game mechanics
Closers patches in a higher maximum level, even for Wolfgang
Yes, most games have their level caps arranged in intervals divisible by five, but Closers can do what it wants. The newest patch for...
Final Fantasy XI’s September patch lets you make your most powerful weapons even stronger
You've mastered your job in Final Fantasy XI. You have your most powerful weapons in hand. You are decked out in powerful gear. What...
Star Trek Online introduces new versions of two classic ships
The Ambassador-class ship in Star Trek Online is an odd ship, a clear forerunner to the Galaxy-class popularized in The Next Generation that occupies...
World of Warcraft’s latest hotfix adjusts all the balance
The latest patch for World of Warcraft has judged the damage of many specs and found it to be either too high or too...
Seed discusses the natural biases of worldbuilding and interaction
Here's a statement that should be rather uncontroversial but might be otherwise: You do not exist in a vacuum. The experiences that have shaped...
Astroneer launches the crafting update with all the crafting you could ask for
You have to add a lot of crafting to call a patch "the crafting update," but Astroneer is up to that challenge. The update...
A eulogy for WildStar – a marvelous MMORPG and avoidable tragedy
Friends, readers, genre fans, lend me your eyes; I come to bury WildStar, not to praise it. But just like Marc Antony, I'm going...
Conan Exiles adds in new feeding preferences and map navigation in testing
So, are you a good pet owner or a bad one in Conan Exiles? You will have both options available to you. On the...
Aion 6.0 arrives in the EU on September 19
It's always darkest just before the dawn, and Aion is about to get a new dawn in the EU. The game's European version will...
Shroud of the Avatar player explains how to work the game’s new furniture dyes
There are inevitably going to be two different sorts of reaction to the new furniture you can dye in Shroud of the Avatar. One...
Fortnite adds in new limited-time Getaway gameplay mode for the High Stakes event
Ready to turn your sessions of Fortnite into a heist film? The latest patch kicks off the High Stakes event, and that includes the...
Fallout 76’s NPC interactions, construction, and deconstruction (through nukes)
Trying to nail down a solid answer about how MMO-ish Fallout 76 will be is a bit like trying to grab an eel in...
Destiny 2 offers free loot while denying a moment of triumph
The latest expansion for Destiny 2 seems to have largely won back the crowd, but the latest news out of the game has been...
Final Fantasy XI plans for weapon improvements with its next patch
Want to further augment some of the best weapons in Final Fantasy XI? The September version update is bringing along new improvements for things...
Path of Exile shares improvements being worked on for Delve upgrades
If the world takes only one lesson from Path of Exile, it should be the virtue of improving things steadily based on feedback. Players...
Camelot Unchained recaps a week’s progress while showing off animations
If you missed it, Camelot Unchained has spent the week testing. Patience? No, testing the game, and there's even an hour-long Q&A session recapping...
Bless Online highlights login bonuses and offers a new Bless Unleashed trailer
Are login bonuses an excellent way to reward players for regularly logging into a game and thus enriching the active community, or are they...
Skyforge: Battle Royale has arrived
Good news for people who have longed for MMOs to carry a bit more of that battle royale goodness, as Skyforge has officially launched...
Neverwinter: Ravenloft is now available on consoles
Some people would argue that late August is a little too early to start celebrating Halloween, but Neverwinter isn't about to let that get...
Path of Exile outlines balance changes for Delve League
The Delve League for Path of Exile should be out on Friday, but players who love examining patch notes will have to wait a...
