MMORPG
Ongoing coverage on MMORPG.
Latest coverage
Wisdom of Nym: Bold predictions for Final Fantasy XIV’s second fan festival
This opinion piece makes predictions for the upcoming Final Fantasy XIV fan festival, anticipating the reveal of a new tank job, sharing of area names including the first city, a preview of the refined activity window, and the reveal of the normal raid. The author acknowledges that many details remain unknown but expresses excitement for the surprises to come.
Crystal of Atlan CN opens a ‘season server’ with tweaks to content, progression, and trading
The Chinese version of the MMORPG Crystal of Atlan has launched a new 'season server' with a 2.0 update from developer Nuverse. This update introduces six-month seasons, free trading, a new gear system with random stats, increased raid access, and eased gear enhancement. While the seasonal model includes minor and major resets, RMTing is already dominating the new servers, raising pay-to-win concerns, particularly for PvP.
Dungeons & Dragons Online’s Terror of Demogorgon expansion gets a July 22 release date
The Terror of Demogorgon expansion for Dungeons & Dragons Online will be released on July 22nd. This expansion introduces the Duergar race, 13 new dungeons, the Underdark region, a new raid, and raises the level cap to 36. Players will explore Gravenhollow and confront the Demon Lord Demogorgon.
FFXIV Shadowbringers Backlog for Adults | TAG
This guide outlines a plan for busy adults to complete the extensive main story quests of Final Fantasy XIV, focusing on Shadowbringers, Endwalker, and Dawntrail. It acknowledges the significant time commitment required for each expansion, suggesting a pace suitable for those with limited playtime and advising against endgame raiding to prioritize story completion.
Final Fantasy 14's attempt to take the MMO mobile is over before the world even gets the chance to see it
Square Enix and Tencent have decided to terminate the licensing agreement for Final Fantasy 14 Mobile, leading to the shutdown of the game in China and the cancellation of its unreleased global version. The mobile iteration, developed by LightSpeed Studios, offered a streamlined experience based on the base A Realm Reborn content with some features from later expansions. Service for the mobile game is ending on September 30, 2024.
Here’s how Aion 2’s five-day head start will work, from servers to auction houses to party play
NCsoft has detailed the early access system for Aion 2, which grants a five-day head start to founder's pack buyers. The game will feature separate early access and launch servers, with potential for server transfers and cross-server party play for dungeons and PvP. Two auction houses will be available: one server-specific and one cross-server market that will open post-launch.
The Daily Grind: Does your MMO have a rivalry with another game?
This article discusses the phenomenon of rivalries between Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games (MMORPGs), using examples like Destiny 2 and Marathon, and the long-standing perceived competition between World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, and Final Fantasy XIV. It questions the legitimacy and origins of these rivalries, encouraging readers to share their own experiences.
Echoes of Aincrad Review – Sword Art Offline
Echoes of Aincrad, an action-RPG developed by Game Studio Inc. and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, is a disappointing experience that fails to live up to its potential. Despite a serviceable combat and progression system and a strong anime art style, the game suffers from atrocious pacing, weak narrative, bland level design, and frustrating design choices, making it difficult to recommend even to fans of Sword Art Online.
Ragnarok Universe Completes First Flight Test as a Browser-Playable Open-World MMORPG
Ragnarok Universe, a new browser-playable open-world MMORPG developed by the team behind Flyff Universe, has successfully completed its first technical test. Footage from the test indicated a focus on active player control with no auto-battle or auto-grinding systems. The game is currently in early development and runs directly through a web browser.
MMO Week in Review: Lament for Elder Scrolls Online
Microsoft's decision to lay off a significant portion of The Elder Scrolls Online team has led to further management turnover and a restructuring of the studio. This week's MMO news also covers the early access launch of SpiritVale, the cancellation of Final Fantasy XIV Mobile, and discussions on lessons for Guild Wars 3.
Retro-styled MMO Hollowed Oath lets you get beat up while you’re offline (for a while)
The latest patch for the retro-styled MMORPG Hollowed Oath introduces a "lingering" mechanic where characters remain in the world for a period after logging out, preventing players from using disconnects as an escape. Patch 0.17 also includes item attunement, graphical improvements, and ongoing work on merchants, achievements, and inventory storage.
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.
Pantheon Rise of the Fallen’s weekly dev report is a cornucopia of more tuning, tweaking, and polishing
Visionary Realms provided a weekly development update for Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, detailing ongoing efforts in tuning, tweaking, and polishing the early access sandbox. The report highlights final passes on NPCs, optimization work on water, collision, and lighting, creature optimizations, server process revisions for scalability, and progress on Ranger's mastery.
One Shots: Quick, save your game!
This week's "One Shots" feature highlights community screenshots from various MMOs, including Dungeons and Dragons Online, Elite Dangerous, Fallout 76, Final Fantasy XIV, and Equinox: Homecoming. Players are encouraged to submit their own memorable in-game moments for a chance to be featured.
Coming Out in gaming this week — July 20, 2026
This week's gaming releases include Seed, Scarlet Deer Inn, LIFTED, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, Disgaea Mayhem, Tormentum II, Helix: Descent N Ascent, Splatoon Raiders, and Gurei. The titles span various genres including MMORPG, Action, Adventure, Fighting, and Puzzle, launching on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch.
Erenshor’s solo dev discusses retention issues, the use of LLMs, and the MMO sim’s path to 1.0
Brian Burgee, the sole developer of the single-player MMORPG sim Erenshor, discussed significant player retention issues, with many players leaving within the first few hours or even seconds of gameplay. He also shared his reservations about using Large Language Models for in-game AI due to ethical concerns and unreliability, and expressed optimism for the game's 1.0 launch in Q2 2027.
Bethesda confirms new Fallout 76 expansion, closer partnership with ZOS on Elder Scrolls franchise
Bethesda Game Studios and ZeniMax Online Studios have confirmed a major expansion for Fallout 76 titled Raven Rock, serving as a prequel to Fallout 3. The studios are also entering a closer partnership on the Elder Scrolls franchise, with The Elder Scrolls VI being a priority. Additionally, Fallout 5 is in pre-production, and Bethesda is collaborating with Obsidian Entertainment on a new Fallout project and remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas.
LOTRO Legendarium: Why LOTRO still matters in 2026
This opinion piece argues that The Lord of the Rings Online remains relevant in 2026 due to the enduring popularity of the Tolkien IP and the game's faithful recreation of Middle-earth. The article highlights the game's longevity, driven by a passionate development team and a dedicated community, suggesting it has a strong chance of continued success.
WRUP: Sonic the Hedgehog As Played In Kyle’s Basement edition
This week's 'What Are You Playing' roundup features staff and community members discussing their weekend gaming plans. Titles mentioned include Sonic the Hedgehog, Palworld, Final Fantasy XIV, Warframe, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, among others. The discussion also touches on game updates and personal preferences for dried fruits.
The Daily Grind: What was your last experimental or throwaway MMO character?
This article asks MMORPG players about their last experimental or throwaway characters created for fun or curiosity. It explores the reasons behind creating such characters, whether they end up being deleted or kept, and the potential for surprising experiences.