The Daily Grind: Which MMOs are too hard to get into?
I fully acknowledge and own the fact that I'm far less patient about how much effort it takes today to install and learn a video game than when I was tweaking config.sys and autoexec.bat files while installing 14 floppy discs in the early '90s. MMOs that either throw up too many obstacles to getting into […]
The Stream Team: Fast and fury-ous leveling in EverQuest II
Massively OP's MJ has been enjoying her Ratonga Inquisitor, but nothing ever compares to her Arasai Fury. So now she's returning to that little storm-caller in order to level up and finally get her into the newer content. Join us live at 9:00 p.m. as MJ spends some special time on her lightning bug. What: […]
Wolcen adds new areas and monsters, loot filter improvements, and quality-of-life changes in latest update
Our Not So Massively columnist found the latest additions to Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem to be absolutely worth coming back to the game for, and developer Wolcen Studio is likely hoping to keep its foot on that gas pedal with the second part of the Bloodtrail update. This new patch introduces some new environments and […]
Shroud of the Avatar adds young fish, expands The Rise, and opens the Obsidian Panopticon
It's been a little while since we had a peek on what's happening to Shroud of the Avatar, so allow us a moment to take a quick look at the most recent updates to the game. We'll begin with Release 88 updates in March, which introduced some new fish to pull out of the water […]
Fallout 76 patches in fixes for more Locked & Loaded bugs, including multiple exploits
Bugs in Fallout 76: Don't you hate them? No, we're not talking about the kind that you deal with by pumping rounds of ammunition into, although odds are good you're not terribly fond of those either. We're talking about issues like item duplication exploits and uncomfortable apparel issues with animation and clipping. The good news is […]
Massively OP Podcast Episode 323: Odyssey, Burning Crusade, and LOTRO
Justin and Bree discuss Elite Dangerous' Odyssey, WoW Classic, Swords of Legends Online, Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis, Bless Unleashed, Ashes of Creation, and LOTRO, with adventures in WoW Classic and SWG Legends, plus a mailbag entry on the wild GTAO roleplay revival.
Final Fantasy XIV's Naoki Yoshida talks about future destinations, Endwalker job design, and character dating
It was the first new job revealed for Final Fantasy XIV's upcoming expansion Endwalker, but it turns out that Sage was actually the second job designed for the expansion and took longer to be formulated. A recent interview with producer and director Naoki Yoshida from IGN reveals that the job design usually starts from the weapon being […]
Epic v Apple: Apple's CEO 'has a feel' about App Store profits but no data, closing arguments are made
The Epic vs. Apple antitrust trial has entered its final stretch, closing out with a big moment for Apple's side of the case as CEO Tim Cook took to the stand to provide his testimony. Cook's arrival to the stand followed testimony from a witness brought by Epic Games who calculated that the App Store […]
A toxic hacker has forced Sony to disable its online Little Big Planet servers
File this one under this is why we can't have nice things: A toxic hacker has apparently forced Sony's Little Big Planet online servers offline. LBP isn't exactly an MMO, but some entries in the franchise do offer a degree of multiplayer and online play, in addition to piles of player-made content. "We are aware that […]
Riot's League of Legends MMO: 'We're going to make some choices that you may not agree with'
Let this post be your intermittent reminder that, yes, Riot Games is working on an unnamed and not-quite-officially-announced MMORPG. Of some kind. The project was revealed last December to be set in the Runeterra universe, and Riot Games is still in the process of hiring for it. In fact, the studio just put out a […]
Star Trek Online concludes its year-long Klingon arc with today's House United launch on PC
It's launch day over in Star Trek Online, at least if you're happily ensconced on the PC side of the Trek universe, as PWE and Cryptic have launched the House United season. It's the fourth chunk of the Year of Klingon that kicked off last June with House Divided and pushed onward through House Shattered […]
New World 'won't consider selling anything other than cosmetic items until 2022 at the earliest'
Amazon's New World was the subject of much debate this month when a leaker exposed the state of the game's cash shop in the alpha – including the fact that it was dispending boosters. While Amazon quickly noted that this was merely a test and that all items in the cash shop would be cosmetic […]
Choose My Adventure: Getting straight through the Riena Strait in MapleStory
I've got to admit, I'm very glad to see this one behind me, and that kind of makes me sad. MapleStory should have had all the elements of something that would be compelling and whimsical, but all I feel now is annoyed by the time I've had in-game and glad that it's finally over with. […]
EG7 Q1 2021 financials: The Daybreak MMOs are headed to the 4Game platform
The buyout of Daybreak by Swedish games company Enad Global 7 was one of the biggest MMO stories of 2020, and it's remained a sign of hope from players for the studio once beloved as SOE. Readers will recall that EG7 seemingly immediately got to work shoring up Daybreak's weak spots, dumping out information and […]
Casually Classic: Ranking WoW Classic's racial and class mounts
Now that the pre-patch has arrived for WoW Classic's Burning Crusade, leveling characters are enjoying being able to snag a mount at level 30 instead of 40. After all these years, it's still a thrill to get that huge jump in quality-of-life play when you're able to take off over the landscape at a vastly […]
Star Citizen provides a detailed look at the systems that will power AI, dynamic events, and the economy
Fans of Star Citizen got a truly massive info dump thrown on them by way of a recent video from Persistent Universe director Tony Zurovec that's all about the game's Quantum background simulation, the Quasar event system, and various NPC AI matters. For those who missed out on earlier discussions about the Quantum system, just […]
Final Fantasy XIV introduces the new Zadnor battlefield with patch 5.55
It's time to push your Resistance weaponry in Final Fantasy XIV to the apex of power with the arrival of the newest patch, 5.55, offering players a new battlefield in Zadnor and a variety of new quests to continue upgrading the game's relic weaponry. Not that this is the only new set of quests added with […]
Kakao's Moonlight Sculptor has officially launched on mobile devices
As promised, Kakao's mobile MMO Moonlight Sculptor has officially launched on Google Play and the Apple Appstore as of last night, billed as an "immersive light novel." The game promises an immersive story, life skilling, dungeons, PvP tourneys, pets, mercenaries, a sleep mode so you rack up expies while you zzz, and of course, a […]
Guild Wars 2 repromotes living world season 2 starting today – for free
As promised in its summer roadmap, Guild Wars 2 is preparing a slew of events leading up to the big reveal of End of Dragons in July. Up this week – today, specifically – is the return of two more episodes from the living world season 2 storyline, Gates of Maguuma and Entanglement. If you […]
The Daily Grind: Should MMO companies host influencer programs?
Today's Daily Grind topic comes to us by way of commenter Rndomuser, who thought it would be fun to riff on Ashes of Creation's new "content creator program" and others like them. "This program is not really something new and plenty of other game developers have similar programs," he wrote. "On one side, the content […]
The Stream Team: Clearing Shadowfen caves in Elder Scrolls Online
Map completion in Elder Scrolls Online is more than just collecting books, skyshards, points of interest, and wayshrines. Last time, Massively OP's MJ spent her time checking these off her things off her list, but now she's ready to start work on the other areas: caves, delves, and dungeons. If she can squeeze in a […]
Love O2O is a Chinese romantic comedy series about two people finding each other in an MMORPG
We're no strangers to showcasing MMORPG-based TV shows here at MOP. Whether it's the sitcom Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet or the touching drama of Dad of Light, we like to see series about our favorite gaming genre. So consider us eager to offer a nod to Love O2O, a romantic comedy from China that takes […]
Ragnarok Online IP is getting new titles for 2021, NetEase announces PC and mobile strategy MMO Project Ragnarok
It's a double dose of Ragnarok in this news post, which is kind of odd considering the event of Ragnarok is supposed to be a world-ending apocalypse. In any case, we'll try to make sure this doesn't end up being too confusing, as we're dealing with entirely different game studios and game experiences here. First, […]
2-D MMORPG Key to Heaven adds new content, opens PvE servers, and touts 'over 6500 created characters'
Back in February of this year we offered a look at Key to Heaven, a 2-D pixel MMORPG that's been a passion project for solo developer Björn "William" Johansson for over 16 years. Since that spotlight, the MMORPG has made it to Steam early access as of April 23rd and has seen a lot of […]
Vendetta Online previews brand-new user interface and upcoming localization expansion
Vendetta Online is still chugging along since its free-to-play conversion last summer, we're happy to report, and Guild Software has dropped a fresh newsletter packed with previews of what's coming to the game – including a new UI. "A new interface is being constructed for all platforms of the game, currently in testing solely on […]
Profane shares a sneak peek at its weather system and day/night cycle
Are you a fan of MMO weather systems and day/night cycles? Then you'll love the latest Twitter thread from the developers of Profane, which… well, it showcases weather and day/night cycles. This should have been obvious. It was right there in the lede. As with other threads from the devs at Insane Studios, this one […]
TitanReach shows off pets, discusses programming, previews new props and the Glimmermoore area
Once again the folks behind TitanReach are just itching to showcase all of the work they've been doing for their developing MMORPG. As with prior development blogs, two of the latest grant a large number of things to look at, including new trees, more animations, another round of 3-D animal models, various furnishings and crafting […]
Overwatch 2's changing team makeup has pro tank players concerned about their esporting futures
With Overwatch 2 completely changing the PvP meta via smaller team sizes and one tank position per team, there are plenty of professional tank players who are now wondering if they'll have a job when the game releases. A nervous question issued into the Twitter ether by Philadelphia Fusion off-tank player Poko started a lot […]
Diablo-like MMO Cronous is closing down this summer
It seems kind of sad that the very first time we mention an MMO on this site is to tell you that it's shutting down, but such is the case for Cronous. Current owner Neowiz announced that it's winding down operation of the Diablo-style MMO by the end of the summer. "We regret to tell […]
Hundreds of Return of Reckoning players hold an in-game memorial for a fallen community member
The playerbase of Warhammer Online's rogue server Return of Reckoning lost one of its own recently. Akaathi, a member of Ere We Go and the NoBodies alliance, had passed away a couple of weeks ago after falling ill. Members of the alliance had decided to hold an in-game memorial this past Sunday at the Graveyard […]
Moonlight Sculptor's developers discuss the mobile MMORPG's background and feature set
With the game's global launch arriving tomorrow, Kakao Games and XL Games' mobile MMORPG Moonlight Sculptor probably has a few people wondering just what it's about, where it came from, and what makes it different. These are questions the devs at XL Games tried to tackle in an interview video. As we mentioned when this […]
Star Trek Online staff members explain why ships and boxes get released faster than missions
If you've played Star Trek Online either casually or consistently for a while, you've probably noticed that the game puts out a lot of ships to buy and lockboxes filled with prizes more frequently than it produces new story content. This is a true fact and not up for debate. But a recent thread on the […]
Wisdom of Nym: Almost losing Soken changed how we'll see Final Fantasy XIV forever
I'm not over this. I don't know how to be over this. Masayoshi Soken is one of the most talented composers working in this industry. His work on Final Fantasy XIV is amazing. I am in awe of his compositions and his musical acumen. Just the night before he floored the entire community, he did […]
Elder Scrolls Online just delayed its 'Console Enhanced' update to June 15
Elder Scrolls Online is about to have a big June: It's launching Blackwood for PC in just a week, then a week later, it was set to roll out the chapter for console alongside the big "Console Enhanced" update too. But apparently, ZeniMax has decided to spread everything out just a bit more. "In an […]
Not So Massively: Magic Legends has already made big changes, but there's more to do
Even as someone who enjoys the game, I have to admit that Magic: Legends had a very rough launch, with numerous polish issues and a relative lack of content. Last week saw the game's largest post-launch patch to date, and previous patches have made positive changes as well, but there are still issues that need […]
Black Desert offers a video preview of the upcoming Atoraxxian co-op dungeon
From the outside looking in, Black Desert appears to be a game about grinding, Conquest and Node Wars, and (in my personal case) logging in after some time away and utterly forgetting what attack buttons combo into one another. In short, it doesn't seem to be a game about dungeon delving and co-operation. Perhaps, then, […]
Ashes of Creation's Steven Sharif: "This industry needs people who take risks"
In a Reddit thread titled "I don't get the hype for Ashes of Creation," the project's own lead came out to attempt to explain the buzz around this upcoming MMORPG. Steven Sharif said that Intrepid isn't making a "World of Warcraft killer" or a game that'll appeal to everyone. Rather, Sharif pointed to several factors […]
Roblox scalpers make an absolute killing selling in-game Gucci handbags
I can already hear Bree opening up her "Weirdest Stories of 2021" file folder for this one. Roblox, the game that now says it doesn't host games but experiences, opened up a limited-time Gucci Garden Experience that invited players to "immerse themselves into [fashion designer Alessandro Michele's] creative vision and his multifarious inspirations, and share […]
Project Gorgon is adding an optional subscription and perks with today's update
Project Gorgon is much-loved around here, winning best indie MMO several years running thanks to its dogged devotion to being, well, the weirdest and most creative MMO around, with antique graphics and a tiny team to match. But one thing is hasn't pulled off yet is a formal launch, as it's been lingering in early […]
The Daily Grind: What's your oldest memory of epic MMO guild drama?
Let me tell you a story about my first real experience with guild drama. It was back in the days of yore, when I was a dumb teenager playing Ultima Online. I'd been there a few months and joined a famous anti guild – that is, a vigilante PvP guild that exclusively killed griefers, gankers, […]
MMO Week in Review: Burning Crusade, Odyssey, SOLO, Bless, and New Genesis
It's been a positively massive week for the MMO genre, with launches and betas left and right: WoW Classic rolled out the Burning Crusade pre-patch, Elite Dangerous launched Odyssey, Swords of Legends Online began its first beta, and we offered impressions of both Bless Unleashed PC and PSO2 New Genesis. Plus, we recapped Guild Wars […]
Neverwinter brings back the mechanized crafting of the Wonders of Gond event on May 27
If (for whatever reason) you have global chat on in Neverwinter and you start seeing players shouting for grommets, gears, and doohickeys, it's not because people have forgotten more specific terms, it's because the Wonders of Gond event is underway. Unless, of course, you are seeing those terms outside of the event, in which case […]
The MOP Up: World of Warships opens a book of German mythology
Weird things are afoot in World of Warships, with a German mythological event, more German destroyers, and reworked commander skills hitting the game world! "For the next four weeks, players can align themselves with one of four mythical beasts from German mythology, and complete personal missions to earn better rewards for their team," Wargming explained. […]
Destiny 2 offers an explanation for seasonal challenge XP payouts
"We know XP in Destiny 2 can be confusing – sometimes to the point that we miss things ourselves," admits Bungie in a recent dev blog, which offered some explanation about seasonal challenge XP rewards in order to clear the air and explain what some miscommunication on the devs' part. It all started with a […]
SMITE community mourns the passing of a star Hi-Rez esports caster, halts league events
On Friday, Hi-Rez startled the SMITE community by abruptly postponing all of its esports events for the weekend, a move made more bizarre by the fact that the company wouldn't say why. That had led to speculation about everything from a possible legal scandal to a bitcoin snafu. But I'm sorry to report today that […]
Allods Online adds the Suslanger zone, increases the level cap
We know that there are still some strong fans of Allods Online in our readership, and so we hope that it makes them happy to receive a huge content update from the long-running MMORPG. Update 12.0 landed this past week, bringing with it a level cap increase to 95, an overhaul of the artifact system, […]
One Shots: 100 miles up and climbing
When you find yourself soaring past the outer limits of the atmosphere in DC Universe Online, you best have a spacesuit or superpowers. Or both. Let's hope that Hikari has a plan for re-entry. In the meanwhile, our space hero has a few words to say about an MMO pet peeve: "I can say with […]
The Daily Grind: What's the earliest test phase you've ever played for an MMO?
An early test phase for any MMO has one major drawback, and that's the simple fact that it's not anywhere close to being ready for public release. You're almost inevitably dealing with half-assembled systems and placeholders that have yet to be filled in, and that's in the unlikely event that most of the game's content […]
Global Chat: Feasting on Guild Wars 2's Icebrood Saga
Nerdy Bookahs is pretty dang delighted to come back to a "feast" in Guild Wars 2, thanks to all of the new content in the game after an extended absence. I can relate to this. "One of the good things of returning to an MMO after not having played it much for a longer time […]
Path of Exile launches its graphical improvements patch, discusses the 'clear cache' function and performance matters
Are you ready for some hard-hitting, face-melting, blast processing-fueled game visuals guaranteed to scare your mom and upset your parakeet?? Then you're ready for Path of Exile's X-TREEM GRAPHICAL UPDATE PATCH aka patch 3.14.1d, which dropped on your weaksauce gamer faces this past Thursday. What's that? You're not ready? Too late, shortcake! It's here. If […]
