virtual world
Global Chat: Fare thee well, Landmark
Believe it or not, there were actually people who played and enjoyed Landmark -- and were saddened to see it taken offline. To kick...
Researchers study ArcheAge’s beta wipe for real-world apocalypse behavior
If the world was to end this week, how would people react? That's an interesting question to ponder in the abstract, but researchers took...
The MOP Up: MMOs make math fun (March 5, 2017)
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...
The Daily Grind: Is an MMO still an MMO if it lacks chat?
In the comments of Andrew's last Soapbox on whether or not Pokemon Go properly constitutes an MMO, veteran MMORPG designer Raph Koster argued provocatively against...
Second Life as a modern refuge for the disabled
I'm certain I'm not alone in having been ill and injured several times over my life, once when I couldn't walk without considerable effort...
In appreciation for post-apoc Dereth: The life and times of Asheron’s Call 2
On the left in the screenshot above is a windmill in the town of Cragstone in Asheron's Call. On the right is, well, the...
We’re gonna have gorgeous hair in City of Titans
A few weeks ago, the Massively OP writers were hanging in the news room on a tear about mohawks. We're not against mohawks. Mohawks...
The Daily Grind: Have you ever participated in a protest in an MMORPG?
Protests in the real world dominated this past weekend's news, and while I surfed around for an in-game equivalent to cover, I couldn't find...
Massively Overthinking: Tab-target vs. action combat in MMORPGs
Massively OP patron Duane is kicking the new year off right: with a brawl over combat types in MMOs.
"Tab-target, action, or hybrid combat, for...
Snail Games explains the origins of Ark Park
Saying that the team is "completely obsessed" with virtual reality, Snail Games wrote a short manifesto explaining the origin and purpose of Ark Park.
This spin-off...
One Shots: A lovely holiday
If you were a dragon, what kind of dragon would you be? Perhaps you'd go traditional, with the whole "giant world-devourer" aspect. Maybe you'd...
Crowfall breaks $3 million in crowdfunding
Crowfall has a lot to cheer about this morning: ArtCraft Entertainment just announced that it has "amassed more than $3 million in crowdfunding to bring...
Flameseeker Chronicles: Gaming playstyles, science, and Guild Wars 2
I was curious recently about what specific personality traits or personal qualities lead to my enjoyment of MMOs in general and Guild Wars 2 in particular,...
Global Chat: Is Destiny’s Rise of Iron any good?
If you don't have a console but were still interested in hearing whether or not Destiny: Rise of Iron was any good, fret not:...
MMO Mechanics: Enhancing MMORPGs with experiential learning mechanics
Ever since I considered the responses to a Massively Overthinking article in which a developer asked if a prestige system to encourage replaying an...
Massively Overthinking: Hopes and fears for Amazon’s New World
The announcement of a new sandbox MMORPG last week -- New World, by none other than Amazon Game Studios itself -- has had both...
Massively Overthinking: Are you suffering from MMORPG burnout?
In last week's Daily Grind about whether or not MMOs are better the second time you play them, the topic of burnout came up.
"I find...
Perfect Ten: The worst-squandered IPs in online gaming
There are always going to be differences in opinion about what should be done with an IP based upon a franchise. That's just natural....
DragonCon 2016: Richard Garriott on why Shroud of the Avatar will steal your life
Do you know that feeling when you come across a game that has most, if not all, of your dream features -- even the...
Roleplay-centric MMORPG Ever, Jane waltzes into open beta
3 Turn Productions announced this afternoon that Ever, Jane is officially in open beta. Yes, this is the roleplayer-centric, Jane Austen-themed MMORPG, complete with...
