Sandboxes are a type of MMO that emphasize player freedom and expression. They frequently include mechanics for building, crafting, trading, character customization and development, roleplaying, destruction, and significant interaction with the world and other players. A sandbox that is dominated by an open-PvP or free-for-all ruleset is sometimes pejoratively called a gankbox. Contrast with the themepark.
sandbox
Perfect Ten: 10 more MMOs you’ve already forgotten ever existed, from Elyon to Defiance
Last year, I assembled a list of 10 former MMOs that not only have ceased to exist but have ceased to be remembered (for...
The Game Archaeologist: World of Warcraft in the 1990s
MMORPGs don't pop out of nowhere, ex nihilo, to suddenly be enjoyed by players across the globe. Good ones take several years, dozens of...
RuneScape’s RuneFest is saved as Jagex sets new location and dates for March 2025
Jagex's RuneScape-themed fan festival RuneFest has not had the best luck the last few years. Jagex had to cancel it back in 2020 for...
Black Desert’s latest class, the mist-warrior Dosa, is live in today’s PC update
If you peeped any of the news coming out of Pearl Abyss' Black Desert Heidel Ball extravaganza in Beynac-et-Cazenac a few weeks back, you...
Prosperous Universe adds new political layers, German language support, and loan creation
Most of the time when Prosperous Universe crosses our desk, it's because the devs have put up some extremely granular but arguably sleep-inducing dev...
Star Citizen raked in higher profits over the month of June and the second quarter
One might suspect that the month of May would have been a big one for Star Citizen's piggy bank owing to the Invictus event...
Choose My Adventure: The Elite Dangerous vs Pax Dei rematch
Nine times out of ten, I generally follow the Will of the Polls here in MOP's Choose My Adventure column without too much question...
Chinese Star Citizen fan attempts to sound an alarm over a resolved Bar Citizen ticket price fiasco
Followers of Star Citizen are likely very familiar with the Bar Citizen community meet-ups that run every year. These free player-run events allow fans...
Albion Online’s Paths to Glory update is coming July 22 with a new achievement system
You had to know this one was coming, given the game's cadence, but finally we have details: Albion Online's Paths to Glory update, its...
The Daily Grind: How many players constitute a proper MMORPG raid?
Back when Amazon first announced its New World Aeternum rebranding, I noticed an interesting comment about the planned raid. Longtime reader Squid opined that...
Daybreak bought Palia studio Singularity 6 and aims to bring the game to launch
File this one under "did not see this coming in a million years but also not sad about it whatsoever": Daybreak has acquired Palia...
Starbase begins public testing of warp travel, universe map feature, and a station builder
Back in April, we noted a sudden return from radio silence for the sci-fi building sandbox Starbase, which at the time talked up several...
UK employment tribunal says Star Citizen studio discriminated against autistic employee
While we recognize that this monetary ruling is barely a bug bite to the wrist of Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games, we'll take...
Bellwright continues quality-of-life updates for structures, outpost deliveries, villagers, and quests
"We've had one, yes. What about second June Update?" That's the question posed by Bellwright studio Donkey Crew ahead of what is indeed its...
The MOP Up: League of Legends’ game modes help to refresh its theme park design
League of Legends' game director explained why the MOBA is adding a Vampire Survivors-type mode to make it more like a "theme park," saying,...
Embers Adrift calls attention to summertime weekend events in July and August
Do you happen to have any pressing engagements in a couple of July and August weekends? If not, then you're invited to join Embers...
V Rising is taking ‘a brief respite’ before working on Update 1.1
Now that Stunlock Studios has the PC and PS5 release of its vampiric survival sandbox V Rising behind it, the studio is taking a...
Anarchy Online gets a nod from Funcom on the occasion of its 23rd birthday
While last year saw an in-game celebration for Anarchy Online's 22nd birthday, so far there hasn't been much more than a brief acknowledgement from...
The Stream Team: Touring Heidel in Black Desert and real life
Like many others, Massively OP's MJ was fascinated to learn that one of the best-known cities in Black Desert Online was actually based on...
Kickstarted MMO Fractured Online to fully launch on July 24th
While an official launch date is cause for celebration under normal circumstances, it seems doubly so for the rough road that MMO sandbox Fractured...
