evergreen
Vague Patch Notes: No, MMO lore does not excuse design decisions
There are a lot of problems with how people tend to use lore when it comes to MMOs. I've talked about one side of...
A look back at the MMO and gaming science topics of 2019
Since becoming MassivelyOP, our staff has worked hard to buff up our gaming science-related articles. Last year, we noted that our pile of science...
Into the Super-verse: What superhero MMOs offer that other games don’t
When I was in high school, the Console Wars were heating up between SEGA and Nintendo. I'm afraid to report that many of my...
Storyboard: The future of MMO roleplaying in the new decade
Here we are in a brand-new decade! (If you feel the urge to pedantically correct this, you are wrong, it's a new decade, hush...
Vague Patch Notes: How to make your corner of the MMO space more pleasant
It's 2020, people - let's do this. What do I mean by this? Unscrew our MMO living space. That one's a lot more fun...
Why I Play: How NCsoft’s Fafurion update saved Lineage 2 in 2019
I don't know what it is about Asian MMOs, but I'm inexplicably drawn to them. Maybe it has something to do with my background;...
Vague Patch Notes: My wrecked treasure in No Man’s Sky
She was dubbed the Tender Claw C27, and I found her upside-down and half-buried in the ground beside the final beacon of the tutorial...
Vague Patch Notes: Why don’t we have more MMO psionics?
Seized by what I can only describe as an incomprehensible fit of pique, I've spent a decent chunk of my free time over the...
Fight or Kite: 2010-2019, the decade when PvP boomed and MMOs languished
The end of the decade is upon us. Many are now reflecting on how our lives have changed over the past 10 years. We’ve...
LOTRO Legendarium: Second breakfasts and the importance of food
Here's an esoteric tidbit for you today: Way back in 2010 when I took over the Lord of the Rings Online column at old...
Vague Patch Notes: Why do MMOs have randomness?
If there's one concept that is nearly universally reviled among MMO players, it's randomness. Yes, pretty much everywhere. You could make a little fairy...
Into the Super-verse: 13 text-based superhero MMOs you can play today
As part of this column covering superhero MMORPGs, we have looked at the usual suspects: MMOs of the past (Champions Online, City of Heroes,...
Perfect Ten: How to show and share gratitude for your favorite MMO
So you've found an MMO you like. You're thankful that it exists. It's fun, it caters to your personal tastes, and it may not...
The Soapbox: Cross-play, console exclusivity, and why companies won’t play nice
Let me tell you something: As the columnist who writes about Final Fantasy XIV I am so damn tired of hearing about crossplay. Seriously. Just so...
Vague Patch Notes: Sub-optimal play vs. just plain bad play in MMORPGs
Something we need to start reckoning with when it comes to MMOs is the fact that it really is a problem when you're playing...
Remembering the life and work of legendary MMO designer Brad ‘Aradune’ McQuaid
When the news hit last night, it brought everything to a screeching halt in the Massively OP office: At the age of 51, veteran...
Perfect Ten: When MMO lore is at odds with the game
Lore is made up. We all know that. People who write the lore for games are not doing research into the real story and...
Fight or Kite: MMORPG PvP is about competition, not combat
Over the last month, Eliot has written a Daily Grind and Perfect Ten that really got me thinking about what PvP truly is. He...
WoW Factor: A brief history of flight (in World of Warcraft)
Flight has been a part of World of Warcraft as long as the game has existed. No, not just flying mounts, even though you could...
Massively Overthinking: Do MMO betas rob you of launch joy?
I use to think of betas as being unpaid labor for video game companies, but maybe I've been going about it all wrong. On...
