New World Archives

AppWizard

May 2, 2026

Loving MMOs in 2026 is an exercise in frustration, grief, and moving on

This week’s edition of Terminally Online reflects on the current state of Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs), highlighting a mix of nostalgia and concern. The genre includes popular titles like The Elder Scrolls Online, Final Fantasy 14, and Guild Wars 2, but recent cancellations of new MMOs have caused unease among players, with 2025 referred to as an “MMO massacre.” Projects such as New World and Project Blackbird have been canceled, emphasizing the fragility of the genre. Players often find themselves relying on established games as excitement for new releases wanes. Investing time in MMOs can yield rewards but also leads to frustration due to the evolving nature of these games, which can dishearten long-time players. World of Warcraft exemplifies this with its fluctuating quality and controversial expansions. Titles like Final Fantasy 14 have been praised for their narratives but criticized for gameplay stagnation. The history of MMOs shows that even successful games like City of Heroes and Star Wars: Galaxies eventually fade, leaving communities in a state of uncertainty. Factors contributing to this stagnation include shareholder pressure for consistent growth, which can hinder creativity and lead to a focus on short-term profits. Despite these challenges, there is hope for the future of MMOs, as the industry is cyclical. Upcoming projects, such as Riot’s new MMO, may inspire renewed interest and community engagement. The desire for a vibrant MMO landscape and the friendships formed within these games remain strong among players.

AppWizard

April 24, 2026

New PAW Patrol land opens May 3 at Chessington ahead of Minecraft World

Chessington World of Adventures will open a new PAW Patrol-themed land on May 3, 2026, marking the UK's first PAW Patrol area. The attraction will include four main rides: Chase’s Mountain Mission (a junior roller coaster), Marshall’s Firetruck Rescue (a rocking ride), Skye’s Helicopter Heroes (an aerial spinning ride), and Zuma’s Hovercraft Adventure (the UK’s first “Drifter” ride). Additionally, there will be three themed play areas, including Rubble & Rocky’s Play Zone and the Flounder Boat. The £50 million investment in this area is part of a broader initiative by Merlin Entertainments, which includes the upcoming Minecraft World set to debut in 2027. Chessington aims to attract young families and enhance its appeal as a family-friendly destination.

AppWizard

April 22, 2026

Here’s when Masters of Albion launches in your timezone

Peter Molyneux's new project, Masters of Albion, allows players to act as a deity, building towns and influencing subjects with divine powers. The game features mechanics like throwing lightning bolts and dropping boulders. Masters of Albion is set to launch in early access soon, with specific launch times available for different time zones. There will be no preloading option, and the game requires 20 GB of storage.

AppWizard

April 15, 2026

Dwarf Fortress is coming to Magic: The Gathering and I’m beginning to suspect Wizards of the Coast is targeting me, specifically

Wizards of the Coast announced a collaboration between Magic: The Gathering and Dwarf Fortress as part of the Secret Lair's Back to School superdrop. The Dwarf Fortress x Magic: The Gathering set features unique illustrations, including a trapped dwarf facing a vampiric Ñ and a capital D unleashing dragonfire. One illustration, titled Communal Brewing, depicts dwarves gathering in a dining hall. The card designs utilize ASCII art, reflecting the game's origins. The Secret Lair x Dwarf Fortress: Create New World set will be available for order starting April 27 on the Secret Lair website.

AppWizard

April 7, 2026

Sandbox RPG dev spends 5 years combining No Man’s Sky with Minecraft in “voxel survival game where the world is a planet” in a solar system with “seamless” space travel, smashes Kickstarter goal in 3 hours

The Kickstarter campaign for PlanetSmith has raised over £26,700, surpassing its target of £4,314. The project is led by Kenneth Ward, also known as Incandescent Games, who has spent five years developing the game. PlanetSmith aims to enhance the sandbox experience by allowing players to explore alien planets, build structures, engage in battles, and launch into space. Alpha access is scheduled to begin in April, and the campaign has 23 days remaining.

AppWizard

April 6, 2026

Gray Zone Warfare’s player count jumps by over 1000% following its most recent update: ‘Players are coming back’

Developer Madfinger Games reported a resurgence in player numbers for Gray Zone Warfare, with an increase of over 1000% since the release of the 'Spearhead' update at the end of March. The monthly peak player count surged by 1076%, reaching 126,600 peak daily active players and 30,954 concurrent users. As of the latest figures from SteamDB, concurrent players have climbed to 35,275, with a 24-hour peak of 43,770. The Spearhead update introduced 100 new tasks and contracts, refreshed 50 existing tasks, revamped the tasks system, and replaced item-specific incentives with monetary rewards. Improvements were made to the game's AI, character movement mechanics, and new content was added, including 25 new world locations, 8 new weapons, new factions, bosses, and 150 new gear pieces. Gray Zone Warfare is currently available at a discounted price of .79 (£23.44) until April 9.

AppWizard

April 2, 2026

Minecraft Herdcraft Update Says Goodbye to Inventory for April Fools

Minecraft has introduced the Herdcraft snapshot, an April Fool's update that eliminates the traditional inventory system in favor of a dynamic, block-following mechanic. Players no longer have inventory slots; instead, their carried blocks are visually represented behind them. To gather resources, players must select the Punch option to bring blocks to life and then use the Attack/Mine option to extract the block's spirit, which can follow them or perform actions. Crafting requires players to manually place blocks on surfaces instead of using a crafting table interface. Combat mechanics have changed, allowing players to command collected weapons to fight autonomously. The Herdcraft snapshot is available for the Minecraft Java Edition through the Minecraft Launcher as snapshot 26w14a. These changes are temporary and exist only within the Herdcraft snapshot, allowing players to explore new mechanics without affecting their existing gameplay.

AppWizard

March 28, 2026

Watch: A new world unlocked ⛏️ #indycar #racing #minecraft

Fans are encouraged to subscribe to the official INDYCAR YouTube channel for updates on the 2026 racing season, which includes a diverse lineup of races at various venues. The schedule features: - March 29: Barber Motorsports Park - April 19: Streets of Long Beach, California - May 9: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course - May 27: The 110th Indianapolis 500 - May 31: Streets of Detroit, Michigan - June 7: World Wide Technology Raceway - June 21: Road America - July 5: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course - July 19: Nashville Superspeedway - August 9: Portland International Raceway - August 16: Streets of Markham, Ontario, Canada - August 23: Streets of Washington, D.C. - August 29: Milwaukee Mile Race 1 - August 30: Milwaukee Mile Race 2 - September 6: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Every race will be broadcast live on FOX, the exclusive U.S. television home for INDYCAR. The Official INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA is available for real-time updates. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES features notable drivers such as Alex Palou, Will Power, Scott Dixon, and Josef Newgarden.

AppWizard

March 18, 2026

As key Lost Ark devs leave, Amazon Games says “trust is earned through actions, not words”

The Amazon Games team responsible for Lost Ark has experienced significant departures, including community manager Roxanne Sabo and producer 'Hardcore' Henry Stelter. Sabo expressed her pride in her work with the community, while Stelter reflected on his journey with the game. A statement on the Lost Ark global website acknowledged these departures and emphasized the importance of community feedback, citing a recent survey of over 11,000 players. The future of Lost Ark remains uncertain, especially following the Ends of the Abyss update, with plans outlined only through April. Smilegate continues to be the primary developer, and there is potential for another publisher to take over if Amazon Games withdraws.

AppWizard

February 20, 2026

New Game Release Dates: The biggest games coming soon for PS5, Switch 2, Xbox, and PC

2026 will feature a significant lineup of game releases. Notable titles scheduled for release include: March 2026: - World of Warcraft: Midnight – March 2 (PC) - Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered – March 3 (PS5, Xbox, PC) - Scott Pilgrim EX – March 3 (PS5, Switch, Xbox, PC) - Marathon – March 5 (PS5, Xbox, PC) - Pokémon Pokopia – March 5 (Switch 2) - Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection – March 13 (PS5, Switch 2, Xbox, PC) - WWE 2K26 – March 13 (PS5, Switch 2, Xbox, PC) April 2026: - Goat Simulator 3 – April 1 (Switch 2) - Pragmata – April 24 (PS5, Switch 2, Xbox) - Diablo IV – Lord of Hatred – April 28 (PS5, Xbox, PC) May 2026: - Forza Horizon 6 – May 19 (Xbox, PC) - 007: First Light – May 27 (PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, PC) - LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight – May 29 (PS5, Switch 2, Xbox, PC) June 2026: - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – June 3 (Switch 2) July 2026: - Granblue Fantasy: Relink – July 9 (PS5, PS4, Switch 2, PC) - Digimon Story Time Stranger – July 10 (Switch, Switch 2) August 2026: - Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls – August 6 (PS5, PC) September 2026: - Phantom Blade 0 – September 9 (PS5, PC) November 2026: - Grand Theft Auto 6 – November 19 (PS5, Xbox) Other notable games expected in 2026 include: - Marvel's Wolverine (Fall 2026) - Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition - Fable (Fall 2026) - Silent Hill Townfall - Subnautica 2 This information will be updated regularly to reflect the latest offerings for PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, and PC.