Genese Davis

The San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) celebrates our favorite genres of the entertainment industry, including comic, film, literary, art, cosplay, and of course, video games! Albeit video games don’t have a huge presence, there are still some really cool gaming specific panels I’ll be covering and speaking on this year.

Every year, we can expect to find some pretty cool things showcased at E3. Popular video game titles, indie titles, new tech in both hardware and software, VR updates, and of course breaking news for PC, consoles, and mobile games. However, this year, we also stumbled upon something we didn’t quite expect, and that was the team running Unikrn.

E3 is a great way to find out about upcoming video games, both for new titles and for titles with updates or re-releases. The latter is true for Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment.

Every year tens of thousands pack the Los Angeles Convention Center to attend the Electronic Entertainment Expo also known as E3. This year, MMORPG and I are excited to “takeover” E3 in conjunction with the ESA and E3 itself! Check out what we hope to achieve at E3 and learn more about our top-secret (or not so secret anymore) mission to bring gamers everywhere some exciting footage and behind the scenes sneak peaks.

“I don’t know how Blizzard does it every time, but they do it every time,” said GameSpot’s Chris Watters after the cinematic for Warlords of Draenor premiered at the Ace Theatre. The emphasis Watters had in that statement resonated with more than a thousand attendees who watched with bated breath as the event took place. Blizzard’s cinematics have always been state-of-the-art examples to the premium quality this company strives to achieve for each of their games.

The San Diego Comic-Con showcased quite a few of our exciting video game panels, one of which was focused on the Action-RPG genre. David Brevik (Gazillion Entertainment) visionary behind Diablo and Diablo II, Jared Gerritzen (Major League Gaming), David Eddings (Gearbox Software), James Schmalz (Digital Extremes), and Chris Lee (En Masse Entertainment) joined me on location to discuss the evolution of Action-RPGs.

San Diego Comic-Con showcased quite a few of our exciting video game panels, one of which was focused on eSports. Sam “Samzorz” Hall, Scott “Gandhi” Lussier and John “ZeRo4” Hill, joined me on location to reveal how aspiring gamers can become professional eSports players. Although Ryan “Fwiz” Wyatt and Sean “Day[9]” Plott were unable to speak at the event, I caught up with them afterwards to capture their valuable insight for this special edition column.

The mega San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) event is right around the corner, taking over southern California July 23rd-27th. SDCC celebrates every genre of the entertainment industry, bringing together over one hundred thousand attendees to celebrate epic fandom, esteemed creators, and breathtaking artwork. And our own Genese Davis will be there, representing MMORPG.com on five star-studded panels.

A few months ago, we had an exciting MMO Super Women discussion about what essential elements create memorable female protagonists. We asked you to name the women characters from MMOs that made an impression on you. As a result, we compiled your votes into the following ten MMOs and RPGs. Enjoy, and be sure to add any additional female favorite heroes in the comments below!

MMOs offer a unique community where friends create a bond and a history. As players invest in communal gameplay they foster social relationships that drive these shared experiences. Moments of this nature continue beyond the game, because of the impact we have on each other. Which of the following events did you take part in, or do you remember? Check out the following list of famous player-driven moments.

We’re seeing a groundbreaking evolution happening in e-Sports as pro players become recognized as professional athletes who are awarded visas and salaries. However, the journey for them has not been easy and challenges are ever present. What does it take to become a pro gamer? Is a viable e-Sports career possible? Let’s meet three amazing pro competitors who were kind enough to lend their thoughts on the subject.

RPG designers often refer to the four pillars when discussing a new game or concept. Their goals often aim to improve or reinvent one or more aspect(s). SWTOR emphasized the story pillar, while Wildstar showed interest in combat. There are MMOs that aim to invent new pillars like Everquest Next, while others focus on improving a variable within a pillar. Could these pillars of game design be stifling innovation or do they merely keep the design process grounded in what works?

Batman, Superman, and Spiderman are the most popular answers for the famous, who’s your favorite super hero? question. But what if you were asked to name your favorite female super hero? Icons such as Wonder Woman or Lara Croft may come to mind. What attributes make these super women feel truly real, but also truly memorable? For video games specifically it can be difficult to mention just one or two favorites. And it can be even more difficult to narrow down wonder-women characters from an MMO.

Extra Life's annual game play marathons brings in tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of revenue for children's charities around the world. In her latest column, Genese Davis talks about Extra Life and why it's a good thing for kids...and gamers. Read on!

Crowd funding game development has become quite common with the rise of KickStarter and other revenue generating sites. In her latest column, Genese Davis takes a look at some of the most successful crowd-funded MMOs. Read on before stopping in to leave your comments.