EA filed an ‘Engagement Optimized Matchmaking’ patent in 2016
Remember Activision's rather skeezy matchmaking patent from last year? That one was pretty straightforward in how it worked, if unpleasant: You buy something from...
Ascent: Infinite Realm’s 2019 launch is the future of Kakao’s international ambitions
Good news, Ascent: Infinite Realm! The future of Kakao's international plans and possible acquisition of western development studios hinges upon your success! Not that...
The Daily Grind: What MMO has the worst possible maps?
When I think back about the ways in which MMOs have improved over the 15-ish years I've been playing them, my thoughts invariably turn...
Lockbox roundup: MMO studios on ‘elegant’ lockboxes, legal issues, and the ‘cosmetics only’ angle
You know the lockbox thing is reaching saturation when there are so many things to cover we have to resort to a roundup. Nevertheless,...
World of Warcraft is patching in a way to purchase Legendaries directly in patch 7.3.5
One of the most ongoing issues in World of Warcraft's current expansion has been the preponderance of Legendary items and the general difficulty of...
Wisdom of Nym: Materia and stats in Final Fantasy XIV
When Heavensward was the current expansion for Final Fantasy XIV, we were introduced to the idea that you could meld materia onto valuable endgame...
Crowfall is spicing up its maps with ‘adventure parcels’
The maps in Crowfall are assembled in a combination of procedural and hand-crafted generation. Individual bits are hand-crafted, but the maps as a whole...
Guild Wars 2 is hiring a writer and narrative designer
We regret to inform you that while ArenaNet is definitely hiring a Writer / Narrative Designer for Guild Wars 2, it is also a...
The Daily Grind: Which game made the biggest contribution to killing the MMORPG genre in 2017?
Last year, Massively OP commenter deekay_zero proposed this topic as a joke award, but when we ran it as a Daily Grind, it prompted...
The best SMITE and Paladins cosplay at Hi-Rez Expo 2018
While the bulk of Hi-Rez Expo 2018 is taken up with the various tournaments, the fans have their own contest open to them: Welcome...
One Shots: To new beginnings!
It's a new year and a new you! Well, probably the old you a few days past the expiration date, but that doesn't mean...
The Daily Grind: What’s the best MMO to roleplay in as of 2018?
Half an eternity ago, my merry band of MMO PvPers and raiders ran headlong into a gang of roleplayers, and it changed my guild...
Global Chat: Love the farm, hate the farm
How do you feel about grinding in MMOs? What about farming? These questions can elicit a wide variety of answers, from shrieks of dismay...
Raph Koster on MMO ecosystems, the balance of power, and tennis
Most MMORPGs have the core sandbox problem: Whoever gets there first, controls all the toys and has the power to drive everyone else away....
WRUP: Introducing our cast of characters for 2018 edition
As always, a new year means a new cast of characters, because I hate resolving plotlines and we're not going to be having a...
The Daily Grind: What’s the exact MMO character you would never play?
While I typically love character creation screens in RPGs, when it comes to MMOs, I find that I limit myself more often than not....
Betawatch: A new year, a new closed beta (January 5, 2018)
Here we are, in the untamed wilderness of 2018! It feels a lot like 2017 so far, except that it's a year later. Also,...
Leaderboard: What was the best new NSM game in 2017?
A few weeks ago, we posted our pick for best not-so-Massively game of 2017. Warframe narrowly won our award, firmly validated by the reader...
League of Legends unbans ‘reformed’ toxic player called a ‘humunculus’ by fired employee
Among last year's toxicity-in-gaming stories was the one that taught the internet an important lesson: how to spell homunculus. No, that wasn't it. It...
Catch up on the revelations from The Elder Scrolls Online’s most recent patch preview
Curious about the next DLC for The Elder Scrolls Online? We can hardly blame you; it brings with it much-desired features like home storage,...
