https://massivelyop.com MMORPG news and opinions Thu, 16 Mar 2023 12:58:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 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/ 32 https://massivelyop.com/2020/02/20/the-soapbox-why-does-it-feel-like-i-dont-have-time-for-a-mmo-when-i-really-do/ https://massivelyop.com/2020/02/20/the-soapbox-why-does-it-feel-like-i-dont-have-time-for-a-mmo-when-i-really-do/#comments Thu, 20 Feb 2020 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=269520 This guest Soapbox was commissioned through MassivelyOP’s Patreon program and is authored by Steve “Sray” Blouin, a name our longtime commenters will surely recognize from his participation in our community over the last many years. The opinions here represent the views of our guest author and not necessarily Massively OP itself. Enjoy! I recently had […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2020/02/20/the-soapbox-why-does-it-feel-like-i-dont-have-time-for-a-mmo-when-i-really-do/feed/ 43 https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/27/the-soapbox-cross-play-console-exclusivity-and-why-companies-wont-play-nice/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/27/the-soapbox-cross-play-console-exclusivity-and-why-companies-wont-play-nice/#comments Wed, 27 Nov 2019 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=256208 Let me tell you something: As the columnist who writes about Final Fantasy XIV I am so damn tired of hearing about crossplay. Seriously. Just so tired. It’s exhausting. It’s not because I don’t want the game on Xbox One or Switch or whatever other platform people want it to be playable on this week. (Commodore 64, fine; […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/11/27/the-soapbox-cross-play-console-exclusivity-and-why-companies-wont-play-nice/feed/ 20 https://massivelyop.com/2019/09/06/the-soapbox-there-is-no-mmo-that-can-fix-a-broken-mmo-community/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/09/06/the-soapbox-there-is-no-mmo-that-can-fix-a-broken-mmo-community/#comments Fri, 06 Sep 2019 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=242423 We’ve heard again and again how the recently launched World of Warcraft: Classic was going to “fix” the MMO community by stripping away modern sensibilities and conveniences. It’s going to “fix” everything that WoW retail broke. WoWC is just most recent example that springs to mind, but we’ve heard again and again over the years […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/09/06/the-soapbox-there-is-no-mmo-that-can-fix-a-broken-mmo-community/feed/ 89 https://massivelyop.com/2019/08/16/the-soapbox-no-the-mmo-genre-is-not-dead-but-it-could-use-a-little-positivity/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/08/16/the-soapbox-no-the-mmo-genre-is-not-dead-but-it-could-use-a-little-positivity/#comments Fri, 16 Aug 2019 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=238913 One of my favorite idioms is “dead as a doornail.” It always reminds me of the time I got sent out of my 10th grade English class the week before holiday break because I couldn’t stop laughing at how “Marley was as dead as a door-nail.” It was literally the funniest thing I’d read at […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/08/16/the-soapbox-no-the-mmo-genre-is-not-dead-but-it-could-use-a-little-positivity/feed/ 61 https://massivelyop.com/2019/07/31/the-survivalist-astroneers-moon-landing-update-is-a-time-limited-online-event-done-right/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/07/31/the-survivalist-astroneers-moon-landing-update-is-a-time-limited-online-event-done-right/#comments Wed, 31 Jul 2019 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=235804 I could definitely write a Why I Play on Astroneer (and maybe I still will!) because there are so many reasons this game just captivates me and brings me back. But right now I want to extol the virtues of the special summer event happening through August 31st. In honor of the Apollo 11 moon […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/07/31/the-survivalist-astroneers-moon-landing-update-is-a-time-limited-online-event-done-right/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2019/07/26/the-soapbox-the-counterproductiveness-of-limited-time-content-in-online-games/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/07/26/the-soapbox-the-counterproductiveness-of-limited-time-content-in-online-games/#comments Fri, 26 Jul 2019 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=235576 While thoroughly enjoying playing Astroneer’s special event in honor of Apollo 11’s moon landing 50th anniversary that’s happening now through August 31st, I was surprised to come across grumblings about how this and the free special summer skins were offending players. Complaints about gating content behind limited-time events were driving some players to declare they […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/07/26/the-soapbox-the-counterproductiveness-of-limited-time-content-in-online-games/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2019/07/16/the-soapbox-hoping-for-amazon-to-succeed-where-lord-of-the-rings-online-failed/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/07/16/the-soapbox-hoping-for-amazon-to-succeed-where-lord-of-the-rings-online-failed/#comments Tue, 16 Jul 2019 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=234132 It’s not often I really get excited about an upcoming MMORPG. Partly this is because of the industry slowing down, and partly this is because I consider myself relatively hype-proof. I keep my expectations realistic. However, I do feel a tickle of excitement for the upcoming Lord of the Rings MMO from Athlon Games and […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/07/16/the-soapbox-hoping-for-amazon-to-succeed-where-lord-of-the-rings-online-failed/feed/ 118 https://massivelyop.com/2019/02/08/the-soapbox-a-pre-mortem-for-star-wars-the-old-republic-a-game-that-never-knew-what-it-had/ https://massivelyop.com/2019/02/08/the-soapbox-a-pre-mortem-for-star-wars-the-old-republic-a-game-that-never-knew-what-it-had/#comments Fri, 08 Feb 2019 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=208608 Would you believe that Star Wars: The Old Republic is shutting down? I’m going to bet that you could believe it, and I’m even going to bet that the majority of you read that and then scrolled back and forth looking for the story where that was announced before continuing on to read this sentence. It hasn’t been announced, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2019/02/08/the-soapbox-a-pre-mortem-for-star-wars-the-old-republic-a-game-that-never-knew-what-it-had/feed/ 84 https://massivelyop.com/2018/09/06/the-soapbox-i-have-a-bad-feeling-about-anthem/ https://massivelyop.com/2018/09/06/the-soapbox-i-have-a-bad-feeling-about-anthem/#comments Thu, 06 Sep 2018 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=183453 As I watched Nick Tarabay stand on stage hype up the audience in the Main Theater for PAX West 2018, I thought it was pretty cool that Anthem was able to get find a celebrity to introduce the game. I know Asher from Spartacus. He was great in that series. I didn’t know he was a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2018/09/06/the-soapbox-i-have-a-bad-feeling-about-anthem/feed/ 61 https://massivelyop.com/2018/06/28/the-soapbox-the-western-port-of-bless-online-feels-like-a-curse/ https://massivelyop.com/2018/06/28/the-soapbox-the-western-port-of-bless-online-feels-like-a-curse/#comments Thu, 28 Jun 2018 15:00:00 +0000 http://massivelyop.com/?p=173817 To say that the development of Neowiz’s high-fantasy MMO Bless has been somewhat beleaguered would be an understatement. Since the Korean import’s Western release was announced in 2011, it has weathered numerous delays; the loss of its would-be publisher, Aeria Games, which dropped out of the project in 2017 citing concerns about “quality standards”, and […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2018/06/28/the-soapbox-the-western-port-of-bless-online-feels-like-a-curse/feed/ 56 https://massivelyop.com/2018/06/06/the-soapbox-do-mmos-still-fall-victim-to-the-copycat-curse/ https://massivelyop.com/2018/06/06/the-soapbox-do-mmos-still-fall-victim-to-the-copycat-curse/#comments Wed, 06 Jun 2018 17:00:00 +0000 http://massivelyop.com/?p=170174 When Radical Heights launched, I was inspired to put together a whole Perfect Ten about why trend-chasing doesn’t work for online games. Obviously, my chief focus was on games that wind up being developed at a rushed pace to cash in on trends and then run face-first into problems with chasing momentary trends, which… you […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2018/06/06/the-soapbox-do-mmos-still-fall-victim-to-the-copycat-curse/feed/ 27 https://massivelyop.com/2018/04/16/the-soapbox-three-augmented-reality-game-problems-most-mmos-dont-have-and-one-thing-they-do-so-much-better/ https://massivelyop.com/2018/04/16/the-soapbox-three-augmented-reality-game-problems-most-mmos-dont-have-and-one-thing-they-do-so-much-better/#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2018 17:00:00 +0000 http://massivelyop.com/?p=153298 I’d like to think that I’m kind of a healthy gamer. While MMOs take a lot of time, the nice thing is that their downtime can lead to forming bonds, or give you time to exercise. Augmented reality games can give you both at once, especially Pokemon Go, since it’s the best-known ARG we have (and the mountains of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2018/04/16/the-soapbox-three-augmented-reality-game-problems-most-mmos-dont-have-and-one-thing-they-do-so-much-better/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2018/02/27/the-soapbox-six-responses-to-the-gaming-is-wrong-evil-an-addiction-argument/ https://massivelyop.com/2018/02/27/the-soapbox-six-responses-to-the-gaming-is-wrong-evil-an-addiction-argument/#comments Tue, 27 Feb 2018 20:30:00 +0000 http://massivelyop.com/?p=155829 I recently went on a rant about gaming, but it wasn’t directed at gaming. It was in defense of gaming. I am so weary of our pastime getting slammed as wrong, evil, or equated as an automatic addiction. Games are bad! Gamers are bad! It is what the mainstream media portrays, it’s what politicians portray, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2018/02/27/the-soapbox-six-responses-to-the-gaming-is-wrong-evil-an-addiction-argument/feed/ 39 https://massivelyop.com/2018/01/30/re-examining-the-significance-of-asherons-calls-shard-of-the-herald-event-on-its-first-deathiversary/ https://massivelyop.com/2018/01/30/re-examining-the-significance-of-asherons-calls-shard-of-the-herald-event-on-its-first-deathiversary/#comments Tue, 30 Jan 2018 17:00:00 +0000 http://massivelyop.com/?p=149625 Although the Asheron’s Call series has now been dead for exactly one year today, it’s far from forgotten by fans. It was admittedly a cult classic, and as the youngest of the “Big Three” graphical MMOs, it was the easiest to ignore, especially as it used an original sci-fi/fantasy setting rather than, well, something with elves. MMO AC converts […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2018/01/30/re-examining-the-significance-of-asherons-calls-shard-of-the-herald-event-on-its-first-deathiversary/feed/ 22