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Former Ultima Online lead says MMOs are "finally free of the fever dream of imitating World of Warcraft" thanks to Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, and more
Raph Koster, lead designer of Ultima Online, believes the MMO genre has moved beyond the World of Warcraft-imitating phase, citing the success of sandbox titles like Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, and Minecraft. He argues that the demand for social experiences and persistent worlds, even with smaller player counts, makes it an opportune time for new MMOs like his upcoming game, Stars Reach.
Blizzard intervenes in World of Warcraft cheating scandal: employee accused of insta-killing an enemy to help a Twitch…
Blizzard Entertainment is investigating an incident where a World of Warcraft game master is accused of using GM powers to insta-kill an enemy in a Mythic+ dungeon to assist a Twitch streamer. The company stated that a fair and competitive playing field is essential and they will not tolerate cheating.
Diablo 4 hotfix makes it easier to farm Mythics as Blizzard confirms Season 15 will remove Mythic reroll crafting from the Horadric Cube, "adding a direct upgrade" instead
Blizzard Entertainment has released a hotfix for Diablo 4 Season 14, significantly increasing the drop rates for Mythic items in the Undercity and guaranteeing them at higher Torment levels. Future changes for Season 15 will remove the Mythic reroll crafting option from the Horadric Cube, replacing it with a direct upgrade system that preserves the original unique item.
Blizzard's calling time on Overwatch's hero customising Stadium mode, and I may well be the only person that's sad about that
Blizzard Entertainment is discontinuing active development on Overwatch's Stadium mode due to low player engagement, with only three percent of the player base actively playing it. Game director Aaron Keller announced that while the mode will remain accessible, it will not receive new heroes or maps. The company is exploring alternative game formats, including experiments with 6v6 role queues and a 1-3-2 flex role queue, to address issues with the tank role in standard 5v5 matches.
Blizzard investigates as World of Warcraft raiders fly into uproar over accusations of a GM cheating in Mythic+
Blizzard Entertainment is investigating accusations of cheating in a high-rank World of Warcraft Mythic+ dungeon after a GM allegedly used an 'Area Death' ability to instantly kill a mob. Community Manager Randy Jordan confirmed the company is reviewing the situation to ensure a fair playing field. The incident involved the Nexus-Point Xenas dungeon, where a group was accused of manipulating logs to achieve a faster clear time.
We Finally Know Xal’atath’s Evil Plan For The World Of Warcraft
Datamined dialogue from World of Warcraft's upcoming 12.1 update suggests the villain Xal'atath's ultimate goal is not to destroy Azeroth, but to merge with its slumbering Titan Worldsoul. This revelation significantly raises the narrative stakes for the current 'Worldsoul Saga' expansion trilogy and the upcoming 'The Last Titan' expansion.
MOBA fans gobsmacked that Blizzard still supports Heroes of the Storm as the dev unleashes an army of updates
Blizzard Entertainment has released a new patch for their MOBA, Heroes of the Storm, adding the Haunted Mines map to Ranked play and rebalancing several characters. The update also includes a new skin for Lucio and various quality-of-life improvements, surprising many players who believed the game was no longer supported.
Path of Exile co-creator Chris Wilson says hardcore Diablo 2 players want "arbitrary" speed breakpoints because they can't resist ARPG optimization
Path of Exile co-creator Chris Wilson explains that hardcore Diablo 2 players enjoy optimizing characters around 'arbitrary' speed breakpoints in action RPGs. He argues that these specific thresholds for attack speed, cast speed, and hit recovery are a key part of the genre's appeal for dedicated players, who often create spreadsheets to maximize their builds.
Blizzard wants to bring archaeology back to World of Warcraft, but with "more fun" gameplay
Blizzard Entertainment is considering improvements to the Archaeology profession in World of Warcraft, according to Game Director Ion Hazzikostas. While the profession has been largely untouched since the Battle for Azeroth expansion, the team is discussing ways to make the moment-to-moment gameplay more engaging and fun, potentially for the upcoming The Last Titan expansion.
Whatever happened to Unleashed Games’ cooperative-focused MMORPG Haven?
Developer Unleashed Games, comprised of industry veterans, is facing financial difficulties in securing publisher funding for its cooperative MMORPG, Haven. The studio has experienced a lack of communication and a shift in livestream broadcasts, leading to concerns about the game's future. The team is currently reassessing their project and plans to provide an update soon.
Question time: How long have you been playing MMOs?
This opinion piece discusses the perceived age of MMO players and the evolution of MMO design towards seasonal structures and midcore content. It highlights the longevity of games like World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 14, contrasting them with the shorter lifespans of newer titles like New World. The author, who has played MMOs since middle school, invites readers to share their own experiences and how long they've been engaged with the genre.
Diablo 4 players are accidentally trashing their best items due to an "objectively misleading" recipe, and it's the best argument I've seen for yellow paint in games
Diablo 4 players are reportedly losing valuable items due to a confusing "Upgrade to Mythic" crafting recipe in the Horadric Cube. While the tooltip is described as unambiguous, the similarity to the "Upgrade to Legendary" recipe leads players to believe they are upgrading their existing Unique item, when in reality, it transmutes into a random Mythic item of the same type. This has sparked community discussion and highlighted potential issues with in-game text clarity and player comprehension.
Blizzard finally caved on Diablo 4's disastrous new season with a patch that reverts almost everything players hated: 'Not every idea lands exactly as intended'
Blizzard Entertainment has released an emergency patch for Diablo 4's Season of Death Awakening, reverting controversial changes to Mythic Uniques that players widely criticized. The patch significantly increased Mythic drop rates and removed the limit on equipping crafted Mythic Uniques, addressing player frustrations with the season's design.
Diablo IV continues its week-long battle with mythic item drop rate problems
Blizzard Entertainment is addressing ongoing player complaints regarding extremely low drop rates for mythic items and issues with crafting them in Diablo IV's latest season. Live service design director Dan Tanguay has outlined upcoming patches aimed at increasing mythic item drops from specific bosses and caches, and removing equip limits from mythic uniques.
Diablo 4 Season 14’s Worst Mythic Change Is No More: “Not Every Idea Lands”
Blizzard Entertainment has reversed a controversial change in Diablo 4 Season 14 that limited players to equipping only one crafted Mythic item at a time. The company also plans to adjust the Mythic Upgrade function of the Horadric Cube in Season 15, acknowledging that not all experimental ideas land as intended. These changes follow player feedback regarding Mythic drop rates and the equip limit.
Overwatch stopping work on Stadium may be an even bigger fumble than PvE
Blizzard Entertainment has ceased development on Overwatch's Stadium game mode, with only 6% of the player base engaging with it. The author expresses sadness over the decision, highlighting Stadium's potential as an experimental space for creative ideas, some of which were originally intended for the canceled PvE mode. The article argues that canceling Stadium is a greater fumble than the PvE mode's cancellation due to its proven traction and popularity during its launch week.
StarCraft 2 patch includes the biggest change since 2015's Legacy of the Void, fans say: "What are they doing…
A recent patch for StarCraft 2 from Blizzard Entertainment has introduced significant changes, most notably reducing the cost of Command Centers for Terran forces. This alteration, the most impactful since the Legacy of the Void expansion in 2015, has caused a stir within the player base, with many expressing concern about its potential to disrupt game balance.
Not So Massively: The death of Stadium is another shortsighted waste of Overwatch’s potential
Blizzard Entertainment has ceased development of new characters and maps for the Overwatch Stadium game mode, effectively ending its support. The author criticizes this decision as a shortsighted waste of potential, citing issues with balance, item complexity, and a lack of clear direction for the mode. This move is seen as another instance of Blizzard abandoning projects that don't immediately become massive hits, despite the mode serving as a crucial accessibility tool for some players.
A new Starcraft 2 patch continues taking wild swings at the meta, but it's leaving me hungry for more
Blizzard Entertainment has released a new patch for Starcraft 2, continuing to make significant balance changes to the real-time strategy game. The update focuses on calibrating Protoss and Terran units to better counter Zerg, including a notable price reduction for Terran Command Centers. While the author appreciates the ongoing attention to game balance, they express a desire for more open communication from the development team regarding their decision-making process.
Overwatch's attempt at bringing back 6v6 feels like a bad compromise—it just doesn't work
This article analyzes Overwatch's recent attempt to bridge the gap between its 5v5 and 6v6 formats through a new 1-3-2 flex mode in the Quickplay Hacked Event. The author argues that this compromise fails, as teams with two tanks consistently outperform those with one, making the mode redundant and suggesting that a true compromise between the two distinct formats is not feasible.
