for science
The APA rejects link between video games and real-world violence
We're probably preaching to the choir with this one, but did you know that there is still no proven link between video games and...
Massively Overthinking: Morality and compelling choices in MMOs
The most recent episode of The Psychology of Video Games podcast touches on a subject we don't tackle very much: moral choices. It's an...
Researcher stomps the ‘lockboxes are Kinder Eggs’ defense into paste
Most if not all of us pretty much felt the same way Dr. Daniel King, senior research assistant from the School of Psychology at...
For Science: Exploitative monetization, pathological gaming, and the Proteus effect
Our newsroom is overflowing with interesting academic papers relevant to gaming - let's round a few up, shall we?
First, we've got Unfair play? Video...
MMORPG Seed’s devs want their AI NPCs to learn from, simulate, and fool actual players
We've been keeping an eye on MMO colony sim Seed - the SpatialOS one, not this one - for a few years now, in...
For Science: New longitudinal study demonstrates no link between video games and aggression
It seems we have another one of these papers every few months, and each time we cover them we get comments and tweets that...
Google DeepMind is dispatching an AI to face EU StarCraft II players in the name of science
So far, I'm not afraid of the Singularity happening if the best AI can do is translate things horribly and create stumbling idiots for...
New study finds connection between gambling addiction and lootbox purchases in adolescents
The research and science continues in the case of lockbox/lootbox purchasing habits and gambling addiction. The latest piece of scientific literature on the subject...
World Health Organization’s gaming disorder classification causes discord within South Korean government
The World Health Organization's recent decision to recognize gaming disorder as a mental health issue in the most recent revision of its International Classification...
‘Gaming disorder’ has been officially added to the World Health Organization’s ICD-11
The World Health Organization has officially adopted a revision to its International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11) to include "Gaming...
MMO Business Roundup: Bonfire Studios’ new multiplayer game, EA Access on PS4, and Pokebrains
Welcome back to another quick roundup from the land of games industry business...
Remember in 2016 when former World of Warcraft lead designer Rob Pardo...
Academics argue WHO’s ‘gaming disorder’ classification could cost South Korea billions
Over the last couple of years, we've been covering the science behind gaming addiction and more specifically the World Health Organization's attempt to insert...
A new medical research paper attempts to set health guidelines for collegiate esports players
One of the refrains bleated by those who dislike esports is that competitors are not "real" athletes. This appears to be a similar idea...
MMO Business Roundup: Prince Harry vs Fortnite, China’s big thaw, Gamigo’s new acquisition, and industry transparency
Welcome back to another edition of the MMO Business Roundup, random bits of industry news that are interesting but probably not worth their own...
The player endorsement system in Overwatch has actually cut down on toxic behavior
It turns out that when you reward players for being decent human beings in Overwatch, there's incentive for people to continue being decent human beings....
The people best able to afford VR have the least interest in the gaming associated with VR adoption
Well, here's a fun one. Research firm Quantic Foundry took a look at the statistical breakdown for surveys about VR purchase plans and existing VR...
Reverse Engineering: Predicting Fortnite’s earthquakes… with science!
It looks like things are literally shaking up in Fortnite. We are currently tracking a series of changes coming to the game leading up...
For Science: Yet another study finds no link between violent video games and aggression
Yet another academic study appears to indicate no correlation between aggressive behavior and violent video games, this one specifically in kids.
In the newly published...
Reverse Engineering: The science of Elder Scrolls Online’s dragons
I don't think I can express how excited I am to bring this column to life on Massively Overpowered. Reverse Engineering covers the one...
MMO designer Raph Koster runs down the key mechanics that drive retention in online games
If last week's "games as a service" conversation piqued your interest, hop on over to Raph Koster's blog. The veteran MMORPG designer has a...
