WoW Cataclysm Beta: Blizzard’s Lack of Respect for Customer Loyalty
Every two years as a WoW expansion draws nearer, it seems I have to write the same article questioning the validity of Blizzard's beta selection process. Despite pointing out …
Category: MMORPGs
PAX 2010 Seattle News Reports from the Blogosphere
Since I was not able to attend PAX 2010 in Seattle — actually I was a there but not allowed to purchase a one day pass — I would like …
Turned Away at PAX 2010 in Seattle
Today I showed up at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle expecting to purchase a one day ticket to see the PAX 2010 geekfest but was greeted with monster …
Reflections on the Upcoming EverQuest Next
Over the years, I've spent spent too much time obsessing about my obsession for one particular MMO: EverQuest . What is it about this enigmatic game/experience/world that keeps haunting me? …
The Emasculation of MMOs: Part 2 – Fun is for Children, Adventure is for Adults
Something has changed about the MMO experience in the past six years. Chances are you probably haven't even noticed it but you can probably feel it just the same. MMO …
The Emasculation of MMOs: Part 1 – How Convenience Replaced Risk
Twelve starving men sat down at a table. Before them was placed a sumptuous banquet. Then one of the men protested: "I don't like salt...". So in order not to …
Why the MMO Industry Needs a Real Cataclysm
Admittedly, I've fallen out of love with MMOs. After 11 years of being passionately involved in this pursuit and having the patience of a saint, the same old predictable …
The Most Important Video You’ll Watch This Year
Once upon a time as a teenager, I recall being exposed to a book called Future Shock by futurist Alvin Toffler. Along with many wild and outlandish predictions about the …
How will Turbine Capitalize on the Upcoming Hobbit Movies?
It goes without saying that Peter Jackson's Academy Award winning Lord of the Rings movies were a boon to the fantasy genre of fiction and film. Not only did …
Build It and They Will Come
Last week Raph Koster posted a controversial article entitled Are Virtual Worlds Over? It was a reply to a more readable article by Cnet's Dan Terdiman. In order to even …
Did Blizzard Borrow “Cataclysm” Concept from Conan Author?
This weekend I finally decided to start reading Robert E. Howard's sword & sorcery classic Conan the Barbarian. At one point the author felt the need to write a history …
Confessions of a PVP Draft Dodger
Dear King Varian of Stormwind, please explain to me why I should leave the comfort of my beloved farmstead here in the rustic pastures of Elwynn Forest to fight in …
Blizzard and SOE Agree: Improving the Newbie Experience Equals Success and Growth
Last year I penned a few in-depth and apparently controversial articles that evaluated some of the EverQuest 2 starting areas from the perspective of a newbie. It has long been …
WoW’s Growing Immersion Deficit
The success of a virtual world is dependent on the ability of the developers to convincingly immerse the player in their world. Without a daily emphasis and reverence for mechanics, …
Blizzard’s Scrooge: Tom Chilton Dismisses Player Housing for WoW
Lately my faith in the MMO media and sadly the media in general has been waning due to the problem of advocacy journalism. Otherwise known in gamerspeak as fanboyism.Very rarely …
Wikipedia in Trouble as Volunteers Leave
There's an interesting piece about Wikipedia from the Wall Street Journal Online. It seems that Wikipedia volunteers are leaving faster then new volunteers are joining. It seems that this unaccountable …
Blizzard’s Addiction to Previewing the Future
What if J.R.R. Tolkien had named his classic fantasy trilogy How Frodo Destroyed the One Ring at Mount Doom? Thankfully he had the good sense and propriety not to do …
How Virtual Worlds Mimic the Politics of the Real World
Virtual worlds are ultimately about creating and administering a system of governance. Every day millions of players enter virtual worlds and are subject to rules and policies laid down by …
MMO Design Blog of the Month: That’s a Terrible Idea
In an age when just about everyone has a blog, it's rare to find a well-written new MMO design blog that causes you to pause, think, discover and learn. …
Why Aren’t There More Blizzards in the Video Game Industry?
I used to work for a big video game studio that specialized in making licensed hand-held games which were primarily directed towards kids and teens. We'd have regular company meetings …
Why Scaling Challenge Should Be the Future of MMO Content
Last week in the wee hours of a starlit Azeroth morning the Dark Iron Dwarves attacked the Brewfest celebrations outside of Ironforge. Since there were only a few half-awake adventurers …
Waiting for the Next MMO Revolution
Back in the 1980's I was a big fan of the music group The Police. As a big fan of the band I devoured everything I could get my hands …
MMO Design Blog of the Month: MMO Tidbits
Every once in a while you find a diamond in the rough in the world of MMO design blogs. There are many great sites out there and I try to …