World of Warcraft
News, coverage and analysis tracking World of Warcraft across the outlets.
Latest coverage
Massively Overthinking: What did your favorite MMORPG add to the genre?
This article discusses whether popular MMORPGs have truly innovated within the genre or simply built upon existing foundations. Several writers share their favorite MMORPGs and analyze their contributions, with Ultima Online, Star Wars Galaxies, and Guild Wars being highlighted for their significant impacts on social gameplay, economies, and business models.
World of Warcraft kicks off Midnight Season 2 with the new Venomous Abyss Raid
World of Warcraft has launched Midnight Season 2, introducing the Tidebound Grotto lair and Altar of Fangs dungeon with new difficulty rotations. The Venomous Abyss raid is set to unlock on August 19th, alongside Mythic+ Season 2 and PvP Season 2. Blizzard Entertainment highlighted new rewards and challenging content for players to experience.
Former Arkane vets' new studio isn't going to try 'trend chasing', and in hindsight, thank God
Harvey Smith and Ben Horne, former Arkane developers, have founded a new studio called Black Pony Immersive. They aim to avoid chasing industry trends and instead focus on creating immersive sim games that excite them and their target audience, citing the continued cultural and financial success of titles like BioShock and Dishonored as evidence of the genre's viability.
Perfect Ten: The 10 MMORPG expansions from 2004
2004 was a pivotal year for the MMORPG industry, marked by numerous significant expansions for established titles. This list highlights ten key expansions, including EverQuest: Gates of Discord and Omens of War, Dark Age of Camelot: New Frontiers and Catacombs, Final Fantasy XI: Chains of Promathia, Anarchy Online: Alien Invasion, Star Wars Galaxies: Jump to Lightspeed, Meridian 59: Evolution, and Ultima Online: Samurai Empire. These expansions introduced new content, classes, features, and gameplay mechanics that shaped the genre.
Fired Rockstar workers say you shouldn't boycott GTA 6 for them: 'We spent years pouring our hard work, skill,…
Fired unionized workers from Rockstar Games are urging gamers not to boycott Grand Theft Auto 6, despite their ongoing legal dispute over alleged union busting. The workers, represented by the IWGB union, are seeking justice and compensation for their dismissal, which they describe as a ruthless act. They encourage support through purchasing union merchandise to fund their legal battle.
Massively OP Podcast Episode 576: Peering into the future of MMOs
The Massively OP Podcast episode 576 features hosts Justin and Bree discussing the future of MMORPGs, including Star Wars: The Old Republic's update plans, World of Warcraft's latest patch, and delays for Lost Ark and Throne and Liberty due to Amazon's exit from publishing. They also cover Q2 MMO financials and introduce a new 'spotlight of the week' segment.
Gamers in Ireland and the UK can get their hands on free items in World of Warcraft from McDonald’s
McDonald's and Xbox are running a promotion in the UK and Ireland offering in-game items for titles like World of Warcraft, Fallout 76, and Forza Horizon 6. This follows a similar promotion last year that focused on meal discounts and prizes.
It turns out touching grass is the answer: Gaming is great when you leave the house
This article argues that gaming, while often isolating, is best experienced socially, whether through large events like Gamescom or smaller local gatherings. The author shares personal experiences of engaging with other players at an in-person launch event for Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, highlighting the connections and fun that come from real-world interaction over online play. Stepping away from digital platforms and engaging with games in person can combat burnout and rediscover the inherent fun of gaming.
Games Inbox: What is the best The Simpsons video game?
Readers discuss their favorite Simpsons video games, with a desire for retro collections including titles like Hit & Run and the arcade game. Other topics include the longevity of Fortnite, the future of the Halo franchise, the implications of digital-only consoles, and the state of Blizzard's game development.
10 tips from a World of Warcraft art lead for getting started creating amazing houses in WoW
Blizzard principal artist Jay Huang shares ten tips for players looking to create impressive houses in World of Warcraft. The advice focuses on using reference images, breaking down large spaces, limiting color palettes, and creatively repurposing in-game decor items. Huang encourages players to experiment and view housing as an art medium.
Game’s haunted: World of Warcraft might be playing your characters for you if you disconnect
Following the release of Patch 12.1 for World of Warcraft, players are reporting a peculiar bug where their characters continue to play and perform actions even after they have disconnected. This phenomenon has been observed in various in-game situations, leading to speculation about its cause, including theories of botting or an unintended game mechanic.
Halo, Forza and World of Warcraft In-Game Rewards Coming to McDonald's, Celebrating Xbox 25th Anniversary
McDonald's is collaborating with Xbox to offer in-game rewards for several of its popular franchises, including Halo, Fallout, Forza, and World of Warcraft. This promotion celebrates the 25th anniversary of the Xbox brand.
MMO Week in Review: Lost Ark and Throne & Liberty are going home
Amazon has announced it will cease publishing duties for the MMORPGs Lost Ark and Throne & Liberty, returning them to their respective studios, Smilegate and NCsoft. The article also touches on updates and developments for other MMOs including EverQuest Legends, World of Warcraft, Ashes of Creation, and Star Wars The Old Republic.
The MOP Up: RIFT’s Razorback Roundup is back, yeehaw!
This week's MMO news roundup includes the return of RIFT's Razorback Roundup event, updates for Marvel Rivals and Uncharged Waters Origin, and news from various games like Wizard101, Fiesta Online, and Gloria Victis. Gamigo announced upcoming releases, while War Thunder reported on bans, and Myth of Empires: Throne secured a publishing deal.
David Brevik, creator of Diablo, reveals the 'worst ending' to any game he's played: 'But I really…
David Brevik, creator of Diablo, discusses his gaming history and current library in this interview. He shares his thoughts on the 'worst ending' in Eye of the Beholder and his enduring love for games like EverQuest and Marvel Heroes, which he still plays on fan-made servers.
One Shots: There’s always something good behind every RPG waterfall
This week's One Shots column highlights community screenshots from various MMOs, including Guild Wars 2, World of Warcraft, and Final Fantasy XIV. Players shared images featuring in-game waterfalls, character costumes, and humorous moments, with a call for submissions for future features.
Blizzard pulls out the nerf hammer for new World of Warcraft Midnight Season 2 class tuning
Blizzard Entertainment has released a new round of class tuning changes for World of Warcraft ahead of the Midnight Season 2 launch. The update targets significant outliers in both high and low performance tiers, with adjustments to tier sets and baseline abilities for various classes including Demon Hunters, Mages, Priests, and Warriors. These changes aim to rebalance gameplay and will go live on August 18th alongside the new season.
WRUP: You’re on the air with Benny, Mark, and the Grongler edition
This weekly roundup features Massively OP staff and community members discussing their gaming plans. This week's participants are looking forward to updates in Guild Wars 2, Final Fantasy XIV, and Warframe, while also planning to play games like MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries, Palworld, and Lord of the Rings Online. Bonus discussions include anticipation for Ace Combat 8 and Aion 2.
WoW's haunted: Players report that their disconnected friends' characters are starting to play the game on…
Players of World of Warcraft are reporting an unusual phenomenon where disconnected characters appear to continue moving and fighting independently. This behavior, observed after the 12.1 patch, has led to speculation about a new disconnect protection feature or a game bug. Blizzard Entertainment has not yet officially commented on the matter.
Blizzard takes rare World of Warcraft mount from players as the MMO's latest crack down on real-money transactions…
Blizzard Entertainment has issued a new wave of bans in World of Warcraft, targeting players involved in real-money transactions, particularly in the EU. The crackdown has also led to the removal of the rare Mythic L'ura mount from accounts, even from players who did not directly violate policies but were in guilds with offending members.
