Columns

Enjoy a run-down of our recent long-form pieces, both game-specific and more general. You might also be interested in our list of all of our columns and recurring articles. [Follow this category’s RSS feed]

LOTRO Legendarium: Middle-earth’s world integrity is an endangered species in MMOs

14
Back in 2018, Steven Spielberg adapted the popular novel Ready Player One into a film. It seemed like a great pairing: The master director...
Please stop reminding me that this game exists.

Betawatch: Throne & Liberty begins signups for its global open beta

2
It seemed like we would never again hear about Throne & Liberty, given how long globally oriented comms had been silence, but that was...

Massively on the Go: Pokemon GO’s April content isn’t all laughs

0
Pokemon Go isn't talking about its yearly April Fools' day event yet, but we do have some details on the rest of the month,...

Tamriel Infinium: Elder Scrolls Online celebrates its 10th anniversary in Orc-land

2
I have to give some serious credit to ZeniMax: This studio isn't letting Elder Scrolls Online's 10th anniversary go by with nothing more than...
This is the face of giving a damn.

Vague Patch Notes: The limits of data in MMORPGs

5
Yesterday, I went on a rant about data. As you probably guessed from the various columns wherein I attempt to use data to analyze...

The Daily Grind: When has a wholesome MMO feature wound up backfiring?

30
A few weeks ago, the Ultima Online team released a newsletter, and its very first entry caught my eye. "I want to address a pressing...
spooky, kinda

Massively Overthinking: Lies about MMOs we thought were true

17
A totally not-gaming video inspired this week's Massively Overthinking: Hank Green's video called I Believed These Four Lies. Green elaborates on a quad of...
HNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG

WoW Factor: Blizzard didn’t reveal World of Warcraft sub numbers – it drew a Mystery Line

48
It will not surprise anyone reading this to learn that there are things which upset me. This is just part of being a human...
SHIP IT

The Daily Grind: How long can you do the same thing in an MMORPG?

16
I have, it must be said, a high tolerance for grinding and repetition. I can handle a very long stretch of doing the exact...
City again.

Perfect Ten: MMOs that experienced a surprising comeback

5
It's hard to pass up a really good comeback story. We love it when a beloved something or someone is counted down and out......

The Daily Grind: Do you experience social anxiety in MMOs?

58
While an outmoded argument says that everyone who shows up for massively multiplayer online roleplaying games must be in the mood for socializing, history...

Choose My Adventure: Losing myself roaming the realms of Nightingale

0
This edition of Choose My Adventure might strike similar notes as last week, but I suppose that's to be expected considering you told me...

The Daily Grind: What scares you about the MMO industry?

19
People have been telling me to stop worrying so much my whole life, but worrying is how I cope with uncertainty, and there's a...
Pop?

Wisdom of Nym: Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail release dates, event dates, and philosophy

8
Well let me be the first to say that I can most definitely live with this particular set of revelations from PAX East, so...

Vitae Aeternum: Analyzing New World’s ‘content drought,’ comms chaos, and lack of a 2024 expansion

6
The always cantankerous New World community is in even more of an uproar than usual lately. Go to any of its social media, and...

The Daily Grind: What’s the most macabre thing you’ve done or seen in an MMORPG?

18
MJ's coverage of the new gravedigging mechanics in Path of Exile (bury corpses of whole families together for a stat boost!) got me thinking...

One Shots: One corgi to rule them all

7
Deep in the fires of Mt. Doom, a terrible and mighty creation is being forged. One that if, left unchecked and unpetted, could spell...
It appears to be... a rock.

The Daily Grind: Do you prefer risky or reliable strategies in an MMO?

20
Back when I cut my teeth on MMORPG play in Final Fantasy XI, there were accepted strategies for gaining levels via normal leveling. You...

LOTRO Legendarium: My 11 favorite zones in LOTRO

8
This week I put my chin on my fists and thought super-hard about the following question: What column could I write that would be...

Massively on the Go: 10 Mega Pokemon Legends Z-A could add to help Pokemon GO

0
We have very little information about Pokemon Legends: Z-A, but one thing for sure is that it can make a big impact on Pokemon...