https://massivelyop.com MMORPG news and opinions Fri, 21 Apr 2023 12:32:31 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/21/global-chat-black-desert-is-the-mmo-sandbox-to-beat/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/21/global-chat-black-desert-is-the-mmo-sandbox-to-beat/#comments Fri, 21 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=435791 Those who wrote off or skipped by Black Desert on the way to other MMOs may be missing one of the best sandboxes on the market today. If you need some good word-of-mouth convincing, check out Mailvatar’s overview of a wide spread of personal in-game activities. “Since I first picked up the game in earnest […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/21/global-chat-black-desert-is-the-mmo-sandbox-to-beat/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/07/global-chat-do-mmos-need-help-from-artificial-intelligence/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/07/global-chat-do-mmos-need-help-from-artificial-intelligence/#comments Fri, 07 Apr 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=433812 With tech news becoming more and more dominated by the sophistication and place of artificial intelligence, blogger Tobold asks if AI might be the thing to spice up MMOs and keep them fresh long after their expiration dates. “Instead of pouring more money into graphics that are getting exponentially more expensive for little gains, why […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/07/global-chat-do-mmos-need-help-from-artificial-intelligence/feed/ 23 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/28/global-chat-diablo-iv-is-an-mmo-change-my-mind/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/28/global-chat-diablo-iv-is-an-mmo-change-my-mind/#comments Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=432578 Besides melting GPUs, ejecting colors into the sun, and being more grim than your unapproving Aunt Kelka, Diablo IV’s becoming known for actually being more of an MMORPG than first suspected. And we did suspect it a tad. Tales of the Aggronaut makes a case for Diablo IV’s inclusion into the genre: “While this maps […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/28/global-chat-diablo-iv-is-an-mmo-change-my-mind/feed/ 24 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/19/global-chat-are-we-gaming-in-the-age-of-diablo/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/19/global-chat-are-we-gaming-in-the-age-of-diablo/#comments Sun, 19 Mar 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=430515 With Diablo II’s remake on the market, Diablo III’s continuing seasons, Diablo Immortal’s patches, and Diablo IV on the way this summer, it’s not much of a surprise to see the Ancient Gaming Noob declare this as the “Age of Diablo.” “So, at some point this month it will be entirely possible for somebody to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/19/global-chat-are-we-gaming-in-the-age-of-diablo/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/03/global-chat-how-has-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-impacted-eve-online/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/03/global-chat-how-has-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-impacted-eve-online/#comments Fri, 03 Mar 2023 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=426580 While the effects of real-world events on video games certainly isn’t as important as the lives, livelihoods, and freedoms of actual people, it is fascinating to consider how such an event can impact an MMO. The Nosy Gamer looked back over a year of Russia’s attempted invasion of Ukraine and how it’s been affecting EVE […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/03/global-chat-how-has-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-impacted-eve-online/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/12/global-chat-where-does-wow-classic-go-from-here/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/12/global-chat-where-does-wow-classic-go-from-here/#comments Sun, 12 Feb 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=425538 As Wrath Classic gets closer to its preordained expiration date, Priest with a Cause is asking a question that a lot of people are: What’s going to happen next for WoW Classic? Where is Blizzard taking it from here? This post isn’t so sure that it will be Cataclysm after all. “So… I’m honestly not […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/12/global-chat-where-does-wow-classic-go-from-here/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/07/choose-my-adventure-global-agenda-provides-a-classic-mmo-ass-beating/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/07/choose-my-adventure-global-agenda-provides-a-classic-mmo-ass-beating/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=425506 I’ll be one of the first to admit that in spite of my desire to get into a shooter MMO/multiplayer game this month, I’m not particularly skilled at them. You would think that would mean I’d want to stay away from a sub-genre that I am objectively bad at, but once in a while I […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/07/choose-my-adventure-global-agenda-provides-a-classic-mmo-ass-beating/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/03/global-chat-the-seductive-appeal-of-new-world/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/03/global-chat-the-seductive-appeal-of-new-world/#respond Fri, 03 Feb 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=424579 Over a year since its launch, New World remains as rocky and controversial as ever. And while it has its critics, Amazon’s MMO also is making plenty of converts… such as Nerdy Bookahs, who’s finding the game appealing for a variety of reasons. “It’s giving me this feeling of exploring, figuring out the world, following […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/03/global-chat-the-seductive-appeal-of-new-world/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/28/global-chat-is-dragonflight-living-up-to-expectations/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/28/global-chat-is-dragonflight-living-up-to-expectations/#comments Sat, 28 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=423398 While first impressions are all well and good, the mark of a solid MMO release is whether or not it can sustain interest and high opinions over the long haul. So now that we’re a couple of months into Dragonflight, how’s it holding up? Gamer Lady P is still undecided with an opinion pulled in […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/28/global-chat-is-dragonflight-living-up-to-expectations/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/14/pantheon-rise-of-the-fallen-discusses-development-plans-for-the-first-portion-of-2023/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/14/pantheon-rise-of-the-fallen-discusses-development-plans-for-the-first-portion-of-2023/#respond Sat, 14 Jan 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=422400 It’s a new year and a new lineup of work for the developers of Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, which is the primary focus not only of the studio but the game’s most recent developer livestream, where several lead devs drilled down on some of the priorities and primary goals for the team in the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/14/pantheon-rise-of-the-fallen-discusses-development-plans-for-the-first-portion-of-2023/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/13/global-chat-the-mmo-blogs-you-should-be-reading-in-2023/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/13/global-chat-the-mmo-blogs-you-should-be-reading-in-2023/#comments Fri, 13 Jan 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=421572 Welcome to a new year of Global Chat — and with it, the anticipation of a great assortment of MMO blog essays, questions, guides, and fan analysis. One of the reasons I like doing this column is to give some attention and love to passion projects out there. And in that spirit, here are the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/13/global-chat-the-mmo-blogs-you-should-be-reading-in-2023/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/11/the-daily-grind-what-mmo-hill-would-you-die-on/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/11/the-daily-grind-what-mmo-hill-would-you-die-on/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2023 13:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=421536 As this is the internet, everyone is absolutely required to have an opinion on everything. There are degrees of conviction, of course, and how passionate you may feel about PvP balance influencing PvE play may be on a different level than your take on lootboxes, Kickstarter promises, standing in the fire, Richard Garriott, FOMO trends, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/11/the-daily-grind-what-mmo-hill-would-you-die-on/feed/ 59 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/05/global-chat-would-secret-world-have-done-better-if-it-had-been-set-in-the-1920s/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/05/global-chat-would-secret-world-have-done-better-if-it-had-been-set-in-the-1920s/#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2023 18:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=420894 Thanks to a recent piece by MMO Folklorist, I learned something that I had never known about The Secret World: Apparently, in early development the game was to be set in the 1920s rather than present day. And according to this piece, that might have been for Secret World’s betterment. “None of it is scary, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/05/global-chat-would-secret-world-have-done-better-if-it-had-been-set-in-the-1920s/feed/ 20 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/29/the-best-massivelyop-community-daily-grinds-of-2022/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/29/the-best-massivelyop-community-daily-grinds-of-2022/#respond Thu, 29 Dec 2022 19:00:18 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=414998 2022 marks the fifth year in a row we’ve done this roundup, but the Daily Grind has been a recurring mini-column here on MassivelyOP – and Original Flavor Massively – for a whole lot longer than that. I suspect the original creators thought it would be a fluffy, easy post that would kill time while […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/29/the-best-massivelyop-community-daily-grinds-of-2022/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/26/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-has-the-best-player-community-as-of-2022/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/26/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-has-the-best-player-community-as-of-2022/#comments Mon, 26 Dec 2022 13:00:05 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=414587 Here’s the thing about MMO community: There exists no perfect one. Every single one of them has bad elements. Some of them are out in the open in-game, while some of them are lurking around the edges, in toxic guilds, on forums or subreddits. So when we debate “best” player community, we really mean only […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/26/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-has-the-best-player-community-as-of-2022/feed/ 21 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/22/desert-oasis-black-deserts-jaehee-kim-and-jesse-hoo-on-accessibility-community-and-playing-their-own-game/ Thu, 22 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=419809 Attending the first Calpheon Ball in the US was an awesome experience. Getting to see fellow Black Desert fans, watching the joy in peoples’ faces when meeting their guildies in person for the first time, and capping off the night with an RNG-fueled raffle with prizes ranging from Black Spirit-themed bathroom mats to a custom-made BDO […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/18/global-chat-shopping-for-a-star-wars-galaxies-rogue-server/ Sun, 18 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=418728 Interested in going back to Star Wars Galaxies — or trying it out for the first time — but you find yourself paralyzed with all of the rogue server choices out there? MMO Folklorist put together an excellent guide to all of the options and their current development to help you make your pick. “Holiday […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/02/global-chat-the-dawning-of-a-new-great-mmo-era/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/02/global-chat-the-dawning-of-a-new-great-mmo-era/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=416190 The next great era of MMORPGs is in the making right now and will dawn on us shortly — or so postulates MMO Folklorist, who took a look at upcoming titles and found a great deal of hope to be had. “Looking ahead as the current decade builds momentum however the landscape seems brighter than […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/02/global-chat-the-dawning-of-a-new-great-mmo-era/feed/ 15 https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/25/global-chat-turkeys-terrorize-new-world/ Fri, 25 Nov 2022 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=415399 While y’all eat turkeys this week, in New World, the turkeys terrorize you! Heartless Gamer navigated the gobble massacre in excruciating detail. “Over all the event is lightweight and fun. The Turkulon fight seems either bugged or it is undertuned (i.e., it’s easy). Players who want the rewards will be able to get them and […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/19/global-chat-do-swtors-companions-carry-the-player/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/19/global-chat-do-swtors-companions-carry-the-player/#comments Sun, 20 Nov 2022 01:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=414324 Due to issues of pride and fear of snarky comments, most of us might not admit to ever being carried through MMO content. But hey, it happens, and it’s not always a bad thing (especially when positive relationships emerge from the experience). 24 Hours In said that, like it or not, this is how playing […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/19/global-chat-do-swtors-companions-carry-the-player/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/12/the-daily-grind-should-all-mmorpgs-include-guild-recruitment-boards/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/12/the-daily-grind-should-all-mmorpgs-include-guild-recruitment-boards/#comments Sat, 12 Nov 2022 13:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=413732 As someone who has made a hobby out of jumping around MMORPGs like Frogger, I’ve spent more time looking for guilds than I would care to admit. It’s a priority to plug into the social scene and find a warm and welcoming group, but many MMOs make it difficult for the guild shopper. I mean, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/11/12/the-daily-grind-should-all-mmorpgs-include-guild-recruitment-boards/feed/ 18 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/30/global-chat-are-you-an-mmo-lone-wolf-even-though-youve-tried-to-be-social/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/30/global-chat-are-you-an-mmo-lone-wolf-even-though-youve-tried-to-be-social/#comments Sun, 30 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=411242 A recent post over at Words Under My Name resonated as the author shared how, despite multiple efforts to be social in MMOPGs, sooner or later the “lone wolf” emerged to guide all in-game activities. Maybe this even sounds like you: “I’ve tried, I’ve tried to be a social creature in guilds, linkshells, clans and […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/30/global-chat-are-you-an-mmo-lone-wolf-even-though-youve-tried-to-be-social/feed/ 21 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/22/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-set-up-your-mmo-chat-window/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/22/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-set-up-your-mmo-chat-window/#comments Sat, 22 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=410211 While we often use it to talk, we almost never talk about chat windows in MMORPGs. Those unassuming boxes are the workhorses of our social and informational connections, an interface between people, the game, and us. With a ton of customization options, including different tabs, text colors, channels to opt in/out, and more, everyone usually […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/22/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-set-up-your-mmo-chat-window/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/16/global-chat-landing-boots-on-wow-classics-wrath-shores/ Sun, 16 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=409124 With WoW Classic’s Wrath expansion officially out, plenty of veterans of the Northrend Wars of ’08 returned for another tour of duty. Among these is the Ancient Gaming Noob, who joined likeminded souls in a return to Arthas’ backyard. “During that time there was a question about what the DK brings to the group. The […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/07/global-chat-what-gets-you-back-in-an-mmo-you-previously-dismissed/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/07/global-chat-what-gets-you-back-in-an-mmo-you-previously-dismissed/#comments Fri, 07 Oct 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=407923 We’ve all been there: We try out an MMO, find that it isn’t doing it for us, and abandon it. But then down the road… we come back. There are a lot of reasons to give an MMO a second chance, but often it’s the game itself that has to do the convincing. Kaylriene kicks […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/10/07/global-chat-what-gets-you-back-in-an-mmo-you-previously-dismissed/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/25/global-chat-warming-up-to-story-driven-mmorpgs/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/25/global-chat-warming-up-to-story-driven-mmorpgs/#comments Sun, 25 Sep 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=405983 Do you play MMOs for the narrative or ignore the story altogether? There’s a sharp line dividing the community on this issue, but MMO Folklorist may be bridging the gap between the ignore-lore and embrace-story camps: “I no longer feel that story-driven MMOs are a taint on the genre, and I no longer feel guilty about […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/25/global-chat-warming-up-to-story-driven-mmorpgs/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/19/fractured-onlines-latest-patches-stabilize-the-game-squash-bugs-and-close-up-a-duping-exploit/ Mon, 19 Sep 2022 20:00:14 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=406060 Now that Fractured Online has hit the seas of early access, it’s time for the inevitable bug patching and stability improving updates that invariably arrive shortly after an MMORPG goes live. Two such patches went out this past Sunday and today, both of which attack various early problems with the sandbox. Sunday’s patch was about […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/17/global-chat-torchlight-infinites-infinite-challenges/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/17/global-chat-torchlight-infinites-infinite-challenges/#comments Sun, 18 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=404951 The upcoming Torchlight Infinite is starting to build some positive buzz for this multiplayer ARPG, and Battle Stance was on the scene to check out its beta. Unfortunately, the experience was found to be wanting. “The graphics are awesome, I love cel shading and it looks nice. After playing for just shy of two hours, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/17/global-chat-torchlight-infinites-infinite-challenges/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/07/global-chat-how-can-mmos-help-us-navigate-better/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/07/global-chat-how-can-mmos-help-us-navigate-better/#comments Thu, 08 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=404051 Contains Moderate Peril recently tackled a subject that is very near to my heart, which is the tools, difficulty, and art of navigating around in MMORPGs. In short, what can studios do to help us get around their games better without making it too simplistic? “As maps can prove so unhelpful, I find the most […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/07/global-chat-how-can-mmos-help-us-navigate-better/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/03/the-game-archaeologist-how-ultima-online-got-made/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/03/the-game-archaeologist-how-ultima-online-got-made/#comments Sat, 03 Sep 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=403650 You know how there’s that yokel in every global chat channel that likes to troll players by claiming that World of Warcraft was the first MMO? If you’re me and you sense even a whiff of sincerity behind that statement, you kind of want to smack them with a thick history book. Yet as we’ve […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/03/the-game-archaeologist-how-ultima-online-got-made/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/01/global-chat-how-is-wildstars-rogue-server-doing/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/01/global-chat-how-is-wildstars-rogue-server-doing/#comments Thu, 01 Sep 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=403090 Plenty of people both here on Massively OP and out in the MMORPG community continue to hold a torch for the late, great WildStar. The good news is that you can play it in 2022 — provided that you’re willing to put up with the “under construction” signs of the Nexus Forever rogue server. Tales […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/09/01/global-chat-how-is-wildstars-rogue-server-doing/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/29/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-has-the-worst-chat-interface/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/29/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-has-the-worst-chat-interface/#comments Mon, 29 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=395974 No, this piece isn’t about Barrens chat or unmoderated toxicity! This is about the chat experience and interface itself. MOP’s Justin recently joked that he logged back into New World and was disappointed by the fact that Amazon hasn’t actually improved the chat interface. “Oh, that’s still there,” was his reaction. And frankly I have to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/29/the-daily-grind-which-mmo-has-the-worst-chat-interface/feed/ 26 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/27/global-chat-will-world-of-warcraft-ever-give-up-its-raiding-fixation/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/27/global-chat-will-world-of-warcraft-ever-give-up-its-raiding-fixation/#comments Sun, 28 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=402046 MMO blog Kaylriene posted a lengthy article recently examining the state of the non-raiding scene in World of Warcraft while comparing it to Blizzard’s seemingly unbreakable fixation on raiding to the exclusion of all other meaningful content. It’s a good read: “The World of Warcraft we have today offers more choices for total content to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/27/global-chat-will-world-of-warcraft-ever-give-up-its-raiding-fixation/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/24/the-daily-grind-do-you-leave-mmo-global-chat-on-or-turn-it-off/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/24/the-daily-grind-do-you-leave-mmo-global-chat-on-or-turn-it-off/#comments Wed, 24 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=402039 Ah global chat — or world chat, as we sometimes call it. Trade chat? Whatever, it’s the chat channel that goes out to everyone in the game. You know the one. It’s where we learn about how this game stacks up to World of Warcraft, where we hear stale memes from 2006, where political trolls […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/24/the-daily-grind-do-you-leave-mmo-global-chat-on-or-turn-it-off/feed/ 34 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/21/global-chat-when-you-cant-ignore-the-mmo-meta/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/21/global-chat-when-you-cant-ignore-the-mmo-meta/#comments Sun, 21 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=401009 As we kick off another column on recent MMO blog essays, Galactic Antics uses a recent situation in Star Wars: The Old Republic as an example of how metas can bite you in the butt. “It’s the sort of thing which, as players of these games, we kinda have to acknowledge isn’t going to ever […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/21/global-chat-when-you-cant-ignore-the-mmo-meta/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/14/global-chat-dispatches-from-blaugust-2022/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/14/global-chat-dispatches-from-blaugust-2022/#comments Sun, 14 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=400020 By now, you may have caught wind of Blaugust 2022 — the latest season of a community effort to encourage, promote, and educate new and returning MMO bloggers to the field. This year, Blaugust has more new participants than it’s had in a very long time, and I thought it would be a great boost […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/14/global-chat-dispatches-from-blaugust-2022/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/07/global-chat-is-phantasy-star-online-2-a-shallow-mmo/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/07/global-chat-is-phantasy-star-online-2-a-shallow-mmo/#comments Sun, 07 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=399139 In a recent post on trying out Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis, blogger Virtual Bastion made the observation that the MMO offered “slick gameplay in a hollow shell.” It’s an interesting jumping-off point for a conversation about PSO2 and similar titles. Are they getting by on good looks alone? “It’s a good game with […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/08/07/global-chat-is-phantasy-star-online-2-a-shallow-mmo/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/29/lost-arks-august-and-september-roadmap-promises-a-pet-ranch-machinist-class-and-a-new-legion-raid/ Fri, 29 Jul 2022 17:30:04 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=398810 The months of August and September will bring pet stuff, a guy in sentai armor, and a fight against a creepy clown to Lost Ark, among other things. That’s the very rough synopsis of the ARPG’s roadmap plans for the next two months; it’s also a badly written summary for the purposes of humor, so […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/24/global-chat-the-virtue-of-smaller-shared-worlds/ Sun, 24 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=397032 With the rise of online sandboxes and other mini-MMOs (if that oxymoron can exist), several long-time MMO bloggers are praising the virtues and benefits of such approaches. Among these voices is the Ancient Gaming Noob, who cites Valheim as a key factor in changing his opinion: “I don’t think the MMORPG is going away. There […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/07/global-chat-changing-opinions-about-wows-dungeon-finder/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/07/global-chat-changing-opinions-about-wows-dungeon-finder/#comments Thu, 07 Jul 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=395005 With the dungeon finder being left out of Wrath Classic, it’s caused more than a few players to re-evaluate the pros and cons of such a system. It’s this event that’s caused Tales of the Aggronaut to “exonerate” a previously lambasted tool. “I think the thing that the dungeon finder tool did do was limit […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/07/07/global-chat-changing-opinions-about-wows-dungeon-finder/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/30/fractured-online-balances-buffs-and-bolsters-bosses-in-latest-beta-patch/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/30/fractured-online-balances-buffs-and-bolsters-bosses-in-latest-beta-patch/#comments Thu, 30 Jun 2022 22:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=394611 Dynamight’s Fractured Online continues to plug along in closed beta this summer, and it’s pushed out yet another patch for testers as of today. Most notably, the patch revamps Aerhen legends, which aren’t fully explained in the blog post, but the gist is that they’re epic bosses that players have to summon to fight, and […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/30/fractured-online-balances-buffs-and-bolsters-bosses-in-latest-beta-patch/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/25/global-chat-playing-tera-before-the-final-bow/ Sun, 26 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=393052 “Who in their right mind starts playing a ‘dead’ game?” asks Virtual Bastion’s Cary — right before Cary jumped into TERA just days before its sunset. “One of the things that I like about this casual foray into free games is that there aren’t any strings attached. If I like it, it stays. If I […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/10/global-chat-hot-takes-on-diablo-immortals-release/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/10/global-chat-hot-takes-on-diablo-immortals-release/#comments Fri, 10 Jun 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=391087 The latest iteration of the Diablo franchise is here with Diablo Immortal, but it doesn’t seem to be stirring as much interest among the MMO community as one might have assumed. Still, there are a few who descended into hell to take a look at Blizzard’s (and NetEase’s) latest offering. We’ll kick off with Indiecator, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/10/global-chat-hot-takes-on-diablo-immortals-release/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/07/fractured-onlines-closed-beta-just-got-a-major-chat-upgrade/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/07/fractured-onlines-closed-beta-just-got-a-major-chat-upgrade/#comments Tue, 07 Jun 2022 21:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=391271 Fractured Online is continuing along in its always-on closed beta with a fresh patch after maintenance today. At the heart of this update is… talking. No really, it’s a chat upgrade, and apparently, the game really needed it. “We’ve heard you loud and clear and we’re happy to deliver the highly requested chat upgrades to […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/07/fractured-onlines-closed-beta-just-got-a-major-chat-upgrade/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/05/global-chat-dc-universe-online-lacks-that-wow-factor/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/05/global-chat-dc-universe-online-lacks-that-wow-factor/#comments Sun, 05 Jun 2022 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=390357 Are you heading into the summer season with the intent of sampling MMOs that you’ve never touched before? If so, then you’ll find Virtual Bastion’s foray into DC Universe Online good company. The verdict? It’s OK but not that gripping: “The game itself doesn’t hold much wow factor. It’s fine in that the mechanics work, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/06/05/global-chat-dc-universe-online-lacks-that-wow-factor/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/26/global-chat-is-it-a-good-idea-for-eve-online-to-go-back-to-expansions/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/26/global-chat-is-it-a-good-idea-for-eve-online-to-go-back-to-expansions/#comments Thu, 26 May 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=389258 With traditional expansions back on the table for EVE Online, the question of whether it’ll ultimately help the MMO looms in the galactic foreground. The Ancient Gaming Noob has a few thoughts on this, saying, “It is more of a question as to whether or not CCP can recapture player enthusiasm with expansions again. If […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/26/global-chat-is-it-a-good-idea-for-eve-online-to-go-back-to-expansions/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/12/global-chat-how-you-can-help-your-mmos-community/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/12/global-chat-how-you-can-help-your-mmos-community/#comments Thu, 12 May 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=387365 Are you a net positive or a negative for the MMORPGs you inhabit? If you’d like to be the former, MMO Folklorist has 10 suggestions how you can help your in-game community flourish. “If you’ve only got an hour or less to spare, then that is ample time to drop by one of the game’s […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/12/global-chat-how-you-can-help-your-mmos-community/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/09/the-daily-grind-why-did-you-leave-the-last-mmo-guild-you-left/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/09/the-daily-grind-why-did-you-leave-the-last-mmo-guild-you-left/#comments Mon, 09 May 2022 12:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=382962 Earlier this spring, Justin penned a Global Chat quoting a blogger who discussed the dissolution of an MMO guild. I don’t think the working title made it to the final published piece, but at one point, he referred to “breaking up” with an MMO guild, and the phrase just leaped out at me while it […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/09/the-daily-grind-why-did-you-leave-the-last-mmo-guild-you-left/feed/ 30 https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/02/global-chat-who-gets-to-decide-what-is-fun-in-mmorpgs/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/02/global-chat-who-gets-to-decide-what-is-fun-in-mmorpgs/#comments Mon, 02 May 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=384231 In a thought-provoking essay, MMO blog Parallel Context wrestled with the question, “Who gets to decide what is fun in multiplayer games?” This is a tricky question when you consider that your joy may impact someone else’s play experience. “What is fun for people can vary enough that in a multiplayer format I don’t know […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/05/02/global-chat-who-gets-to-decide-what-is-fun-in-mmorpgs/feed/ 22 https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/27/global-chat-community-reactions-to-the-wow-dragonflight-reveal/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/27/global-chat-community-reactions-to-the-wow-dragonflight-reveal/#comments Wed, 27 Apr 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=385032 Perhaps it wasn’t the overwhelming positive reaction that Blizzard was hoping to see, but the reveal of World of Warcraft: Dragonflight certainly got the internet talking about the next phase of this MMORPG. Plenty of MMO bloggers were on hand with their own hot takes, so I thought we’d share a few of them today. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/04/27/global-chat-community-reactions-to-the-wow-dragonflight-reveal/feed/ 2