April Fools’ Day around the MMOverse, 2019 edition

World of Warcraft has nerfed bears to only aggro in a 39-yard radius when you skin one.

By
Bree Royce
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31

Yes, it’s back, the day when you can believe absolutely nothing and MMO studios are cranking out faux patches that you kinda wish were real. Yeah, I might still be salty over the old World of Warcraft bard joke. We’ve already covered a few of the pranks from games that got started last week, including Guild Wars 2, World of Warships, Champions Online, and Crossout. Here are a few more.

Elder Scrolls Online might be taking the cat people thing too far, but we’re here for it.

World of Warcraft’s requisite “patch notes” are up. (Blizzard usually has more than just patch notes, so stay tuned. At the moment, WoWHead’s “datamined” patch is better.

Final Fantasy XIV has introduced a new smart home assistant from hell and a FFXIV manga.

War Thunder has gone Earth Thunder for the week.

“Gaijin Entertainment invites everyone to take part in EARTH THUNDER, an intergalactic tournament about to begin right now. The tournament sees talented cyber-athletes from all corners of the universe take control over one of the galaxy’s less advanced civilizations, forcing them to man the Universal Fighting Orbiter and to fight until death for the galaxy’s amusement. For the next stage of the tournament, its alien organizers have chosen Earth – and from April 1 until April 5, the flooded city of Green Hills will turn unto the fiercest battlefield of human history.”

Something tells us that Neverwinter is horsing around.

“Well, Lukan’s a neigh-sayer, and he’s ready to knock Halaster off his high horse and show all of Neverwinter who is really the maddest around! Some may think it’s a foal’s errand to challenge a mage like Halaster, but Lukan is willing to make a foal of himself to prove that he’s no one-trick pony. But we’ll stop stalling and get to the mane event! In a spur of the moment decision, Lukan has cast a spell on all the mounts in Neverwinter. And we mean all the mounts! Not just the mare mounts, but the whirlwinds and the constructs mounts too.”

Haven’t you always wanted to play Black Desert – the board game? And Black Desert – the 8bit game? Now you can! And hey, at least it won’t be so easy to ruin with exploits.

“Today Pearl Abyss has announced a new board game based upon their highly successful Black Desert Online IP. Black Desert the Board Game is a strategically challenging role playing game where players explore a vast open world filled with monsters, treasure and challenging world bosses. Pearl Abyss has developed a special retro inspired version of Black Desert to promote the board game. Everyone who registers for a 7-day trial account or anyone who already has a Black Desert Online account can download Black Desert Classic for free.”

If you thought Funcom has a few too many Conan games cooking, you won’t like this one: It’s Conan Chop Chop! Which, again, I would play on my phone if it were real.

Prosperous Universe has an “honest trailer.”

RuneScape’s latest patch notes are stuffed with teases…

EverQuest II is celebrating with the return of Bristlebane Day, “a holiday that honors the Grand Prankster Fizzlethorpe Bristlebane who puts having fun first.” It runs until the 11th, so you’ve got no rush. Even time-locked expansion server players can get in on the fun and the new quest.

MapleStory 2 has an April Fools’ event running that’s really a quiz.

“Let’s see how good you are at overriding your muscle memory! For 24 hours, starting at midnight UTC on April 1st, the O-X Quiz is being run with a very minor change: You have to select the wrong answer. Get it ri- wrong and earn double the Kay Coins with each win!”

Guild Wars 2 influencer Jessym has an epic art piece for a game that we would totally play if it were real: an expansion for the side-scrolling Rytlock’s Critter Rampage.

That’s in addition to the return of Super Adventure Box, of course, and the fake patch notes.

How about a SWTOR/Anthem crossover?

League of Legends… well. It was always about the skins.

Revelation Online has been taken over by Brother Rabbit (what did I just type?):

OK, this one genuinely made me laugh: Cuisine Royale is making players hunt for not just weapons and armor but body parts so you can Frankenstein your own toon. “But there’s no need to worry, as you won’t start out being nothing more than a torso (in fact, you lack that, too),” the devs vow. “The mannequin you are joining the battle with does have some human resemblance, but you won’t be able to make the most out of the items you find before constructing yourself in true Frankensteinian manner. Without a proper head, for example, you won’t be able to eat, giving you no chance to replenish lost health. And while your weak mannequin hands may be able to hold a light weapon, you won’t be able to haul yourself over walls and obstacles without a proper set of biceps.”

Soulworker has masks:

https://twitter.com/SoulWorkerGF/status/1112676280636530688

Even Star Wars Galaxies Legends has an April Fools’ event this year:

Dr. Fool has a lot of exciting tricks and gags for you to experience this year on April Fools Day! Be sure to log in between midnight of April 1st and midnight of April 2nd Pacific Time to experience all that Dr. Fool has to offer this year.

And don’t miss the World of Warships and Crossout jokes from last week! They’re not just jokes; they’re actual modes.

On a more serious note, /r/games decided to go the other way today and shut down for a day. That’s not a joke. The mods compiled an album of the worst “transphobia, homophobia, islamophobia, racism, misogyny, pro-pedophilia/pro-rape, and vitriolic personal attacks” they’ve seen on the sub by way of asking gamers to do and be better. Hear, hear.

As for us, well, you’ve seen the first part, with more tucked away for eagle-eyed readers over the course of the day. And a gold star for those of you who found MJ’s secret stream calendar joke!

We’ll be updating this post throughout the day as we spy more – feel free to leave them in the comments too!

11 a.m. update – a few more below!

Star Trek Online has announced Tribble Darts.

Champions Online: Noir is the “dark and gritty update to Champions you’ve been longing for.”

Worlds Adrift now has a card game. *nods*

EVE Online’s getting new pirate implant sets. Why not.

Afternoon update!

Saga of Lucimia is moving to be a full loot PvP MMO with a cash shop. No, not really.

Star Citizen is offering a themed perfume. It’s $27,000.

City of Titans has a new look for its character creator.

Path of Exile and Warframe have joined forces for an epic collab, Path of Warframe (with two of the best studios in this industry!). Can we have this?

Star Trek Online back for another bite.

PlanetSide 2:

Wheee.

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