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
Survival sandbox Valheim expands its early access to Mac gamers next week
Before you ask, no, Valheim has still not emerged from early access. But it did just roll out its massive Ashlands expansion back in...
Legends of Aria’s crypto version, Britaria, goes bust over ‘financial constraints’
When Citadel Studios announced back in April that it was planning to relaunch the Kickstarted MMORPG Legends of Aria (fka Shards Online) as a...
BitCraft shares a preview of its wide world in a new cinematic video
If you weren't among the 6,500 players who got to try out the last alpha test of BitCraft, then you understandably might feel like...
MapleStory’s two-part Go West update adds new events, revamps Angelic Buster, and maintains currency earning status quo
Back in April, the western version of MapleStory resolved to "follow its own direction," with updates intended to move away from direct parity from...
Choose My Adventure: Returning to Star Citizen (and fussing with tech)
It's been a long while since I got to hop into Star Citizen. Not for a lack of desire, but mostly for a lack...
Fractured Online plans summer launch, new server, and a major PvP ruleset revamp
Following the relaunch of Fractured Online’s early access and its first mega patch, Dynamight Studios has now released a full roadmap for the sandbox...
Destiny 2’s long-delayed Final Shape expansion is officially live today
The time has come at last for the Guardians of Destiny 2 to face off against the Witness, aka Ol' Smokey Jones. The looter...
Sandbox MMORPG Pax Dei opens preorders for its newly announced June 18 early access
Is it too soon for Pax Dei to be hitting early access? We're about to find out, as Mainframe Industries announced this morning that...
Pride Month celebrations begin in DC Universe Online, EverQuest, City of Heroes, and more MMOs
The month of June is Pride Month around the world, and that means that multiple MMORPGs and multiplayer games are going to be celebrating...
Elite Dangerous makes additional tweaks to Thargoid War mechanics
Elite: Dangerous already made some updates to the mechanics of the Thargoid War earlier in the week, but that wasn't the end of Frontier...
EVE Online confirms main stage guest speakers and activities for EVE Fanfest 2025
We're not quite halfway through 2024, but that hasn't stopped CCP Games from talking up EVE Online's 2025 edition of the EVE Fanfest event,...
Ashes of Creation shares a preview of its node war PvP system
The PvP sandbox of Ashes of Creation already has talked about making players fight for things like dungeon spots and caravans, but now it's...
The Daily Grind: Ships, mounts, or vehicles – do you have a preferred mount type in MMOs?
MOP's own Chris inspired today's Daily Grind as last week he was drooling all over the newly revealed Elite Dangerous spaceship. "Seeing this new...
Past Fate adds ‘proper starting tutorials’ and makes a swamp zone ‘much more poisonous’
The swamps are swampier and the tutorials are more informative according to Past Fate, which continues its seemingly endless march through closed alpha with...
One Shots: Stargazing for incoming asteroids
Now that you've got the Jurassic Park hymn playing in your head from today's headline picture, you're prepared to romp around with dinos, stick...
Vague Patch Notes: Why do so many MMOs fail?
We talk a lot about MMOs that fail here on Massively Overpowered. I wrote a whole column about how our standards of success are...
Indie sandbox MMO Wild Terra 2 is free-to-play all weekend following latest content update
It's been ages since we heard anything about indie MMO Wild Terra 2, but a timely press release - and a mention on MMO...
The Daily Grind: What’s the worst whaling in a multiplayer game you’ve seen in the last year?
This week, mainstream MOBA gamers flipped alllll the tables over Riot Games' gambit to sell a $450 League of Legends cosmetics bundle themed around...
Black Desert splashes out for its 10th birthday with a visual history of development and community fun
Black Desert is fond of celebrating its more unusual birthdays - like its 3000th day - so the 10-year anniversary coming up in December...
Elite Dangerous introduces its next new ship, the Type-8 cargo hauler
Space truckers of Elite: Dangerous rejoice because the game's next new ship is for you. Say hello to the Type-8, a new medium-size cargo...
