Game Design
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MMO Week in Review: Foreverrrrr
BlizzCon 2026 saw major announcements including a new open-world StarCraft shooter, Diablo V for 2029, and World of Warcraft Forever launching soon. The event also revealed World of Warcraft's next retail expansion, The Last Titan, and sparked controversy over World of Warcraft Forever's monetization. Other news included the sunsetting of Ship of Heroes, layoffs at Pantheon Rise of the Fallen, and business dealings involving ArcheAge.
Marvel’s Wolverine Doesn’t Display Scent Trails All the Time, Says Community Director
Insomniac Games' community director James Stevenson clarified that the scent trail mechanic in Marvel's Wolverine is not always active and represents Logan's tracking abilities. This addresses discussions stemming from reviews that questioned its presence in accessibility options. The game is set to launch exclusively on PlayStation 5.
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation Will Allow Players to “Explore the Entire Planet”, Says Director
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation director Naoki Hamaguchi revealed that players will be able to explore the entire planet in the upcoming action RPG. The game expands on Rebirth's open world by adding vertical depth and new transportation methods like the Highwind and Chocobo, allowing for seamless transitions from air to ground. The team focused on creating a vast, explorable world while also implementing guidance to prevent player fatigue.
Starcraft Learning More Details About the Game | Interview
This article appears to be a privacy policy notice rather than an interview about Starcraft. It details how user data is collected and used for advertising and website functionality. No specific details about the game Starcraft are provided.
Diablo 5 Director Confirms Game is Already in Full Production
Diablo 5 is officially in full production and is slated for a 2029 release. Game Director Joe Shely confirmed the sequel will introduce more character classes, procedural worlds, and advance the story 100 years into the future.
You’ll Fight The Protoss In StarCraft, Too, Don’t Worry
Blizzard Entertainment's upcoming StarCraft game will feature the Protoss faction, despite their absence from the initial reveal trailer. Creative director Dan Hay confirmed that all three factions will be present and interact with each other, emphasizing distinct gameplay flavors for the Protoss, Zerg, and Terrans. The game will adopt a third-person perspective and focus on a single-player campaign.
The StarCraft Shooter Is A Third-Person Game, And Blizzard Insists That You Have To Feel “Powerful”
Blizzard Entertainment has revealed that the new StarCraft game will be a third-person shooter, a departure from the franchise's real-time strategy roots. Game GM Dan Hay emphasized the importance of making players feel powerful and seeing their customizable armor. The game is currently planned for a 2030 release and will focus on single-player experiences.
StarCraft is a narrative-driven shooter with 'a definitive ending' and 'not a seasonal game'
Blizzard Entertainment announced a new StarCraft game, described by GM and creative director Dan Hay as a narrative-driven, open-world shooter with a definitive ending, not a seasonal live-service title. Set 70 years after StarCraft 2, the game will feature a customizable protagonist and allow players to explore a rich world, engage in serious missions with narrative consequences, and scavenge for gear. The game is slated for a 2030 release.
BlizzCon 2026: World of Warcraft Forever’s deep-dive panel talks group play, progression, and item updates
A BlizzCon 2026 panel delved into the mechanics of World of Warcraft Forever, focusing on group play, player progression, and item updates. Key features discussed include a new campfire system for buffs, extensive tradeskill overhauls, an improved transmog system with opt-out options, and a new legacy system with account-wide points for customization. The game will also be 'realmless' within chosen rulesets to manage population.
World of Warcraft Forever is already scaring lapsed MMORPG players
Blizzard Entertainment has announced World of Warcraft Forever, a new take on the MMORPG designed to evoke nostalgia and focus on community. Executive Producer Holly Longdale pitched it as a laid-back experience with a level cap of 60, but the game's name and planned updates suggest it may still be a significant time commitment, sparking both excitement and apprehension among players.
Diablo 5’s Revealed Classes Are Throwbacks To Diablo 3, With One Exception
Blizzard Entertainment has revealed three playable classes for Diablo 5, slated for a Spring 2029 release. The Monk and Demon Hunter return from Diablo 3, joined by a new class, the Plague Knight. The game will feature a procedural world where players manage a wandering caravan and will incorporate elements reminiscent of Diablo 2, such as item inventory management and runewords.
The Depths is the best part of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and it's the epitome of everything Zelda as a series…
The article argues that the Depths in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom represent the most compelling aspect of the game, offering a departure from the series' traditional focus on repetition and ritual. This underground area encourages survival and exploration, allowing players to forge their own path and escape the established conventions of Hyrule.
After countless memes, Final Fantasy 7 Revelation boss confirms that, yes, Fortnite partly inspired jumping out of the…
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation director Naoki Hamaguchi confirmed that the game's party launching themselves off the Highwind airship was partly inspired by Fortnite. While the original Final Fantasy 7 allowed players to teleport off the ship, the remake trilogy will feature characters skydiving to their destinations, a mechanic that drew comparisons to Fortnite's "where we droppin'" meme.
The Sunday Papers
This article presents a surreal journey through a supermarket, encountering various gaming-related articles and discussions. It touches upon "The Blood of Dawnwalker," a sports business scandal involving Steve Ballmer and the NBA, a review of "The Blood of Dawnwalker's" stealth mechanics, and a guide on hosting LAN parties. The narrative blends fictional encounters with commentary on real-world gaming and business topics.
How Super Mario Sunshine still delights (and frustrates) to this day
Super Mario Sunshine continues to delight with its unique summer vibes and challenging platforming, despite some frustrating elements like the Blue Coin collectibles and occasional camera issues. Its inclusion in Super Mario 3D All-Stars and now Nintendo Switch Online makes it more accessible, allowing players to appreciate its vibrant graphics and innovative F.L.U.D.D. mechanics.
The tone of Diablo 5 is 'really doubling down on darkness' say the devs — 'I think that's…
Developers for Diablo 5 are emphasizing a return to a darker, more desolate tone, building upon the atmosphere of Diablo 4. While the game will explore themes of defeat and a fallen Sanctuary, developers aim to balance this darkness with a compelling reason for players to defend the world.
BlizzCon 2026: World of Warcraft shows off what’s next for Midnight
Blizzard Entertainment provided updates on World of Warcraft: Midnight at BlizzCon, detailing upcoming content including patch 12.1.5 which introduces a mini-raid and the new roguelite mode 'Talebound'. Patch 12.2, 'Eclipse', will feature a new zone, dungeon, and the Worldcore raid with Xal'atath as the final boss. Future content for The War Within and a Wrath of the Lich King remix event were also teased.
BlizzCon 2026: World of Warcraft Forever deep dive promises ‘adventures worth telling in the original world of Azeroth’
Blizzard Entertainment provided a deep dive into World of Warcraft Forever at BlizzCon 2026, detailing new features like camping, Legacy System, and transmog. The new version of the classic MMO aims to be approachable and nurture social experiences, with new regions, raids, a new playable race called the Skyborne, and updated class mechanics.
World of Warcraft Forever is the MMORPG's "Classic Plus," and its beta is imminent
Blizzard Entertainment announced World of Warcraft Forever, a new permanent "Classic Plus" version of the MMORPG, at Blizzcon 2026. This iteration aims to blend the original World of Warcraft Classic experience with modern advancements, featuring a level cap of 60 indefinitely, new quests, dungeons, raids, and visual overhauls. The beta begins September 17, with the full launch on November 4.
GTA: London 1961 is full of cockney innuendo and harder than a bobby’s helmet
Grand Theft Auto: London 1961, a free expansion pack released in 1999 for the original Grand Theft Auto on PC, is highlighted for its extreme difficulty and punishing mission timers. While the game itself is described as a frantic dash through London, players often resorted to community-made tweaks to make it beatable. The article notes the scarcity of scripted missions and the eventual need to use a tank to achieve the target score.
