Not So Massively: Yearning for an MMO future free of loot
Throughout all of the Drama over Anthem‘s loot issues, I’ve just been rolling my eyes. Not because I think Bioware screwed up — arguably it has, but that’s beside the point — but because people are...
View ArticleVague Patch Notes: MMOs are not the same as your single-player games with...
Recently, I’ve been trying to get into Bloodborne. This isn’t a result of my disliking the Souls franchise as a whole, just that it’s never quite overlapped with my particular interests. But I’m giving...
View ArticleDiablo III’s Season of Nightmares arrives this week
When’s the last time that you were excited about Diablo III? It’s been a pretty quiet spring for the ARPG, but Blizzard is about to make some noise with the debut of Season 17 this week. The Season of...
View ArticleDiablo III adds new Torment levels, introduces season 17 buff in latest patch
The latest update for Diablo III is live on PC and consoles, and it’s full of terrible torment and bovine bedlam, among other things. This patch sees the introduction of Torment 14, 15, and 16, the...
View ArticleBattle Bards Episode 144: Colors of the rainbow
Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet: Combined, these forces create the awesome power of Roy G. Biv — otherwise known as the rainbow! In today’s experimental episode of the Battle Bards,...
View ArticleNot So Massively: StarCraft II co-op is one of online gaming’s greatest...
Between the disappointment of the current World of Warcraft expansion, the abandonment of Diablo III, and other… unpleasantness, I find my lifelong fandom of Blizzard Entertainment games at an all-time...
View ArticleNot So Massively: Blizzard cancelled a(nother) game, and I couldn’t be happier
Recently news broke that Blizzard had cancelled an unannounced game that had been in development for several years. This was followed closely by some very juicy (if unconfirmed) rumors about what the...
View ArticleFan ports the original Diablo to the Nintendo Switch
You can already play Diablo III on the Nintendo Switch, but can you play the entire series? Not yet, but you can play the original Diablo thanks to an enterprising fan project. Yes, the entire game has...
View ArticleNot So Massively: Gaming genre elitism isn’t a good look on anyone
As I noted when I first took over the Not So Massively column this past spring, we live in a time of great change for the gaming world. We’re seeing the rise of mobile gaming as an entirely new...
View ArticleDesert Oasis: Taking a swing with Black Desert’s Tamer and her bō staff
When I first started playing Black Desert, it was because I wanted to play a Dark Knight. From her animations, armors, and that sweet giant knife of hers, the kriegsmesser. (And yes, it’s actually a...
View ArticleMassively Overthinking: Our favorite MMORPG zones of all time
I once heard it said that a popular studio – I think it was Blizzard – made it a point of asking prospective developers what the best-designed MMO zones were and why, by way of testing their...
View ArticleDiablo III’s season 18 and the 2.6.6 update’s new gear are open for testing
Last night, Blizzard dropped Diablo III’s next big thing on the test server. Yes, Blizzard remembered Diablo III is a going concern, and a fun one at that, and pumped out 2.6.6 and the complete season...
View ArticleNot So Massively: Why ARPGs, not MMOs, are where pet classes truly shine
I noticed something odd when I started playing Grim Dawn aways back: I went straight for the pet builds. This is interesting because this the exact opposite of how I tend to play traditional MMORPGs,...
View ArticleDiablo III is going to do more themed seasons and more short test sessions...
If you weren’t a fan of Diablo III going the themed season route with its last update, we’re sorry to inform you that you will probably continue not being a fan of further developments. A statement...
View ArticleDiablo III’s 18th season arrives on August 23 and StarCraft II opens its...
The lesser-loved Blizzard titles are back in our spotlight. Regrettably, I’m not talking about The Lost Vikings, but instead I’m referring to Diablo III and StarCraft II, both of which have provided...
View ArticlePerfect Ten: MMOs that flirted with permadeath
This month, Dungeons and Dragons Online will be venturing where many MMORPGs have feared to tread: into the realm of officially supported permadeath. The 90-day “hardcore league” server will be an...
View ArticleDiablo III’s Season 18 is live today
The newest season of Diablo III challenges is live today, and it’s all about standing in the thing. Are you standing in the thing? If not, you should be standing in the thing. Yes, that’s the whole...
View ArticleThe Daily Grind: What constitutes a ‘classic’ MMO to you?
Earlier this week, a job posting on Blizzard’s career site made it clear that the company considers Diablo III one of its “classic” games. It kind of threw a bunch of journalists for a loop, given that...
View ArticleMassively Overthinking: MMOs, challenge, and flow
A couple of weeks ago, MMO developer Mark Kern tweeted a controversial claim about how challenge and interactivity is the point of games (and therefore that removing challenge from a game destroys the...
View ArticleThe MOP Up: Google Stadia looms nigh
Are you ready for Google’s attempt at cloud-based video gaming? Mixed feelings or not, Google Stadia is going to start its rollout next month with its premium service (the basic, free version is coming...
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