column
Design Mockument: Exploring alternatives to the typical MMO trinity
Here's a fun thing for you: I swear that way, way back before the game launched, there were documents from the Guild Wars 2...
The Daily Grind: Which dead MMORPG needs a resurrection *and* has a possible path to get it?
A while back, our team was working on a MapleStory piece when we did something we often do when writing about MapleStory: lament the...
Massively on the Go: Pokemon Go’s November looks overstuffed and underseasoned
Ah yes, November. The month of my favorite feasting holiday! Pokemon Go is hoping to deliver a feast of its own this month, but......
Casually Classic: Looking back at my 20+ year journey in World of Warcraft
When was the first time you ever heard of World of Warcraft? As a fan of the three Warcraft RTS titles, I became aware of...
Vague Patch Notes: Solipsism and what it means for playing MMORPGs
We've been talking for the past couple of Vague Patch Notes columns about the fact that MMOs are, as a genre, defined by having...
The Daily Grind: Which MMOs do you consider to be truly niche titles?
Someone said something in Final Fantasy XIV the other night that just stuck in my craw: "FFXIV is kind of a niche title." I...
Perfect Ten: The 10 types of tanks in MMORPGs
I've been thinking a fair bit about player archetypes lately, and that also means that I've been thinking about the variants within roles. While...
MMO Hype Train: Wayfinder is a genuinely good little RPG – but a missed opportunity to be an MMO
Look at that: I don't always talk a big talk -- sometimes I actually end up playing the game I said I will. Like...
The Daily Grind: What was the worst-designed class in the history of MMOs?
Not all MMO classes are made equal. Some have their periods in the spotlight of developer love and become the most popular picks, while...
Choose My Adventure: Throne & Liberty’s endgame blends genuine fun with intense social requirements
One could be forgiven for thinking that headline was written by somebody who just discovered MMORPGs can be grindy, but I promise that's not...
Hands-on with Lynked Banner of the Spark, an adorable roguelite with base building, crafting, and co-op
I typically gravitate towards intense, heart-pounding, combat games that go in hard and never let up. But every once-in-a-while, a game comes across my...
The Daily Grind: How much in-game money are you willing to spend on an MMORPG house?
A few weeks back, we did a piece rounding up some of the cool stuff Guild Wars 2 players have been building in Janthir...
Wisdom of Nym: Contrasting the storytelling of Final Fantasy XIV and Final Fantasy XI
We've just started what may be the second major arc in Final Fantasy XIV... maybe. Like, the developers are understandably reluctant to commit to...
The Daily Grind: Which MMOs could still use a classic plus mode?
I don't even remember which MMO it was now, but the other day Chris turned in a post that mentioned some MMO and its...
Massively on the Go: Hands-on with Super Mario Party Jamboree’s online modes
If you were somebody who thought Super Mario Party Jamboree's new modes might be Fall Guys-esque, I'm sorry to report that it isn't the...
The Daily Grind: Which MMO has a world that seems the most pleasant to live in?
Every so often I find myself thinking that it must be so nice to live in the Shire in Lord of the Rings Online....
The Daily Grind: If you were made into an MMO class, what would you be?
I hate to break it to you, but I am not a ninja. I tried to learn when I was a kid in the...
Design Mockument: Alternate trinities in MMORPGs and the challenge of other roles
The trinity has been a truism of MMO design now for about as long as it wasn't. I came up during the small times...
The Daily Grind: Should MMORPGs be blocking election content from chat?
Yesterday, I saw a wild thread on the Fallout 76 Reddit in which a player claimed he was banned for posting a political message...
Vague Patch Notes: The MMO world you don’t control
Last week in Vague Patch Notes, I attempted to lay out my thesis for what it means when we say MMOs require other people....
