https://massivelyop.com MMORPG news and opinions Tue, 13 Feb 2024 04:01:15 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/the-stream-team-mini-mo-mania-for-the-9th-mopiversary/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/the-stream-team-mini-mo-mania-for-the-9th-mopiversary/#respond Tue, 13 Feb 2024 00:55:26 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479640 How long is nine years? Measured from your Daily Grind wishes to a pirate’s week in review, it’s how long Massively OP has been bringing you all sorts of tasty, tantalizing, and even sometimes terrible MMO news as well as opinions, streams, and more. Of course, how could MJ pass up celebrating this most auspicious […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/the-stream-team-mini-mo-mania-for-the-9th-mopiversary/feed/ 0 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/albion-online-tweaks-staffs-temp-disables-duels-readies-turkish-and-arabic-language-support/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/albion-online-tweaks-staffs-temp-disables-duels-readies-turkish-and-arabic-language-support/#respond Mon, 12 Feb 2024 19:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479534 It has been a busy couple of weeks in the world of Albion Online as Sandbox Interactive has been putting out patches, dealing with duelers being cheaty little cheaters, and expanding the sandbox MMORPG’s language options. So let us review, shall we? We’ll start with the most recent patch, which is mostly focused on weapon […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/albion-online-tweaks-staffs-temp-disables-duels-readies-turkish-and-arabic-language-support/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/runescape-adds-a-new-quest-and-a-flash-event-old-school-runescape-finishes-poll-80-updates/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/runescape-adds-a-new-quest-and-a-flash-event-old-school-runescape-finishes-poll-80-updates/#respond Mon, 12 Feb 2024 18:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479539 Are you among those in RuneScape who are hoping to face off against the Wildywyrm monster more frequently? Then you’re probably happy to note that last week saw the start of a special flash event that ramps up this specific creature’s arrival rate in the Wilderness and also offers up some new rewards for players […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/runescape-adds-a-new-quest-and-a-flash-event-old-school-runescape-finishes-poll-80-updates/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/new-worlds-season-of-the-guardian-teases-new-trial-cooking-revamp-animation-buffs-and-opr-mounts/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/new-worlds-season-of-the-guardian-teases-new-trial-cooking-revamp-animation-buffs-and-opr-mounts/#comments Mon, 12 Feb 2024 18:00:13 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479603 Amazon has taken the veil off New World’s Season of the Guardian this afternoon, and it sounds as if it’ll have a little bit of somethin’ for everyone – and no, it’s not just seasonal events, though it’s teasing two of those too. For raiders, the 10-person endgame puzzle-encrusted Winter Rune Forge trial is on […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/new-worlds-season-of-the-guardian-teases-new-trial-cooking-revamp-animation-buffs-and-opr-mounts/feed/ 4 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/wisdom-of-nym-what-the-hey-is-up-with-final-fantasy-xivs-xbox-pricing/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/wisdom-of-nym-what-the-hey-is-up-with-final-fantasy-xivs-xbox-pricing/#comments Mon, 12 Feb 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479454 In another theoretical timeline, there’s a place where Final Fantasy XIV really would have stepped in it when it subtly noted that the game’s subscription on Xbox would require also subscribing to Game Pass. This is, in and of itself, not all that unusual; it’s pretty normal for games that require a subscription online. But […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/wisdom-of-nym-what-the-hey-is-up-with-final-fantasy-xivs-xbox-pricing/feed/ 14 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/2024/02/12/ncsoft-updates-eulas-for-lineage-ii-aion-and-blade-and-soul-as-part-of-their-move-to-purple/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/ncsoft-updates-eulas-for-lineage-ii-aion-and-blade-and-soul-as-part-of-their-move-to-purple/#comments Mon, 12 Feb 2024 15:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479412 At the top of February we reported on NCsoft’s decision to migrate many of its MMOs to its bespoke Purple platform, specifically affecting Blade & Soul, Lineage II, and Aion. With that in mind, it’s probably going to come as no surprise that the EULAs for all three titles have been updated as a result. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/ncsoft-updates-eulas-for-lineage-ii-aion-and-blade-and-soul-as-part-of-their-move-to-purple/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/monsters-and-memories-shares-video-footage-from-its-recent-biome-jam-art-dev-test/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/monsters-and-memories-shares-video-footage-from-its-recent-biome-jam-art-dev-test/#comments Mon, 12 Feb 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479381 Earlier this month, Monsters & Memories developer Niche Worlds Cult talked up an art test known as a Biome Jam, which was intended to see how quickly its devs could craft new environments. It sounds informative on paper, but being an art test it’s probably more impactful when viewed, which leads us to some development […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/monsters-and-memories-shares-video-footage-from-its-recent-biome-jam-art-dev-test/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/magic-to-master-goes-crypto-ties-down-a-publisher-and-eyes-a-nebulous-february-early-access-release-window/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/magic-to-master-goes-crypto-ties-down-a-publisher-and-eyes-a-nebulous-february-early-access-release-window/#comments Mon, 12 Feb 2024 14:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479357 With all of the loud goose honking that came out of the gaming industry in 2023, it would be understandably easy to have forgotten about Magic to Master, itself being an allegedly unauthorized version of Gameforge-published Metin 2 that took some twists along its development track last year, including fake testimonials from multiple outlets (including […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/magic-to-master-goes-crypto-ties-down-a-publisher-and-eyes-a-nebulous-february-early-access-release-window/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/daybreak-games-dimensional-ink-is-the-latest-games-studio-hit-with-layoffs/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/daybreak-games-dimensional-ink-is-the-latest-games-studio-hit-with-layoffs/#comments Mon, 12 Feb 2024 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479423 The culling of games industry employees continues through the beginning of this year: A list compiled by Kotaku that outlines the over 6,400 layoffs that have occurred across the industry so far has some additional sad news from our corner of gaming, as Daybreak Games’ DC Universe Online sub-studio Dimensional Ink has been hit by […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/daybreak-games-dimensional-ink-is-the-latest-games-studio-hit-with-layoffs/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/the-daily-grind-is-there-an-mmorpg-you-think-shouldnt-be-classified-as-an-mmorpg/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/the-daily-grind-is-there-an-mmorpg-you-think-shouldnt-be-classified-as-an-mmorpg/#comments Mon, 12 Feb 2024 13:00:44 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=475522 We have the MMORPG subreddit to thank for this morning’s Daily Grind: At the beginning of January, some bright spark over there posted a thread insisting that EVE Online, a long-running sci-fi MMORPG, is not in fact an MMORPG. Now, I didn’t click on the thread; insert the “I’m not falling for that hot take/that’s […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/12/the-daily-grind-is-there-an-mmorpg-you-think-shouldnt-be-classified-as-an-mmorpg/feed/ 20 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/mmo-week-in-review-skull-bones-departs-drydock/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/mmo-week-in-review-skull-bones-departs-drydock/#respond Mon, 12 Feb 2024 01:00:25 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479295 Skull & Bones finally drifted into its soft launch open beta after eleventy billion delays and do-overs, and… it’s actually not terrible? And it’s actually somewhat MMO-ish? Huh. Well then. Meanwhile, Scars of Honor is angling for $200K on Kickstarter, Xbox thinks people will pay two subs to play Final Fantasy XIV on Xbox, and […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/mmo-week-in-review-skull-bones-departs-drydock/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/the-stream-team-finishing-a-friends-run-of-final-fantasy-xivs-pandaemonium/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/the-stream-team-finishing-a-friends-run-of-final-fantasy-xivs-pandaemonium/#respond Sun, 11 Feb 2024 18:55:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479408 This Eorzea Sunday sees MOP’s Chris, his husband Jamie, and their friend Ollie wrap up the Final Fantasy XIV Pandaemonium raids! It’s four more fights for a new arrival to learn and any number of random discussion topics to talk about, today at 2:00 p.m. EST! What: Final Fantasy XIV Who: Chris Neal When: 2:00 […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/the-stream-team-finishing-a-friends-run-of-final-fantasy-xivs-pandaemonium/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/2024/02/11/the-daily-grind-are-there-mmo-systems-you-long-ago-gave-up-on-understanding/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/the-daily-grind-are-there-mmo-systems-you-long-ago-gave-up-on-understanding/#comments Sun, 11 Feb 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479042 “I do not understand how Ninja is supposed to be played,” he said, “and at this point I have given up on understanding it.” This was, in fact, a defensible statement; Ninja in Final Fantasy XIV is a complicated job with a whole lot of messy parts that are not immediately obvious when you start […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/11/the-daily-grind-are-there-mmo-systems-you-long-ago-gave-up-on-understanding/feed/ 34 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/the-stream-team-aq3d-celebrates-the-year-of-the-dragon/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/the-stream-team-aq3d-celebrates-the-year-of-the-dragon/#respond Sat, 10 Feb 2024 00:55:21 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479302 With a logo that is a dragon, it’s no surprise that AQ3D would celebrate the Year of the Dragon! The two are a perfect combination, like peanut butter and chocolate. And since Massively OP’s MJ is all about dragons, of course she wants to participate. Add in the cool cosmetics and you can’t keep her […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/the-stream-team-aq3d-celebrates-the-year-of-the-dragon/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/betawatch-skull-bones-lands-washes-ashore-in-open-beta-at-long-last/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/betawatch-skull-bones-lands-washes-ashore-in-open-beta-at-long-last/#comments Sat, 10 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479303 If you didn’t believe that Skull and Bones would ever hit open beta, or really any beta, you aren’t alone. I have been making this joke for the past several weeks. But when we’ve even had a stream showing off the game’s open beta, it is possible that the game has actually gone into something […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/betawatch-skull-bones-lands-washes-ashore-in-open-beta-at-long-last/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/closers-celebrates-its-sixth-anniversary-by-handing-out-character-level-jumps-and-login-rewards/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/closers-celebrates-its-sixth-anniversary-by-handing-out-character-level-jumps-and-login-rewards/#respond Fri, 09 Feb 2024 22:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479000 Against all presumed odds, Closers has been online for six years, and that merits a whole lot of celebration from the anime MMO, as Naddic Games is tossing a metric ton of free things at players, not the least of which being a character jump to max level. Between now and March 27th, players who […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/closers-celebrates-its-sixth-anniversary-by-handing-out-character-level-jumps-and-login-rewards/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/final-fantasy-xi-adds-a-new-master-trial-against-the-guardians-of-adoulin/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/final-fantasy-xi-adds-a-new-master-trial-against-the-guardians-of-adoulin/#respond Fri, 09 Feb 2024 21:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479152 The next major Final Fantasy XI patch will not actually involve going to war against a month, but it certainly sounds like it will. Why? Because the new Master Trial will involve going up against August, the king and founder of Adoulin. Of course, his partner in this operation is not June or July, but […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/final-fantasy-xi-adds-a-new-master-trial-against-the-guardians-of-adoulin/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/mad-world-updates-ui-elements-and-potential-growth-system-delays-its-new-dungeon-to-next-week/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/mad-world-updates-ui-elements-and-potential-growth-system-delays-its-new-dungeon-to-next-week/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479116 This week is bringing another patch to Mad World, and most of its contents are about adjustments to existing features and UI elements, as well as a host of bug fixes and general gameplay tweaks. So probably not the silver bullet fans might be hoping for. The UI updates affect the stable, materials bag, skill […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/mad-world-updates-ui-elements-and-potential-growth-system-delays-its-new-dungeon-to-next-week/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/q4-2023-nexon-krafton-and-roblox-all-posted-soaring-revenues-in-2023/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/q4-2023-nexon-krafton-and-roblox-all-posted-soaring-revenues-in-2023/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 19:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479133 Welcome back to another MMO business roundup – this one all about financials for some of the companies we keep an eye on ’round here. ROBLOX Roblox’s fortunes have been bizarre over the last few years as the company has been making tons of money – and spending it all and then some. According to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/q4-2023-nexon-krafton-and-roblox-all-posted-soaring-revenues-in-2023/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/dc-universe-online-reopens-loves-battlefield-and-hands-out-new-rewards-for-valentines-day/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/dc-universe-online-reopens-loves-battlefield-and-hands-out-new-rewards-for-valentines-day/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 18:30:24 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479256 Nothing says love quite like denying a villain his heart’s desire because it would destroy an entire city. If that setup sounds familiar to DC Universe Online players, then congratulations: You know that the Love Conquers All Valentine’s Day event is back. For those who aren’t familiar: Welcome to the Love Conquers All Valentine’s Day […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/dc-universe-online-reopens-loves-battlefield-and-hands-out-new-rewards-for-valentines-day/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/everquest-and-everquest-iis-erollisi-day-valentines-events-return-with-new-and-returning-quests-and-goodies/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/everquest-and-everquest-iis-erollisi-day-valentines-events-return-with-new-and-returning-quests-and-goodies/#respond Fri, 09 Feb 2024 17:30:08 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479246 The season of love – or at least the season commanded by Erollisi Marr – has returned once again to EverQuest and EverQuest II. It’s time for the Erollisi Day event for both MMORPGs, bringing some Valentine’s-themed entertainment to players. Assuming those players are entertained by quests, achievements, and decorations, anyway. EQ2 players have between […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/everquest-and-everquest-iis-erollisi-day-valentines-events-return-with-new-and-returning-quests-and-goodies/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/vague-patch-notes-mmorpgs-and-the-pc-gaming-market/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/vague-patch-notes-mmorpgs-and-the-pc-gaming-market/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479180 I find myself thinking a lot about the MMORPG industry lately and the ways in which the gaming industry as a whole has changed over the course of the past couple decades, because it seems clear to me that things have been changing. Did you know that up until 2004, PC gaming accounted for less […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/vague-patch-notes-mmorpgs-and-the-pc-gaming-market/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/runescapes-jagex-is-apparently-being-sold-yet-again-this-time-to-a-private-equity-firm-for-over-1b-2/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/runescapes-jagex-is-apparently-being-sold-yet-again-this-time-to-a-private-equity-firm-for-over-1b-2/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 16:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479243 Rumors from earlier this week that suggested RuneScape company Jagex was once again for sale have now been proven correct, thanks to a formal press release from the parties involved. Luxembourg-based private equity firm CVC Capital Partners, Austin-based private equity firm Haveli Investments, and UK-stationed Jagex have indeed announced that CVC has “agreed to acquire” […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/runescapes-jagex-is-apparently-being-sold-yet-again-this-time-to-a-private-equity-firm-for-over-1b-2/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/working-as-intended-a-guide-to-city-of-heroes-homecomings-best-player-crafted-portal-bases/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/working-as-intended-a-guide-to-city-of-heroes-homecomings-best-player-crafted-portal-bases/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=478317 A few years ago, I was wandering around in City of Heroes when someone advertised a cool base in chat. All I had to do was head over to a supergroup base portal, type in the code flashed in text, and be welcomed into this person’s custom base. I was expecting something akin to the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/working-as-intended-a-guide-to-city-of-heroes-homecomings-best-player-crafted-portal-bases/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/microsoft-insists-activision-blizzard-was-planning-on-mass-layoffs-before-the-merger/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/microsoft-insists-activision-blizzard-was-planning-on-mass-layoffs-before-the-merger/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 15:30:05 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479239 As we’ve been covering, earlier this week the FTC filed a complaint to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, alleging that Microsoft misrepresented itself during hearings before the acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. Specifically, in seeking to assuage regulators’ concerns, Microsoft vowed it would “maintain the pre-merger status quo” – that it would run Activision-Blizzard as a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/microsoft-insists-activision-blizzard-was-planning-on-mass-layoffs-before-the-merger/feed/ 41 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/2024/02/09/the-daily-grind-have-you-ever-lost-a-house-in-an-mmo/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/the-daily-grind-have-you-ever-lost-a-house-in-an-mmo/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 13:00:28 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=478378 Last week, fellow MMO blogger Belghast wrote a blog post that sent a shot of panic through my own heart: He tells the tale of forgetting to log into Final Fantasy XIV for a few months and having his character’s house be repossessed by the game while he wasn’t paying it any mind. Now, the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/09/the-daily-grind-have-you-ever-lost-a-house-in-an-mmo/feed/ 24 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/the-stream-team-solving-dungeons-dragons-onlines-sealed-in-amber/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/the-stream-team-solving-dungeons-dragons-onlines-sealed-in-amber/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:55:49 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479160 In DDO, Ravenloft’s Strahd has no dearth of enemies. A dusk elf named Kasimir Velikov has followed the guidance of his treacherous dead sister, Patrina, to travel along the winding path of the Tsolenka Pass into the mountains in search of an ancient temple built of amber. Of course, Massively OP’s MJ has to go […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/the-stream-team-solving-dungeons-dragons-onlines-sealed-in-amber/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/massively-overthinking-when-the-original-mmo-is-better-than-the-sequel/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/massively-overthinking-when-the-original-mmo-is-better-than-the-sequel/#comments Fri, 09 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=478693 A few weeks ago, two lovely gamers I follow on Bluesky were discussing how let down they felt by Diablo IV, less because Diablo IV is particularly bad and more because Diablo III is really good and holding up better over time. It caught my attention because y’all know I really enjoyed the heck out […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/massively-overthinking-when-the-original-mmo-is-better-than-the-sequel/feed/ 18 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/star-wars-galaxies-restoration-rogue-server-launches-schisms-of-heretics-with-new-jedi-content/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/star-wars-galaxies-restoration-rogue-server-launches-schisms-of-heretics-with-new-jedi-content/#comments Thu, 08 Feb 2024 23:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477580 If there were an award for slick rogue server promotions, Star Wars Galaxies Restoration 3 would win it this month, as the announcement newsletter for its Publish 1.2 The Schisms of Heretics includes not only a video but a welcome-back guide for returning players in a satisfyingly organized layout. Oh, and a full and proper […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/star-wars-galaxies-restoration-rogue-server-launches-schisms-of-heretics-with-new-jedi-content/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/lunar-new-year-events-around-the-mmorpg-world-2024-edition/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/lunar-new-year-events-around-the-mmorpg-world-2024-edition/#comments Thu, 08 Feb 2024 19:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=478235 Would you believe that this is only our third year with enough MMORPG Lunar New Year events that a roundup is necessary? A decade ago, these events were rare, and twice that, they were almost unheard of – in the west, of course. Now, every multiplayer title is anxious to add another festival to the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/lunar-new-year-events-around-the-mmorpg-world-2024-edition/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/world-of-warcraft-elaborates-on-the-war-withins-hero-talents-system/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/world-of-warcraft-elaborates-on-the-war-withins-hero-talents-system/#comments Thu, 08 Feb 2024 18:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479110 The War Within expansion for World of Warcraft is bringing, among other things, the hero talents system, an “evergreen form of character progression for each class specialization that introduces new powers and class fantasies” according to Blizzard. With that in mind, and in the interest of gathering player feedback, the studio is granting an early […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/world-of-warcraft-elaborates-on-the-war-withins-hero-talents-system/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/lost-ark-celebrates-its-second-birthday-by-reminding-you-how-many-times-its-killed-your-characters/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/lost-ark-celebrates-its-second-birthday-by-reminding-you-how-many-times-its-killed-your-characters/#respond Thu, 08 Feb 2024 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479017 Lost Ark fans are already swept up in the game’s second anniversary festivities thanks to the patch yesterday, but technically, the formal western birthday isn’t until the 11th, but apparently Amazon and Smilegate mean to start early by celebrating the original headstart, and who’s gonna say no to that? This afternoon, the studios have released […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/lost-ark-celebrates-its-second-birthday-by-reminding-you-how-many-times-its-killed-your-characters/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/into-the-super-verse-whats-wrong-with-city-of-heroes-incarnate-system/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/into-the-super-verse-whats-wrong-with-city-of-heroes-incarnate-system/#comments Thu, 08 Feb 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479049 It hasn’t been all that long since I said that what City of Heroes needs to focus on right now is not endgame content, and I stand by that. In fact, there’s arguably a whole other column to be written about where the game really does need more content and more stuff to do, although […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/into-the-super-verse-whats-wrong-with-city-of-heroes-incarnate-system/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/fight-or-kite-ravendawn-has-a-great-class-system-but-gameplay-needs-polish/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/fight-or-kite-ravendawn-has-a-great-class-system-but-gameplay-needs-polish/#comments Thu, 08 Feb 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=478411 As an avid gamer of the ’80s and ’90s, I’ve got a real soft spot for all things retro-inspired. A lot of my favorites lean into the action adventure-style games, but I also enjoyed turn based RPGs as well. There’s hardly any Metroidvania-style games that I haven’t played – minus, for some reason, Metroid or […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/fight-or-kite-ravendawn-has-a-great-class-system-but-gameplay-needs-polish/feed/ 6 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/2024/02/08/the-daily-grind-how-difficult-should-it-be-to-respec-in-an-mmorpg/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/the-daily-grind-how-difficult-should-it-be-to-respec-in-an-mmorpg/#comments Thu, 08 Feb 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479038 It struck me the other day how my two favorite MMORPGs are wildly different in terms of respecs. Final Fantasy XIV offers effectively infinite respecs simply because there is never anything stopping you from choosing to level and focus on a different job; there is time investment on a few projects like relic weapons or […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/08/the-daily-grind-how-difficult-should-it-be-to-respec-in-an-mmorpg/feed/ 24 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/papayas-tree-of-savior-adds-the-illusionist-and-kicks-off-another-round-of-boost-events/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/papayas-tree-of-savior-adds-the-illusionist-and-kicks-off-another-round-of-boost-events/#comments Wed, 07 Feb 2024 23:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=478588 Care to mess with enemies in Papaya Play’s Tree of Savior so hard that it actually physically harms them? Then you’re ready to play with the Illusionist, the newest class that was added to the OARPG’s Wizard tree last month. As one might expect, the Illusionist unleashes confounding attacks that build up stacks, which can […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/papayas-tree-of-savior-adds-the-illusionist-and-kicks-off-another-round-of-boost-events/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/final-fantasy-xis-valentiones-day-arrives-once-more-with-bird-mating/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/final-fantasy-xis-valentiones-day-arrives-once-more-with-bird-mating/#comments Wed, 07 Feb 2024 22:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=478787 Once again, Final Fantasy XI will spend its Valentione’s Day celebrating that which matters most: bird mating. Yes, as always, the annual Valentine’s Day event within the game features a quest to find mates for chocobos, and isn’t that the real meaning of the holiday? Getting birds to make lots more baby birds that you […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/final-fantasy-xis-valentiones-day-arrives-once-more-with-bird-mating/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/dungeons-dragons-online-is-giving-away-archetypes-mounts-and-more-for-the-year-of-the-dragon/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/dungeons-dragons-online-is-giving-away-archetypes-mounts-and-more-for-the-year-of-the-dragon/#comments Wed, 07 Feb 2024 19:00:55 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=479018 Dungeons & Dragons Online teased its Year of the Dragon promotion last weekend, but now it’s here: The D&D MMORPG will be following along in its Daybreak cousins’ footsteps offering a full-year celebration for the Year of the Dragon with monthly promotions. Hey, at least dragon is in its name. “In celebration of Dungeons and […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/dungeons-dragons-online-is-giving-away-archetypes-mounts-and-more-for-the-year-of-the-dragon/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/working-as-intended-city-of-heroes-macros-and-popmenus-for-noobs/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/working-as-intended-city-of-heroes-macros-and-popmenus-for-noobs/#comments Wed, 07 Feb 2024 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477126 In my first braindump on City of Heroes for this column, I tried to ease superhero fans into the world of modding the 20-year-old newly relicensed MMO, which is actually so easy my 12-year-old can do it. I was tickled to find out a lot of folks didn’t even know you could mod City of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/working-as-intended-city-of-heroes-macros-and-popmenus-for-noobs/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/tarisland-discusses-its-business-model-and-in-game-economy-in-a-new-video/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/tarisland-discusses-its-business-model-and-in-game-economy-in-a-new-video/#comments Wed, 07 Feb 2024 17:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=478900 Tarisland has airdropped in a new video about its economy this week, but the downside is that the video is a bit vague when it discusses economic activity. It talks a great deal about how its sold items will not be meant to grant any sort of in-game advantage, for example, but it remains vague […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/tarisland-discusses-its-business-model-and-in-game-economy-in-a-new-video/feed/ 1