Category Archives: Rift

WoW is dead. Long live WoW!

Posted on September 12, 2019 by SynCaine

WoW Retail, born Nov 23rd, 2004, has sadly passed away at the age of (almost) 15 on Aug 26th, 2019. Cause of death: WoW Classic. RIP in peace. Ever since WoW Retail become a monster hit sometime around 2005, ‘WoW … Continue reading →

Posted in MMO design, Rant, Rift, SW:TOR, Tobold being Wrong, Trion being Trion, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft | 19 Comments

PUBG is to 2017 what WoW was to 2004

Posted on September 14, 2017 by SynCaine

The parallels between the current explosive growth and influence of PUBG and WoW back in 2004 are many, though there are also some very interesting differences. Neither game was the first in its genre. WoW wasn’t the first MMO, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Combat Systems, Darkfall Online, EQ2, EVE Online, Inquisition Clan, League of Legends, Lord of the Rings Online, Mass Media, MMO design, PvP, Rift, SOE being SOE, SW:TOR, Tobold being Wrong, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft | 2 Comments

Warhammer Online killed the MMO genre

Posted on January 19, 2016 by SynCaine

Sensationalized blog title for all of the clicks! Except not really, because WAR really did kill the MMO genre, at least in terms of being a mainstream genre similar in popularity to say RPGs, Sports titles, or FPS. Now don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Age of Conan, Aion, Camelot Unchained, Crowfall, Dark Age of Camelot, Darkfall Online, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO design, Rift, Star Citizen, SW:TOR, Uncategorized, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft | 10 Comments

State of the MMO genre, 2015 edition

Posted on February 4, 2015 by SynCaine

First things first, it’s now 2015, and just like in 2014, 2013, and really since the beginning of time, we still haven’t seen an as-successful F2P MMO as we have sub MMOs (WoW/FFXIV/EVE). Until we do, this isn’t a debate. … Continue reading →

Posted in Age of Conan, Aion, Asheron's Call, Camelot Unchained, EQ2, EVE Online, Final Fantasy XIV, Life is Feudal, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO design, Pathfinder Online, Rift, RMT, Star Citizen, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft | 64 Comments

AA: Trion does its best to ruin a good thing

Posted on September 29, 2014 by SynCaine

ArcheAge makes for some rather interesting blogging fodder, and hopefully I can get through the major points and get my point across in a way that makes sense, but no promises, as this might get rambly. Let’s start with the … Continue reading →

Posted in ArcheAge, MILK Corp, Rant, Rift, RMT | 17 Comments

What happened to all those WoW-babies?

Posted on August 4, 2014 by SynCaine

TAGN, in a post about the closing of Vanguard, brings back a theory that was pretty popular around the 2006(ish) timeframe; mainly that those who played WoW would ‘grow up’ to eventually play a ‘real MMO’. Let’s revisit that theory … Continue reading →

Posted in Clash of Clans, EVE Online, League of Legends, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO design, Pathfinder Online, Rift, Star Citizen, SW:TOR, The Elder Scrolls Online, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft | 8 Comments

ESO: If you have played one zone, you have played them all

Posted on May 14, 2014 by SynCaine

If you have played one ESO zone, you have played them all. I think the above is the best way to sum up my feelings as of right now for ESO. It’s so simple, and yet I’m having trouble fully … Continue reading →

Posted in MMO design, Rift, The Elder Scrolls Online | 30 Comments

MMO Future: Understanding old memories

Posted on October 31, 2013 by SynCaine

Almost all of the original MMOs worked. UO, EQ1, AC1, DAoC; all of those games had solid populations and growth in their prime. In contrast, most of the recent MMOs (AoC, WAR, LotR, SW:TOR, Aion, Rift, etc) have not. Either … Continue reading →

Posted in Age of Conan, Aion, Asheron's Call, Dark Age of Camelot, EQ2, EVE Online, Guild Wars, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO design, Rift, Ultima Online, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft | 52 Comments

Rift closing in China, Death accountability.

Posted on September 18, 2013 by SynCaine

Things are not looking so hot over in Rift-land, including the upcoming closing of Rift China. The mighty MMO 3.0 seems to be falling, and falling fast. I can’t do a real comprehensive “why” analysis because I’ve not played the … Continue reading →

Posted in Darkfall Online, EQ2, MMO design, PvP, Rift, SW:TOR, World of Warcraft | 16 Comments

The cure for F2P disease is quality

Posted on August 22, 2013 by SynCaine

In the comments section from yesterday’s post, Rohirrim raised the issue that with so many failed MMOs being demoted to the F2P minor leagues, gamers today might be weary of jumping on a new game that is sub-based for fear … Continue reading →

Posted in Camelot Unchained, EQNext, EVE Online, Guild Wars, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO design, Rant, Rift, RMT, SW:TOR, The Elder Scrolls Online | 33 Comments