The Secret World
News, coverage and analysis tracking The Secret World across the outlets.- One Shots: Now powered by molerats!This week's 'One Shots' feature highlights community screenshots from various MMOs, including Fallout 76, Elite Dangerous, Final Fantasy XIV, The Secret World, and Guild Wars 2. Players shared unique in-game moments, from radioactive power generators to alien flora and fantastical mounts.
- WRUP: Things the cat tube produces editionThis week's "What Are You Playing" roundup features community members discussing their gaming plans, including Guild Wars 2, Star Wars Galaxies Legends, The Division 2, and Warframe. Several staff members also shared personal anecdotes about unique family traditions, ranging from elaborate fireworks displays to specific holiday meals and egg-cracking games.
- One Shots: Yet another MMO without handrailsThis week's "One Shots" column highlights community screenshots from various MMOs, including The Secret World, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Witchspire, Final Fantasy XIV, and Guild Wars 2. Players shared humorous and scenic moments from their in-game adventures, with a call for readers to submit their own screenshots.
- WRUP: What I think the positions in soccer mean because I didn’t listen editionThis article humorously explores the author's lack of understanding regarding soccer positions, contrasting it with their engagement in various video games like Guild Wars 2, Final Fantasy XIV, and Warframe. It also touches on personal reflections about school life and social events.
- Massively Overthinking: Is the era of the themepark MMORPG over?Industry veterans discuss the sustainability of themepark MMORPGs, with Raph Koster suggesting rising development costs are making the model unsustainable. While some argue that modern themeparks incorporate sandbox elements to survive, others believe the dichotomy is false and that innovation from both styles is key. The discussion highlights the challenges of content creation speed versus player consumption and the evolving player base's preferences.
- WRUP: Every toy version of G1 Devastator from TransformersThis article examines the evolution of the G1 Devastator toy from Transformers across various iterations, including the original 1985 release, Universe (2003), Combiner Wars (2015), and Studio Series (2025). It also includes community members' thoughts on effective and ineffective advertising.
- The Secret World players are keeping the game’s narrative alive in honor of the 14th anniversaryPlayers are organizing a community-driven event to celebrate the 14th anniversary of The Secret World on July 3rd, focusing on a mystery broadcast from Kingsmouth Lighthouse. Despite the game's owner, Funcom, not actively promoting the anniversary, the dedicated player base is ensuring the game's narrative and community remain active.
- One Shot: Avengers Endgame has nothing on these portalsThis week's "One Shots" column highlights community screenshots from various MMOs, featuring notable moments in Guild Wars 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic, The Secret World, Hytale, and Fallout 76. Players are encouraged to submit their own impressive in-game captures for a chance to be featured.
- Massively Overthinking: How much effort do you put into your MMO characters’ backstories?The Massively OP staff discusses the varying levels of effort they put into creating backstories and personalities for their MMORPG characters. While some players craft elaborate narratives, others prefer simpler concepts or let personalities emerge organically through gameplay, with some games like Palia naturally encouraging more in-depth role-playing.
- WRUP: The context of this entry is Guillaume editionThis week's 'What Are You Playing' roundup features staff and community members discussing their weekend gaming plans. Titles mentioned include Star Wars Galaxies Legends, The Division 2, Forza Horizon 6, Final Fantasy XIV, and Age of Empires IV, among others. The discussion also includes a bonus question about the definition of a 'quick errand'.
- Massively Overthinking: Which MMORPG tutorials are actually effective – vs. functionally useless?This article analyzes the effectiveness of MMORPG tutorials, distinguishing between those that genuinely teach players and those that are functionally useless. Contributors discuss examples like Albion Online's integrated newbie area and Star Wars Galaxies' lack of guidance, highlighting that successful tutorials often blend gameplay with instruction in a low-danger environment. The complexity of MMOs and varying player learning styles are identified as key challenges in tutorial design.
- Perfect Ten: 10 amazing MMO starter zonesThis article ranks ten of the best starting zones in MMORPGs, highlighting areas that offer polish, unique themes, and engaging introductions to their respective worlds. Featured games include World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, Fallout 76, and Final Fantasy XIV, among others.
- Perfect Ten: MMORPGs that indulge in character multiclassing and subclassingThis article lists ten MMORPGs that feature multiclassing or subclassing systems, allowing players to combine different classes for unique character builds. Games like City of Heroes, Dungeons and Dragons Online, and Elder Scrolls Online are highlighted for their robust or mandatory multiclassing mechanics.
- Perfect Ten: Old MMORPGs we used to talk about all the time but aren’t mentioned todayThis article discusses ten MMORPGs that were once highly anticipated and frequently discussed but have since faded into obscurity. Games like Tabula Rasa, RIFT, Mythos, The Secret World, and Marvel Heroes are highlighted, with reasons for their decline ranging from studio closures and mismanagement to shifting player interest and lack of sustained development.
Conan Exiles April Update Brings Server Character Transfers Live NowFuncom has released Conan Exiles' April update, introducing server character transfers, a feature aimed at addressing player retention issues common in survival games. This update also includes stability improvements and bug fixes, building on the studio's experience with complex multiplayer systems and aiming to keep the game relevant in a competitive genre.- WoW Factor: World of Warcraft’s never told a big story well, but it does organic tales betterThis article analyzes World of Warcraft's long-standing issues with delivering compelling main storylines, contrasting them with the game's success in creating memorable organic, player-driven narratives and engaging side quests. While the overarching plot is often criticized as disjointed, the game's world design and smaller quest arcs provide a more personal and captivating experience for players.
- Massively Overthinking: The nine games portrait of youThis article features Massively OP staff members sharing their personal lists of nine core video games that have shaped them. Contributors discuss foundational titles, franchise representations, and personal favorites across various genres, including MMOs, JRPGs, and action RPGs, reflecting on their impact on their gaming identities and creative work.