The Absolute Wretched State of the MMORPG Genre
Normally I avoid talking about YouTubers and streamers. Today’s video centric video game commentary scene is much like blogging was 20 years ago. It’s a good fit for today’s short …
Tag: SOE
The Curse of EverQuest Continues as Daybreak Games Closes Landmark
Is EverQuest and those who worked on the franchise cursed? I’m starting to think so. It seems no matter how hard those in charge of EverQuest try, they just can’t …
Another Black Eye for the MMORPG Industry as Daybreak Games Cancels EverQuest Next
This week Daybreak Games sent shock waves throughout the MMORPG industry as they announced that they had decided to cancel EverQuest Next. Here’s the most relevant part of Daybreak Games …
Project 1999 Classic EverQuest: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
For the past 6 months I have had the unique privilege to go back in time and experience the magic of the original EverQuest. This is thanks to Project 1999 …
EverQuest 3: The Time is Now
I have always been enthralled by the original EverQuest. Being immersed in the world of Norrath was an experience that changed my life. In the past 16 years that have …
Landmark Closed Beta Review: Bold Ideas Constrained by Designer Timidity
Watch most Twitch.tv streams that showcase SOE’s Landmark “sandbox” virtual world and you’ll see a familiar sight to those that follow the comic book and the superhero genre. You’ll see …
What it’s Like Not to Be in the EverQuest Next Landmark Alpha
Since the release of the EverQuest Next Landmark alpha in February and all the surrounding hoopla it seems that everyone is in the alpha. To be honest, I can’t think …
Brad McQuaid’s Pantheon MMO: Return of the Prodigal Son
Brad McQuaid is back. Almost 15 years after the release of EverQuest and 7 years after the release of his Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, the prodigal son of the MMO …
How Class Interdependence Can Build Community in EverQuest Next
One of the highest objectives a fantasy MMORPG should strive for is the creation of a vibrant and passionate community. For the player, the benefits of a robust community are …
EverQuest Next Reveal at SOE Live: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
By now most EverQuest devotees have watched the video presentations and read all of the coverage on various gaming websites about SOE's reveal of EverQuest Next in Las Vegas over …
Compendium of My EverQuest Articles
After becoming interested in the upcoming EverQuest Next being revealed at SOE Live on August 1, 2013 in Las Vegas at Planet Hollywood, I've done a lot of soul searching …
Guest Essay: Why Was EverQuest So Immersive?
In advance of Friday's big reveal of Everquest Next (rumored to be released in a playable form - presumably Beta - by the end of the year), many fans have …
EverQuest Next: I Want to Believe Again
It's been a frustrating couple of years for the MMORPG genre and its devotees. The once mighty Blizzard Entertainment has had to suffer the embarrassment of years of declining subscriptions …
38 Studios: Requiem for a Lost Virtual World
The recent drama and subsequent bankruptcy of Curt Schilling’s 38 Studios has haunted me these past few weeks. Although I was just a bystander, I was living somewhat vicariously through …
Thoughts on MMO Blogging
I have been blogging and championing the cause of virtual worlds and MMORPG's since 2004. I'm not a big fan of the word "blogging" and it's fellow partner in crime …
The MMO Road Less Traveled: The Actor and the Adventurer
The past paradoxically becomes clearer as time passes. Trends are very hard to pinpoint and define while they are incubating and growing. When you are personally experiencing a cultural movement …
Blizzard’s Smoking Gun Interview that Shows How MMOs Became Games
Those of us poor souls who are MMO and virtual world veterans have seen a lot in the past 12 years of the history of this genre. We are no …
Why It’s Time to Get Rid of Quests in MMORPGs
I used to think there was something grand and noble about the idea of a quest, that is until MMORPG developers got their slimy hands on them. Quests have become …