PvE stands for player-vs.-environment, where environment is generally taken to mean the world, NPCs, and AI.
pve
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...
Become a raid boss and get rich in Lineage II’s Prelude to War update
Most MMO players have spent a substantial portion of their gaming careers beating the loot out of big, bad raid bosses, but if you've...
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...
Broke Protocol outlines work done to its backend and lays out rules for player-created content
The devs of the online city RPG Broke Protocol are very much hard at work on the game's arrival to its 1.0 update, and...
Black Desert: PC’s fishing event and Archer tweaks, Xbox One’s Kamasylvia, and PS4’s beta events
With Black Desert's current rapid pace of development - and sprawling console reach - we'll forgive this week's PC patch for being a little...
RuneScape kicks off four weeks of skill-boosting bonuses with the Summer Escape
I make no secret of the fact that I dislike summer. Any season that makes me feel sweaty and gross simply for existing in...
Wisdom of Nym: Balance changes after Final Fantasy XIV’s patch 5.05
Gosh, someone really likes Monk, huh? Not only did the job already get plenty of buffs, Final Fantasy XIV gave a bunch more improvements...
Not So Massively: Why ARPGs, not MMOs, are where pet classes truly shine
I noticed something odd when I started playing Grim Dawn aways back: I went straight for the pet builds. This is interesting because this...
EVE Evolved: What injecting chaos means for EVE Online
The past few weeks have been pretty transformative for EVE Online, with the global communications blackout across null-security space revitalising roaming gang PvP in...
LOTRO Legendarium: A timeline of Lord of the Rings Online from 1994 to 2019
When I wrapped up writing my previous LOTRO column on the game's first year of live operation, I felt that I had left this...
Neverwinter is revamping pretty much everything about newbie play in Uprising
Perfect World has now discussed multiple facets of Neverwinter's upcoming Uprising module: the appearance system, the new raid, the loot, the Gith, the lore,...
WoW Factor: Content rollouts and relevance in WoW Classic and live
Part of me was tempted to write this column chiefly about the rather baffling idea that Blizzard was surprised by the number of people...
Red Dead Online teases new roles as watchdog group questions Rockstar’s tax history
Red Dead Online has been a bit of a non-entity this year, contrary to our hopes anyway. The MMO-ish version of Red Dead Redemption...
Destiny 2 delays its Shadowkeep expansion and F2P New Light into October
Excited over the Solstice of Heroes event in Destiny 2? Hope so, and you'd better get comfy, because Destiny 2's big expansion - and...
Fortnite has patched in its timey-wimey 10th season, Out of Time
SEASON X: Out of Time. Almost sounds too badass for a cartoony game where you run around clubbing people to death and dancing, but...
Neverwinter’s Uprising raid is ‘some of the most challenging’ ever added to the game
If you're a raider, Neverwinter's upcoming Tower of the Mad Mage is going to be your jam. It's the 10-man trial launching with Uprising...
Dungeons and Dragons Online opens the Project Nemesis raid
Today's patch notes for Dungeons and Dragons Online may be only a mere paragraph, but within that paragraph lies a big challenge indeed. A...
Kickstarted space MMO Starfighter: Infinity is heading to early access
If you are in the market to try out a new space sim and aren't that discriminating when it comes to graphics or a...
World of Warcraft’s Patch 8.2.5 includes Goblin and Worgen makeovers, bee mounts, and party sync
When World of Warcraft's Patch 8.2.5 arrives later this year, you may stop doing your Nic Cage impression of "Not the bees!" and instead...
Fight or Kite: Exploring Crowfall’s banking, newbie, and God’s Reach update
This past week Crowfall patched in update 5.100 (that’s right - we’ve gone from 5.9 to 5.100, as one does), which wiped existing characters...