https://massivelyop.com MMORPG news and opinions Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:45:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/maplestorys-strawberry-farm-festival-is-the-most-spring-thing-you-can-do-this-winter/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/maplestorys-strawberry-farm-festival-is-the-most-spring-thing-you-can-do-this-winter/#respond Mon, 12 Feb 2024 21:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479500 Just because there are arctic blasts, frost on the trees, and mysterious frozen white powder falling from the sky doesn’t mean that you can’t find a little slice of spring during this winter season. We recommend heading over to MapleStory, where the annual Strawberry Farm Festival is in full swing. “Assist Spiegelette with her Strawberry […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/maplestorys-strawberry-farm-festival-is-the-most-spring-thing-you-can-do-this-winter/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/dungeons-and-dragons-onlines-latest-u66-test-includes-tumbling-and-two-more-dungeons/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/dungeons-and-dragons-onlines-latest-u66-test-includes-tumbling-and-two-more-dungeons/#comments Mon, 12 Feb 2024 17:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479514 The next round of testing for Dungeons and Dragons Online’s Update 66 is underway and features two new dungeons and a fun “experimental feature.” The dungeons include the meme-worthy Too Many Cooks and This Old Haunt. This comes on top of previously tested content such as the Fred’s First Date instance, AOE ranged attacks, the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/dungeons-and-dragons-onlines-latest-u66-test-includes-tumbling-and-two-more-dungeons/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/you-can-now-buy-river-hobbits-in-lord-of-the-rings-online-highlights-with-store-currency/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/you-can-now-buy-river-hobbits-in-lord-of-the-rings-online-highlights-with-store-currency/#comments Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479345 Even with Update 39 undergoing testing on Lord of the Rings Online’s Bullroarer server, things are pretty quiet for our favorite Middle-earth MMO right now. In this past Friday’s dev stream, SSG highlighted the patch’s raid and instances as well as how River Hobbits are now available to unlock for LOTRO Points. As for upcoming […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/you-can-now-buy-river-hobbits-in-lord-of-the-rings-online-highlights-with-store-currency/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/war-thunder-welcomes-lunar-new-year-with-beefy-chinese-tanks/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/war-thunder-welcomes-lunar-new-year-with-beefy-chinese-tanks/#respond Sun, 11 Feb 2024 23:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479332 With an increase of Lunar New Year celebrations in online games across the world, it’s not quite as surprising that War Thunder wants to get in on the festivities. The military vehicle battler is giving out some nice tanks and goodies for the Year of the Dragon, starting with a unique gold dragon decal. Then […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/war-thunder-welcomes-lunar-new-year-with-beefy-chinese-tanks/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/the-mop-up-fae-farm-launches-a-free-demo/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/the-mop-up-fae-farm-launches-a-free-demo/#respond Sun, 11 Feb 2024 21:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=478969 Was Fae Farm too rich for you blood? Now you can check it out for free on Nintendo Switch or PC thanks to a new single-player demo. “This single player demo, downloadable for free in Nintendo eShop, Steam, and the Epic Game Stores will allow anyone to play through the first chapters of the game, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/the-mop-up-fae-farm-launches-a-free-demo/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/one-shots-sky-control-to-major-tom/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/one-shots-sky-control-to-major-tom/#comments Sun, 11 Feb 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479209 I have to imagine that there’s no more stressful job in a galaxy far, far away than being an air traffic controller for Coruscant. That’s like playing three-dimensional Pac-Man with thousands of users who may not have gotten a full night’s sleep. Vincent is keeping feet on the ground on this planet, though: “With the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/one-shots-sky-control-to-major-tom/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/10/lotro-legendarium-how-to-walk-away-from-lotro-for-a-while/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/10/lotro-legendarium-how-to-walk-away-from-lotro-for-a-while/#comments Sat, 10 Feb 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479021 Even when you love an MMORPG a whole lot, it’s rarely feasible to play it as steadily and at the same intensity over the long duration of its lifespan. Life happens, burnout creeps in, and sometimes you simply need a break or a change of scenery. So you make the decision to walk away from […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/10/lotro-legendarium-how-to-walk-away-from-lotro-for-a-while/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/10/chronicles-of-elyria-claims-that-over-90-of-fans-still-want-the-mmo/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/10/chronicles-of-elyria-claims-that-over-90-of-fans-still-want-the-mmo/#comments Sat, 10 Feb 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479327 As the saying goes, those who can’t make MMOs, talk about MMOs. And so it is with Chronicles of Elyria’s Soulbound Studio, which is spending some time this winter season dithering around with feedback forms regarding its phantom projects. To put together a roadmap for this year’s development roadmap, Soulbound’s Jeromy Walsh sent out a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/10/chronicles-of-elyria-claims-that-over-90-of-fans-still-want-the-mmo/feed/ 20 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/10/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-character-do-you-identify-with-the-strongest/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/10/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-character-do-you-identify-with-the-strongest/#comments Sat, 10 Feb 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479222 Pause and think for a moment about how many MMO characters you’ve created in your lifetime. Is it in the dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? Or are you the type of person who has one and only one special someone in your virtual life? Out of that (probably) large roster, which one do you identify with the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/10/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-character-do-you-identify-with-the-strongest/feed/ 21 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/two-weeks-into-early-access-kickstarted-survivalbox-fractured-veil-patches-up-and-merges-servers/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/two-weeks-into-early-access-kickstarted-survivalbox-fractured-veil-patches-up-and-merges-servers/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479205 While server merges are sometimes necessary and healthy, they’re not the best optics when they happen mere weeks after a game’s early access release. But that’s exactly what’s happening with Fractured Veil, the post-apocalyptic survival title set in a zombie-overrun Hawaii. Launched on January 25th, the game announced that already is merging realms as of February […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/two-weeks-into-early-access-kickstarted-survivalbox-fractured-veil-patches-up-and-merges-servers/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/wow-classics-season-of-discovery-moves-into-its-second-phase-with-gnomeregan-raid/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/wow-classics-season-of-discovery-moves-into-its-second-phase-with-gnomeregan-raid/#respond Fri, 09 Feb 2024 14:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479200 It’s a little strange to think that WoW Classic’s Season of Discovery server is only just now moving into its second phase, but here we are. The experimental ruleset servers delivered its first post-launch update with more content and a level cap increase. As players level up to 40, they’ll go on a world-wide scavenger […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/wow-classics-season-of-discovery-moves-into-its-second-phase-with-gnomeregan-raid/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/overwatch-2s-season-9-calls-to-champions-next-week/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/overwatch-2s-season-9-calls-to-champions-next-week/#respond Thu, 08 Feb 2024 15:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479057 The ninth season of Overwatch 2 is ticking down to launch next week on February 13th with an array of “eldritch horrors” waiting on deck. Season 9: Champions adds the titular rank of competitive play in addition to the fancy Jade weapon, a new battle pass reward track, the Ancient Caller Moira mythic skin, and […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/overwatch-2s-season-9-calls-to-champions-next-week/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/tencents-tarisland-drops-a-video-guide-to-its-ranger-class/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/tencents-tarisland-drops-a-video-guide-to-its-ranger-class/#comments Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479060 While some upcoming MMOs keep info behind closed doors, Tarisland is making all kinds of public effort to pump up the community for this year’s launch. A day after posting a video about the MMO’s business model and economy, Tarisland pushed out a guide to its trap-using, ranged DPS Ranger class. The class overview of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/tencents-tarisland-drops-a-video-guide-to-its-ranger-class/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/scars-of-honor-is-a-throwback-to-the-golden-age-of-mmos-with-a-200k-kickstarter/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/scars-of-honor-is-a-throwback-to-the-golden-age-of-mmos-with-a-200k-kickstarter/#comments Wed, 07 Feb 2024 15:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=478937 Another day, another MMO that seeks to “bring back the golden age of the genre.” But will the emerging Scars of Honor capture the zeitgeist of a community hungry for solid new products — especially if one delivers so many tasty morsels in its feature list? Developed by Bulgarian startup Beast Burst Entertainment, Scars of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/scars-of-honor-is-a-throwback-to-the-golden-age-of-mmos-with-a-200k-kickstarter/feed/ 20 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/world-of-warcraft-remains-coy-about-marchs-secret-dragonflight-patch/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/world-of-warcraft-remains-coy-about-marchs-secret-dragonflight-patch/#comments Wed, 07 Feb 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=478940 In what promises to be a diverging year for World of Warcraft, Blizzard already is stirring things up for a complacent playerbase. Curiosity’s been swirling about the mysterious Dragonflight 10.2.6 patch coming this spring, and now we know two more important details about it: The update is coming in March, and Blizzard is keeping it […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/world-of-warcraft-remains-coy-about-marchs-secret-dragonflight-patch/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/06/massively-op-podcast-episode-456-the-mmo-housing-show/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/06/massively-op-podcast-episode-456-the-mmo-housing-show/#comments Tue, 06 Feb 2024 21:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477379 Justin and Bree tackle a theme proposed by the listeners, as this show is all about MMORPG housing, including why housing matters, post-launch housing patches, placement tools, prefab vs. custom houses, housing as part of the gameplay loop, apartments vs. instanced vs. open-world housing, incentivizing housing use, taxes and monetization, and integrating housing into MMO ecosystems.]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/06/massively-op-podcast-episode-456-the-mmo-housing-show/feed/ 27 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/03/the-daily-grind-how-driven-or-chill-are-you-toward-your-mmo-progress/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/03/the-daily-grind-how-driven-or-chill-are-you-toward-your-mmo-progress/#comments Sat, 03 Feb 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477384 I’ve always been a very goals- and projects-oriented person, even in my gameplay. I figure that if I’m going to spend time in a game, I want it to be more productive than simply a stress relieving experience. I should channel that time toward projects that are fun and rewarding. But what I’m discovering in […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/03/the-daily-grind-how-driven-or-chill-are-you-toward-your-mmo-progress/feed/ 25 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/01/casually-classic-when-will-wow-classic-stop-adding-expansions/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/01/casually-classic-when-will-wow-classic-stop-adding-expansions/#comments Thu, 01 Feb 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477396 This spring, the era of Wrath Classic will officially come to an end when the Cataclysm Classic pre-patch hits ahead of the summer launch. With no current option to stay in Wrath’s setting and design, the WoW Classic community has to choose whether to bail, go forward into the next expansion, or jump to one […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/01/casually-classic-when-will-wow-classic-stop-adding-expansions/feed/ 24 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/31/perfect-ten-why-mmos-should-never-ditch-text-chat/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/31/perfect-ten-why-mmos-should-never-ditch-text-chat/#comments Wed, 31 Jan 2024 16:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=464027 If you ever want to feel what an MMO is like without any sort of text chat, then spend a stretch of time in Fallout 76. The silence in that online RPG is deafening because outside of proximity voice chat and a limited selection of emotes, there’s no way to hold conversations, coordinate efforts, or […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/31/perfect-ten-why-mmos-should-never-ditch-text-chat/feed/ 26 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/31/the-daily-grind-what-are-some-of-the-prettiest-high-level-zones-in-mmos/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/31/the-daily-grind-what-are-some-of-the-prettiest-high-level-zones-in-mmos/#comments Wed, 31 Jan 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477391 Back in the day, it used to be common for the early game in MMO to be nothing but verdant forests, lush meadows, and serene landscapes… while the endgame got hell-blasted death zones, volcano fields, and This Region is Brought to You By the Color Brown. In a way, we were punished by progressing, which […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/31/the-daily-grind-what-are-some-of-the-prettiest-high-level-zones-in-mmos/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/tower-of-fantasys-beyond-horizons-update-and-1-5-year-anniversary-events-are-live-today/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/tower-of-fantasys-beyond-horizons-update-and-1-5-year-anniversary-events-are-live-today/#respond Tue, 30 Jan 2024 23:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477709 Big things are afoot over at Tower of Fantasy with today’s release of Ver 3.6: Beyond Horizons. It’s a significant patch that also comes alongside 1.5-year anniversary celebrations (what? Don’t judge!). The update includes the new high-tech map of Aquaville, the Ying Zhao and Fei Lian world bosses, more puzzles to unlock, an additional chapter […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/tower-of-fantasys-beyond-horizons-update-and-1-5-year-anniversary-events-are-live-today/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/massively-op-podcast-episode-455-odyssey-to-the-abyss/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/massively-op-podcast-episode-455-odyssey-to-the-abyss/#comments Tue, 30 Jan 2024 21:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477377 Justin and Bree discuss Riot's and Blizzard's layoffs, the death of Blizzard's Odyssey, Palworld, Kritika, The Day Before, and Star Trek Online, with adventures in Guild Wars 2 and City of Heroes, plus a mailbag topic on memorable fluff loot.]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/massively-op-podcast-episode-455-odyssey-to-the-abyss/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/wow-classic-season-of-discoverys-next-phase-includes-gnomeregan-raid-but-no-more-gdkp-runs/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/wow-classic-season-of-discoverys-next-phase-includes-gnomeregan-raid-but-no-more-gdkp-runs/#comments Tue, 30 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477714 The next phase for WoW Classic’s Season of Discovery servers is imminent, and Blizzard is sharing some — but not all — of the changes and additions coming to this experimental ruleset. Phase Two’s marquee attraction is a reworked Gnomeregan raid dungeon that will be accessible when players reach the new level cap of 40. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/wow-classic-season-of-discoverys-next-phase-includes-gnomeregan-raid-but-no-more-gdkp-runs/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/29/mad-worlds-steam-launch-is-more-like-sad-world/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/29/mad-worlds-steam-launch-is-more-like-sad-world/#comments Mon, 29 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477518 Too little, too late? That may be the epitaph to Mad World’s nine-month trek to bringing the game to Steam after last year’s launch. We already knew that this grimdark MMO wasn’t blowing up in any significant way, despite its unique visual language, but the extremely lackluster release on Steam this past week seems to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/29/mad-worlds-steam-launch-is-more-like-sad-world/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/29/nightingale-plans-a-three-hour-stress-test-on-friday-with-no-nda-attached/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/29/nightingale-plans-a-three-hour-stress-test-on-friday-with-no-nda-attached/#comments Mon, 29 Jan 2024 14:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477514 If the potential of Nightgale’s Victorian survivalbox keeps you up at night with curiosity, you’ll soon have the opportunity to scratch that itch and experience the game for yourself first-hand. Prior to Nightingale’s launch in late February, Inflexion Games is holding a stress test this Friday, February 2nd. However, you’ll need to be punctual, as […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/29/nightingale-plans-a-three-hour-stress-test-on-friday-with-no-nda-attached/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/28/the-mop-up-ddos-snowpeaks-festival-returns/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/28/the-mop-up-ddos-snowpeaks-festival-returns/#respond Sun, 28 Jan 2024 21:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476674 Just because winter is in full swing doesn’t mean it has to be dour! Dungeons and Dragons Online is keeping things lively with the return of its annual Snowpeaks Festival. “The Snowpeaks Festival is the most magical time of winter, when the ice, sleet, and wind arrive, bringing good cheer and treats to all who […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/28/the-mop-up-ddos-snowpeaks-festival-returns/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/28/fortnite-is-coming-back-to-iphone-in-eu-because-europe-said-so/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/28/fortnite-is-coming-back-to-iphone-in-eu-because-europe-said-so/#comments Sun, 28 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477335 It’s been a few years — since 2020, in fact — since the snit fit between Apple and Epic began, provoking the former to cut off Fortnite from iOS devices, all but part of the very long-running feud between Apple, Epic, and Google over monopolistic platform designs and third-party payment options and sideloading. A final […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/28/fortnite-is-coming-back-to-iphone-in-eu-because-europe-said-so/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/28/one-shot-surveying-my-domain/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/28/one-shot-surveying-my-domain/#comments Sun, 28 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477155 Good day, captain! Now that you’ve been beamed down by your mutinous crew and marooned on an ice planet, you might as well enjoy the view before your internal organs begin to freeze. It’s all about the pose and poise, after all! “Here I am chilling in Star Trek Online, both literally and figuratively,” said […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/28/one-shot-surveying-my-domain/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/27/new-worlds-loot-biasing-should-reduce-bad-feelings-over-rng/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/27/new-worlds-loot-biasing-should-reduce-bad-feelings-over-rng/#comments Sat, 27 Jan 2024 21:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477332 How many times have events in MMOs caused you to drop to your knees, shake your fists at the sky, and curse your RNG bad luck? That’s the sort of knee-bruising event that New World was hoping to minimalize with the introduction of “loot biasing.” In a new dev diary, Amazon explains how the system […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/27/new-worlds-loot-biasing-should-reduce-bad-feelings-over-rng/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/27/the-game-archaeologist-dragon-ball-online-the-mmo-that-never-made-it-to-the-west/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/27/the-game-archaeologist-dragon-ball-online-the-mmo-that-never-made-it-to-the-west/#comments Sat, 27 Jan 2024 19:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477059 It was back in 1986 that Toei Animation, a Japanese company, brought a new series called Dragon Ball into the world. The initial run of the series proved successful, spawning film adaptations and then, in 1989, the even more popular Dragon Ball Z. As Dragon Ball became a mammoth franchise in Japan and then globally, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/27/the-game-archaeologist-dragon-ball-online-the-mmo-that-never-made-it-to-the-west/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/27/chronicles-of-elyria-begins-alpha-testing-a-feedback-form/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/27/chronicles-of-elyria-begins-alpha-testing-a-feedback-form/#comments Sat, 27 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477321 Despite vows to bring about an alpha for one of the Chronicles of Elyria titles by the end of 2023, it should shock precisely no one to hear that Soulbound Studio’s Jeromy Walsh is only now making noise about a roadmap for this year’s future failed promises development. To help with this no doubt noble endeavor, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/27/chronicles-of-elyria-begins-alpha-testing-a-feedback-form/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/27/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-has-the-best-fishing-system-2/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/27/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-has-the-best-fishing-system-2/#comments Sat, 27 Jan 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476364 Fishing absolutely mystifies me. Oh, in real life, I get it: It’s a way to be completely lazy, drink beer, and still catch your dinner. But in a video games where you’re often go-go-go, fishing demands you stop and stare at a little bobber for a while so that you can haul a slimy fish […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/27/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-has-the-best-fishing-system-2/feed/ 19 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/26/tamriel-infinium-the-history-of-elder-scrolls-games-before-and-after-elder-scrolls-online/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/26/tamriel-infinium-the-history-of-elder-scrolls-games-before-and-after-elder-scrolls-online/#comments Fri, 26 Jan 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476366 There’s nothing quite like that feeling when you first dip your toes into a particular game only to discover that it’s part of a massive franchise that’s been going on for decades. I have no doubt that there are plenty of Elder Scrolls Online players who are ignorant of the series’ long history on the PC — Skyrim memes […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/26/tamriel-infinium-the-history-of-elder-scrolls-games-before-and-after-elder-scrolls-online/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/26/tarislands-new-story-trailer-takes-another-cue-from-world-of-warcraft/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/26/tarislands-new-story-trailer-takes-another-cue-from-world-of-warcraft/#comments Fri, 26 Jan 2024 14:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477148 Tarisland fans have not been wanting for fuel to power the mighty hype engines of this upcoming MMORPG. On top of dev blogs and playtests comes a new story trailer to keep the anticipation high for this fantasy RPG. While nobody’s going to be submitting this video for an award (unless it’s “worst voice dubbing […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/26/tarislands-new-story-trailer-takes-another-cue-from-world-of-warcraft/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/26/what-we-knew-of-blizzards-now-dead-survival-game-odyssey/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/26/what-we-knew-of-blizzards-now-dead-survival-game-odyssey/#comments Fri, 26 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477151 The history of Blizzard’s game development includes a graveyard full of titles that never made it to launch, including the likes of Starcraft Ghost, Warcraft Adventures, and Project Titan. This week another game was interred in this somber place as Odyssey was laid to rest following the huge layoffs at Activision-Blizzard. Odyssey wasn’t much of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/26/what-we-knew-of-blizzards-now-dead-survival-game-odyssey/feed/ 45 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/25/mad-world-finally-arrives-on-steam-after-a-nine-month-delay/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/25/mad-world-finally-arrives-on-steam-after-a-nine-month-delay/#comments Thu, 25 Jan 2024 16:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476978 Cast your mind all the way back to spring of 2023 when you were but a carefree gamer in a garden of delights. However, one treat was denied to you on Steam: Jandisoft’s newly launched Mad World, which struggled with numerous technical difficulties upon release. A Steam delay was announced in late April, beginning what […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/25/mad-world-finally-arrives-on-steam-after-a-nine-month-delay/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/25/palworld-tops-2m-concurrency-on-steam-as-the-pokemon-company-intends-to-investigate/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/25/palworld-tops-2m-concurrency-on-steam-as-the-pokemon-company-intends-to-investigate/#comments Thu, 25 Jan 2024 14:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476971 When we started 2024, I don’t think any of us had “bizarre Pokémon shooter was going to blow up huge in January,” but, well, here we are. Palworld already has topped two million concurrent players on Steam with over eight million units sold, and it doesn’t look to be slowing down. However, all of this […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/25/palworld-tops-2m-concurrency-on-steam-as-the-pokemon-company-intends-to-investigate/feed/ 18 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/24/myth-of-empires-cranks-out-a-playtest-for-its-upcoming-february-launch/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/24/myth-of-empires-cranks-out-a-playtest-for-its-upcoming-february-launch/#respond Wed, 24 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476770 With its legal troubles hopefully behind it, medieval sandbox MMO Myth of Empires is cruising to a full launch next month. But before that happens, some last-minute testing is a must, which is why Angela Game is running a one-week playtest to sort out any big issues. The playtest, which began yesterday and will continue […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/24/myth-of-empires-cranks-out-a-playtest-for-its-upcoming-february-launch/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/24/kritika-zero-is-yanked-from-steam-hours-before-its-launch-in-favor-of-valofes-platform/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/24/kritika-zero-is-yanked-from-steam-hours-before-its-launch-in-favor-of-valofes-platform/#comments Wed, 24 Jan 2024 14:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476775 In the annals of unpleasant last-minute surprises for MMO launches, this one may take the cake. Yesterday we reported that the originally NFT-infested Kritika Global just had shut down to make way for the launch of Kritika Zero, the latest iteration of this why-won’t-you-die-already game. But now just mere hours before the Steam launch would’ve […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/24/kritika-zero-is-yanked-from-steam-hours-before-its-launch-in-favor-of-valofes-platform/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/24/the-daily-grind-whats-the-key-thought-that-keeps-you-from-returning-to-mmos/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/24/the-daily-grind-whats-the-key-thought-that-keeps-you-from-returning-to-mmos/#comments Wed, 24 Jan 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476361 In my decades of playing and writing about MMORPGs, there’s one thing I’ve found to be incredibly true: There is no such thing as a perfect MMO. Every title has its flaws, some of which are crippling or personally off-putting. The question is, can you stomach those flaws to enjoy the rest of the game? […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/24/the-daily-grind-whats-the-key-thought-that-keeps-you-from-returning-to-mmos/feed/ 24 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/23/massively-op-podcast-episode-454-mmo-roadmap-roundup/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/23/massively-op-podcast-episode-454-mmo-roadmap-roundup/#comments Tue, 23 Jan 2024 21:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476356 Justin and Bree discuss the 2024 roadmaps for Lord of the Rings Online, Lost Ark, World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, EVE Online, Elder Scrolls Online, New World, EverQuest, EverQuest II, and Wayfinder, with adventures in LOTRO, FFXIV, and City of Heroes.]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/23/massively-op-podcast-episode-454-mmo-roadmap-roundup/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/23/tarisland-shows-female-paladin-concept-while-saying-that-gender-unlocking-is-going-to-take-time/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/23/tarisland-shows-female-paladin-concept-while-saying-that-gender-unlocking-is-going-to-take-time/#comments Tue, 23 Jan 2024 18:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476604 You know that when there’s good news and bad news, it’s best to take that nasty medicine first, right? Well when it comes to Tarisland’s unpopular gender-locking design in the closed beta, Tencent said that creating opposite gender variants for each class “will be a complex and time-consuming process.” In short, don’t expect to see […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/23/tarisland-shows-female-paladin-concept-while-saying-that-gender-unlocking-is-going-to-take-time/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/23/nightingale-is-less-than-a-month-away-heres-a-six-minute-preview-of-its-features/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/23/nightingale-is-less-than-a-month-away-heres-a-six-minute-preview-of-its-features/#comments Tue, 23 Jan 2024 15:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476613 This is your formal heads-up that one of the most anticipated online games of 2024 is less than a month away. After years of development and a few delays, Victorian survival sim Nightingale is hitting early access on February 22nd. That means it’s time to get your personal hype engine revving, granted that this title […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/23/nightingale-is-less-than-a-month-away-heres-a-six-minute-preview-of-its-features/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/22/marvel-snap-nerfs-blob-its-troublesome-deck-eater/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/22/marvel-snap-nerfs-blob-its-troublesome-deck-eater/#respond Mon, 22 Jan 2024 22:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476486 Whenever you have a card game where the very basis of your revenue stream is the constant introduction of new cards, unbalanced concepts are going to slip through testing to mess up the meta. This is why Marvel Snap has made a habit of delivering one or two “Over the Air” (OTA) balance hotfixes every […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/22/marvel-snap-nerfs-blob-its-troublesome-deck-eater/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/22/dungeons-and-dragons-onlines-systems-designer-talks-about-the-epic-destiny-refresh/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/22/dungeons-and-dragons-onlines-systems-designer-talks-about-the-epic-destiny-refresh/#respond Mon, 22 Jan 2024 18:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476490 With a whole lot of systems under review for Dungeons and Dragons Online’s Update 66, it’s only logical that the games systems designer emerge to discuss all of these. On last Friday’s DDO livestream, Quentin “Tonquin” Cantor appeared on the show to talk about the big epic destiny refresh, more helpful tooltips, AOE ranged attacks, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/22/dungeons-and-dragons-onlines-systems-designer-talks-about-the-epic-destiny-refresh/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/the-mop-up-path-of-exiles-corpses-explode-less-frequently-now/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/the-mop-up-path-of-exiles-corpses-explode-less-frequently-now/#respond Sun, 21 Jan 2024 21:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=475708 Even a middling Path of Exile patch is still a cause for celebration when it arrives, as in the case of this past week’s Patch 3.23.1. “This patch contains a handful of improvements, another batch of Valdo’s Puzzle Box and Voidborn Reliquary yield options, as well as a number of bug fixes.” Also, the update […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/the-mop-up-path-of-exiles-corpses-explode-less-frequently-now/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/lord-of-the-rings-online-dev-stream-expands-on-last-weeks-roadmap-previews/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/lord-of-the-rings-online-dev-stream-expands-on-last-weeks-roadmap-previews/#comments Sun, 21 Jan 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476292 The release of Lord of the Rings Online’s 2024 roadmap this past week only seemed to fuel more questions than it did supply answers, which is probably why Lead Systems Designer Allan “Orion” Maki hopped onto the most recent dev stream to address specific points of the plan. Maki elaborated on the upcoming time-released Catacombs […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/lord-of-the-rings-online-dev-stream-expands-on-last-weeks-roadmap-previews/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/sea-of-thieves-goes-deep-on-season-11s-quality-of-life-patch/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/sea-of-thieves-goes-deep-on-season-11s-quality-of-life-patch/#comments Sun, 21 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476310 The pirates are back from the holidays, bringing buried treasure features to Sea of Thieves with the upcoming Season 11 patch. To expound upon the patch’s big points — including quick travel and a ship quest table — is an 18-minute deep dive from the one-eyed rapscallions over at Rare. “The main goal we wanted […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/sea-of-thieves-goes-deep-on-season-11s-quality-of-life-patch/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/one-shots-a-heated-meeting/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/one-shots-a-heated-meeting/#comments Sun, 21 Jan 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=476157 What are two words that delight you to hear as a child in school but terrify you as an adult? “Field trip!” Rose can attest that there’s nothing quite like packing up a routine meeting and transplanting it somewhere fairly ridiculous: “I’m not a particularly silly person in MMOs (in fact, I infuriate others sometimes […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/21/one-shots-a-heated-meeting/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/20/global-chat-the-everquest-fippy-awards/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/20/global-chat-the-everquest-fippy-awards/#respond Sun, 21 Jan 2024 01:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=475394 The EverQuest Show is starting the year with a for-fun awards ceremony featuring the two EverQuest MMOs. Who will win? Who will lose? Will this be a better use of your time than sitting through the Oscars? “Aether Wroughtlands – Best New Zone in EQ2. The vibrant mix of prismatic colors in various sections of Aether Wroughtlands […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/20/global-chat-the-everquest-fippy-awards/feed/ 0