MMORPG
Ongoing coverage on MMORPG.
Latest coverage
Star Citizen’s alpha 4.9 brings new missions, a new fighter craft, and a long list of bug fixes
Star Citizen has released its alpha 4.9 update, introducing new missions, a new fighter craft called the Grey's Market Basher, and numerous bug fixes. The update also includes ship combat UI improvements and refreshed distribution centers. Despite its long development since a 2012 Kickstarter, the game continues to be updated in its alpha state, having raised over $1 billion.
The Daily Grind: Which early MMO did the most to shape your MMO preferences?
This article discusses how early MMORPG experiences, particularly with Final Fantasy XI, significantly shape a player's long-term preferences and dislikes within the genre. The author reflects on how their initial strong reactions to FFXI's design philosophy influenced their subsequent gaming choices and overall playstyle.
Ragnarok: The New World Launches Its Grand Server Opening with a Full Lineup of Celebration Events
Ragnarok: The New World has officially launched its servers, introducing the new Druid class and offering various celebration events and rewards for players. The game emphasizes skill-based combat over traditional power levels and features a flexible growth system. The launch was preceded by a festival featuring performances by Three Man Down, Perses, and global group BABYMONSTER.
Blue Protocol: Star Resonance Season 3 Begins! The new class “Twin Striker” has arrived!
HaoPlay has announced that Blue Protocol: Star Resonance will launch its "Echoes of Ember" Season 3 update on July 16, 2026. This update introduces the new "Twin Striker" class, new dungeons, raid battles, and a "Musician" system for playing music. The season aims to provide a smooth experience for both new and returning players with level boosts and equipment rewards.
Rogue server SWG Legends is working on a 64-bit client for 23-year-old Star Wars Galaxies
The player-run rogue server SWG Legends is developing a significant 64-bit client and infrastructure upgrade for the 2003 MMORPG Star Wars Galaxies. While there is no release ETA, internal testing has begun. The update also teases upcoming content like the August Battle of Restuss, a Halloween event, and a new PvP Arena feature.
Lineage II celebrates its 22nd anniversary with the launch of a special collector’s edition soundtrack vinyl
Lineage II is celebrating its 22nd anniversary with the release of a special collector's edition vinyl soundtrack. The album features 40 tracks from composers Bill Brown, Jamie Christopherson, and Inon Zur, and is available for pre-order or streaming on Spotify.
Pantheon Rise of the Fallen concedes that its mastery system will need more time to bring to PTR
Visionary Realms has announced a delay in bringing the mastery system for Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen to the Public Test Realm due to unexpected complexity in development. The studio plans to release the remaining classes over the next few weeks, with the Wizard class's Elementalist and Spellblade masteries available as a first draft on the current PTR.
A university is offering scholarships to MMORPG players who have completed lengthy grinds
The University of Silicon Valley is offering the Max Achievement Scholarship program, providing up to $5,000 per term for students who have completed significant in-game grinds in MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV, Guild Wars 2, and RuneScape. The university aims to recognize skills such as persistence and problem-solving demonstrated through these gaming achievements.
Guild Wars 2 delivers its delayed balance patch along with a new promo video
ArenaNet released a delayed balance patch for Guild Wars 2 on a Wednesday due to a hardware failure impacting their network. The patch addresses game balance, particularly for PvP, and also reintroduces cats and other pets associated with the 2025 Extra Life charity drive. A new promotional video highlighting all game classes has also been released.
World Of Warcraft’s Haranir Lore Reveal Has Players Scratching Their Heads
A recent lore reveal in World of Warcraft, concerning the origins of trolls and elves and the introduction of the haranir allied race, has left many players confused. While the in-game narrative suggests trolls and elves are descended from the haranir, this contradicts previously established lore from sources like the World of Warcraft: Chronicle books. Senior quest designer Keith Riley clarified that the in-game vision represents the haranir's perspective and may not be the absolute truth, leaving the ancestry debate open for further discussion.
Kickstarted indie MMORPG SpiritVale officially launches into early access today
The indie MMORPG SpiritVale, developed by Baikun Interactive, has officially launched into early access on PC today, just weeks after successfully completing its Kickstarter campaign. The game is available for $15 on Steam and features seven classes, multiplayer parties, over 35 maps, and core systems like skill progression and loot, with further content planned for the coming months.
Albion Online celebrates its ninth birthday with cake and also statues of gods to murder
Albion Online is celebrating its ninth anniversary with the return of its Living Legacy event. This in-game event features statues of legendary champions that players can fight for rare rewards, including a special horse and vanity items. The game, which launched on July 17, 2017, has expanded to PC, Steam, mobile, and console platforms, solidifying its position as a top PvP MMORPG.
Wisdom of Nym: Speculating about the second half of Final Fantasy XIV’s Occult Crescent
This article speculates on the upcoming second half of Final Fantasy XIV's Occult Crescent content update, discussing potential changes to Phantom Weapons, currency rewards, and the challenging Forked Tower instance. The author anticipates adjustments to balance and progression compared to the first half, while acknowledging some design issues may persist.
Dominus Automa opens sign-ups for its Steam Multiplayer Playtest
Metashift Labs has opened sign-ups for the multiplayer playtest of Dominus Automa, an automated idle MMORPG. The playtest, launching August 7, will allow players to experience the game's shared world, hero progression, and core MMORPG activities on PC. Dominus Automa is designed for players who enjoy deep progression systems without the need for constant manual grinding.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Lessons Guild Wars 3 must not fail to learn from its predecessors
This opinion piece discusses key lessons ArenaNet should learn from Guild Wars 1 and Guild Wars 2 for the development of Guild Wars 3. It highlights the importance of a consistent content release cadence, the pitfalls of the Living World experiment, the need for flexible race and class design, and the significance of player mobility options and respecting the existing player base. The author expresses cautious optimism that ArenaNet has learned from past mistakes.
Lost Ark’s Summer of Extremes patch arrives today with Paradise Season 4 and raid update
Lost Ark's 'Summer of Extremes' update has been released, introducing the Kazeros Raid: Act I with multiple difficulty options including extreme. The patch also adds new solo modes for Kazeros Raid, a matchmaking mode for Shadow Raid Serca, and the new Paradise Season 4. The update experienced a slight delay in server return time.
NC AMERICA TO RELEASE LINEAGE II COLLECTOR’S EDITION VINYL CELEBRATING 22ND ANNIVERSARY
NC America is releasing a collector's edition vinyl titled "Lineage II - 22 Years" to celebrate the MMORPG's 22nd anniversary. The album features 40 selected tracks from the original soundtrack, composed by Bill Brown, Jamie Christopherson, Inon Zur, and NCSOUND, and is available for pre-order with a worldwide release in November. The vinyl aims to provide a reflective musical journey through the game's iconic history.
The Daily Grind: What’s your favorite video game that couldn’t realistically be turned into an MMO?
This article discusses which favorite video games are not realistically adaptable into MMORPGs without compromising their core gameplay. Examples like Rollercoaster Tycoon and Chrono Trigger are cited as titles whose unique mechanics would be difficult to translate into the massively multiplayer online roleplaying genre.
NosTale’s Epic Story Continues! Act 10 Part 2: Guardians of Dimensions Is Now Live!
Gameforge has released Act 10 Part 2: Guardians of Dimensions for its anime-action MMORPG, NosTale. This update introduces new quests, characters like Achilles, Thor, Merlin, and Admiral Yi, a new raid, and quality-of-life improvements. The seasonal Captain Pete O’Peng Raid also returns for a limited time.
The Elder Scrolls Online Team Can’t Release Content At Its Previous Speed , Says Former Developer
A former senior encounter designer for The Elder Scrolls Online, Morgan Goin, stated that recent layoffs at ZeniMax Online Studios will significantly slow down the MMORPG's content release pace. Goin, who was among those laid off, expressed surprise, as internal reports suggested the studio was performing well and contributing positively to Microsoft's metrics. The layoffs have reduced the studio's workforce considerably, impacting its ability to maintain its previously announced seasonal content roadmap.
