It doesn’t feel quite right to end the year without making sure that everything’s in order — and part of that definitely includes returning to our annual semi-official One Shots awards! Over the past 12 months, readers have submitted their best or most interesting MMO screenshots to this weekly column, and now it’s time for me to go through them all and pick out the best of the best for a silly awards ceremony.
Even if I didn’t pick one of yours for inclusion in today’s awards, I do want to thank you and everyone else for contributing to this ongoing series. It’s always a treat to see what you guys put in the comments every week, and I look forward to your submissions in 2024.
Without further ado, the winners (in no particular order) are…
Best Silhouette: Josh in Guild Wars 2
Pioneering the daring camera angle of screenshotting your character looking over a mysterious realm!
Best Umbrella: RimaHadley in Final Fantasy XIV
The accessory can totally make the outfit, and a functional one that keeps the drizzle off is better still.
Blast from the Past: Zulika Mi-Nam in The Matrix Online
No matter what pill you took, this game still closed. Maybe you should’ve taken both?
Most Arachnophobia: Lucky Jinx in World of Warcraft
But the spider you need to worry about is the one that’s behind you RIGHT NOW.
Most Clowning Around: Minimalistway in World of Warcraft
MMO gaming is a very serious business indeed.
Best Skybox: Stormwaltz in Elder Scrolls Online
This night sky is so chock-full of stuff that the stars don’t have any room to come out and play!
Bio Break Award: Scott in Honkai Star Rail
When you gotta go, do your business in a giant room with no privacy whatsoever.
Best Superhero Action Pose: Hikari in City of Heroes
It’s notoriously hard to capture a speedster in action, but right here is photographic proof that it can be done!
Best Screenshot That Looks Like a Painting: Katriana in Guild Wars 2
Honestly, that right there looks more like gorgeous concept art than something plucked from the screen of an MMO. “Painterly aesthetic” indeed.
Best Housing: Brazen in Palia
Wait, how does this fantasy realm get electricity and circuitry to make arcade games? Best not to think too much about it.
Best Tavern Crawl: Hirku Two in Dungeons and Dragons Online
If it’s a D&D game, you best believe it’s going to have a tavern or two. This screenshot seems to have captured a slice of story at the end of a long night of binging, planning, and littering.
Pinkest Pigtails: Utakata in Tower of Fantasy
Before you go adventuring in the morning, you have to spend two hours perfectly curling your pigtails. It’s only common sense.
Best Boss Pic: Vincent in Final Fantasy XIV
At this point, you’re totally committed to the fight — you might as well get a picture for your effort as well.
Every week, One Shots shines a spotlight on the best community screenshots from your MMO adventures. If you have a great pic to share, email it to justin@massivelyop.com with the subject “One Shots.” Make sure that the picture is over 880px wide and comes with a description or story!
