James Crosby

Was just listening to this album last night. So good.

We're saddened to learn Kevin Lydy passed away. He was the designer of the EverQuest logo and still working on the MMO 25 years after its launch. forums.everquest.com/index.php?th...

Kevin was the focus of our MinnMax Spotlight from November 2024, a very sweet man. RIP. youtu.be/_18ZFndAzWU

We are immensely grief stricken by the news of Kevin Lydy's recent passing. He was an integral part of EverQuest over the years. Our deepest condolences and sympathies go out to his family, friends, and the multitude of fans he made along his journey through life. Rest well dearest Adventurer.

25 years ago Phantasy Star Online made the cover of Edge magazine’s Christmas issue… 👀

#Sega #PhantasyStar #Dreamcast ☀️🌴

Dragon Quest X expansion "Lost Children in Space-Time" (Version 8.0) will release digital-only on June 25, 2026 for Windows, PlayStation 4|5, and Nintendo Switch 1|2.

Skies preview PC Gamer US Magazine July 1998

Skies preview Next Generation Magazine November 1997

Skies started appearing in magazines prior to Ultima Online's launch and was listed alongside EverQuest and Asheron's Call in PC Gamer's 1998 Hot 100 list of upcoming games.

A screenshot from the cancelled online RPG Skies. A character with large wings stands in a temple environment.

A screenshot from the cancelled online RPG Skies. A character with fairy wings floats in a temple environment.

A screenshot from the cancelled online RPG Skies. A character with fairy wings flies towards a floating island.

A screenshot from the cancelled online RPG Skies. A character with fairy wings floats in a dark temple. In the centre is a small pool of water.

Skies (SegaSoft) seems to have been more of a lobby-style MMO, with 4-player group quests. This sounds similar to the system used in Phantasy Star Online (Sonic Team), which entered into production around the time Skies' development wound down.

EP CLASSIC S2E10 - METAL GEAR SOLID / ZAMPELLA & WEST / CRASH 3 / UNREAL - Electric Playground YouTube video by Electric Playground Network - EPN

Before Medal of Honour and Call of Duty, Vince Zampella was a producer on Skies.
Announced in 1997, Skies was Sega's attempt to break into the early MMORPG space.
The game was slated for a 1999 release on PC and Dreamcast but was cancelled in late '98.
youtu.be/5mFVoq-h90s?...

The Star Wars Galaxies Legends rogue server recently added an in-game mausoleum where you can view the avatars of players who've passed away.
Similar ideas date back to the MUDs of yore, but this is one of the neatest implementations I've seen in a virtual world.

Fabulous news! So happy to see this game thriving under Broadsword.

Miah standing in a snowy tundra with her hand to her chest, looking over the mountains. A vision of the famous nameless antelope doe is in the sky beyond the mountain range.

You were not meant for this world, yet you brought it joy.
You had no name, yet you were loved by many.
You were only Lv 1, yet your whimsy could not be measured.
Your footsteps no longer dot the snow, yet they left their mark on us.

Thank you, . And farewell.

I'm trying to find a (reasonably priced) copy of this book - physical or digital. It was featured in Wired and Edge mags back in 1999, but I can't find any copies knocking about on Amazon or eBay. Seems to be a few library copies in Australia but that's all I've been able to turn up.
Please share!

Congratulations - a very well-deserved nomination.

The Making of Guild Wars: Celebrating 25 Years of ArenaNet YouTube video by Guild Wars 2

🎬 Premiering Wed at 7 PM PT: The Making of Guild Wars: Celebrating 25 Years of ArenaNet! Go behind the scenes of the franchise, the people who built it, & the community that calls Tyria home. Register to get notified when it goes live: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpm2...

Properly heartbreaking stuff. Especially considering quite a few of these were close to prime time.

Scan of magazine advertising for Everquest by 989 Studios & Sony Computer Entertainment in the issue #7 of PC Accelerator, in March 1999

Magazine advertising for Everquest by 989 Studios & Sony Computer Entertainment in the issue #7 of PC Accelerator, in March 1999

Always find it super interesting how MMO servers can organically develop communities with their own personalities.

The Video Game History Expansion Pack – Pitch your story Today I’m putting my money where my mouth is and launching a new project — a book focused on game history outside of the usual North American perspectives.

So, today I'm announcing a new book project... and doing a call for papers: crpgbook.wordpress.com/2025/10/31/t...

It's an anthology of video game history outside the usual US perspective - an accessible & exciting panorama of different realities - and I'll pay 300 USD per article.

Please share :)

Perfect Ten: MMOs that adapted specific video game genres

From crime sims to horse girl games, here are 10 MMOs that took a gaming theme and turned it into a full-fledged MMO:

Shocked and saddened by the New World news. Cruel. Shameful. Completely unnecessary.
Wishing the best for the passionate, talented people who just lost their jobs.

Huge thanks to @thevideogamelibrary.org and the good folks at CRC Press for sorting me out with a copy of this very big and very essential book.

Even if you've read Bartle's original edition of Designing Virtual Worlds, you need to check out this expanded Second Edition.

Eagerly awaiting Vol. 2...

Halloween festivities across the MMO world, 2025 edition - we're rounding up all the MMO Halloween events we can find (and adding as we go!)

Perfect Ten: The best MMOs for the year-round Halloween season

Perfect Ten: The best MMOs for the year-round Halloween season

Perfect Ten: 10 things that haven’t changed about the MMORPG genre since 2015

From WoW killers that never materialized to waiting on MMOs that still haven't launched, here are 10 things that haven't changed about the MMORPG genre since 2015

Runescape - The Official Handbook (2006) [PC] Runescape - The Official Handbook (2006) Platform: PC

New Release - Runescape - The Official Handbook (2006) [PC]

There is a new LEGENDARY Museum in @swglegends.bsky.social #SWG #SWGLegends

Xfire – that is, Xf1re – is back to serve up some nostalgia to the old-school gaming social community

Xfire – that is, Xf1re – is back to serve up some nostalgia to the old-school gaming social community

A screenshot from Shenmue Online. A woman stands in the centre of the image and wears an orange vest and blue trousers. In the background are Chinese archways, hedges, buildings and phone wires, as well as a blue sky.

Here's a very old screenshot from Shenmue Online. Though there's a lot that remains unknown about the unreleased MMO, the locations and setting scream Shenmue to us. Maybe one day we'll learn more about this strange chapter of Shenmue's history!

#ThrowbackThursday #SEGA
#LetsGetShenmue4

Face of Mankind rogue server Empire Rising begins its open beta tomorrow

Face of Mankind rogue server Empire Rising begins its open beta tomorrow

Yes, I'm aware that the previous global releases of Digimon RPG/Battle Online and DMO have been pretty dreadful. This will likely be the case here, but I'm sure there are still fans who would be interested in trying it out.