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
Massively OP Podcast Episode 209: ArenaNet layoffs, Blizzard layoffs, and PlanetSide Arena delays
Justin and Bree discuss the Guild Wars 2 layoffs, Blizzard layoffs, PlanetSide Arena's delay, WoW's allied races, and LOTRO's expansion, with adventures in DDO, SWGL, and Trove, and mailbag letters on ethical studios, ancient MMOs, and Project Titan.
The Repopulation previews new tutorial island, lore timeline, and upgraded development servers
The Repopulation's latest dev update is giving me some serious Star Wars Galaxies player city vibes, but then I guess that was always part...
EVE Online shifts its skill system to provide skills on demand
There's a persistent issue with the skill system in EVE Online insofar as the system requires buying skills off the market in order to train...
Red Dead Online’s latest update adds daily challenges, new events, and more
The first major batch of updates has come to the Red Dead Online beta, bringing with it new gameplay features, weapons, clothing, and more....
Choose My Adventure: So long The Elder Scrolls Online, hello Legends of Aria
It's been a refrain in this edition of Choose My Adventure, but I still have to say it again: I have had a blast...
Indie cyberespionage sandbox MMO Spycursion sneaks into Kickstarter tonight
Back at the beginning of February, we covered an unusual indie PC MMORPG called Spycursion. It's basically a cyberespionage sandbox MMO rich in "edutainment,"...
Dark and Light closes another batch of servers after reducing its Steam price
There comes a time in every early access -- well, most every early access -- when rapid expansion must be met by controlled decline....
The Stream Team: Journey to the center of Astroneer
Massively OP's MJ is an explorer at heart, so there was no way she wasn't going to dig down to see what awaits her...
RuneScape launches its third and final Elite Dungeon, the Shadow Reef
All seasoned adventurers in RuneScape are encouraged to dive into the last Elite Dungeon today. This of course means "seasoned" as a synonym for "experienced,"...
Brave the American frontier in Virtual Basement’s upcoming Outlaws of the Old West, published by Snail Games
Step aside, Red Dead Online; there's a new wild-west sandbox moseying into town -- the newly announced Outlaws of the Old West from developer...
Worlds Adrift struggles to grow, changes course to focus on tech
You can hear the frustration bubble out of Worlds Adrift's latest letter to the community, titled "The Path Ahead." In it, the dev team...
300,000 people took part in the Xbox One betas for Black Desert, Pearl Abyss previews roadmap
My guess is that most of our readers are already plenty familiar with Black Desert, being as it's still the newest of the large...
The Daily Grind: Which MMO is soooo close to being perfect but just misses the mark?
Last week, there was a thread on the MMORPG subreddit that struck a chord with me. Author SaintNutella rattles off a list of some of...
Ultima Online’s first big update of the year drops in March with new high seas content
Broadsword has been tinkering on Ultima Online's first big content drop of the year, Rising Tide, and after weeks of testing, it's now officially...
SWTOR gives a skimpy roadmap while Star Wars Galaxies is remembered… in song form
It's a two-for-one Star Wars special in this post today! A short post on the Star Wars: The Old Republic forums shed a very...
Jukebox Heroes: Mabinogi’s six best music tracks
When evaluating an eastern MMORPG that boasts a huge soundtrack, I am often filled with a mixture of dread and anticipation at the start...
MapleStory 2 previews quality-of-life improvements coming in its next patch
As part of its ongoing Project New Leaf initiative, MapleStory 2 has announced a slew of new quality-of-life changes coming to the game in...
The Stream Team: An Astroneer body recovery run
For her first time ever, Massively OP's MJ died so far away from her Astroneer base that she wasn't able to easily retrieve her...
Star Citizen previews NPC collision detection, geysers, and shiny spaceship VFX
In this week's episode of Star Citizen Around the Verse, there's a Hammer Time joke. You have been warned. But seriously, the episode focuses...
The Stream Team: Boundless is having a freebie weekend, so we’re streaming it!
Free weekends are a perfect time to check out a game you might be interested in but are unsure if it really fits. This...
