MMOs
Ongoing coverage on MMOs.
Latest coverage
Elder Scrolls Online director still secretly plays the MMO, even after he left the studio when Microsoft killed his dream game: "I'm in guilds, and they don't know who I am"
Matt Firor, the former director of The Elder Scrolls Online and founder of Zenimax Online, continues to play the MMO secretly even after leaving the studio due to Microsoft's cancellation of his dream game, Project Blackbird. Firor finds enjoyment in experiencing ESO as a player, occasionally communicating with current developers about bugs and upcoming content he helped plan.
Blizzard's former president wanted there to be a WoW 2 rather than 'the same WoW 1 expansions over and over…
Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra expressed a desire for a "World of Warcraft 2" instead of continuous expansions for the original game, though he noted that such a decision would have been up to current game director Ion Hazzikostas. Despite recent issues, World of Warcraft remains a profitable MMO for Blizzard and Microsoft.
Final Fantasy 14 Evercold promises to scrap the MMO's 2-minute meta and change its jobs for the better, and we're all thanking the Twelve: "Nobody will miss it"
Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida announced that the upcoming expansion, Evercold, will eliminate the game's two-minute meta, a system where players align buffs within a specific window. This change, set for January 2027, aims to provide more player freedom and unique combat encounters, a move widely praised by the community and developers for allowing greater design flexibility.
EverQuest Legends previews its item-merging exaltation system
EverQuest Legends has released a new video showcasing its item-merging "exaltation" system, where players can combine gear effects and appearances. Senior Engineer Sean Norton demonstrated how this system allows for granular customization, similar to other MMOs and OARPGs. The video also offered a glimpse into the game's visuals and UI, though it was noted that one item shown will not be available at launch.
Crimson Desert is an amazing game, but it wouldn't be nearly as great without its enthusiastic community
Crimson Desert, despite lacking a multiplayer component, fosters a strong sense of community through player-driven guides, shared discoveries, and collaborative problem-solving. This shared experience, likened to Elden Ring's launch but with a sillier tone, is crucial to the game's success and helps players overcome its obtuse elements. Developer Pearl Abyss's rapid implementation of community-requested features further strengthens this bond.
Final Fantasy 14's promised 'public fields' redesign could fix complaints I've had about the MMO for…
This article discusses potential improvements to Final Fantasy XIV's open-world design, focusing on the 'Public Fields' and quests. The author expresses delight that Square Enix plans to address complaints about the beautiful but empty zones, drawing comparisons to dynamic events in World of Warcraft and Guild Wars 2. Director Naoki Yoshida has acknowledged the issue and promised more dynamic content and quest improvements.
Star Wars Galaxies' tragic fate caused FF14's devs to keep the old job designs available for Evercold's overhaul: 'Players did not take that very well'
Final Fantasy 14's director, Yoshi-P, discussed the upcoming 'Evolved' job designs for the Dawntrail expansion, drawing parallels to the controversial changes made to Star Wars Galaxies. He aims to streamline jobs while preserving unique identities, learning from past player reactions to significant game overhauls. The new designs for Viper and Pictomancer are seen as early steps in this direction.
Blizzard's former president says 'WoW has to reset' over disastrous patch, and I really wouldn't go…
Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra stated that World of Warcraft needs a significant 'reset' due to a disastrous recent patch, though the article argues the game's core offerings are strong. Ybarra suggested a complete team overhaul might be necessary, but the author believes the game is showing signs of ill health rather than being on life support, citing past issues like long patch droughts.
The MOP Up: Thousands of EVE Online players continue their epic war
The ongoing war in EVE Online saw over 4,500 pilots engaged in a battle over an Imperium Keepstar, with other fights occurring in surrounding systems. This week's MMO news roundup also includes updates on The Elder Scrolls Online's Night Market factions, Ultima Online's roadmap roundtable, and new content for Wartales and Torchlight Infinite.
Final Fantasy XIV director wants pitches for a single-player spinoff, though he's 'half-joking'
Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida is open to pitches for a single-player spinoff of the popular MMO, though he stated this is "half-joking." Yoshida, also known as Yoshi-P, mentioned that if the current Final Fantasy XIV team were to retire from the online version, they might consider developing a standalone title. He also encouraged external companies or individuals with passion and resources to propose their ideas for such a project.
One Shots: A trot on the beach
This week's One Shots feature community screenshots from various MMOs, including Equinox Homecoming, Final Fantasy XIV, Crimson Desert, and Guild Wars 2. Players shared their virtual adventures, from beach sunrises and in-game festivals to unique in-game events and seasonal content like Guild Wars 2's Super Adventure Box.
"Butt slider?": Final Fantasy 14's Yoshi-P promises to pester devs about the highly-requested feature, but warns fans of the dangers of a big booty
Final Fantasy XIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida has stated he will bring up the community's request for a "butt slider" to the development team. While he has pledged to advocate for the feature, he also cautioned fans about the potential implications of such a customization option.
Final Fantasy XIV director would love to hear pitches for single-player spin-off
Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida expressed openness to pitches for a single-player, standalone version of the popular MMO. He stated that while he considers the idea, the current FFXIV team is focused on the main game, but he would welcome external proposals from passionate developers or companies interested in taking on the challenge.
The Sunday Papers
This article uses a meta-narrative to discuss various gaming topics and articles. It references reviews of Tomodachi Life and Titanfall, an interview with Egosoft founder Bernd Lehahn about X4: Foundations and MMOs, and a discussion on board game design. The piece touches on esports and the business of gaming through these varied examples.
WoW came back from the brink because Blizzard ran it like a live service game—but now that same tactic's…
World of Warcraft's resurgence is attributed to Blizzard's adoption of a live service model with strict adherence to roadmaps, preventing content droughts. However, this rigid schedule has led to the release of buggy patches, suggesting a need for more flexibility and potentially longer development times, even if it means occasional delays. The article argues that MMOs, with their invested player bases and diverse content, can afford a less frantic release pace than typical live service games.
Final Fantasy 14's Yoshi-P has considered a single-player version of the MMO because some fans think "an…
Final Fantasy XIV director and producer Naoki Yoshida has considered the possibility of a single-player spin-off game set in the MMO's world. This idea stems from some fans' reluctance to engage with online-only titles. Yoshida discussed this during a Q&A panel at Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026.
Most MMOs have so many expansions, it's hard to keep track of them all—can you tell our clever fakes from the…
This article presents a quiz designed to test players' knowledge of massively multiplayer online (MMO) game expansions. It challenges readers to distinguish between real and fake expansion names for popular titles like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy 14, and Guild Wars 2.
Final Fantasy 14 comes to Switch 2 this August
Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy XIV will be released on the Nintendo Switch 2 in August. This marks the acclaimed MMO's debut on Nintendo's next-generation handheld console.
I don't understand how Final Fantasy 14 can do a crossover with acclaimed anime Neon Genesis Evangelion and…
Final Fantasy XIV is announcing a crossover raid with the acclaimed anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, titled 'Ghosts of Desire.' The raid will feature creative input from the Evangelion filmmakers. The article expresses trepidation and wonder at this unexpected collaboration, noting the profound cultural impact of Evangelion.
Final Fantasy 14 Evercold promises to respect your "limited free time" as Yoshi-P teases the death of tomestones and daily roulettes, alongside shared item levels across every job
Final Fantasy XIV's upcoming 8.0 update, titled Evercold, will introduce significant endgame progression changes designed to respect player time. Director Naoki Yoshida revealed that daily tomestone roulettes will be replaced by weekly activity missions, and the highest item level achieved will be shared across all jobs. These changes aim to offer more flexibility in how players engage with the game's endgame content.
