All articles tagged with #mmo
RuneScape, a classic online game from 2001, has seen a resurgence in popularity in 2025, with over a million paid members and a record 240,000 players online simultaneously, driven by nostalgia, community engagement, and recent updates that respect its roots. The game remains beloved for its social aspect and nostalgic appeal, with players forming lifelong connections through it.
Former Elder Scrolls Online director Matt Firor revealed that Microsoft's layoffs led to the cancellation of his highly anticipated MMO project, Project Blackbird, prompting his departure from Zenimax Online despite his passion for the game.
NCSoft has leaked an upcoming Horizon MMO called Steel Frontiers, which will be available on PC and mobile, featuring multiplayer gameplay where players hunt machines and interact with others in a shared world, but no release date has been announced yet.
The development of a new Warhammer MMO by Jackalyptic Games, led by veteran MMO developer Jack Emmert, has been canceled after NetEase ended its partnership, leaving the project in limbo and marking a setback for Warhammer online gaming.
Blizzard has dismissed ongoing speculation about bringing World of Warcraft to consoles, emphasizing their current focus on the PC experience, despite industry trends and past successes of MMOs on consoles. The upcoming expansion, Midnight, and new features like player housing are highlights, but a console release remains unconfirmed.
Amazon has canceled its second Lord of the Rings MMO project following layoffs at Amazon Games, marking the end of its efforts to develop a new Middle-earth online game after previous attempts and partnerships fell through, as the company shifts focus away from MMOs to other genres.
Amazon is winding down support for the MMO New World following mass layoffs affecting over 14,000 roles across the company, with the game's last content updates released and servers to remain active until 2026. The company is shifting focus away from MMOs to other projects like Amazon Luna and upcoming titles, while expressing gratitude to players for their support.
NCSOFT has announced that its upcoming open-world MMO tactical shooter, previously known as Project LLL, will be officially titled CINDER CITY. The game features dynamic graphics on Unreal Engine 5, a seamless open world set in a devastated futuristic Seoul, and realistic combat mechanics. Official online presence has been launched, including a website and social media accounts.
Nintendo is opening a limited online playtest for a new MMO game, likely similar to Minecraft, with 40,000 spots available on a first-come, first-served basis, starting July 18. Participants need a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership and must be from specific countries. The game, developed by the team behind Nintendo Labo, will include minigames, mechs, a character creator, and PvP, with the test running from July 28 to August 10.
Nintendo is opening applications for its next Switch Online playtest, which will test the same service as before, potentially an MMO-style game, with up to 40,000 participants worldwide, running from July 28 to August 10, 2023.
Microsoft has canceled ZeniMax's ambitious alien noir-themed MMO, Project Blackbird, after several years of development, despite positive early feedback and detailed plans for gameplay, story, and world-building. The game was set to feature a rich open world on the planet Soteria, with deep customization, traversal, and co-op gameplay, but was shelved as part of Microsoft's recent layoffs affecting numerous Xbox projects and studios.
Microsoft has canceled the long-in-development MMO 'Blackbird' from ZeniMax Online Studios, amidst a wave of layoffs and restructuring at Xbox, including the departure of ZeniMax Online Studios president Matt Firor and the reported cancellation of Rare's Everwild.
Dune Awakening, an MMO-survival game by Funcom, has achieved remarkable early success with nearly 100,000 concurrent players before its official release, aided by strategic pricing and early access options, despite competition from the upcoming Switch 2.
Final Fantasy 14 is being adapted for mobile platforms, starting with the storyline from A Realm Reborn, similar to a "classic" MMO experience. Directed by Naoki Yoshida, the mobile version will allow both new and existing players to experience the game's extensive narrative in smaller, mobile-friendly segments. Developed by Square Enix and Lightspeed Studios, the game will be free-to-play, focusing on long-term engagement rather than a gacha system. It will launch in China first, with a global release to follow.
World of Warcraft game director Ion Hazzikostas announced that player housing is the "most ambitious feature in a WoW expansion ever," highlighting its complexity and the long-term development required. The feature, long requested by the community, is set to be introduced in the upcoming expansion, Midnight. Hazzikostas emphasized the need for high-quality integration and customization, which delayed its implementation. More details will be shared through 2025 as Blizzard continues to refine the feature based on community feedback.