column
Fight or Kite: Harry Potter Magic Awakened’s guilds, story quests, and pay-to-win gacha mechanics
I’d be lying if I said my game time over the last several months hasn’t been completely upended by Harry Potter: Magic Awakened. It’s...
Choose My Adventure: What weapon goes best with New World’s new Angry Earth flail?
There's always this little buzz before an MMORPG gets a major content release or expansion drop. People are flitting around doing their final checks...
The Daily Grind: How do you want to be remembered in MMOs when you’re gone?
Last weekend, it became public knowledge that a prominent - probably the most prominent - player on my Lord of the Rings Online server...
Wisdom of Nym: The packed October for Final Fantasy XIV following patch 6.5
Tomorrow, patch 6.5 will be live for Final Fantasy XIV. That's the last patch of the Endwalker cycle, which means the first part of...
The Daily Grind: Are you a fan of shapeshifter classes in MMOs?
Albion Online's upcoming Wild Blood update includes a new weapon with a unique attribute: It allows players to shapeshift into specific critters. Also golems....
The Daily Grind: What’s your favorite disquieting MMO zone?
As a whole, horror is a rather underserved genre in MMOs in general because it's hard to be particularly horrified in a game where...
The Soapbox: The real cost of breaking trust with gamers
There's a quote going around these days in gaming spheres about trust being like a broken vase that can be fixed but will never...
The Daily Grind: What’s the best way to get into No Man’s Sky?
Alongside Starfield turning our attention to the gaming cosmos this fall, No Man's Sky is enjoying a nice resurgence of popularity. And you know...
WoW Factor: If this is the state of World of Warcraft, why talk about it?
The other day, I was talking with a friend about another MMO altogether. It doesn't actually matter which one it was because the important...
LOTRO Legendarium: It’s OK that LOTRO’s remaster isn’t going to happen
The pricey Lord of the Rings Online remaster is officially dead, and its console port is now on the "backburner." It is, depending on...
The Daily Grind: Do you want to care about World of Warcraft… but can’t summon the interest?
Back at the start of September, one of World of Warcraft's most prominent YouTubers wrote a rather armor-piercing question for the community. Bellular asked,...
Interview: New World’s Scot Lane on Edengrove housing, transmog tokens, and more
In part one of my interview with New World's game director Scot Lane, we covered topics such as the game's past, future plans, and...
Interview: New World’s Scot Lane on the MMO’s past, future, and upcoming dungeon finder
New World launched two years ago today. While it may have stumbled out of the gate, I believe it has since evolved into one...
Vague Patch Notes: The games industry arrogance cycle, in MMOs and elsewhere
Unity has fallen. Oh, sure, the company has rolled back the worst parts of its incredibly boneheaded "give us money for your successful game"...
The Daily Grind: How often do you change your character’s outfit in an MMO?
It's funny to think that back when I started doing this job, the idea of having cosmetic outfits in an MMO was actually not...
Perfect Ten: The 10 unsung heroes of the MMO user interface
If we ever think of an MMO's user interface, it's either when we're getting settled into a new game or when a title decides...
Casually Classic: Six reasons hardcore servers make WoW Classic worthwhile
The first time that I heard about the unofficial "Hardcore Classic" scene for WoW Classic, I didn't get it. The idea of voluntary permadeath...
The Daily Grind: Should MMORPG expansions always include new zones?
During New World's Q&A video last week, Amazon devs explained their rationale for revamping First Light instead of adding another new zone in the...
Choose My Adventure: Wrestling with disappointment, boredom, and comfort in Lost Ark’s jump start server
It was probably asking a lot of myself to cut through Lost Ark as quickly as possible so that I could get to the...
Not So Massively: The growing field of StarCraft II spiritual successors
StarCraft II ranks very highly on my list of my favourite games of all time, but while it remains popular, it is in maintenance...
