Industry Giants Face Scrutiny Amidst Indie MMO Boom
Major companies like Sony and EA navigate lawsuits and business shifts, including Sony's move away from physical discs. Meanwhile, a diverse array of smaller MMOs, from roguelites to survival sandboxes, are emerging and updating. The industry also grapples with AI's impact on hardware and ongoing discussions about developer welfare and platform safety.
Coverage across 1 outlet
MMOs You’ve Never Heard Of: Bread & Fred, Ashes of Jin, and No More Room in Hell 2
This article rounds up lesser-known multiplayer games, including Ashes of Jin, a living-world MMO with AI-driven demonic attackers; Bread & Fred, a co-op platformer where two penguins are tied together; and No More Room in Hell 2, a co-op zombie horror shooter that recently exited early access.
MMOs You’ve Never Heard Of: Above Land Rhapsody, Myth War, and Delverium
This article rounds up lesser-known multiplayer games, including Above Land: Rhapsody, a co-op action roguelite with unconventional weapons; a revival of the 2D fantasy MMO Myth War Online; and Delverium, a 2D pixel art survival sandbox coming to early access.
MMOs You’ve Never Heard Of: Elegon, Idle Clans, and Interstellar Empires
This article rounds up several lesser-known multiplayer online games, including Elegon, a solo-developed MMORPG focused on exploration and cooperation; Idle Clans, an idle MMO for PC and mobile that has received recent updates; and Interstellar Empires, a 4X strategy browser MMO currently in open beta.
MMO Business Roundup: PS Store lawsuit, tariff refunds, and Tim Sweeney on gaming’s ‘crash 2.0’
This business roundup covers several industry developments, including Sony's defense in a PlayStation Store lawsuit where it argues consumers don't truly own digital games. Both Sony and Microsoft are also denying tariff refunds for console purchases, a stance mirrored by Nintendo. Additionally, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney analyzes the current state of the gaming industry, referring to it as 'Crash 2.0' and suggesting factory expansion as a solution to hardware shortages driven by AI demand.
MMOs You’ve Never Heard Of: Heroic Legends, Never Wither, and MurderCartel
This article rounds up several lesser-known multiplayer games, including the rebuilt mobile MMORPG Heroic Legends, the survival crafting RPG Never Wither which is getting a Steam Next Fest demo, and the 2D MMORPG MurderCartel. Heroic Legends is set to relaunch on iOS and Android on September 5th, Never Wither's demo arrives October 20th, and MurderCartel is coming to Steam on September 10th.
MMO Business Roundup: Savvy Games’ CEO, Nvidia’s AI filter, and PlayStation 5’s monetization
This business roundup covers several key developments in the gaming industry. Savvy Games Group's CEO Brian Ward is stepping down, Nvidia's DLSS AI filter is criticized for negatively impacting game performance, and Sony's CEO Hiroki Totoki outlined plans to focus on monetizing the existing PlayStation 5 user base, particularly PlayStation Plus subscribers.
The MOP Up: Hearthstone hosts Azeroth’s Most Wanted
Hearthstone's Patch 36.4 introduces new Class Sets, an Arena season, and event rewards. This roundup also covers updates and events from various other games including No Man's Sky, Grim Dawn, ARC Raiders, Diablo, and Myth of Empires: Throne. Ubisoft is forming a player council for testing, and Thatgamecompany is expanding its publishing efforts.
MMOs You’ve Never Heard Of: Polystrike, Wardogs, and World of Slime
This article rounds up several lesser-known multiplayer games, including the tactical shooter Polystrike, the critter-collector MMORPG World of Slime, and the large-scale FPS Wardogs. Polystrike is available to wishlist on Steam, World of Slime will offer a demo on August 26th, and Wardogs is heading to early access on September 10th.
The MOP Up: Profane puts out a new rolling roadmap
Several MMOs have shared updates and roadmaps, including Profane's new development plan focusing on two-month highlights, and Odin: Valhalla Rising's roadmap for the latter half of 2026. Subnautica 2 launched a new beta branch for testing, Palia's Insect-a-Palooza event returned, and EVE Online banned over 10,000 accounts for dark web links. Additionally, Grand Theft Auto VI leak participants were cautioned against, BitCraft is closing its Uncharted Regions, and AdventureQuest 3D released new moon-themed mounts.
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.
MMO Business Roundup: Roblox claims it’s safe, dev charity bundle, and Xbox 360 games on PC
This MMO business roundup covers several key developments, including Microsoft's alleged plans to bring Xbox 360 games to PC and future consoles. Roblox Corp asserts its platform is safe for users despite ongoing allegations, while the World of Warcraft union highlights developer struggles with RTO mandates. Additionally, a charitable game bundle for laid-off developers has raised over $146,000.
MMOs You’ve Never Heard Of: Eclesiar, Farwoods, and Stalzone
This article rounds up three lesser-known multiplayer games: Eclesiar, a browser strategy MMO with a recent graphics remake update; Farwoods, a graphical MUD focused on roleplaying forest critters, which has returned to open alpha testing; and Stalzone, a PvPvE extraction FPS formerly known as Stalcraft X, which has undergone a name change and received updates including a new coliseum location.
The MOP Up: Dark Age of Camelot rotates its Sigilbound Frontiers event
Dark Age of Camelot's Sigilbound Frontiers event is live until August 13th, featuring a Sigilbreaker boss spawn. Other MMO news includes Hearthstone's new battleground season, updates for World War II Online and MapleStory Idle RPG, a Palworld card game, War Thunder adjustments, Apex Legends' Marked season, and details on Scars of Honor's First Watch system.
MMOs You’ve Never Heard Of: Mogul Life, PvP.Farm, and VoxelMancy
This article rounds up three lesser-known multiplayer online games: Mogul Life, a mobile pixel art MMO focused on corporate growth and investment; PvP.Farm, a browser-based factional PvP MMO with mechs and no safe zones; and VoxelMancy, a free-to-play voxel building sandbox. VoxelMancy's developer confirmed the use of AI for its assets.
MMOs You’ve Never Heard Of: Nin Online, Velderis, and War of Continents
This article rounds up lesser-known MMOs including Nin Online, a pixel art FFA PvP game that recently added new missions and a level cap increase. Velderis is a free browser fantasy MMO with PvP and dungeons, though it faces criticism for an energy system. War of Continents is a browser-based dark strategy game linked to cryptocurrency, but new players can start without a wallet.
MMO Business Roundup: EA’s buyout date, Roblox’s Q2 earnings, and PlayStation’s discs will (still) die
Electronic Arts' buyout by the Saudi Public Investment Fund is set for August 4th, pending final conditions, with the PIF set to own 93% of the company. Sony confirmed it will proceed with ending physical disc production for the PlayStation 5, despite industry pushback. Roblox Corporation reported a 36% year-over-year revenue increase to $1.5 billion in Q2 2026, though user migration to lower-monetizing games impacted profits.
MMO Business Roundup: GTA 6’s union meeting, EA’s Saudi sale, and Steam’s wishlist updates
Rockstar Games' union reported a positive first meeting with management regarding negotiations for worker protections like no crunch and pay transparency. Separately, the European Union Commission cleared Electronic Arts' $55 billion sale to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, making the deal more likely to finalize. Steam has also updated its wishlist functionality to include categories and improved search.
MMO Business Roundup: CliffyB is back, a crackdown on Steam criming, and Palworld’s 30.5M sales
This MMO business roundup covers several industry developments, including Cliff Bleszinski's return with plans for a comeback after the failures of LawBreakers and Radical Heights. It also notes a temporary pause on the Warner Bros. buyout due to antitrust concerns, an indictment in Florida for malware injection into Steam games, and Palworld's continued sales success, reaching an estimated 30.5 million copies sold.
MMO Business Roundup: Sony games discs, Monster Hunter Wilds’ price, and Ubisoft almost figures it out
This business roundup covers several key industry developments, including Sony facing antitrust scrutiny over its decision to cease physical game disc production in 2028. Ubisoft's latest financial report acknowledges that firing experienced developers can harm business, while Capcom announced a permanent price reduction for Monster Hunter Wilds, alongside new bundle offerings.
The MOP Up: EVE Online cracks down on cheaters, episode 94835298345
EVE Online has banned nearly 5,000 players for cheating, fraud, and RMT. The article also rounds up other MMO news, including an Apex Legends collaboration with Cyberpunk, a player achieving a unique World of Warcraft Classic feat, updates for Throne & Liberty and NosTale, and news from Albion Online, RuneScape, Synduality Echo of Ada, Sea of Thieves, Ark: Survival Ascended, and Odin Valhalla Rising.