editorial
Second impressions: Astellia Online’s launch version is a solidly average MMO
So... here's the thing about Astellia Online. You remember my first impressions piece? I freely acknowledged that the game was fundamentally a fine title...
Vague Patch Notes: Do video games really need trade shows anymore?
The past few years have seen some really big seismic shifts in the game industry. In the time that I've been working here alone,...
MMO Burnout: Greedfall is a pretty interesting swing for the fences, even when it misses
It's been said by me many times before now, but here it is again: I really appreciate a game that swings for the fences....
Vague Patch Notes: Timesinks, sunk time, and MMOs
Here's a fun question I asked myself a lot back in the day: Why, exactly, did leveling take so long in Final Fantasy XI?
The obvious mechanical...
Working As Intended: What it means to be an MMORPG
I am amused and somewhat bewildered to admit that I have my very own pet troll. He follows me around on Reddit to hassle...
The Soapbox: There is no MMO that can fix a broken MMO community
We've heard again and again how the recently launched World of Warcraft: Classic was going to "fix" the MMO community by stripping away modern...
First impressions of WoW Classic – from a total World of Warcraft newbie
The gaming world is abuzz with excitement over World of Warcraft Classic. Players around the world are gushing with nostalgia over this trip back...
Vague Patch Notes: How MMO studio communication and player confidence really work
Here's the funny thing about communication from MMO studios: It's vital to the continued feeling of a healthy game, and yet at the same...
First impressions: WoW Classic is fun but anachronistic
I'm not really one to follow trends or scamper along the zergeist (a combination of zerg and zeitgiest that I've decided perfectly encapsulates the...
Why I Play: AdventureQuest 3D’s Korn concerts and crazy puns
My first real exposure to AdventureQuest 3D was years ago now when I was asked if I would host a special giveaway on an...
Vague Patch Notes: How time distorted what ‘hardcore’ means for WoW Classic
There's a contingent of players looking forward to the launch of World of Warcraft: Classic next week that is vocally thrilled about one specific...
The Soapbox: No, the MMO genre is not dead – but it could use a little positivity
One of my favorite idioms is "dead as a doornail." It always reminds me of the time I got sent out of my 10th...
Vague Patch Notes: Lazy MMO developers don’t exist (at least not the way you’re thinking)
The other night, I was reading the Final Fantasy XIV subreddit and came across that gem of all gems for people who love badly...
Vague Patch Notes: Random thoughts on randomness in MMOs
Here's a fun little trivia fact that you probably already know: Computers can't really do randomness. A random number is usually generated by pulling...
Working As Intended: We’re all full up on moral panics right now, but thanks
It's no great secret that MMORPG fans fall toward the middle of the age spectrum, given the history and peak of our genre. This...
Vague Patch Notes: Just stop pre-ordering video games
Look, you've probably heard this before, but it bears repeating now: Don't pre-order that game. Pre-ordering games is a bad idea. And this week,...
The Survivalist Soapbox: Astroneer’s moon landing update is a time-limited online event done right
I could definitely write a Why I Play on Astroneer (and maybe I still will!) because there are so many reasons this game just...
The Soapbox: The counterproductiveness of limited-time content in online games
While thoroughly enjoying playing Astroneer's special event in honor of Apollo 11's moon landing 50th anniversary that's happening now through August 31st, I was...
Vague Patch Notes: Keeping it simple, oversimplification, and MMO design
People who have read my work for a while know that I really like tabletop roleplaying, and I have copies of two of my...
Vague Patch Notes: Datamining, leaks, unforced errors, and messaging
So now that Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers has been released, basically everyone playing the game has completely forgotten that the expansion actually prompted some...
