Really, there’s only one valid resolution for 2021: make it suck less than 2020.
That aside, it’s customary to ask the Massively OP writers to offer up their gaming and MMO-specific resolutions for the new year. Don’t do the whole resolution thing? Goals are good too. (Just save the wishes for next week!)
Let’s hammer out our gaming resolutions for the last Massively Overthinking of the year!
​Andrew Ross (@dengarsw): I’m going to keep mine pretty simple: to try to invite more people to social game gatherings. I was kind of surprised how my group of console gamers, who tend to be pretty competitive, were down for more relaxing Jackbox games during all this. Similarly, I actually got my family to play these on video chat, which I think has been good for all of us. I admittedly had kind of given up in 2019, but especially the tail end of 2020 had me finding people I knew but hadn’t gamed with who actually wanted to play online together. This isn’t exactly a new goal, but one that I felt like had helped me when I was back from Japan, working from home, and unable to really bond with people I was meeting due to physical distance. It really feels like an appropriate goal to return to.
Andy McAdams: 2021 will be a year. I refuse to put any qualitative descriptor on it because… well, we all said in 2019 “it can’t get any worse” and 2020 responded with the mother of all “hold my beers.”
My gaming resolutions are to continue to find balance. I’ve discovered that coupling an MMO with a single-player game is a good way to avoid burn out. (For anyone interested “Satisfactory” is an amazing game). For MassivelyOP, I want 2021 to be the year I finally figure out how to work in a regular column on culture, theory, and ethics in games. Hopefully. Maybe.
Brianna Royce (@nbrianna, blog): After 2020, my expectations are pretty low, you know? I just want to be chill and recover. In a weird way I’d like to resolve to game less in 2021 and get out of the house more, but that’s not really up to me, and let’s be honest I love my MMOs, so there are far worse fates than to be stuck inside playing them. I’d like to expand a bit more beyond my two home favorite MMOs, though. I want to put some time into New World since it’ll be the first big new thing we’ve had in years, and I already know I want to go back to Lord of the Rings Online and actually finish the plot and get to the end of all things instead of getting trapped in my comfortable zone of crafting. I’m also setting a goal of making more videos because the ones I’ve done the last few years have gone over so well!
Chris Neal (@wolfyseyes, blog): Find a new main game. No, seriously. I don’t see myself dropping Final Fantasy XIV anytime soon, but I also would really love to get myself hooked in to something new, to build a new character, tell and share new stories in RP, make new friends and play new stuff, and feel that joy of class mastery again. Or at least, class middling performance.
Justin Olivetti (@Sypster, blog):Â As I’ve said on the podcast, I’ve been trying a slightly different approach to playing MMOs lately, kind of a two-fold approach. Every month I’ll have my regular, play-as-usual title coupled with a one-month project MMO. For example, I might want to spend a month trying to get through an expansion, or checking out a game I’ve never played before, or what have you. I have 14 options on my list for this, so I think my 2021 is covered!
This way, I’m not killing myself trying to play all the things while also naturally rotating through MMOs.
Mia DeSanzo (@neschria): I resolve to give DC Universe Online and Champions Online a fair shake this year. I am not actually that much into superheroes, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a good game… if either of those is a good game. I wouldn’t really know. Yet.
MJ Guthrie (@MJ_Guthrie, blog):Â Wow. I mean, I know we had no idea what 2020 would have in store, but I really really fell flat when it came to my goals for this past year. On top of my health and munchkin, we threw on buying a house that needs renovating and just a little world-wide pandemic. So I don’t have to feel bad about my failure rate, right? One goal I didn’t officially make but I succeeded spectacularly on setting up regular game stream nights for a consistent schedule. Too bad I can’t count it in the tally! Let’s see, for 2020 Overthinking goals, my results are: 1. Whoa, YES! I got one; 2. Haha not even a tiny bit; 3. Um, was this a goal, whoops — forgot; 4. A little progress at least; 5. Yes — by more of, one counts, right?; 6. Not even a smidgen sadly; and 7. YES! And it was a blast! (Just wish there were more!)
It looks like I need to continue with a few of these goals into 2021! So that’s what I will do. Overall, I need to carve out more time just to play for fun, which is something I couldn’t do again this year. It doesn’t even have to be a ton of time; maybe I’ll set aside a set time just to hang out with friends in a game that isn’t streamed once a week! Also I need to whittle away at those single-player games I have piled up so high now. But my first and foremost goal will be to get a special Stream Team project going with Chris. We think it will be quite fun! Related to that, I also want to continue with goal #7, and do more gaming and streaming with the MOP crew.
OK 2021, let’s see whatcha can throw at me! ‘Cause I am ready for ya!
Sam Kash (@thesamkash): 2021 is going to be a good year. In 2020 I said I wanted to try and begin streaming. Well, technically I achieved that. At least I got the PC set up and everything configured to stream. I even streamed a few nights here and there. This year I’ll take that up and actually stream more game nights or try to make it a regular thing.
I also want to try and be a more active guild member. In games like Crowfall I tend to silently follow standing orders and show up infrequently for events. I’m going to try and be a more active participant in the coming year.
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!
