Vague Patch Notes: The difficult value of MMOs
If given the option, I would probably get a lifetime subscription to Final Fantasy XIV. But the key word there is probably, and this is a...
The Daily Grind: Do shutdown fears influence your MMO play habits?
It's hard to ignore the long-term health of a game when it comes time to play an MMO. If one of the big elements...
Wisdom of Nym: Oh, the places left to go in Final Fantasy XIV
There's a lot of stuff on the Source in Final Fantasy XIV. (It feels faintly wrong to call the place Hydaelyn now, for reasons that should...
The Daily Grind: What’s your dream MMO cross-promotion?
I've always been amused by the fact that Naoki Yoshida has specifically said he'd love to have Final Fantasy XIV do a cross-promotional event with World...
Betawatch: Pantheon gets a funding runway
The big news this week for Pantheon wasn't really about the game's beta exactly but about a seven-figure investment that supposedly set the game on...
WoW Factor: Does Blizzard have a messaging problem or a message problem?
A recent post over at Kaylriene's blog got me originally thinking about this one. The original posting here is actually about a different issue...
It’s time to rock some long beautiful hair and Johto in Pokemon Go
Another day, another couple of Pokemon Go events - let's get them on your radar!
From January 26th to 31st, players will be treated to the...
Vague Patch Notes: What makes MMO leveling feel good?
A shine of light, a sound effect, a screen graphic. Sometimes you get more fanfare than elsewhere. In Final Fantasy XIV, the game's victory fanfare...
The Daily Grind: Are there any PC MMOs you wish had a mobile app?
I kind of like the Admiralty system in Star Trek Online and I think I'd like it more with some mobile love. This might seem...
Wisdom of Nym: Ishgard restoration round three in Final Fantasy XIV
Before anyone feels the need to point it out, yes, I am aware that this is technically round four of restoration in Final Fantasy...
The Daily Grind: How do you handle general chat in your MMO of choice?
In some games like World of Warcraft, you have the dedicated general chat channel. In other games, you just have people shouting so that everyone...
Betawatch: Fractured opens up a bonus playtest weekend
Here comes the weekend, and that means here comes Fractured. Any and all registered users can get in on the fun of a playtest...
Vague Patch Notes: In defense of easy fun, in MMOs and elsewhere
I don't play video games to be challenged. I play them to have fun.
This isn't to say that these are inherently separate propositions. People...
Pokemon Go’s newly announced Hoenn Tour is kind of metal
Another day, another slew of upcoming Pokemon Go events. While many players thought the previous Sinnoh event was rather humdrum, the recently announced Hoenn...
WoW Factor: The Shadowlands gameplay loop problem
A friend and I were discussing World of Warcraft the other night, which is something we do fairly often. This is especially relevant for me...
The Daily Grind: What sort of repeated content do you find least fun in an MMO?
Every MMO has repeated content. It's part of the very nature of the games. Maybe you're repeatedly doing a dungeon, or repeatedly grinding enemies,...
Perfect Ten: The 10 tiers of MMO system complexity
MMOs can be complicated things, as I am pretty sure we have discussed on multiple occasions now. There are no known means to prevent...
Wisdom of Nym: Final Fantasy XIV’s community is better – and worse – than you think
If you are not actually playing Final Fantasy XIV, you probably have an impression of the community for this game being an amazing font...
The Daily Grind: What tends to happen before you leave an MMO?
For me, there's a very predictable indicator that I'm going to be waving goodbye to an MMO for a while: I realize I don't...
Vague Patch Notes: Yes, Virginia, that counts as an MMO
There is a particular comment we get on a semi-regular basis, and it is always wrong. It shows up on a wide variety of...