We’re celebrating our Independence Day – our 10th birthday since launching as an indie site after the demise of OG Massively – so this week’s Massively Overthinking, the roundtable column where our writers weigh in together on a topic, writes itself. I’m asking our writers to reflect on their time at the site, to reminisce about what they remember of their earliest days, to examine how things have changed, and to give us a funny memory or fact in honor of our 10th birthday!
Brianna Royce (@nbrianna.bsky.social, blog): Here’s a fun fact for you: Massively Overthinking is one of the columns we brought over from OG Massively! We called it The Think Tank back then, but the “Massively Over-” motif was too good to pass up. I have always loved this column because it’s kind of just a Daily Grind, only we have to answer it too instead of just kicking it to you!
Ten years ago I messaged Larry and asked him to make us some badges for the site – maybe years 1 to 9 for our Patrons. We had a good laugh at the ridiculous idea that the site would make it to 10 years. Our old site hadn’t; why should this one?
Well, last week I had to ask Larry to make me some more Patreon badges, years 10 to 20 this time because here you are and here we are. You know that saying “the days are long but the years are short”? It’s been an eternity but also where did those years go?
Chris Neal (@wolfyseyes.bsky.social, blog):Â My oldest memory – and most cherished – is how I started here. I’ll never forget it because it felt like I was being watched by hawks without realizing it.
The prior games journalism job I had fell through and almost immediately I was asked by Bree, Eliot, and even Justin in separate messages to join the staff. I had known that I interacted with all of them (as well as MJ too) and other readers plenty of times prior – I donated to the Kickstarter and had my personal blog featured a couple of times in Global Chat – but I didn’t know that what I was doing was being paid that much attention to.
It astonishes me to think about how that moment changed my life. It has helped to eliminate personal fears that I’m not good enough. MJ and Bree have both empowered me to stream more. Eliot continues to be a guiding light in my style. Justin continues to show off a level of competency and professionalism that I aspire to. And even though I don’t always agree with them, Tyler and Carlo have both provided new facets and lines of thinking about our genre.
I never thought I was capable. Now I can’t see myself doing anything else.
Justin Olivetti (@Sypster, blog): My kids think that I have some kind of dream job to “be able to write about video games,” and they’re not entirely wrong. Writing for MOP has always felt like a special opportunity, the kind that only really comes along once in your life, and I’ve gotten to ride that wave for a decade-and-a-half now. Following this industry is crazy, man, and the rush of exciting news and developments is what keeps me hooked. Sure, it is always work — especially when writer’s block hits — but who says that work can’t be thrilling and engaging at times? Getting to pour out my enthusiasm about MMOs and music, meeting developers, and contributing to a nearly 60,000-post (and counting!) indie journalism site feels worthwhile.
Sam Kash (@samkash@mastodon.social): I can’t say for sure when I first began following the crew at MOP. My first memory goes back to the Massively-that-was. I believe it was in 2009 or so when Justin wrote a guide to Warhammer Online for Waaarg. That was his column’s name, I think. I was really into the game, and the guide was perfect. I followed casually after that for some time when I’d check it for my MMO news. There was no comparison.
Around the same time I really got into Guild Wars again too. I also started commuting to work more and music wasn’t keeping me entertained. So I searched for a podcast that focused on Guild Wars. At that time Rubi and Shawn ran the GuildCast. I’m not sure if it was a separate podcast or if it morphed into the main Massively podcast, but either way I think I’ve listened basically every week since.
Of course, many years later came the announcement that AOL was going to shut down Massively, and I was speechless. I remember I was reading the news on my sofa with a cup of coffee and trying to explain how devastating this was to my SO. Fortunately, it was not the end of this tale. They ran the successful Kickstarter and became the MOP team.
Then came the call for new writers. I was never much of one, but I had been playing so many MMOs for so long that I thought I might have something to add to the lineup. I really didn’t expect to pass the smell test, even, but somehow my monkey’s paw worked, and I got the gig. I remember I was eating at a restaurant when I got the message.
Tacos have never tasted so good.
Tyler Edwards (blog):Â This is really dumb, but you know what my favourite part of working here is? Seeing my MMO characters in header images. Especially if it’s one of the other writers reusing one of my shots. It’s such a nice surprise.
Seeing my own name in print doesn’t do much for me (blame my depression, I guess), but knowing Mai’s Internet famous? That just gives me all kinds of warm fuzzies.
Every week, join the Massively OP staff for Massively Overthinking column, a multi-writer roundtable in which we discuss the MMO industry topics du jour – and then invite you to join the fray in the comments. Overthinking it is literally the whole point. Your turn!
