editorial
Why I Play(ed): Remembering WildStar’s sunset, five years later
Time shouldn't zip along as quickly as it often does, especially when it taps us on the shoulder to look back and see how...
Casually Classic: Which version of WoW Classic is right for you?
Choice is a double-edged sword: Too little of it is restricting and frustrating, yet too much can lead to decision paralysis and feeling overwhelmed....
Pokemon Go’s Sinnoh Tour is headed to the Rose Bowl Stadium in California
The rumors have now been confirmed: Pokemon Go's next Go Tour - a theme-based event about a different Pokemon region held each year -...
Vague Patch Notes: The myth of the ‘first’ MMORPG
One of the things I like to joke about every so often is various myths about the history of MMOs, and a lot of...
Some Assembly Required: Grand Theft Online roleplay is a tough nut to crack
A few months ago, I discovered the world of Red Dead Online roleplay. The possibility of interacting with other players and discovering mechanics in...
Vague Patch Notes: How does an MMORPG studio rebuild trust it shattered?
Earlier this week, Pantheon cancelled its intensely stupid extraction shooter mode. Now, I don't say that it's intensely stupid because I dislike this sort...
First Impressions: Warcraft Rumble is a slick but shambolic multiplayer romp
I won't say that Warcraft Rumble was at the top of my most-anticipated games of 2024, but I've been low-key excited about this title...
Vague Patch Notes: BlizzCon 2023 wasn’t a disaster, but it needed to be better
The last live BlizzCon in 2019 was not a great show, but it was fundamentally a hype festival for Blizzard just like they've all...
The Soapbox: Will Diablo IV’s Vessel of Hatred be a sufficient answer for Path of Exile 2?
Everyone loves a good enrage timer, right? It puts pressure on everyone involved in a raid or boss fight to pull their weight and...
Vague Patch Notes: So what are MMORPGs meant to be?
I don't know exactly why I've spent so much time this year fixating on the question about what MMORPGs are meant to be and...
Vague Patch Notes: Default MMORPG genre features change over time, and that’s OK
I want you to picture a nonexistent MMO in your head right now. Not one that hasn't released yet; one that hasn't even been...
Massively on the Go: Pokemon Go’s November events are looking lean
Pokemon Go seems to be skipping the Turkey and giving us a lean-looking November, at least based on the leaks so far. That's not...
Massively on the Go: Super Mario Bros. Wonder is pretty wonderful
Not every game has to be an MMO. Adding more players in certain contexts really can ruin the experience of a game. But at...
Massively on the Go: Pokemon Go’s Party Play is peak Niantic
Pokemon Go's newest feature, Party Play, is out now, and it's... well, very Niantic. Since the feature was first datamined, it seemed like it...
Vague Patch Notes: Pivots don’t work with MMOs
So we can pretty much confirmed now that Pantheon's goose is thoroughly cooked. Yes, I know, the folks at Visionary Realms are claiming that...
Casually Classic: WoW Classic’s leveling journey shows how much retail has lost its way
In the past six months, I've been tracking a very interesting conversation that's arisen over what the MMORPG genre as a whole has lost...
Vague Patch Notes: Why procedural generation doesn’t solve the content problems of MMOs
Just yesterday, MOP's Justin ran down the various features that the long-canceled EverQuest Next promised before its demise - including the promise of all...
Vague Patch Notes: Why people can’t just ignore things they don’t want in MMORPGs
As I often do, I'm going to start this column with a bit of history. But in this particular case, it's a bit of...
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...
MMO Burnout: Non-MMOs that scratch my MMO progression grind itch
There are plenty of reasons people play MMORPGs, whether it's to experience a story (yes, those exist), run in some PvP wars, or grind...
