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
Classic Darkfall project continues license negotiations, plans alpha test
A volunteer-led effort to restore the original version of Darkfall is moving forward as unspecified negotiations with Aventurine continue.
The Darkfall: Rise of Agon team announced...
Here’s how to increase your chances of getting into Black Desert’s alpha
With Black Desert coming to both North America and Europe next year, getting into the test just became one of the hottest -- and most...
The Daily Grind: Will you try Wurm Unlimited?
I don't know what was going on with me during the week of September 16th, but I completely missed the news about fantasy sandbox...
EVE Evolved: Does skillpoint trading make EVE pay-to-win?
EVE Online's realtime skill training system has been a major point of contention throughout the game's lifetime, being a boon for those with little...
The MOP Up: Heart of Thorns countdown (October 18, 2015)
The MMO industry moves along at the speed of information, and sometimes we’re deluged with so much news here at Massively Overpowered that some...
One Shots: C.R.E.E.P.S.
Whatever happened to bad acronyms as titles for movies and TV shows? Where are our C.H.U.D.s? Our C.H.i.P.s? I guess we have Agents of...
Black Desert’s Warrior awakens with a greatsword next week
Last month Pearl Abyss announced the Awakening system for Black Desert, which is basically a weapon-swapping mechanic that allows traditional sword-and-board classes like the...
Shroud of the Avatar highlights zones, player-made music
Shroud of the Avatar's latest weekly update is a meaty deep dive into everything from the fantasy sandbox's musical system to its zones to...
You’ll need to manage fuel and choose your jump points wisely in Star Citizen
Cloud Imperium is expanding its weekly Star Marine update to include news relating to Star Citizen's upcoming 2.0.0 alpha patch. CIG says that brand...
Camelot Unchained talks stretch goals, frost giants, and more
Camelot Unchained posted a new update on its website last night. It describes another productive week on the crowdfunded RvR sandbox, and it confirms that...
Leaderboard: Have you tried Albion Online?
There's something about Albion Online that appeals to me. I like the top-down perspective and the stylized visuals, and of course I love the...
EVE Online plans to let players buy and sell skillpoints
EVE Online has always been pretty unique in the MMO genre, not least of all due to its time-based skill training system. Instead of...
Albion is getting a tie-in novel and a lore revamp
Sandbox Interactive posted a lore blurb about Albion this week. The piece highlights an NPC faction called the Royal Expeditionary Forces, which the devs...
Bossa Studios boss on Worlds Adrift’s business model, PvP, and more
I've been keeping one eye on Worlds Adrift for several months now, as many of the concepts put forth by developer Bossa Studios are...
The Daily Grind: How would you mix MMO features to create the best one ever?
Today's Daily Grind question -- more like command! -- from Massively OP Kickstarter donor Tim is short and sweet:
Mix features to create your perfect MMO.
It...
Star Citizen publishes a starmap Q&A
Cloud Imperium has published the first part of a Q&A session with the designers behind Star Citizen's starmap. Last weekend's CitizenCon saw the first...
H1Z1 adds female zombies and a bloody hospital
H1Z1 has become an equal opportunity undead employer.
The zombie sandbox patched in female zombies yesterday, expanding the variety of the walking dead that players...
Elite: Dangerous shows off how to create realistic planets
The planets of Elite: Dangerous are procedurally generated, like most of the game. But how does the game pull that trick off? How can...
Perfect Ten: MMO systems that could be great (but I haven’t seen it yet)
Before I start this column, I want to say two important things. First, my experiences do not extend outward to the limits of the...
Take a look at RuneScape’s NXT client and the client’s design goals
With 15 years of history under its belt, RuneScape can't help but show its age. But there's a new client on the way, and...
