We’re taking a time-machine back through our MMO coverage, month by month, to hit the highlights and frame our journey before we head into 2019!
There was plenty of big news to go around in October, but MMO studio Trion Worlds took the top slot with its apparent fire sale to German MMO publisher Gamigo. Only a handful of original Trion devs remained after the asset sale and layoffs, and it wasn’t entirely clear for several weeks afterward whether all of Trion’s MMORPGs would actually survive.
Meanwhile, Lord of the Rings Online announced a progression server, we saw the launch of MapleStory 2, Shroud of the Avatar and Bless Online went free-to-play, Black Desert’s Russian servers were imperiled and then saved, ZeniMax began hiring for a new MMO, Star Citizen’s CitizenCon and EVE Online’s EVE Vegas wowed watchers, and the US Library of Congress granted a DMCA exception that would help preserve online games like MMOs. Plus, Rockstar’s offhand comments about Red Dead Redemption 2 crunch set the whole damn industry on fire.
Read on for the whole list from October of this past year!
TOP NEWS STORIES OF OCTOBER 2018
Ashes of Creation is testing MMORPG PvP in the alpha’s battle royale mode
Tencent is restructuring amidst continued Chinese game industry woes
En Masse issues DMCA takedowns against some TERA third-party programs
Lineage 2 Classic launches in NA today as Lineage 2 Revolution teases Batman collab and Lineage II Dark Legacy hits mobile
Dungeons & Dragons Online adds wood elves and cloaks with today’s update 40
Mike Morhaime steps down as Blizzard president; J Allen Brack takes over
Tencent is working on locking kids out of Chinese games using facial recognition tech
TUG studio Nerd Kingdom owes its Kickstarter backers an explanation – or their money back
Happy 17th birthday, Dark Age of Camelot
Fallout 76 is essentially another ‘alone together’ MMO, previewers report
Worlds Adrift is launching PvE servers today – if the griefing put you off, give it another look
New partnership for CD Projekt Red hints that Cyberpunk 2077’s multiplayer may still be on the table
Star Trek Online releases the first chapter of its Age of Discovery update today
Greed Monger’s original lead programmer now says he’s working on a prototype for the failed Kickstarter MMO
MapleStory 2 formally launches this afternoon, lowers prices; here’s the launch trailer
Recapping Star Citizen’s CitizenCon 2018, plus the new Squadron 42 trailer
New World’s world looks beautiful – we spy buffalo in the latest footage
Shroud of the Avatar’s Richard Garriott sheds CEO title for Creative Director role
Black Desert’s Russian servers and accounts are toast as Pearl Abyss says transfer negotiations failed
Rockstar boasts of 100-hour work weeks on Red Dead Redemption 2
Black Desert’s Pearl Abyss claims Russian publisher is using players as a ‘weapon’
Warframe’s Chimera update goes live, introduces Arbitration missions and daily tribute reward changes
ZeniMax Online Studios is hiring for an MMO project based on ‘an exciting new IP’
Fallout 76: Absurd merch, the discless Platinum edition, and criticism of ‘nuke porn’
Ubisoft claims that it ‘cannot be openly political’ in The Division
Black Desert’s Russian servers will be spared from their abrupt and messy closure after all
Blizzard will announce ‘Diablo-related news’ at BlizzCon, but it’s not what you want to hear
The LA Times investigates Riot Games’ ‘boys’ club’ sexism problem, ESPN reports Riot staff ‘departures’
Ascent: Infinite Realm resurfaces with new images
EVE Vegas 2018: EVE Echoes, EVE Online’s mobile adaptation, is launching in 2019
EVE Vegas 2018: EVE Online is finally getting a fair wardec system
EVE Vegas 2018: Player-built stargates and co-op Abyssal Deadspace coming to EVE Online this winter
An EVE Online player used his Homeland Security contacts to save EVE Vegas 2018
World of Warcraft is adding a new currency to assuage Azerite Armor acquisition complaints
World of Warcraft Classic will log you off after a set amount of time for the demo, even at home
Red Dead Redemption 2 may be heading to PC in 2019
Trion Worlds has been sold to Gamigo, and yes, there have been more layoffs
Elder Scrolls Online’s Murkmire DLC and Update 20 are live
Gamigo formally announces the Trion Worlds buyout that manifested yesterday
Lord of the Rings Online announces ‘legendary’ progression server
Bless Online has officially launched out of early access open beta as a free-to-play MMORPG
Hellgate: London is coming back yet again on Steam
Wild West Online’s studio collapsed, but it’s now soft rebooting with separate battle royale and building modes
Red Dead Redemption 2 has officially launched, and now the wait for multiplayer begins
Shroud of the Avatar’s release 59 is live with a heavily revamped newbie experience
US Library of Congress grants DMCA exception for preserving online games
The Video Game Museum offers a home to Star Wars Galaxies, City of Heroes, and WildStar
Call of Duty swatter slammed with 46 new charges on top of involuntary manslaughter
New World leaks make it sound more and more like a real MMO sandbox, not a survival game
Surprise! Shroud of the Avatar is now officially free-to-play
Fallout 76’s PC beta window got off to a rough start
How Legends of Aria is avoiding the ‘gankbox’ MMO problem
FAVORITE EDITORIALS OF OCTOBER 2018
The Daily Grind: What abandoned content in your favortite MMO do you want to see return?
Wisdom of Nym: Final Fantasy XIV’s leaks and the seduction of partial information
Flameseeker Chronicles: Deep-diving Guild Wars 2’s A Star to Guide Us, part one
Perfect Ten: Failed MMOs that could have succeeded with more love
Hyperspace Beacon: First impressions of SWTOR’s new Huttball map
The Daily Grind: Are you a fan of video content for MMO information?
Massively Overthinking: The sunsetted MMOs we never played
MassivelyOP’s first impressions of MapleStory 2, Nexon’s latest MMORPG
Wisdom of Nym: What can datamining tell us about the next Final Fantasy XIV job?
EverQuesting: A guide to EverQuest II’s expansion prelude event, Against the Elements
Perfect Ten: Ten MMO systems that encourage alts
The Daily Grind: What’s your favorite piece of MMO music?
Tamriel Infinium: First impressions of Elder Scrolls Online’s Murkmire from the PTS
Chaos Theory: Secret World Legend’s 2018 Samhain is music to my ears
The Game Archaeologist: The Death of City of Heroes
Jukebox Heroes: Entropia Universe’s soundtrack
The Daily Grind: Has an MMO ever been ruined for you by the community?
EVE Evolved: Wars are literally ruining EVE Online
Wisdom of Nym: Rewards in Final Fantasy XIV and what they’re worth
Perfect Ten: MMOs that desperately need proper player housing
Vague Patch Notes: How do you play MMOs when you know humans suffered to make them?
Massively Overthinking: Our favorite RPGs for MMORPG fans
WoW Factor: Examining excitement, accomplishment, and elitism in Battle for Azeroth
Chaos Theory: A guide to Secret World Legend’s Samhain 2018 community events
LOTRO Legendarium: Wait a minute, LOTRO, you lost me
Make My MMO: Elite Dangerous’ exploration reveal, Star Citizen’s $1650 ship
Global Chat: Is it time to get rid of MMO factions?
Wisdom of Nym: Evaluating Final Fantasy XIV’s job gauges
Massively on the Go: The key MMO features in The Walking Dead Our World
Jukebox Heroes: World of Warcraft Battle for Azeroth’s soundtrack
The Daily Grind: What MMO do you worry might sunset before you can play it fully?
Perfect Ten: The 10 types of skill in MMOs
The Daily Grind: Which of Trion’s MMOs are you most worried about in the wake of its buyout?
Vague Patch Notes: There’s more to Skinner boxes in MMOs than mere repetition
Hyperspace Beacon: Obtaining the Masterwork armor in SWTOR Update 5.10
Massively Overthinking: Is there too much negativity in the MMO genre?
The Daily Grind: Are you planning to give LOTRO’s new progression server a try?
WoW Factor: We’re all farming Nature Resistance gear now
Wings Over Atreia: Awakened Legacy is Aion’s NGE gut punch
LOTRO Legendarium: Wistmead surprises and progression servers
EVE Evolved: Hands-on with EVE Online FPS Project Nova
Wisdom of Nym: How we missed storyline overload in Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood
Wings Over Atreia: Awakened Legacy could be Aion’s rebirth
Perfect Ten: Compliments to MMOs I don’t play
Leaderboard: Are you playing Fallout 76, Red Dead Redemption 2, or neither?
ALL 2018 YEAR-IN-REVIEW POSTS SO FAR
MMO Year in Review: The SWTOR sunset scare (January 2018)
MMO Year in Review: Dragon Bones, Funcom’s revival, and the politics of lockboxes (February 2018)
MMO Year in Review: Thieves, Avatars, and Gorgons (March 2018)
MMO Year in Review: Columbus Nova who? (April 2018)
MMO Year in Review: Mixed Bless-ings (May 2018)
MMO Year in Review: Fallout 76, Elder Scrolls Online, and Bethsoft’s bonanza (June 2018)
MMO Year in Review: So, uh, how ’bout that underwater combat balance (July 2018)
MMO Year in Review: Watching the world tree burn (August 2018)
MMO Year in Review: Literally the biggest news day in MMO history (September 2018)
MMO Year in Review: Gamigo’s gory Trion Worlds acquisition (October 2018)
MMO Year in Review: Blizzard and Bethsoft’s dumpster fire showdown (November 2018)
MMO Year in Review: Daybreak gonna Daybreak (December 2018)
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