Latest news with #MMO
Digital Trends
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Warframe is smoothing out its new player experience
A player's first steps into a new game can often be overwhelming, but that difficulty leaps exponentially when you're starting an MMO of 12 years. Warframe has expanded from a third-person action game to a hugely complex adventure with tons of side quests and bonus activities to explore, and now developer Digital Extremes is making changes to smooth the onboarding process for new players. The next major update (titled Yareli Prime) lands on May 21, followed by the long-awaited Isleweaver update in June. These will bring in much-needed quality of life features, including a new feature called Arsenal Categories. With more than 50 different Warframes, it can be hard to tell which suit is best suited (pun intended) for a given mission. Arsenal Categories divides Warframes into Damage, Crowd Control, Support, Survival, and Stealth so players can more readily identify types at a glance. Recommended Videos Digital Extremes is quick to point out that every Warframe can handle every situation with the right build, however. The update isn't intended to shoehorn players into a specific style. In addition to Arsenal Categories, weapons will also be split into different categories that 'identify core characteristics shared between weapons.' There are primary, secondary, and melee categories that partition weapons into their main type, such as rifle, throwable, or scythe. Warframe offers so much content that it can feel overwhelming for new players, but these changes will make it easier to make those initial character choices about how you want to approach the game. When the Isleweave update arrives in June, Junctions — a type of solo mission that introduces players to new mechanics — will also receive QoL changes. Previously, selecting a Junction would launch the mission, but it now opens a screen that shows the player all possible rewards and required tasks. Players will also be able to receive rewards upon completing a Junction task, rather than at the end of the mission after defeating the boss. And that's just scraping the surface of Digital Extremes's updates for Warframe. The team laid out an incredibly detailed Reddit post with everything you can look forward to in the next couple of months.
Digital Trends
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
EVE Fanfest 2025 proved that EVE Online's influence is undeniable
Table of Contents Table of Contents More than one game An emerging industry EVE Online's legacy Heading into EVE Fanfest 2025, I deeply underestimated the impact of this sci-fi MMO from CCP Games. I'd seen headlines surrounding the game every couple of years, but generally still saw it as a game with a niche but passionate community, destined to only occasionally break out when some world record was broken or a major heist was pulled off. After spending some time in Iceland around EVE Fanfest earlier this month, though, the true impact of EVE Online and CCP Games started to sink in. I not only saw how passionate the community attending was, but I also saw EVE expanding with new games and a growing Icelandic indie scene that owes its current growth to EVE Online's success. EVE: Vanguard is a promising shooter with the potential to garner a whole new audience, while Iceland's indie game scene has the potential to be home to the next surprise indie hit. Recommended Videos 'EVE Forever' was a phrase thrown around a lot at EVE Fanfest. While it's a catchphrase meant to energize fans who made their way out to Reykjavik for this BlizzCon-like event, it speaks to something bigger. It suggests EVE in another sci-fi franchise that will have an undeniable legacy through the larger franchise and its impact on the emerging Icelandic video game industry. More than one game Although the EVE Online: Legion expansion was the centerpiece of EVE Fanfest this year, it was not the only game taking up time and attention on the show floor. On the second floor of the Harpa concert hall, where EVE Fanfest took place, players could check out EVE: Vanguard, a new MMO shooter that CCP Games London is developing. Vanguard is an extraction shooter like Arc Raiders or Marathon, where players drop onto planets, fight AI-controlled enemies and other players, and gather loot. Even in this deep-in-development state, Vanguard feels smooth to play with weapons that pack a punch and lean more into sci-fi concept than your typical extraction shooter weapons. It also leans into MMO elements with a 'Bastion' system that sees players fight for control over certain groups of planets, inevitably leading to conflicts as player Bastions expand into each other. As someone who could never get themselves too deep into EVE Online because of how hardcore it was, EVE: Vanguard felt much more instantly approachable as a PC shooter. Its ideas of EVE Online connectivity and world persistence through the Bastion system also give it a leg up against more generically designed extraction shooters. It has even attracted developers like Senior Producer Jamie Stanton, who didn't play much EVE Online before working at CCP, because they had faith in EVE as a franchise and its potential to draw people in. 'I think the power of the EVE brand and the reputation that it has is going to draw in a lot of players who, even if they don't want to play [EVE: Online], will want to be a part of that universe,' Stanton tells Digital Trends. For those who don't want to learn the ins and outs of a dense UI or play in Microsoft Excel as much as the game client, EVE: Vanguard will offer a much more appealing entry point to EVE when it launches in 2026. While I'm much less bullish on EVE Frontier, CCP's Web3 survival MMO, it has also drawn a passionate audience participating in a hackathon at EVE Fanfest to help CCP build out that game. Toss in recent mobile games like EVE: Galaxy Conquest and EVE: Echoes, as well as a teased dice-based tabletop game, and by the end of the 2020s, EVE could have a fleet of popular games like it never has before. An emerging industry Even if you've never touched an EVE game or don't plan to, you soon might find yourself playing an Icelandic indie game. Like CD Projekt Red helped jumpstart Poland's video game industry over a decade ago, CCP did the same for Iceland's local game dev scene. IGI chairman Halldór Kristjánsson discussed the history of Iceland's game industry with me ahead of EVE Fanfest. For a long time, it was quite small outside of success stories like CCP and Plain Vanilla Games' QuizUp. Then, in 2018, CCP Games was acquired by Black Desert Online developer Pearl Abyss for $425 million. According to Kristjánsson, this had many downstream effects. Developers left CCP, eager to start or join independent studios, and more investment interest in such companies also popped up. Almost seven years after the acquisition, the effects of this are becoming clearer. World War 2 card game Kards, party game No Time to Relax, and survival MMO Pax Dei have come out and found modest success. More games are coming, and CCP let those devs demo them at EVE Fanfest 2025. I loved my time with Walk of Life, a follow-up to Porcelain Fortress' No Time to Relax that doubles down on being a comedic life-sim party game. Gang of Frogs taps into the formula of games like Helldivers 2 and Risk of Rain 2 to offer up an entertaining roguelite co-op shooter where players control cartoonish frogs rather than soldiers. Island of Winds is a single-player puzzle adventure game inspired by Iceland's history and volcanically formed landscapes. Finally, Dig In is a new World War 1 strategy game where players build out trenches and have to deal with the fact that orders aren't instant, but delivered over time. I see breakout potential in these games. Walk of Life has a spark that could make it a Jackbox-like hit on Twitch, while Dig In can tap into the passionate history-driven strategy game audience. If any of the games I mention become a Balatro or Clair Obscur: Expedition 33-like breakout hit, their existence can be traced back to EVE Online in some way, shape, or form. The developers of these indie games were transparent about that fact as I spoke to them. Gang of Frogs' Lead Developer Ingólfur Halldórsson (previously a Software Engineer at CCP) went as far as to say, 'I don't think there's any studio in Iceland that has not had some kind of personal connection to CCP,' and that was reflected by the the fact that ever Icelandic indie game developer I spoke to had at least one former CCP game dev on its staff, no matter the size of the studio. EVE Online's legacy If you're not deeply ingrained in EVE Online's gameplay system and knowledgeable about the developer and player-influenced history of New Eden, then you may underestimate EVE's impact. It draws a significant crowd of dedicated fans to a convention every year, has directly or indirectly influenced the creation of so many game studios throughout Iceland, and is gearing up to go even bigger and more mainstream thanks to games like EVE: Vanguard. At EVE Fanfest 2025, spirits seemed high about the future of EVE and the Icelandic game industry. Of course, it's too early to tell just how high the ceiling is for these EVE spinoffs and Icelandic indie games. CCP's track record with Vanguard-like shooters isn't great, as it shuttered PS3 game Dust 514 and canceled another EVE shooter codenamed Project Nova. Indies like Gang of Frogs or Walk of Life have the potential to break out, but the worldwide indie game scene is more crowded than ever. In 2025, no game is a guaranteed hit, even if it is tied to a well-known IP or has ample financial backing. Still, CCP and the Icelandic game industry at large exude confidence and show growth at a time when many other parts of the video game industry are doing the exact opposite. Dig In design and Vitar Games founder Baldvin Albertsson pointed out that there isn't much infighting because Iceland's game industry is so young, and believes CCP's effect on Iceland's indie game scene shows the impact one studio can have on a 'microscopic level.' While I'm not sure I'll have the time to immerse myself in EVE Online's intricacies anytime soon, it's more likely than ever that I'll feel the effects of the game. Barring any unforeseen shifts at CCP, EVE will be a sci-fi franchise that's impossible to ignore. And even if EVE Online and its spinoffs go away one day, EVE will live through all of the independent game studios CPP had a part in creating. If I ever return to EVE Fanfest, I won't be underestimating it anymore. Disclaimer: Travel and accommodations for Digital Trends to attend EVE Fanfest were covered by Business Iceland.
Forbes
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
New World: Aeternum's Springtide Bloom Returns With New Event And Loot
New World: Aeternum Springtide Bloom Amazon Games Next week, the Springtide Bloom event returns to New World: Aeternum across all platforms offering up a new in-game event and tons of seasonal rewards to earn. The event runs from May 13 until June 2 and is designed for characters level 20 or higher. In this event, players will harvest dangerous blooms known as Wispyblooms as they hunt down Wispy Wasp enemies. As you collect and deliver the event's unique resources to local Bloom Heralds, you can exchange them for Event Reputation ranks and tokens. And then using those tokens, you can unlock seasonal cosmetics, housing items, and more. You'll just have to make sure you spend all your tokens by the time the event ends on June 2, because they're only good for that specific purpose. If you've ever played an MMO or any live service game for that matter, then you're probably familiar with how these sorts of seasonal events work. They're not reinventing the wheel here, but the designs for everything look very pretty in that key art at least. You can see a big list of all the rewards on the official blog page. Admittedly, I have not tried New World again since it relaunched last year. Around the time the relaunch happened is also when Throne and Liberty came out, and I was knee-deep in running a guild for the first few months of that game's life. When New World first debuted on PC a few years ago, I was in there heavily for a couple of months as well and had a good time, but fell off like I usually do after a while. On paper, this new version of New World sounds and looks great, especially since it's also on consoles now. Plus, the game supports cross-play features as well between PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This event isn't for a player like me who would likely be starting fresh since I wouldn't even have a character high enough level, but re-engaging fans consistently is always the recipe for success with MMOs so it's good to see strong effort from the development team here.
The Star
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Trip down memory lane: The golden age of the MMO game
Role-playing games are nothing new. They have been a part of gaming subculture for decades now, beginning in 1974 with Dungeons And Dragons , a tabletop role-playing game in which players role play as adventures in a fantasy setting being guided by a 'dungeon master'. In some ways, the Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game is this concept taken to its natural conclusion with the advent of accessible Internet. The 2000s were marked by the appearance of many families procuring PCs for home use, as well as a flourishing of cyber cafes, which were establishments furnished with rows upon rows of computers catering for online gamers who preferred to play in public. The rise of a genre As such, it is little wonder that the MMO became so popular amongst the youngsters just beginning to explore the Internet. Here were beautifully rendered fantasy worlds where you could live out a second life, inhabiting a fantasy character. You could meet like-minded people and forge friendships that went beyond the game itself. Unlike most other MMO gamers, Tan played as the same character in MapleStory for nearly 20 years. — TAN JUN SZEN Some of the games that were household names in Malaysia during the heyday of the MMO were MapleStory , Ragnarok Online , and Runescape , just to name a few. Most of these games continue to be supported to the current day, albeit at diminished player counts. Tan Jun Szen, 31, played MapleStory during his childhood, starting in 2005 when he was 11, and continuing well into adulthood on the same character, only stopping in 2023. 'The reason why I started playing it was because my brothers and cousins were playing as well,' Tan says. This was one reason why MMOs enjoyed such popularity in those years; the games spread through influence within social groups. If everyone in one's group of friends or family members is playing, one is more likely to try the game out, if for no other reason than to play together as a social activity. K'vin Chan, 32, concurs. He played Chinese MMOs during his secondary school years, such as Mo Siang Online and Jade Dynasty . 'I played these games mainly because of my friends. When there are people to play with you, it feels different.' Chan was a fan of Mo Siang Online and Jade Dynasty, Chinese MMOs. — K'VIN CHAN Aesthetics was also a major factor in drawing in players. Robin Chia, 36, says of Ragnarok Online : 'I think it was groundbreaking because it was the first online side-scrolling online game that featured anime-styled characters, and combined that with character jobs and classes that you see in Western fantasy.' Tan also adds that the cuteness of MapleStory characters was a big factor in convincing him to play. 'The monsters, characters, and environments were all really unique.' MMOs could perhaps be considered one of the most immersive video game genres of all. Chan says, 'You're playing as whole other identity in an imaginary world. I think that's the biggest difference compared to other genres.' Algebro, who prefers to go by his in-game name, says of Runescape : 'I liked how big the game was, how many things there were to do, and I liked it as an escape from daily life. It offers a fantasy and you can immerse yourself in it. The genre was new, coming on to the scene during the Internet boom, and it offers social interaction and fantasy. I think that's why it got so much traction.' The basic gameplay loop in an MMO revolves around strengthening your character, typically by gaining experience points to level up, as well as collecting equipment. While this is not much different from other video games of today, in the MMOs of the 2000s this gameplay loop was taken to a completely different level, with character growth requiring much more time compared to other types of video games. This process was often referred to as 'grinding'. A screenshot from Old School Runescape, showcasing a location filled with characters. — ALGEBRO As such, this required a greater level of commitment from the player, with the game often became an entrenched part of a player's lifestyle. 'It became a constant in my life,' Algebro says. 'It was always there for me to return to. And it helped me be more sociable.' MMOs as social platforms The most prominent way to hasten character growth was to team up with other players to form a party or guild. This, for many players, was the core appeal of the MMO genre, allowing them to make new friends, or strengthen bonds with existing friends. For example, in Ragnarok Online , War Of Emperium was a game feature that allowed guilds to fight with each other for control of castles which could be used as bases and could confer certain benefits. 'There were so many people inside,' Chia reminisces on the ferocity of the fighting. 'I would go into the portal to the castle and die immediately at the portal.' Chia got into playing Ragnarok Online with his school friends through free CDs distributed through comics and magazines. — ROBIN CHIA Tan says, 'Back then even though levelling up was hard, what we had was a sense of community. You'd log in, talk to your friends, and do quests together. There was a sense of adventure as a community as well.' Naturally, this hard-earned progression evoked strong feelings of accomplishment. Tan and a friend trained for two weeks to be able to defeat a series of bosses and unlock a stronger form for their weapons. 'When we cleared the boss, the sense of achievement was crazy,' Tan says. The other major social aspect of the MMO was commerce, introducing many young minds to the ins and outs of business. In practically all MMOs, designated market areas would be bustling with traders looking to buy or sell exclusive in-game goods. Chia says, 'You could go into the city, and merchants would have their pop-up stalls there. They'd be AFK (Away From Keyboard) and leave their characters there with their items and pricing. You could spend hours there clicking on the shops, one-by-one, looking for rare or cheap items.' Social interactions in the games were so ubiquitous that most players in those days would end up developing close bonds with other players. 'It was a social platform,' Chia says. 'We didn't have Facebook yet.' Players selling in-game items in Ragnarok Online. — Valve Tan says, 'For some of the friends that I met through Maple , we still do keep in contact. It has been 15 years of friendship. I went to Singapore once, and for the whole trip I was accompanied by friends from Maple .' Chan says, 'The friendships you form in the game are very pure. You start out just discussing the game, and (from) there you start talking more and more.' The bonds formed while playing MMOs is of course not limited to just friendships. You could get married in-game with another player, something both Tan and Chia did in their respective games. Sharing Runescape with a romantic partner is also a fond memory of Algebro's. MMOs in today's gaming landscape The MMOs that have survived to the current day have all changed in certain ways. Levelling up has become easier, and has become arguably less dependent on working together with other players. 'It has become more streamlined,' Tan says. 'You can reach Level 200 in one day.' By comparison, in the 2000s it might have taken a player months to reach Level 50. Tan continues, saying, 'I feel that we as a society has changed as well. Our attention span has become shorter, and we want instant gratification.' As a result, today's MMOs can sometimes be less of a social experience. The cuteness of MapleStory characters was a big factor in convincing many players to jump into the game. — Nexon MapleStory Algebro says, 'Over time, we seem to have become more of an individualistic society. Or maybe it's just me growing up. Nowadays, even if there's someone next to you in game, they're just minding your own business, and you don't really talk that much. 'We do lose a lot of the random chatter, but if we do find someone that we feel we can talk to, we are able to keep that connection for longer.' Private servers still exist of these MMOs. The games themselves may have changed over the years, but many fans have preserved a version of the game that they remember from the past, where they can continue to play out the 'good old days'. 'I still feel nostalgic when I see Ragnarok Online ,' Chia muses. In today's gaming landscape, mobile gaming seems to have taken the place of MMOs. 'You don't see cyber cafes anymore,' Chia observes. 'Now it's the mamak, you go there and you see youngsters playing mobile games together there.' Chan believes that the genre may have been outclassed by the more refined, mainstream games of today. He says, 'There are many more options now. More consoles, better technology. Game design is more interesting now, more skill-based and less reliant on grinding.' Although MMO as a genre may never regain the popularity it had once attained in the 2000s, it lives on in the fond memories of the players who had spent their youth within its digital realms.
BBC News
26-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Stranded pregnant porpoise in Cornwall died in fishing nets
A pregnant porpoise found stranded in Cornwall died after being caught up in commercial fishing nets, a post-mortem examination has found. James Barnett, veterinary investigator for Cornwall Marine Pathology Team, described the examination as the "most distressing he has ever seen"."In nearly 20 years of undertaking this work, I have rarely seen a female so close to term. It was quite emotional for all of us," said Mr called on the government to provide access to acoustic deterrent devices, known as "pingers", which emit sounds to alert porpoises to fishing nets. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) said vessels over 12m (39ft) were required to use acoustic devices. The porpoise was found by trust volunteers on Good Friday after they were called to Pentewan Beach near St Austell.A post-mortem found the animal had been heavily pregnant with a near-term Barnett said the porpoise displayed "clear signs of entanglement" in monofilament fishing net, also known as gillnets – "a strong indicator of bycatch".Bycatch describes marine creatures trapped by commercial fishing nets during fishing for a different post-mortem was carried out as part of the government-funded Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme. Cornwall Wildlife Trust said increased sightings of small cetaceans, which are marine mammals including dolphins and porpoises, over the last nine years had coincided with more interactions with fishing was estimated to kill more than 1,000 harbour porpoises every year in UK waters alone, it Allen, marine conservation officer at the trust, said: "It's an agonising death for the individuals, and this level of loss is not sustainable for these populations."Urgent" government action was needed to work with fishers, many of whom were "ready" to use the devices, she said. However, the trust said fishers had reported difficulties obtaining licences to use the deterrent devices.A spokesman from the MMO said vessels over 12m (39ft) were required to use acoustic devices, and those outside that requirement must obtain a marine wildlife regard to fishers' difficulties obtaining licences, it said many applications came to the department anonymously without the required details, so they were unable to process said bycatch of porpoise was a concern and new management measures were being explored. 'Campaigned endlessly' Nick West, chairman of the Mevagissey Fisherman's Association, said a trial of the pingers had proven "undeniably effective", with no bycatch recorded on cameras installed on vessels using them West added said they had "campaigned endlessly" for the devices, which they had offered to MMO said options to manage bycatch could include expanding the use of the acoustic deterrent devices, spatial closures or voluntary options, but no decisions had been said it was discussing the options with experts and planned to involve industry leaders later this year to develop a formal proposal for consultation.
