We’ve been taking a tour back through our MMO coverage, month by month, to hit the highlights and frame our journey before we launch into 2020 and a whole new decade of MMOs, and now we come to the final month of 2019: December.
It’d be tempting to assume December is a slow month, as it is somewhat slower on overall news, but we don’t slow down much on posts, as we roll out our many end-of-the-year features and awards. And this year, quite a number of MMORPG studios saved up some pretty major news to get everyone pumped for the year ahead: Amazon announced New World’s May 2020 launch, PWE formally revealed Magic Legends, Elder Scrolls Online pointed at Skyrim on its 2020 roadmap, and PSO2 began beta signups. Plus, EVE Echoes and BDO Mobile rolled out to mobile devices, the EverQuest franchise dropped a pair of expansions, and Guild Wars 2 teased new goodies. On the downside, it’s lights out for Elder Scrolls Legends, PlanetSide Arena, and Astellia Online’s Korean version.
Read on for the whole list from December of this past year!
TOP NEWS STORIES OF DECEMBER 2019
Star Citizen’s $1700 Kraken Privateer mobile space mall drives fundraising past $250M
EVE Echoes launches its open beta on mobile devices
Overwatch 2 promises to deliver a ‘complete story with beginning, middle, and end’
Riot Games will pay $10 million to settle its ‘bro culture’ gender discrimination lawsuit
A Jesuit priest is trying out a Vatican Minecraft server to encourage non-toxic behavior
BBC tech program Click promises investigation into Star Citizen’s delays
Guild Wars 2’s skill balancing update is live with weapon swap, dynamic HUD, and… capes
Anarchy Online’s progression server raises its level cap, but its future is uncertain
Blizzard promises ‘deep and rewarding’ itemization in Diablo IV
US Congressman uses campaign funds for Steam games, man allegedly uses PS4 to sell cocaine
Guild Wars 2 players are pretty bummed about this week’s fall damage trait nerf
Conan Exiles has officially launched HORSIES with today’s free update and Riders of Hyboria DLC
ArcheAge Unchained’s ArchePass is back as XLGAMES reveals the next mega patch [Update: Aaaaaand it’s gone again]
Pantheon’s Visionary Realms and Brad McQuaid’s family are sponsoring a design scholarship in his memory
Dual Universe’s roadmap dates beta for summer 2020, release in 2021, and outlines post-release content
Daybreak was working on a Marvel MMORPG until last year
Richard Garriott gives RPG game developer permission to use Lord British
Bethesda’s MMOTCG Elder Scrolls Legends is destined for maintenance mode
Creature survival sandbox Day of Dragons flaps its way into early access
Ultima Online’s Jolly Roger update is officially live this week
Star Trek Online fans mourn Deep Space Nine actor René ‘Odo’ Auberjonois
At least one WoW Classic PvP server now appears to be 100% Horde
Ashes of Creation’s cash shop nods to Game of Thrones as Apocalypse continues to lose players
Path of Exile’s Conquerors of the Atlas update sparks a $53,750 boss kill challenge
EVE Online’s ‘free market’ patch – and new gambling system – are live
Black Desert Mobile has officially launched now around the globe
Mortal Online devs announce Mortal Online 2 (again) – check out the trailer!
Blade & Soul’s Will of Iron launches today with a new dungeon and Destroyer spec
Dang, Astellia Online is sunsetting in its native South Korea
Star Citizen fan says he spent $31,000 on the game following a near-death experience
Warframe’s Empyrean and Railjacks just went live on PC, with Rising Tide live on consoles
Perfect World has finally revealed Magic: Legends, its Magic the Gathering MMORPG
Amazon’s New World is launching in May of 2020 – check out the new videos
Elder Scrolls Online’s new trailer teases Dark Heart of Skyrim for 2020
Star Wars Galaxies Legends plans Life Day, new heroics, and a contest judged by George Lucas’ son
Daybreak is shutting PlanetSide Arena down in January 2020
New World discusses opting out of PvP, addresses colonialism concern
Astellia reaffirms commitment to western version, may even rescue Korean players
Here’s how Fortnite’s Star Wars scene screening event this past weekend went down
Final Fantasy XIV touts 18 million registered users during its special 14-hour broadcast
Wheeee Phantasy Star Online 2 is now accepting closed beta signups in North America
World of Warcraft’s predecessor, Warcraft III: Reforged, gets a January launch date
WoW Classic has finally begun offering character transfers – for $25
Final Fantasy XIV suspends a streamer for shaming another player live on his stream
Funcom’s Conan Chop Chop, newly retooled with ‘full online multiplayer,’ arrives February 25 2020
Mysterious parchment teases next chapter of the Elder Scrolls Online
EverQuest’s Torment of Velious and EverQuest II’s Blood of Luclin expansions are live
The Massively Overpowered 2019 winter holiday MMO roundup
Gun running, Fallout 4 hacks, and a Steam delay – just another week in Fallout 76
Interview: Star Citizen on the Argo MOLE and the future of mining gameplay in alpha 3.8
Guild Wars 2 previews early 2020 plans, promises Shadow in the Ice saga episode on January 28
PlanetSide 2 promises ‘something exciting’ for player teams in early 2020
Guild Wars 2 studio ArenaNet seeks art director for unnamed console title
FAVORITE EDITORIALS OF DECEMBER 2019
Wisdom of Nym: Blue Mage in Final Fantasy XIV and what the update needs to deliver
Fight or Kite: Archeage Unchained’s leveling PvP is a test of resolve and avoidance
Massively Uplifting: MMO fundraisers, GW2 raid class, and saving trees and cats
Choose My Adventure: How Citadel Forged with Fire made me like survival sandboxes in spite of its faults
The Daily Grind: Do you ever pick a human skin tone other than your own in MMOs?
Perfect Ten: The biggest MMO surprises of 2019
Desert Oasis: A critique of Black Desert’s upcoming Tamer succession
WoW Factor: A history of itemization in World of Warcraft
Massively Overthinking: The best and worst MMO developer quotes of 2019
Vague Patch Notes: Why do MMOs have randomness?
Warframe of Mind: First impressions of Railjack (plus our guide to building your own)
LOTRO Legendarium: Second breakfasts and the importance of food
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: Most Underrated MMORPG
Wisdom of Nym: Final Fantasy XIV’s crafting class utility
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: MMO Story of the Year
Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars 2’s 2019 year in review, from the layoffs to Icebrood
Warframe of Mind: Previewing Empyrean and Railjacks with Digital Extremes
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: Most Improved MMORPG
Perfect Ten: The healthiest live MMOs at the end of 2019
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: Worst MMO Business Model
Wisdom of Nym: Impressions of Final Fantasy XIV’s first Blue Mage extension
Massively Overthinking: Our favorite MMO stories of 2019
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: Biggest MMO Surprise
WoW Factor: How WoW’s Corruption system breaks the redeeming features of Titanforging
Ask Mo: The hits and misses of MassivelyOP’s 2019 predictions
MMO Burnout: Pokemon Sword and Shield is fun but not innovative
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: Not-So-Massively Game of the Year
The Game Archaeologist’s ultimate MMO archives v3.0
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: Biggest MMO Blunder
EVE Evolved: First impressions of the EVE Echoes mobile beta
Wisdom of Nym: Final Fantasy XIV’s first Patch 5.2 preview in brief
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: Best MMO Business Model
Fight or Kite: 2010-2019, the decade when PvP boomed and MMOs languished
Choose My Adventure: Conquering the fear of Project Gorgon (and getting rewarded for it)
Massively OP’s 2019 MMO Video Game Music Awards
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: Best MMO Trend
Flameseeker Chronicles: Guild Wars 2’s 2019 year in review, from Icebrood Saga to the future
Perfect Ten: The biggest MMO news stories of 2019
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: Biggest MMO Disappointment
Vague Patch Notes: Why don’t we have more MMO psionics?
Desert Oasis: A few improvements I’d like to see in Black Desert for 2020
Massively Overthinking: Our MMO predictions for 2020
WoW Factor: Where WoW Vanilla’s and WoW Classic’s communities diverge
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: MMO Studio of the Year
Tamriel Infinium: A 2019 Elder Scrolls Online retrospective
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: MMO (or studio) with the Stormiest Future
LOTRO Legendarium: How did Lord of the Rings Online do in 2019?
One Shots: Our favorite MMORPG screenshots of 2019
MassivelyOP’s 2019 Golden Yachties: Most bizarre thing in an MMO this year
The Daily Grind: What was the worst MMO industry trend of 2019?
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: Best MMORPG Expansion
Not So Massively: A wishlist for MMO-adjacent online games in 2020
Wisdom of Nym: Looking ahead to Final Fantasy XIV’s 2020
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: Indie MMO of the Year
Choose My Adventure: All the MMOs you made us play in 2019
A very World of Warcraft Christmas
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: Most Anticipated MMO
Vague Patch Notes: My wrecked treasure in No Man’s Sky
Why I Play: How NCsoft’s Fafurion update saved Lineage 2 in 2019
Leaderboard: What was the most overrated MMO of 2019?
Massively Overthinking: Our MMO resolutions for 2020
Massively OP’s 2019 Awards: MMORPG of the Year
WoW Factor: A quick glance back at 2019 for World of Warcraft
MMO Cartographer: Gamigo’s voxel MMO Trove is a blocky treasure
Make My MMO: The biggest MMO crowdfunding news of 2019
MMO Cartographer: Reminiscing on the MMOs we toured in 2019
Leaderboard: What’s the best classic MMORPG still running at the end of 2019?
Fight or Kite: Totally reasonable expectations for PvP MMORPGs in 2020
Wisdom of Nym: Yes, Final Fantasy XIV’s Empire is just plain bad
Perfect Ten: The best MMO updates and expansions of 2019
The most popular Massively OP MMO articles of 2019
Choose My Adventure: The perfect sandbox MMORPG already exists in Project Gorgon
Lawful Neutral: A look back at the MMO industry’s law dramas of 2019
MassivelyOP’s 2019 Golden Yachties: Schlag meme of the year
ALL 2019 YEAR-IN-REVIEW POSTS
MMO Year in Review: Anthem’s approach (January 2019)
MMO Year in Review: The mass Blizzard and ArenaNet layoffs (February 2019)
MMO Year in Review: Black Desert’s console rollout (March 2019)
MMO Year in Review: City of Heroes’ resurrection (April 2019)
MMO Year in Review: EVE’s Invasion, WoW Classic’s beta (May 2019)
MMO Year in Review: Shadowbringers, Elsweyr, and Azshara (June 2019)
MMO Year in Review: Amazon’s Lord of the Rings MMO (July 2019)
MMO Year in Review: You think you do, but… yeah, you do (August 2019)
MMO Year in Review: Guild Wars 2’s saga and Astellia Online (September 2019)
MMO Year in Review: The month of gaming industry self-owns (October 2019)
MMO Year in Review: A ‘tough Hearthstone esports moment’ (November 2019)
MMO Year in Review: New World, Magic Legends, and ESO Skyrim (December 2019)
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