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
EVE Evolved: Is EVE becoming less emergent?
I've often heard it said that EVE Online is more fun to read about than to actually play, and for the vast majority of...
E3 2015: Garriott and Long share Shroud of the Avatar secrets
This past year, Shroud of the Avatar moved from a monthly weekend-release cadence to being online 24/7, but the major updates have been no...
Trove on graduating Beta University and heading into the real world
The stages of pre-launch development always conjure some measure of protection for a fledgling video game. It may be rough, but that's OK, it's...
Star Citizen’s Roberts on the delayed FPS module, Squadron 42 shoot
Star Citizen boss Chris Roberts released a new letter from the chairman last night, in which he details his experiences directing performance capture for...
The Stream Team: Soaring Wander’s skies
The exploration-centric Wander is not all about meandering through the trees (as a tree, no less) on the ground; it's also about soaring through...
Villagers & Heroes’ Slye on the new Reborn overhaul
In case you missed it, Villagers & Heroes got a facelift earlier this month. The fantasy sandbox from Mad Otter Games is now known...
Gloria Victis delivers whopper of an alpha update
It may just be one of Gloria Victis' biggest updates yet.
The pre-alpha fantasy sandbox patched in several new and improved systems to the game,...
Ascent’s James Hicks: ‘We really are onto something unique here’
Ascent: The Space Game is one of the MMO genre's most ambitious titles. Whether it's the seamless transitions between the vastness of space and...
Welcome to MassivelyOP’s ARK: Survival Evolved server
I'm still enjoying ARK: Survival Evolved quite a bit, and as such I figured I'd set up a dedicated server for the MassivelyOP community. It's been...
Massively Overthinking: Random encounters in MMORPGs
This week's Massively Overthinking question comes to us from Kickstarter donor TheChiHawk, and it's coming from an unusually not-so-massive corner of gamesdom for us:
Are...
Exclusive: Broadsword on the state of Ultima Online and Dark Age of Camelot
Today we're hanging out with Broadsword Online Games, the indie studio that emerged from the implosion of Mythic Entertainment a while back. Broadsword is...
Ask Mo: If Star Wars Galaxies is so smart, why ain’t it rich?
Star Wars Galaxies would have been 12 years old this week, had it lived a day past Star Wars: The Old Republic. That makes...
Anarchy Online’s new graphical engine is finally live
Anarchy Online has been on the verge of having a new graphics engine for what seems to be forever and a day, but it's...
Sit and stay awhile with Landmark’s newest update
Let there be chairs! In the latest Landmark Live broadcast, Producers Terry Michaels and Emily Taylor show off some of the changes added to...
The Stream Team: On the front lines in PlanetSide 2
In honor of PlanetSide 2's launch on the PlayStation 4 yesterday, MassivelyOP's MJ is returning to the battle! However, on the PC there's no...
CCP is tweaking EVE’s fleet functionality
EVE Online's latest dev blog talks about upcoming fleet changes, though it also says that due to player feedback, said changes have been pushed...
TUG’s new tech update is so big that all players must start over
The bad news is that TUG players can no longer load up and play any of their saved games. The good news is the...
PlanetSide 2 hits European snags, closes in Korea
It isn't all sunshine and daisies for PlanetSide 2, even following yesterday's massive PlayStation 4 launch. For starters, the European servers for all PlayStation...
ArcheAge’s latest patch introduces the feared leviathan
The kraken? Oh, the kraken in ArcheAge was so last week's terrifying sea foe. Now the fantasy sandbox has a new threat emerging from...
E3 2015: PlanetSide 2 launches on PS4 today with a better build than beta
Console fans rejoice: After a lenthy beta-testing period, PlanetSide 2 finally launched on the PlayStation 4 in both North America and Europe today. Now...
