MMOs
Ongoing coverage on MMOs.
Latest coverage
The MOP Up: Runes of Magic has its summer fun times
Runes of Magic is hosting a summer event with in-game activities and clear water to escape the heat. This article also rounds up other recent MMO news, including updates for The Division, Odin: Valhalla Rising, Persist Online, Uncharted Waters Online, Skull and Bones, Neverwinter, DayZ, EVE Online, Myth of Empires: Throne, Wizard101, Crossout, and League of Legends.
Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies vet tells me the theme park 'assembly line' MMO just isn't viable anymore, especially as dev costs spike: 'We hit the wall'
Veteran MMO developer Raph Koster believes the 'theme park' style of MMO, popularized by World of Warcraft, is no longer viable due to skyrocketing development costs. Koster, who worked on Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies, argues that the increasing expense of creating static content, coupled with player consumption rates, makes this model unsustainable. He suggests that the genre has become stagnant, with players growing bored and feeling underserved by an industry focused on monetization over innovation.
One Shots: Hangin’ with my virtual homies
This week's 'One Shots' feature highlights community screenshots from various MMOs, including Final Fantasy XIV, Guild Wars 2, Secret World, EverQuest II, and Lord of the Rings Online. Players shared unique in-game moments, from NPC group photos to holographic dragons and secret hideouts.
Make My MMO: Camelot’s early access, Loftia’s beta, Solarpunk’s launch
Several crowdfunded MMOs have seen recent developments, including Camelot Unchained's early access launch, Loftia's upcoming beta, and Solarpunk's official launch. Other titles like AQ Worlds Infinity, Stars Reach, and My Time at Evershine have also provided updates on their development progress and release windows.
Saturday Postmortems/Retrospectives
A canceled Warhammer Horus Heresy MMO was reportedly 'shaping up nicely' before its cancellation. The article also touches on the cost of playing the arcade game RoboCop in 1988.
New Crimson Desert patch lets you hoard 100 pets and gives you more chainsaw access
A new patch for Crimson Desert significantly increases the pet registration limit to 100, up from 30, with new reward items. While only 50 pets can be summoned simultaneously, this update further solidifies the game's comparison to a single-player MMO. Additionally, playable characters Damiane and Oongka can now equip the mining drill and chainsaw.
It's bittersweet that the best time to play Destiny 2 in years coincides with its end, but I'm happy for the new players who get to experience its most liberating iteration yet
The final update for Destiny 2, despite marking the end of the game, is seen as a positive and liberating experience, especially for new players. This update introduces numerous requested quality-of-life improvements, loot refreshes, and activity revamps, making it the best iteration of the game to date. While the narrative conclusion may be underwhelming, the extensive patch notes highlight significant additions that revitalize the game's core elements.
There's rumors of a League of Legends Classic, and I'm not sure how I feel about it
Rumors suggest Riot Games is planning a 'League of Legends Classic' server, potentially launching soon. This follows a trend of classic versions of games like World of Warcraft and Old School RuneScape, sparking debate about the industry's reliance on nostalgia versus player desire for improved current experiences.
Betawatch: EverQuest Legends sets a launch date, Bellwright sells a million copies
EverQuest Legends is set to launch on July 28th, with preorders opening next week. Meanwhile, Donkey Crew's medieval survival game Bellwright has surpassed one million copies sold on Steam and is releasing on consoles. The article also mentions several other games entering early access or testing phases.
"Almost overnight it changed my life": RPG dev inspired by classic MMOs says his Steam success fulfilled "this seemingly unattainable dream I had for my entire adult life"
Solo developer Brian Burgee of Burgee Media has found significant success with his single-player RPG Erenshor, which simulates a classic MMO experience. Launched in Early Access on Steam a year ago, the game has sold over 80,000 copies with a 94% positive user review score, transforming Burgee's life and allowing him to work on games full-time. The community's involvement has been crucial in shaping the game's development towards its planned 1.0 release in 2027.
Final Fantasy 11 is one of the greatest MMOs of our time
This article reflects on the enduring legacy of Final Fantasy XI, an MMO nearing its 20th anniversary. Despite its age and a complex login process, the game's design fostered cooperation and friendship, setting it apart from modern, more frictionless MMOs. The author explores the game's unique job system and the challenges of returning to a once-beloved world that has significantly changed.
‘Damn Shame’ — Canceled Warhammer Horus Heresy MMO Was ‘Shaping Up Nicely’
A former employee stated that the canceled Warhammer: The Horus Heresy MMO was progressing well before its cancellation. The individual expressed disappointment, calling the cancellation a 'damn shame'.
Ahead of its 1.0 launch, RuneScape: Dragonwilds fits in one more, scorching hot update later this month
RuneScape: Dragonwilds is set to receive its 'Umbral Sands' update on June 23rd, introducing a scorching desert environment. This update precedes the game's 1.0 launch on September 15th. The Umbral Sands update will feature new mechanics like 'Scorch' status effects, a replayable 'Fight Cave' mode, and the addition of magic carpets as a new mount type.
Nine-year-old colony-builder MMO SEED hits early access July 21
The nine-year-old MMO colony-building simulator SEED will launch into Early Access on July 21st for $29.99. A new gameplay trailer showcases the multiplayer aspects of building colonies within a shared world, highlighting the game's continued ambition despite its long development period.
Destiny 2's dormancy will leave a power vacuum
With Destiny 2 entering its end-of-service lifecycle and no new content planned, a power vacuum is created in the looter shooter genre. While previous games failed to dethrone Destiny, its dormancy presents an opportunity for a new title to capture player attention, though the high development costs and the challenge of appealing to its dedicated player base remain significant hurdles.
As Destiny 2 waves goodbye in its final update, Warframe commemorates the beloved Bungie MMO with an in-game reward
Warframe is releasing an in-game alert on June 17th to commemorate Destiny 2 as Bungie rolls out its final update for the MMO. The alert, titled 'Make Their Own Fate,' will take place on Telesto, a location significant to both games. This gesture from Warframe developers, including director Rebb Ford, is a tribute to Bungie's impact on their own game's development.
MMOs You’ve Never Heard Of: Project Artemis, 83, and Outward 2
This article rounds up lesser-known multiplayer games, including Project Artemis, which has seen its development future become uncertain after the cancellation of its prototype, Go Wayback. It also highlights 83, a 40v40 squad shooter that recently added a new assault siege mode, and Outward 2, a challenging action RPG with survival elements currently in Steam beta.
Destiny 2 finally has the all-in-one collection Bungie should've released years ago, and it's just $25 right…
Bungie has released Destiny 2: The Collection, an all-in-one bundle featuring all premium content for the MMO at a discounted price of $25. While the collection offers significant savings and a vast amount of content, the article notes that the game's original campaigns are no longer included, and the Destiny Content Vault has led to a confusing and potentially poor new-player experience. Despite these issues, the game's core gunplay and the Light and Darkness saga's key elements remain strong.
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A player in Path of Exile 2 voluntarily deleted their level 100 character to achieve the 'world first martyr' status. This action provided a significant buff to all other players in the game, impacting the MMO's ecosystem.
"I saved you all": Path of Exile 2 player sacrifices rare level 100 character to give everyone else a free skill point as world-first "Martyr of the First Edict"
A Path of Exile 2 player named Carn sacrificed his level 100 character to become the first "Martyr of the First Edict," granting an extra skill point to all players in the Solo Self-Found mode. This event is part of the game's Return of the Ancients update, which has been popular despite a buggy launch. Another player, ResurrectGodAura, later performed the same sacrifice for the regular multiplayer mode.
