from other platform can play and match together.

Just like the Tetris Battle Royale, the game will not literally put 64 players in one map (area), but players will be divided and spawned in 16 different area. Areas will begin to close down as the clock ticks and players must survive and pass through the games as they battle other players. Those who make it to the last remaining area, player must battle it out to become the last one standing.

Since the game is a Free-to-play, a skin customization will be available in the game where players can purchase a Premium Pack for $9.9. This pack allows players to obtain random customizable items and skins based on the different Konami's IP like Castlevania, Gradius, Metal Gear, and the Silent Hill. To set up a private game or access the Grand prix mode, a Premium pack is also needed to access this exclusive feature.

For more updates and news about Super Bomberman R Online, you can check their official website at https://www.konami.com/games/bomberman/online/eu/en/.


How to Reconnect PLDT Disconnection

For any reason, either of a busy schedule or simply unable to pay the overdue bill at the earliest time, you might be surprised one day that you can no longer connect to the internet. You were eventually showing up in the "Payment portal" of the PLDT when you tried to open a particular website. This time, you'll know that you're being disconnected and have to pay your dues. Getting a disconnection when you need the internet the most is troublesome; you need to pay the due amount, and you have to wait a couple of hours for the internet connection to go back. And sometimes, it takes days to be reinstated.

Table of Contents

  1. How to pay PLDT due bills online
  2. Request PLDT Reconnection through Hotline Number (171)
  3. Request PLDT Reconnection via Facebook
  4. What to do next

But did you know that there is the easiest way to restore your internet connection as fast as possible? This is by requesting a reconnection either from their hotline number or from their Facebook page. This is all automated, and you don't have to talk to an actual person.

How to pay PLDT due bills online

There are many ways to pay your PLDT bills without going physically to the PLDT office, and there is also an accessing payment portal from the disconnection page portal when you try to access a website.

However, some online payment portal takes days to appear your payment. Here, we will list all of the payment portals that will process in just an hour or instantly.

Payment Portal How to
UnionBank of the Philippines You can pay through their app or website, go to Pay Bills, add PLDT as the biller and enter your account information. Then pay the due amount.
Paymaya On PayMaya, there is a special section called Bills, where you can pay Telecoms like PLDT Home. Just enter the Account number, amount due, phone number, and service type. Then pay the amount due.

There is also a cashback that you can get when you pay through PayMaya.
PLDT Home website You can also pay directly to the PLDT home website. Login and go to your account information. There should be a Pay Now button to pay through BancNet (It accepts any debit/credit card).

Request PLDT Reconnection through Hotline Number (171)

To request a PLDT reconnection, you can dial their hotline number 171. However, it is only available for Smart, Talk n' Text, Sun Cellular, or PLDT phone subscriber. Calling from other networks is not currently possible.

  1. Press 1 to select existing PLDT customers.
  2. You'll be asked with your PLDT number, including area code (e.g., 0838781111). You need to dial those numbers on the keypad.
  3. The automated customer service (ACS) will then repeat the number you've entered. If correct, you have to press 1. If not, press 2.
  4. After that, ACS will prompt that your internet connection was restricted, and you have to pay the remaining dues.
  5. Since we already paid for it. Press 2 to request for reconnecting. If you want to know your outstanding balance, press 1.
  6. The ACS will then validate the reconnection request, and you'll be expecting 2 hours for your connection to be fully restored.
  7. If two hours have passed and there is still no internet connection. You can press 1 at this point to fasten the request.

It took about 2 hours or less for your connection to be restored. The time may also vary on how many days you have been disconnected.

Request PLDT Reconnection via Facebook

You can also request via PLDT's official Facebook page or to their messenger at http://m.me/PLDTHome.

  1. Press Get Started to request reconnection.
  2. It will then asked you to accept their Terms of Service (TOS) and Privacy Policy. You have to press I accept to proceed.
  3. Then, you have to press Go to main menu to select for options.
  4. From here, it will ask you if you're an existing PLDT Home subscriber. Press Yes.
  5. Then you'll be asked to prepare your account number and telephone number. Press Proceed.
  6. Then from here, it will ask you for your telephone number, including the area code. (eg. 0838781111)
  7. Then, it will ask for your 10-digit PLDT account number. Just add an 0 at the start if your account number is only 9-digit.
  8. Then you'll be ask what you'd like for help. You have to select Billing Services.
  9. From here, scroll to the right and select Reconnection Request.
  10. Then it will ask you for some important details about reconnection. Just press Proceed.
  11. If you recently request for reconnection, it will prompt you that the reconnection request is still ongoing. If not, press Yes to proceed with the request.
  12. You may also choose to Receive Update for you to get updates with the status of your reconnection. It will ask you for the following details:
    • Previous amount paid (eg. 1,999.00)
    • Payment date (MM/DD/YYYY)
    • Payment method (PLDT branch, PayMaya, Online Banking, 7-Eleven, etc…)
    • Payment Reference number
    • Your email-address
    • Your updated mobile number

What to do next

Since we already paid and request reconnection for our disconnected internet. The thing that you need to do now is to wait. If you settled your bill during the evening, the chances of getting a reconnection are from 1 hour to 8 hours. Some may get their connection reconnection the next day.

If it's on the day, you'll probably get it restored in the 2 to 4 hours. If it's been the whole day and you still didn't get your internet connection back, you can speak to an Agent to prioritize your request.


How to Change GPS location on Web Browser (Google Chrome, Edge and Firefox)

Do you have website or service that you want to use that only available on certain area? Aside from VPN technology, some website starting to use GPS location to recognize the location of their customer or readers when using their services. There are lots of risky third party app that do this thing, but did you know that you can do this inside your browser? without installing harmful third party app that could damage your computer.

You can change your GPS location by just opening the Developer tools of your web browser, this is available on Google Chrome, Edge and Firefox. Click the 3 dot/hamburger icon on the upper right corner of your browser > go to More tools > Developer Tools.

Then you need to go to Sensors, to unlock this, click the 3 dot, More tools > then find Sensors.

From here, you there will be a settings for Location, click Manage.

Then, click Add location…. There will be a new row that you can edit your GPS location. Let's say you want to change your location to Davao City, you just need to enter the following GPS coordinates (Latitude, Longitude).

  • Location Name: Davao City
  • Latitude: 7.190001
  • Longitude: 125.455001
  • Timezone ID: Asia/Manila
  • Locale: en_US

After that, click Add. You can then close the small x button inside the Developer Tools. (Note: Do not close the Developer Tools).

Back to the Sensor tab, at Location, pick the new GPS location you added. In our example, Davao City. (There are some instances that the value are greyed out, in which the mock location will not work, to make it work, you just need to pick another location, then pick back the location you want to use)

In the same tab where the Developer tools is opened, you can then go to the website that you want to use your new GPS location.

To check your new GPS location, go to Google Map (https://www.google.com/maps/). At the bottom right corner of the map, click the Crosshair icon. If there is a pop-up saying "Google Maps does not have permission to use your location", just click the Pin icon at the web browser URL to enable location.

That's it guys! Hope this guide helps you change your GPS location from your web browser.


Unknown Culprit tries to peel-off PS5 scratch code out of Doritos Bag

Just a few weeks ago, Doritos recently announced their newest special promotion in the Philippines with Sony's partnership. The promotion will allow Filipino gamers to get a chance to bring home a brand-new PlayStation 5 (PS5) when they purchase a bag of Doritos.

A single bag of Doritos contains a scratchable coupon code that they could use to redeem it on Doritos' official website. When lucky, 10 winners will able to get PS5 units. And over 2000 winners will able to get random PlayStation games and other devices.

Amidst the PS5 stock shortage, an unknown culprit desperately ripped off the scratchable sticker on one of the Doritos bags displayed in a supermarket.

A picture uploaded by RK Bautista in the PlayStation Philippine Facebook group shows a rip-off sticker of an Doritos bag inside a super market. The incident happened in SM City Bacoor, Cavite. "mga sir wag naman ganyan! hahahaha. kung nasa group man gumawa nito grabe ka" (Sir, don't be like that! Hahahaha. if you're in this group, you're too much), RK Bautista write in a post.

Members in the group also reacted, "Sana hindi masarap yung pagkain yung nag sira niyan pramis" (I hope he didn't enjoy the food and it taste bad), Precil Canoy write in the comment. "Dapat ung code nilagay sa loob" (The code should be placed inside the bag), Adrian Sy added.

In unexpected twist, the culprit didn't know that even being able to get the winning code, an actual picture of Doritos bag and the coupon code is needed to claim the prize as part of the verification process. 

A large bag of Doritos is cost around 150 PHP in the Philippines; it includes one scratchable code that could contain a winning code of the following prizes:

  • 10 PlayStation 5 Console
  • 24 PlayStation 4 Console
  • 24 DualSense wireless controller
  • 1,960 PlayStation 5/4 games

The Doritos PlayStation 5 promotion will run from March 1 up to April 30, 2021.


Genshin Impact Paimon's Quiz Event on Facebook Messenger

Genshin Impact is giving away another free primogems to all players. This time, by participating into a quiz event on their official Facebook page. Players had to send them a message through Facebook messenger and navigate to the paimon quiz, when players answer the question correctly, they will get free 40 x Primogems.

Table of Content

  1. How to participate in Paimon's Quiz
  2. Answer to Quiz Question

However, the reward will not automatically appear to players in-game maibox, but will be sent on March 19, 2021. The event is a promotion for their upcoming rerun of Venti "Windborne Bard" banner and players will be expecting the quiz question is about this returning character.

How to participate in Paimon's Quiz

To participate in Genshin Impact Paimon's quiz, you need to go to their official Facebook page or through their messenger at http://m.me/Genshinimpact.

Paimon will be welcoming you on their messenger page. You need to click the Get Started button.

After that, it will asked you to select a language. Pick the language that you understand.

From here, there will be a selection of help page. You need to pick Paimon's Quiz.

After that, it will asked you a question. For English, the question is What is Venti's favorite food?

There will be 3 choices of answers, the correct answer is Apple.

You will then be asked to enter your in-game (9-digit) UID. You can find this number on the bottom right of the game (For example in the screenshot below, our UID is 80054970). You need to enter your own UID in the messenger chat to be eligible to get your reward.

The page will then prompt when you'll get the rewards in your in-game mail which is March 19.

Answer to Quiz Question

Here are all answers and question to every language in Paimon's quiz.

Language Question Answer
English What is Venti's favorite food? Apple
French Quelle est la nourriture préférée de Venti Pomme
Deutsch Welches von den folgenden Nahrungsmitteln isst Venti am liebsten? Apfel
Español ¿Cuál es la comida favorita de Venti? Manzana
Português Qual é a comida favorita do Venti? Maçã
Pусский Какая у Венти любимая еда? Яблоки
한국어 벤티는 아래 음식 중 어떤 음식을 좋아할까? 사과
Tiếng Việt Venti thích món nào nhất dưới đây? Táo
Indonesia Apa makanan kesukaan Venti? Apple
ภาษาไทย อาหารที่ Venti ชื่นชอบที่สุดอะไร? Apple

Players can only participate on this quiz event until March 16, 2021. After that, the quiz will no longer appear on their Facebook messenger.

That's it guys! Happy grinding!


Smart offers non-expiring load through Magic Data Promo, 24GB for PHP 399

The first telco that offers non-expiring load in the Philippines was from the Globe's digital telco GOMO. Without a doubt, a lot of Filipinos loves this kind of offer because they can have more freedom on how they can use their data. Now, Smart on the other hand, also offer the same promo, a non-expiring load, through their newest promo "Magic Data" where you can purchase a 24GB of data for PHP 399.

The new Magic Data promo of Smart will allow their prepaid subscriber to have a non-expiring load on accessing websites. The following are the rates of the Magic Data:

  • Magic Data 99 – 2GB Magic Data (No Expiry) for all sites
  • Magic Data 199 – 6GB Magic Data (No Expiry) for all sites
  • Magic Data 399 – 24GB Magic Data (No Expiry) for all sites

You can avail this offer by downloading their GigaLife app from Google Play (Android) or App Store (iOS).

Even though Smart's non-expiring load is quite pricey than GOMO's 30GB for P299, the speed you'll get from Smart are more reliable than the latter, especially on other areas where Globe signal are weak.


Racing Master, a Real-time Racing Realism of NetEase Games and Codemasters

Brand new IP brings real-world vehicles and tracks to Beta testers from March 2021

Da Hua studios of global games developer and operator NetEase Games, in conjunction with Codemasters – the award-winning British video game developer and publisher specialising in high-quality racing games including DIRT, GRID, and the BAFTA award-winning official F1 series today announce a new, cross-platform authentic racing game, Racing Master, will be available on both iOS and Android during its beta test. Racing Master will follow on other formats, with a Beta available in the US and Canada from March.

Racing Master is a real-time simulation racing game. Developed using the Unreal 4 engine and Codemasters' proprietary EGO technology, players will experience intense, authentic racing with precision-engineered vehicles. Players have access to hundreds of hyper-realistic cars from brands including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, Koenigsegg, and Aston Martin. Race against other players in cities around the world to become a racing champion. 

Pre-register on their official website: http://www.racingmaster.game/

Steeped in automotive culture, Racing Master allows players to race, tune and build their ultimate car collection. Customise vehicles with real-world parts from leading manufacturers and set the handling from casual to simulation for maximum control. With both tilt and touch options, Racing Master is the definitive racing experience, fully optimized across every platform.

A new trailer for all potential racers can be viewed here:

"I've always wanted to create a high-quality, realistic racing game." Bo Zhang, the Producer of Racing Master at NetEase Games, commented, "I am beyond grateful and truly honored to have this opportunity to fulfil my aspiration. With Racing Master, we set out to provide a platform for players to spark their passion for racing and experience the thrill of realistic driving!" Ming Huang, the Supervisor of the game, added, "Partnering with Codemasters gives us the confidence, we need to achieve our goals and create a mobile racing game that can stand out amongst the rest."

"As leaders in the racing category, we are excited to finally tell the world about Racing Master, the result of our strategic partnership with NetEase Games," said Clive Moody, SVP Product Development at Codemasters. "NetEase Games shares the same passion and vision that's needed to deliver a best-in-class racing experience. Taking the world's most aspirational supercars, Racing Master is rooted in automotive culture and provides authentic wheel-to-wheel action for the mobile platform."

Racing Master has been designed to be the perfect playground for all racing enthusiasts. The game boasts competitive real-time races against players from around the world, featuring real-world tracks across several race types in fully licensed cars. NetEase Games is delighted to invite racers to sign up for the game's Beta to help further the game's development and establish it as a leading mobile racing title. 

  • Authentic racing experience – From the sensation of braking to even the angle your car's body tilts when cornering, Racing Master provides an unprecedented virtual driving experience with the most realistic physics engine ever!
  • High-quality art performance – UE4's revolutionary graphical quality brings every detail of your cars to life. Players can admire the beauty of your cars from different perspectives, interact with every part which are true to their real-life counterparts and are restored on a 1:1 scale.
  • Multiple real-world tracks and hyper cars – Players can own over hundreds of real-world hyper cars which authorized by more than 30+ top vehicle brands: Bugatti, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Porsche, etc. Race on multiple authorized real-world tracks: Sliver stone, San-Francisco, Yas Dusk, etc.
  • Real-time racing with live players – Drift, Accelerate, Overtake! Players can race with other 7 live players and earn your place on the leaderboards! Dominate every track and become a legend in the world of Racing Master.
  • Freely customize your car with rich component parts – Players can customize the look and component parts of the car as they wish freely to get a unique car of their own. Use your creativity to paint your car, customize the engine, tyre, chassis and more to make your car better suited to your driving style!

More information about Racing Master can be found on the game's official website and social media channels: YouTube, Facebook and Discord


How to use "Ready" Power Ability in Valheim

When you or other players in Valheim defeated the boss in the game, players can obtain a trophy that can be hook on the Sacrificial stone which will unlock new abilities for players. If it's your first to unlock this power like me, it is quite confusing on which keyboard keys to press to activate it. And there is only a "Ready" label underneath the boss like icon (The Elder, Eikthyr, Bonemass, Moder and Yagluth).

How to use Power Ability

To use the Ready power ability in Valheim, you need to press F on your keyboard.

List of All Power Abilities in Valheim

The following are the power abilities that you can obtain in Valheim. In the game its called Forsaken power.

Boss Power Ability
Eikthyr Running and jumping stamina drain reduced by 60%
The Elder Chop trees became faster
Bonemass Increased physical resistance
Moder Always tailwind when sailing
Yagluth Increase elemental resistance to Frost, Fire and Poison

That's it! Hope this short guide will help you activate the power ability of your Valheim character.


Massively Overthinking: Are MMO social hubs overrated?

MMO reader Random recently winged us an article from Kotaku arguing for the abolishment of pointless social hubs in video games. "Here's a radical idea," it begins, "Turn every social space in a video game into a menu." It suggests that many social hubs are wastes of time and space and we'd all be better […]

Starbase discusses the creation of new tools and new devices in latest updates

We're back with another peek into the ongoing development of Starbase, the building-focused space sandbox being crafted by Finnish studio Frozenbyte. First up, the past couple of weekly updates have the usual extremely specific development alerts like work on Ship Diagnostic Scanner and Salvage Collector tools, continued work on easy build mode, the end of […]

Multiplayer survival shooter Scavengers touts the features of SpatialOS and how the tech changes gameplay

Stop me if you've heard this before: Improbable's SpatialOS is going to be leveraged by the developers of Scavengers in a way that other multiplayer games are incapable of thanks to the scales it can work with. That's part of the message in a recent interview with Improbable chief technology officer Lincoln Wallen and developer […]

Star Wars The Old Republic announces The Dark Descent update with new flashpoint and 'galactic seasons'

Remember when Star Wars The Old Republic's last update fell a little flat and we said we hoped that the promised influx of updates for the game in the wake of Anthem Next's cancelation really brought the goods? You can be the judge of whether that's the case, as as BioWare announced 6.3: The Dark […]

Former Halo Wars game designer talks about the Halo MMO we never got to see

How do you think an MMO in the Halo universe would have played out? Would it just be like a really large multiplayer deathmatch? Would it work like the open-world single-player portion of Halo Infinite at scale? Or would it just be another Destiny 2? We don't necessarily need to wonder, as game designer Sandy […]

DreamWorld promises an 'infinite open world MMO,' seeks $10K on Kickstarter

DreamWorld Realities, Inc. says its new MMO, DreamWorld, is "the last game you'll ever play," and we're not sure whether that's a threat, but it's definitely a slogan. In its new Kickstarter, the game is billed as an "infinite open world MMO" with "millions of players" in "one single world" made up of "thousands of […]

The Stream Team: Dancing with the Bad Luck Sneevils for AQ3D's Lucky Day

Silly and St. Patrick's Day fit perfectly together, so Massively OP's MJ is delighted to find the two combined for AdventureQuest 3D's Lucky Day festivities. There's definitely silliness afoot: She'll be dancing with Bad Luck Sneevil and Cloverzards while collecting the best in shamrock attire. Join us live at 2:00 p.m. to see Sneevils, stay […]

Darkfall: Rise of Agon introduces buff-granting Obelisks in its latest update

Ready for a bit of capture the flag in Darkfall: Rise of Agon? No, it's not a separate game mode, but the Dayar update has introduced Obelisks that grant buffs to players so long as they bring them back to their clan cities. So it's a bit like CTF except the match never really ends. […]

Magic Legends outlines the regional reputations system and previews each area's rewards

Yes, Magic Legends will have a rep grind according to the game's latest preview post. Specifically, the multiplayer ARPG's reputation system won't be with a particular faction so much as a specific region, unlocking 100 levels of reputations and daily quests once players have completed that region's specific story missions. So why go through this […]

Past Fate's new video series shows off the alpha's new dynamic combat and gloomy New Harbor

This week, Icy North Games began a new series of dev videos that give players a glimpse into the current state of Past Fate's development – this first one in particularly showing off the latest alpha patch. The walkthrough starts in an area called New Harbor, which is gloomy and dank and has apparently been […]

Crayta is a newer, Fortniteyer Roblox, and it's now live on the Epic Games Store

If Roblox hasn't already permanently taken the "games-within-a-game" spot in your heart – or on your kids' devices – then you might want to take a peek at its most likely competitor: Unit 2 Games' Crayta. Launched last summer as a Stadia exclusive, the game looks like a Roblox and Fortnite mash-up; it essentially allows […]

EVE Online's upcoming March 23 patch adjusts Jump Clone installation, Burst Jammers, and wormholes

If we're judging by the contents and the literal title of EVE Online's next update, there's some quality-of-life improvements coming to the internet spaceship sandbox on Tuesday, March 23rd. This update will introduce the ability to install multiple Jump Clones in the same station or structure, as long as it has a Clone Bay facility; […]

Torchlight III hoists the sails (and upgrades the engine) for its next update

Hope you got everything done with Torchlight III's Snow & Steam contract because Echtra and PWE disabled that content in preparation for the next phase of the game. "The update this afternoon turns off the Snow & Steam contract and includes an engine update which further prepares us for the next upcoming content patch," the […]

Final Fantasy XIV posts the first iteration of the special site for patch 5.5, Death Unto Dawn

The next major patch for Final Fantasy XIV arrives in just under a month, and that means it's high time for players to scope out some of what's coming next with the first iteration of the patch's special site. It's a bit bare-bones at the moment, but it does show off the key art for the […]

Blade and Soul's Slithering Shadows update is live

Yesterday was patch day for Blade and Soul, introducing the Slithering Shadows update to the game along with a set of patch notes to accompany the launch. As one might expect, the notes give some more details about the refreshed Soulstone Plains and the rewards awaiting within, the new raid weapon, and the new Twisted […]

The first part of Dual Universe's 'biggest beta update' arrives with fancier graphics and better jetpacks

Better-looking eye candy? Jetpacks that perform as expected? Wallets to organize all of your hard-earned currency? Yes, please, and pile on some more of that delicious Dual Universe 0.24 patch while you're at it! The first part of the space sandbox's "biggest update since beta began" last summer is now live on the servers. The […]

Hands-on with Magic Legends: A solid action game that could be even more

So, real talk: I am kind of an easy mark for Magic Legends. The initial conception of it, at least. I was very excited to see an MMO using Magic: the Gathering as a starting point rather than simply adapting the card game directly, and I was similarly more than a little disappointed at the […]

The Daily Grind: Do you know the names of the people behind your favorite MMO?

Part of my job involves interviewing developers and talking with them. That means that it's important for me to remember who these people are, obviously. A good chunk of my job centers around knowing who works as the director, the producer, the leads of various departments, and so forth with any given game. This is […]

The Stream Team: Relishing the Republic side of SWTOR's droid hunt

Massively OP's Larry may not be very fond of the Republic side of SWTOR, but MJ is relishing her time there! Her Jedi is happy to be wandering around, searching for droids on Taris and Balmorra. She's going to savor every moment on the light side. Tune in live at 8:00 p.m. as Massively OP's […]

Ashes of Creation asks its players about guild hall features they want to see

Most of the time when a game developer or studio asks its players a question, it's usually nothing more than a means to engage with its fanbase at a fun but shallow level or to drum up hype for a new release. A question being asked by fans of Ashes of Creation is a little […]

RuneScape announces an upcoming picture book to mark the MMORPG's 20-year history

When you have a game that's been running for 20 years, there's bound to be a whole lot of artwork to share. That's just what Jagex intends to do when it releases a new picture book with Dark Horse that chronicles the history of RuneScape in pictures and developer insights. The book, RuneScape: The First […]

Ultima Online releases pub 110, stresses that New Legacy is not just Classic UO

Ultima Online's 110th update has officially rolled out to the live shards this week, and as promised, it includes tweaks to dynamic events and a new round of Black Market rewards and veteran rewards, including an option for three-year-plus accounts that allows the storage of up to 25 runebooks in a single storage object. Unfortunately, […]

Elder Scrolls Online's Flames of Ambition lands on console as ZeniMax preps April Fools' shenanigans

If Neverwinter's Iron Tooth isn't whetting your console MMO whistle, then point your eyeballs over at Elder Scrolls Online's Flames of Ambition and update 29, which dropped on both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 this week as promised. Update 29 is free for everyone and introduces the massive overhaul to the Champion Point system, while […]

The Stream Team: St. Qubeslick's shenanigans in Trove

Being Irish herself, Massively OP's MJ loves to celebrate St. Patrick's Day any and everywhere. And Trove's St Qubeslick event is the perfect place to spend the holiday! It involves feats, farming, and tater tots… er, totter tates. Bring some luck o' the Irish and join us live at 3:00 p.m. for some shenanigans. What: […]

Conan Exiles improves Siptah with more NPCs, new Purges, new factions, and an offline mode

The latest update for Conan Exiles is out now for PC players, and it's chiefly focused around a pretty big revamp to the Isle of Siptah. Broadly, this is split between two different sides of things. One is adding new stuff to the island, which includes more NPC camps, more factions, and points of interest across […]

Skyforge celebrates green week with costumes and emotes

Green costumes! Emotes that feature the color green! Mounts that are also probably green! Envy! Money! Yes, it's Green Week in Skyforge, and that means a whole lot of green across the game, with players finding green dancers throughout the game that they are best served by helping out. They're a bit mysterious and they […]

Star Citizen's devs answer questions about customization, aliens, and animated cloth

Members of CIG's character tech teams took to the Star Citizen forums to host an AMA about all things character-related, and while much of the answers probably won't blow doors open, it did provide a little more detail about what's in the works for in-game avatars. The very first question was simply: "Beards?" which was […]

Neverwinter's Sharandar: Iron Tooth episode has officially launched on PS4 and Xbox One

It's a happy week for console MMO players, as not only can Black Desert consolers begin designing their very own Sage, but two big content drops that were previously playable only by PC gamers have finally landed on the console versions. One of those games is Neverwinter, where Sharandar's first episode, Iron Tooth, rolled out […]

Phantasy Star Online 2 introduces an ultra hard fight against the Face of the Abyss

If the headline for this particular bit of Phantasy Star Online 2 content makes things sound rather dire, that would be by design, as one of the recently added Urgent Quests beseeches players to "let the love and aspirations of those [they] care about empower [them] with light, that we might chase this darkness back […]

Aliens Fireteam devs discuss City of Heroes' lasting popularity and Cryptic's canceled Marvel MMO

Earlier this month, we finally got some hard info on Cold Iron's Aliens Fireteam, the Alien-franchise shooter that's been under wraps for six years while the former Cryptic devs who founded it tinkered on the game and teased its MMO pedigree. Last year, the studio was bought out by Daybreak, which itself was bought out […]

Lord of the Rings Online's Wildwood update is here with new quests, instances, and the spring festival

It's patch day over in Lord of the Rings Online – everyone come to me! I mean to Bree! Bree-land! Because that's where the new Wildwood stuff is! OK, now that I've made it weird for you to make it less weird for me, here's what's actually in today's big LOTRO patch. This is update […]

Perfect Ten: 10 ways that MMOs kind of used to be worse

Believe you me, I know quite well the arguments that have been rehashed over the years about how the MMORPG genre and these online games in general have declined in quality. If you come out with a rant about how MMOs have gotten worse, you're not making any sort of radical statement — you're preaching […]

Black Desert releases the Sage class on PC, introduces Life Skill Mastery and Caphras Stones to console

PC players of Black Desert can now rock enemy faces with the power of cubes. Today's update has introduced the Sage class to the MMORPG, along with a special event full of login rewards and goodies for leveling up a Sage. The latest update has also added new level 59 Awakening skills for every class, […]

Albion Online's Call to Arms update is live today with new faction and buffed faction PvP

As promised, Albion Online's Call to Arms update is live today, with gobs of new content and systems reworks. To wit: Sandbox Interactive has completely revamped faction warfare; factions can now take regions in addition to outposts, with spiffed-up rewards too. The game's added its sixth faction, Caerleon, with new trade missions and a "lawless" […]

VR MMO Zenith starts 'early bird' alpha next month, posts new gameplay video

Are you ready, player one, to enter the world of Zenith? The virtual reality MMORPG is still in its pre-alpha stage, but it's heading toward closed alpha this week. The small indie team announced this month that the MMO has been "approved and greenlit for development on SteamVR, PS VR, as well as Oculus Quest/Rift." […]

RIFT's 10th birthday is here, but it ignores the elephant in the room

With the desperate, frenzied actions of a parent trying to redirect a kid's attention away from tragedy, Gamigo invites one and all to RIFT's 10th anniversary events this week. The fantasy MMORPG, which launched on March 1st, 2011, is marking the occasion belatedly with a bartender scavenger hunt that involves making a QR code from […]

The Daily Grind: Which MMO game sounds trigger happy memories?

MMORPGs are large, enormous repositories of sound design. You may never consciously think about it, but trust me, you notice it. From leveling up to casting spells to being alerted that an enemy is heading your way, the audio of your MMO plays a huge part in your experience with it. And as with any […]

The Stream Team: Poaching eggs in Guild Wars 2's Crystal Oasis

The work toward a griffon mount continues in Guild Wars 2, and that means Massively OP's MJ has many more eggs to poach! OK, so she's not really poaching them — she's rescuing them. Truly! She'll be raiding the griffon nests in Crystal Oasis to rescue the next batch. Tune in live at 8:00 p.m. […]

Wakfu's 1.71 update is live with the Xelor class revamp and more

Any kind of time-based class in an MMO can be complicated to get working just right, and it appears that Wakfu's Xelor class has suffered from the sheer complexity involved in properly modeling chronomantic abilities. In a recent dev blog, the team explained class was too complicated to play properly and its spells were too […]

Activision-Blizzard has laid off another round of employees

Don't look now, but Activision-Blizzard just laid off another batch of people. According to a Bloomberg report, the company has slashed just under 190 jobs, 50 of them relating to esports and live events (this seems to be the reason for some sites reporting 50 layoffs and some reporting under 2%/under 190, but Bloomberg's piece […]

A modder earns $10,000 for finding a loading issue in Grand Theft Auto Online

Normally modding video games, even ones that are all about earning fat stacks, will not produce fat stacks in real life. But a modder by the name t0st proved the exception to the rule with Grand Theft Auto Online by taking a peek at the game's code and identifying an issue with the game's loading times… […]

MechWarrior Online introduces a weapons balance pass and new Trial 'Mechs in today's patch

It's patch day for MechWarrior Online and that means patch notes! With today's update, players of the online stompy robot battler can look forward to a host of balance tweaks to PPC weapon variants, Gauss Rifle variants, and MRM Missle Racks; an adjustment to the MASC that brings a temporary sprint speed boost instead of […]

Massively OP Podcast Episode 313: Hope you saved your game!

Justin and Bree discuss the RIFT layoffs, OVH fire, Saga of Lucimia drama, Elder Scrolls Online and Guild Wars 2 patches, LOTRO's roadmap, and Ashes of Creation's delay, with adventures in WoW Classic, ESO, SWG Legends, and City of Heroes, plus mailbag topics on onboarding returning players, crafting MMOs, and Last Oasis.

The Stream Team: Frolicking Frogloks as EverQuest turns 22 today!

Do you remember playing EQ back when it launched? If so, you probably might be feeling old now as EverQuest turns 22 today! But age is only a number, and Massively OP's MJ feels just fine frolicking on her Froglok. Join us live at 3:30 p.m. to hop into Norrath and celebrate this milestone with […]

Alienware cut its League of Legends esports sponsorships short over ongoing Riot Games scandals

Last month, we covered yet another sexual harassment lawsuit swirling around Riot Games, this one a wrongful termination suit from a former executive assistant who alleges she was fired from Riot last summer after enduring sexist language and sexual advances from no less than Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent. In response, Riot formed a "special […]

Albion Online details the changes coming to Hellgates with its patch tomorrow

Jumping into a demonic hellscape can be a fun time if you're playing Albion Online, or at least a rewarding one. It'll be even more true when tomorrow's Call to Arms update revamps the game's Hellgates, with a new dispatch from the development team specifying the changes coming to the content. Rather than opening Hellgates by […]

New World's latest alpha update adds Ebonscale Reach, flags all gear BOE or BOP

Amazon Games' New World is inching toward its new-new launch with a new patch unleashed on the alpha. The update includes the brand-new level 51+ Ebonscale Reach zone, with its stunning vistas and clear East Asian influences. "Ebonscale Reach is a fertile territory named for the black fungus that grows in abundance there. The area […]

Fortnite rolls out Primal season, disqualifies esports pro over vile tweet

If you're hoping for Fortnite's lore to make sense with its latest patch, I have to question whether you've been paying any attention. And also I have to tell you no, as today, both Lara Croft of Tomb Raider fame and Raven from teen Titans have dropped into the game as skins for Fortnite's "Primal" […]

Choose My Adventure: The point where Wizard101 blends in with other MMOs

I feel like I've got the general thrust of Wizard101. For the most part, anyway. This week it was all about trying to clear the quest list, which ended up being a bit more daunting than I expected. That's not to say it was impossible by any means but that there are a lot more […]

EVE Online begins open beta testing of its browser-based EVE Anywhere client

If you're eager to play EVE Online somewhere you probably shouldn't be, you just want to keep appraised of goings on in New Eden, or you're curious to try the game without a full install, then you might be interested in the browser-based cloud client of the game, which has expanded its testing to include […]