https://massivelyop.com MMORPG news and opinions Mon, 29 Jan 2024 22:11:12 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/the-soapbox-casuals-and-soloers-need-challenging-mmo-content-too/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/the-soapbox-casuals-and-soloers-need-challenging-mmo-content-too/#comments Tue, 30 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477243 In a recent press Q&A around the announcement of Elder Scrolls Online‘s Gold Road chapter, Zenimax creative director Rich Lambert appeared to dismiss the idea of offering more challenging open world content, instead pointing to dungeons as a more difficult alternative. I’m going off an indirect quotation, so I’m not going to read too much […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/the-soapbox-casuals-and-soloers-need-challenging-mmo-content-too/feed/ 27 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/08/the-soapbox-hearthstone-is-probably-in-for-another-boring-year-in-2024/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/08/the-soapbox-hearthstone-is-probably-in-for-another-boring-year-in-2024/#comments Mon, 08 Jan 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=474285 I recently got a survey in my email on Hearthstone and its future. The last time a Hearthstone survey got sent out, the idea of a subscription model for the game wasn’t received super well. It prompted me to wrote a series of articles on the differences between monetizing a computer card game and a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/08/the-soapbox-hearthstone-is-probably-in-for-another-boring-year-in-2024/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/27/the-soapbox-the-problem-with-mmo-hoarding/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/27/the-soapbox-the-problem-with-mmo-hoarding/#comments Wed, 27 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=466529 I remember a number of years ago, in an article for a game I can’t recall, an MMO developer discussed how an early build of his crafting game allowed for unlimited bag space. On paper, it sounded great, but the problem was that it allowed players to hoard to the point that they didn’t need […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/27/the-soapbox-the-problem-with-mmo-hoarding/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/04/the-soapbox-in-defence-of-world-of-warcraft-cataclysm/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/04/the-soapbox-in-defence-of-world-of-warcraft-cataclysm/#comments Mon, 04 Dec 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=469967 When Blizzard announced Cataclysm Classic servers for World of Warcraft, there was some bemusement in the broader MMORPG community. Cataclysm has always been controversial, and to this day a lot of people see it as one of the worst expansions, a moment when the game began its decline. I’m ambivalent towards classic servers regardless of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/04/the-soapbox-in-defence-of-world-of-warcraft-cataclysm/feed/ 33 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/21/some-assembly-required-grand-theft-online-roleplay-is-a-tough-nut-to-crack/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/21/some-assembly-required-grand-theft-online-roleplay-is-a-tough-nut-to-crack/#comments Tue, 21 Nov 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=466811 A few months ago, I discovered the world of Red Dead Online roleplay. The possibility of interacting with other players and discovering mechanics in the world of RDO was an interesting diversion from the more traditional games I normally frequent. Certainly, I enjoyed my time there, but Red Dead RP has one serious problem: Not […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/21/some-assembly-required-grand-theft-online-roleplay-is-a-tough-nut-to-crack/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/09/the-soapbox-will-diablo-ivs-vessel-of-hatred-be-a-sufficient-answer-for-path-of-exile-2/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/09/the-soapbox-will-diablo-ivs-vessel-of-hatred-be-a-sufficient-answer-for-path-of-exile-2/#comments Thu, 09 Nov 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=466180 Everyone loves a good enrage timer, right? It puts pressure on everyone involved in a raid or boss fight to pull their weight and play well enough to ensure the boss doesn’t do its unstoppable party-wiping attack that ends the fight. So what does this have to do with Diablo IV? Well, it’s on its […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/09/the-soapbox-will-diablo-ivs-vessel-of-hatred-be-a-sufficient-answer-for-path-of-exile-2/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/30/the-soapbox-the-real-cost-of-breaking-trust-with-gamers/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/30/the-soapbox-the-real-cost-of-breaking-trust-with-gamers/#comments Sat, 30 Sep 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=459193 There’s a quote going around these days in gaming spheres about trust being like a broken vase that can be fixed but will never be the same – and with good reason. Even though most gamers don’t really need to concern themselves with the whole Unity debacle directly, I think everyone grasped how easy it […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/30/the-soapbox-the-real-cost-of-breaking-trust-with-gamers/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/18/the-soapbox-how-vanguards-diplomacy-system-could-be-revived-and-improved/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/18/the-soapbox-how-vanguards-diplomacy-system-could-be-revived-and-improved/#comments Fri, 18 Aug 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=453093 Once upon a time there was an MMORPG called Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. It wasn’t the most popular MMO, but it did cultivate a loyal fanbase due to its innovative features that attempted to push the genre forward rather than slavishly copy successful models. And out of all of its features, the one that seems […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/18/the-soapbox-how-vanguards-diplomacy-system-could-be-revived-and-improved/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/25/the-soapbox-why-cryptics-mmos-are-the-epitome-of-comfort-gaming/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/25/the-soapbox-why-cryptics-mmos-are-the-epitome-of-comfort-gaming/#comments Tue, 25 Jul 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=450054 They say you never forget your first kiss. I honestly can’t recall much about mine, but I do vividly remember the day that I ran to the store before work to grab a copy of City of Heroes for its launch. April 28th, 2004, ended up being my first big introduction into the world of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/25/the-soapbox-why-cryptics-mmos-are-the-epitome-of-comfort-gaming/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/21/the-soapbox-the-day-my-son-lost-his-first-online-video-game-to-a-sunset/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/21/the-soapbox-the-day-my-son-lost-his-first-online-video-game-to-a-sunset/#comments Fri, 21 Jul 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=449089 It was a few weeks back that I walked into our family room and saw my 14-year-old son crouched over the iPad with a watch in hand doing something very meticulous and intentional. I paused and asked, “Heya… whatcha doing there?” He looked up and gave a wry grimace. “I just heard that School of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/21/the-soapbox-the-day-my-son-lost-his-first-online-video-game-to-a-sunset/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/20/the-soapbox-why-the-secret-world-really-failed/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/20/the-soapbox-why-the-secret-world-really-failed/#comments Thu, 20 Jul 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=448995 We’re back with part two of my long-overdue post-mortem of The Secret World, my favourite MMORPG of all time. In the first part I addressed the oft-hated combat, how the flaw was probably not the combat itself, and how I don’t think that’s what ultimately killed the game. Today, I want to explore what I […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/20/the-soapbox-why-the-secret-world-really-failed/feed/ 45 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/05/the-soapbox-a-belated-the-secret-world-post-mortem-part-one/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/05/the-soapbox-a-belated-the-secret-world-post-mortem-part-one/#comments Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=446469 This weeks marks the eleventh anniversary of the launch of The Secret World. While the game is still playable (for those with existing accounts), it has been relegated to the semi-death of maintenance mode. It’s easy to find opinions on why games failed from those who never liked them in the first place, but I […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/05/the-soapbox-a-belated-the-secret-world-post-mortem-part-one/feed/ 27 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/19/the-soapbox-raiding-isnt-the-problem-with-world-of-warcraft/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/19/the-soapbox-raiding-isnt-the-problem-with-world-of-warcraft/#comments Fri, 19 May 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=440108 It is by now clear that World of Warcraft‘s Dragonflight expansion hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. This has set off another round of the MMO community’s favourite gameshow, “Why Is World of Warcraft Declining?” A lot of people point the finger at raiding and Blizzard’s willingness to neglect the rest of the game […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/19/the-soapbox-raiding-isnt-the-problem-with-world-of-warcraft/feed/ 25 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/03/the-soapbox-mmo-housing-is-so-much-more-than-a-frivolous-feature/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/03/the-soapbox-mmo-housing-is-so-much-more-than-a-frivolous-feature/#comments Wed, 03 May 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=437828 When The Sims launched in 2000, what seemed like a dull and laughable concept on paper proved to be one of the most compelling video game experiences of all time. Messing around with a virtual dollhouse tapped into a part of gamers’ psyche that loved to create and nurture rather than constantly destroy. I spent […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/03/the-soapbox-mmo-housing-is-so-much-more-than-a-frivolous-feature/feed/ 30 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/13/the-soapbox-hating-on-the-competition-is-no-way-to-promote-an-mmo/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/13/the-soapbox-hating-on-the-competition-is-no-way-to-promote-an-mmo/#comments Mon, 13 Mar 2023 14:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=430334 Recently, RIFT was back in the news, offering free subscription time to new and returning players. While I salute Gamigo’s generosity here, whenever the topic of RIFT comes up, I can’t help but think of the spectacularly ill-advised “we’re not in Azeroth anymore” ad campaign. In my opinion, RIFT was about as close to a carbon copy of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/13/the-soapbox-hating-on-the-competition-is-no-way-to-promote-an-mmo/feed/ 31 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/30/the-soapbox-subscriptions-might-actually-be-the-next-big-innovation-in-digital-card-games/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/30/the-soapbox-subscriptions-might-actually-be-the-next-big-innovation-in-digital-card-games/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=423977 What started earlier this week as a rant on how bad an idea a subscription model in Hearthstone would be evolved into something more: a Soapbox comparing the economies of traditional TCGs and digital card games and realizing that there might still be space for growth in the field of monetizing the latter – a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/30/the-soapbox-subscriptions-might-actually-be-the-next-big-innovation-in-digital-card-games/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/26/the-soapbox-comparing-the-monetization-of-physical-and-digital-card-games/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/26/the-soapbox-comparing-the-monetization-of-physical-and-digital-card-games/#comments Thu, 26 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=423819 Earlier this week, we reported on the recent Blizzard survey about a possible Hearthstone sub. When I read the news, I almost choked on the sourdough jack I was noshing on as I accidently blurted, “That’s foolish!” loud enough to get the attention of most of my fellow diners. But you know, after a little […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/26/the-soapbox-comparing-the-monetization-of-physical-and-digital-card-games/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/26/the-soapbox-why-diversifying-your-mmo-gaming-is-the-smart-thing-to-do/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/26/the-soapbox-why-diversifying-your-mmo-gaming-is-the-smart-thing-to-do/#comments Tue, 26 Jul 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=398076 Allow me to indulge in some retrospection for a moment as I sit back on my rocker, squint into the fading afternoon light, and recall the “good ol’ days.” Well, the “ol’ days” at least. Different days. A different era. MMORPG gaming prior to 2009’s free-to-play revolution was a question of loyalties. The standard subscription […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/26/the-soapbox-why-diversifying-your-mmo-gaming-is-the-smart-thing-to-do/feed/ 20 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/18/the-soapbox-wows-talent-trees-dont-deserve-your-nostalgia/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/18/the-soapbox-wows-talent-trees-dont-deserve-your-nostalgia/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=396689 As World of Warcraft‘s Dragonflight expansion marches into alpha testing, we’re getting more glimpses at its new/old talent system, which harkens back to the talent trees of yore. Some have welcomed this return to WoW‘s roots, but I see this as nothing but a step backward. Nostalgia can cover for a lot, and I think […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/18/the-soapbox-wows-talent-trees-dont-deserve-your-nostalgia/feed/ 47 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/13/the-soapbox-fallout-76-absolutely-needs-better-social-tools-to-thrive/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/13/the-soapbox-fallout-76-absolutely-needs-better-social-tools-to-thrive/#comments Wed, 13 Jul 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=395738 Unpopular opinion time: I have to say that Fallout 76… is kind of a great game right now. I know that the launch and ensuing year(s) of disastrous responses on the part of Bethesda burned all sorts of bridges with players, and I get why some people will never give this title another chance. Even […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/13/the-soapbox-fallout-76-absolutely-needs-better-social-tools-to-thrive/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/03/the-soapbox-are-modern-games-more-disposable-than-ever/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/03/the-soapbox-are-modern-games-more-disposable-than-ever/#comments Fri, 03 Jun 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=390471 Atlas Rogues went out not with a bang but a whimper. I forgot it even existed. And after it closes July 5th, it’s gone. Of course there’s always hope that a dedicated fan will do the legwork to get this game back online, but that’s quite a bit of effort for any game, let alone […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/03/the-soapbox-are-modern-games-more-disposable-than-ever/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/20/from-the-depths-everything-we-know-about-wargamings-exit-from-russia/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/20/from-the-depths-everything-we-know-about-wargamings-exit-from-russia/#comments Wed, 20 Apr 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=384559 Mixing gaming and politics is rough. Think back to the Blitzchung fiasco for Blizzard back in 2019. Or when Daybreak was (and then wasn’t) owned by Columbus Nova, which itself was owned (and then wasn’t) by Russian megacorp Renova. Understandably, companies steer clear of this kind of attention, but that navigation becomes all the more […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/20/from-the-depths-everything-we-know-about-wargamings-exit-from-russia/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/14/the-soapbox-swtors-legacy-of-the-sith-is-bad-but-not-for-the-reasons-youve-heard/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/14/the-soapbox-swtors-legacy-of-the-sith-is-bad-but-not-for-the-reasons-youve-heard/#comments Mon, 14 Mar 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=378824 I’ve never been a big Star Wars fan, but I am a big BioWare fan, and after many failed attempts to get into the game, Star Wars: The Old Republic finally won me over after Knights of the Fallen Empire brought the game much closer to the story-driven RPG experience I expect from BioWare. Since […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/03/14/the-soapbox-swtors-legacy-of-the-sith-is-bad-but-not-for-the-reasons-youve-heard/feed/ 38 https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/13/the-soapbox-single-player-open-worlds-will-never-equal-those-of-mmorpgs/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/13/the-soapbox-single-player-open-worlds-will-never-equal-those-of-mmorpgs/#comments Mon, 13 Sep 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=353425 These days it seems like sprawling open worlds are becoming an ever more popular choice for single-player games, from the newer Assassin’s Creed titles to the upcoming Horizon Forbidden West. Despite the popularity of these games, though — and despite the fact I myself enjoy them at times — I can’t help but feel this […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/13/the-soapbox-single-player-open-worlds-will-never-equal-those-of-mmorpgs/feed/ 35 https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/07/the-soapbox-dayofftwitch-illustrates-how-good-intentions-break-under-bad-planning/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/07/the-soapbox-dayofftwitch-illustrates-how-good-intentions-break-under-bad-planning/#comments Tue, 07 Sep 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=352767 Those of you reading this probably know me as someone who wears one of three hats here at MOP: a news writer, the Choose My Adventure columnist, and one of MOP’s streamers. It’s that third job that I wanted to talk about here today, specifically about the recent #DayOffTwitch boycott that happened this past Wednesday, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/09/07/the-soapbox-dayofftwitch-illustrates-how-good-intentions-break-under-bad-planning/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2021/08/16/the-soapbox-world-of-warships-aggressive-monetization-incited-a-mass-exodus-of-content-creators/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/08/16/the-soapbox-world-of-warships-aggressive-monetization-incited-a-mass-exodus-of-content-creators/#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2021 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=349787 Gaming monetization has been a topic of intense conversation ever since box copies of software diminished in favor of persistent online experiences. Subscription services entered the scene but presented the problem of a monthly commitment to the unknown. Then we got swarmed with free-to-play titles and the introduction of cash shops and designs intended to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/08/16/the-soapbox-world-of-warships-aggressive-monetization-incited-a-mass-exodus-of-content-creators/feed/ 34 https://massivelyop.com/2021/08/03/the-soapbox-pokemon-unites-monetization-is-gross-and-threatens-a-competent-game/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/08/03/the-soapbox-pokemon-unites-monetization-is-gross-and-threatens-a-competent-game/#comments Tue, 03 Aug 2021 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=347479 By now, you’ve probably seen several articles about the poor monetization in Pokemon Unite, often based on Reddit posts or streamer hot takes. Most talk about pay-to-win play, though the better ones note that it should eventually even out. Few mention that the gacha loot boxes are problematic as well. While I think most of us […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/08/03/the-soapbox-pokemon-unites-monetization-is-gross-and-threatens-a-competent-game/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2021/06/25/the-soapbox-abusing-mmo-community-reps-over-design-decisions-is-not-only-toxic-but-futile/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/06/25/the-soapbox-abusing-mmo-community-reps-over-design-decisions-is-not-only-toxic-but-futile/#comments Fri, 25 Jun 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=341914 Recently, an online video game community rep was run off Twitter by “fans.” The CM’s fellow game dev shared how upset she was that said employee friend had been harassed. It’s sadly not uncommon in our industry – and it needs to stop. Social media brings down the barrier between game developers and fans. When […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/06/25/the-soapbox-abusing-mmo-community-reps-over-design-decisions-is-not-only-toxic-but-futile/feed/ 27 https://massivelyop.com/2021/06/04/the-soapbox-mmo-monetization-that-complements-poor-game-design-makes-us-all-losers/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/06/04/the-soapbox-mmo-monetization-that-complements-poor-game-design-makes-us-all-losers/#comments Fri, 04 Jun 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=338091 I have a problem: As much as I enjoy games, I can see that many online and multiplayer games are becoming designed more poorly in order to sell themselves as a service, and they’re getting better at the selling part without necessarily being worthy of it. With the latter, I’m fine buying DLC or paying […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/06/04/the-soapbox-mmo-monetization-that-complements-poor-game-design-makes-us-all-losers/feed/ 18 https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/31/the-soapbox-reconsidering-social-media-as-an-mmorpg/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/31/the-soapbox-reconsidering-social-media-as-an-mmorpg/#comments Mon, 31 May 2021 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=324912 At GDC 2011, Raph Koster gave a talk in which he said, “Games are fundamentally social media and always have been.” You can watch starting at around 58:18 in the video from back then, and it’s admittedly a bit lofty. As a trained educator myself, I don’t agree that simply sharing information and knowledge is […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/31/the-soapbox-reconsidering-social-media-as-an-mmorpg/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/10/the-soapbox-if-you-want-innovation-stop-worshiping-polish/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/10/the-soapbox-if-you-want-innovation-stop-worshiping-polish/#comments Mon, 10 May 2021 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=335166 Gamers often lament that the world of MMORPGs lacks innovation. It’s a frustration I share; this a genre that could be much more than it is. But I fear that the source of the problem is misunderstood. Many people blame developers for lacking creativity, but I don’t think that’s the issue. The problem seems to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/05/10/the-soapbox-if-you-want-innovation-stop-worshiping-polish/feed/ 48 https://massivelyop.com/2021/04/08/soapbox-lies-i-was-told-about-world-of-warcraft/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/04/08/soapbox-lies-i-was-told-about-world-of-warcraft/#comments Thu, 08 Apr 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=330020 A few months back, I was feeling restless in my MMO routine. Guild Wars 2 is my MMO “home,” so I’m always in that one, but I like to have one or two other MMOs to play on the side. For a while, that had been The Elder Scrolls Online, but the Greymoor expansion was […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/04/08/soapbox-lies-i-was-told-about-world-of-warcraft/feed/ 20 https://massivelyop.com/2021/04/02/the-soapbox-where-magic-legends-went-wrong-with-the-dimir-assassin-class/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/04/02/the-soapbox-where-magic-legends-went-wrong-with-the-dimir-assassin-class/#comments Fri, 02 Apr 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=329318 Cryptic and Perfect World Entertainment are known for their love of lockboxes as a monetization strategy. Therefore it was not wholly surprising when Magic: Legends open beta launched with a whole character class exclusive to its paid, randomized “booster packs” (lockboxes by another name). What was surprising was that the pushback was so intense that […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/04/02/the-soapbox-where-magic-legends-went-wrong-with-the-dimir-assassin-class/feed/ 9 https://massivelyop.com/2021/03/30/the-soapbox-would-asherons-call-make-a-good-battle-royale-game/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/03/30/the-soapbox-would-asherons-call-make-a-good-battle-royale-game/#comments Tue, 30 Mar 2021 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=326968 With the recent announcement of Crayta coming to PCs, I was reminded of some discussions on the Asheron’s Call subreddit about making a battle royale fan server. While I’ve always hoped fan would generate AC-themed projects, I also wonder whether recycling assets might be a cost-effective way for WB Games (which still owns the franchise) to test […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/03/30/the-soapbox-would-asherons-call-make-a-good-battle-royale-game/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/05/the-soapbox-what-i-want-to-see-in-riots-league-of-legends-mmo/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/05/the-soapbox-what-i-want-to-see-in-riots-league-of-legends-mmo/#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2021 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=317291 It’s finally happening, y’all! League of Legends is getting an MMO! And boy howdy am I excited. While I didn’t follow the game in its infancy, over the past three years I’ve slowly become a fan of the scene, the world, and the lore. I am by no means a MOBA loyalist; I’ve spent more time […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/05/the-soapbox-what-i-want-to-see-in-riots-league-of-legends-mmo/feed/ 17 https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/01/why-wb-games-should-make-a-new-asherons-call-game-in-2021-the-mechanics/ https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/01/why-wb-games-should-make-a-new-asherons-call-game-in-2021-the-mechanics/#comments Fri, 01 Jan 2021 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=315551 Just based on lore alone, WB Games should make a new Asheron’s Call game. As I argued last time, AC has the qualities of an underutilized Marvel Comic IP but the modern fantasy sensibilities of Game of Thrones or Dragon Age. The latter reference is especially important because online titles with strong, consistent lore and lots of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2021/01/01/why-wb-games-should-make-a-new-asherons-call-game-in-2021-the-mechanics/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/31/why-wb-games-should-make-a-new-asherons-call-game-in-2021-the-lore/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/31/why-wb-games-should-make-a-new-asherons-call-game-in-2021-the-lore/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2020 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=314885 So we recently brought up how Asheron’s Call 2 died twice during the winter seasons, with the second one being a double funeral with the original AC. But WB Games still holds the trademark and copyrights for the franchise, at least until 2022. Practical, grounded Andrew says this is just the way of the world: never share anything […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/31/why-wb-games-should-make-a-new-asherons-call-game-in-2021-the-lore/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/07/the-soapbox-pet-battles-are-one-of-the-best-things-wow-ever-did-which-is-why-ive-never-played-one/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/07/the-soapbox-pet-battles-are-one-of-the-best-things-wow-ever-did-which-is-why-ive-never-played-one/#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=312347 Pokemon first burst onto the scene when I was in elementary school. I’ve always been lukewarm at best toward anime and “cute” things, so it never really interested me. My friends at the time, however, bought into it hook, line, and sinker. I thus found myself relentlessly bombarded by all things Pokemon for the next […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/07/the-soapbox-pet-battles-are-one-of-the-best-things-wow-ever-did-which-is-why-ive-never-played-one/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/03/the-soapbox-red-dead-online-is-just-not-as-fun-as-it-should-be/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/03/the-soapbox-red-dead-online-is-just-not-as-fun-as-it-should-be/#comments Thu, 03 Dec 2020 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=312648 A few weeks ago, I detailed my newfound adventures in the single-player title Red Dead Redemption 2. More relevant to our interests here on MassivelyOP, when I purchased the game it came with an MMO version, Red Dead Online. As a fan of MMOs and someone who has thoroughly enjoyed RDR2, I naturally decided to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/12/03/the-soapbox-red-dead-online-is-just-not-as-fun-as-it-should-be/feed/ 20 https://massivelyop.com/2020/11/23/the-soapbox-how-pathfinder-killed-world-of-warcraft-for-me/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/11/23/the-soapbox-how-pathfinder-killed-world-of-warcraft-for-me/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2020 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=311264 World of Warcraft: Shadowlands launches today. I will not be playing. Once upon a time, a new WoW expansion would be a major event in my life, but this is the second expansion in a row I’m giving a pass to. There are many reasons for that, but perhaps the biggest is the Pathfinder system. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/11/23/the-soapbox-how-pathfinder-killed-world-of-warcraft-for-me/feed/ 49 https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/19/the-soapbox-the-joys-of-mmo-collecting/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/19/the-soapbox-the-joys-of-mmo-collecting/#comments Sat, 19 Sep 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=300950 I’ve often sat and pondered exactly what it is that I enjoy about the MMO experience. After all, being educated about your own likes and dislikes can lead to a more enjoyable leisure experience as well as wiser purchasing decisions. Two obvious things come to mind: story and progression, and the better these two things […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/19/the-soapbox-the-joys-of-mmo-collecting/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/02/the-soapbox-feeling-the-loss-of-an-mmo-community/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/02/the-soapbox-feeling-the-loss-of-an-mmo-community/#comments Wed, 02 Sep 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=298438 Back in 2012, I was almost a year deep into Lord of the Rings Online and enjoying my time both in the game and discovering the benefits of settling into an MMO community. Most of my time was not spent in the official forums, nor even blog posts, as I preferred to hunker down in […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/09/02/the-soapbox-feeling-the-loss-of-an-mmo-community/feed/ 19 https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/19/the-soapbox-stubborn-mmo-players-are-sleeping-on-autoplay-mechanics/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/19/the-soapbox-stubborn-mmo-players-are-sleeping-on-autoplay-mechanics/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=296833 Autoplay, huh. What is it good for? Absolutely something! I’ll say it again: There is value in autoplay. It’s got such a bad reputation in the western MMO community. From our perspective, anyone who plays it is either a sucker, a lazy whale, or both. But does that really justify an instant-uninstall, or is our […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/08/19/the-soapbox-stubborn-mmo-players-are-sleeping-on-autoplay-mechanics/feed/ 47 https://massivelyop.com/2020/07/29/the-soapbox-powercreep-in-mmos-sucks-so-how-do-we-solve-it/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/07/29/the-soapbox-powercreep-in-mmos-sucks-so-how-do-we-solve-it/#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=293288 We all love multiplayer, persistent world online games, don’t we? Players stay for the familiarity, nostalgia, and potential for years of enjoyment. Studios love the playerbase stickiness, ability to build on an existing environment, and potential for years of a consistent, predictable revenue stream. But there’s at least one issue that long-term multiplayer games face […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/07/29/the-soapbox-powercreep-in-mmos-sucks-so-how-do-we-solve-it/feed/ 27 https://massivelyop.com/2020/07/17/the-soapbox-where-does-wow-need-to-go-beyond-shadowlands/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/07/17/the-soapbox-where-does-wow-need-to-go-beyond-shadowlands/#comments Fri, 17 Jul 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=291991 This expansion hype cycle, I've heard more about how to customize your character and less about raids than any other WoW expansion in recent memory, and I can't see that as anything other than good.]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/07/17/the-soapbox-where-does-wow-need-to-go-beyond-shadowlands/feed/ 30 https://massivelyop.com/2020/06/30/the-soapbox-pvp-mmos-desperately-need-pve-style-feedback-loops/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/06/30/the-soapbox-pvp-mmos-desperately-need-pve-style-feedback-loops/#comments Tue, 30 Jun 2020 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=288645 As I settled into my captain’s chair for my evening visit to World of Warships the other night, I had an interesting experience. In a game of domination (capture/hold three map points as long as possible to accumulate points), I was steaming toward a capture point in my brand-new Bismarck, supported by a pair of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/06/30/the-soapbox-pvp-mmos-desperately-need-pve-style-feedback-loops/feed/ 18 https://massivelyop.com/2020/06/29/the-soapbox-the-world-of-gloomhaven-is-primed-to-be-an-mmo/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/06/29/the-soapbox-the-world-of-gloomhaven-is-primed-to-be-an-mmo/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2020 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=288329 Anyone familiar with modern board games will immediately recognize and likely have a positive opinion on Gloomhaven. It is an absolute juggernaut in the tabletop scene. It’s been so successful that now the designer is even following up with a sequel, Frosthaven, which is breaking all kinds of records (including raising almost $13 million on […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/06/29/the-soapbox-the-world-of-gloomhaven-is-primed-to-be-an-mmo/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2020/06/23/the-soapbox-no-forced-grouping-in-mmos-isnt-social/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/06/23/the-soapbox-no-forced-grouping-in-mmos-isnt-social/#comments Tue, 23 Jun 2020 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=287933 Thinking back to high school, I’m awash in memories of the many deep, meaningful relationships that spawned as a result of being forced to work on group projects with people I didn’t chose to work with. We grew into a tightly knit group of friends, whose coordination and collaboration was unparalleled. Everyone did the work […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/06/23/the-soapbox-no-forced-grouping-in-mmos-isnt-social/feed/ 114 https://massivelyop.com/2020/06/10/the-soapbox-yes-here/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/06/10/the-soapbox-yes-here/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2020 15:00:27 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=286231 This guest Soapbox was commissioned through MassivelyOP’s original Kickstarter back in 2015; the writer has chosen to remain anonymous. The opinions in guest Soapboxes traditionally represent the views of our guest author and not necessarily Massively OP itself, although in this case, we stand with our reader. Over the years I’ve considered a dozen possibilities […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/06/10/the-soapbox-yes-here/feed/ 43 https://massivelyop.com/2020/05/01/the-soapbox-the-sunsetted-mmorpgs-i-miss-the-most/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/05/01/the-soapbox-the-sunsetted-mmorpgs-i-miss-the-most/#comments Fri, 01 May 2020 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=279599 I’m pining for the fjords. Not in the way that would assume I’m becoming some jaded and angry MMO fan; I’m never going to stop appreciating what’s new and coming when compared to where we’ve come from. But now and again, it’s nice to just sort of sit in silence and trip backwards to games […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/05/01/the-soapbox-the-sunsetted-mmorpgs-i-miss-the-most/feed/ 29