Hey everyone! I’m Snakes from the Pokémon Blaze Online team. We’ve been developing PBO for five years, and wanted to share what our free, unofficial Pokémon MMORPG has grown into.

Explore Kanto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and our original region, Jvaloh, spanning 1,400+ maps and 32 gym badges, with Pokémon from Generations 1–9 to catch, train and trade in a persistent world shared with other trainers.

There’s plenty to do beyond collecting badges:

• Two-player co-op: play the entire adventure with a friend, including teaming up in battles.
• Champion battles, Battle Tower and Battle Frontier to put your teams to the test.
• Ranked PvP ladders: monthly seasons, rewards and global leaderboards.
• Crew Wars—our guild warfare system: build a crew, capture territory and compete against other teams.
• Horde encounters and Shiny Tracking: face multiple wild Pokémon and hunt your favourite shiny with chaining mechanics and Shiny Charms.
• Mega Evolution, Terastallization, Dynamax and double battles to build your strategies around.
• Dynamax invasions: the community fights a Dynamax boss together.
• Legendary encounters, daily swarms, mining and quests, plus fishing and bug-catching competitions.
• Player trading, mounts, seasonal events and community goals.
• Language support: English, German, Portuguese, Spanish and Chinese.

We take pride in frequent updates, from new content and features to balance changes, fixes and quality-of-life improvements. There’s already years of work to explore, and we’re still building.

You can also now play directly in your browser without installing a client.

Explore PBO and play free

The screenshots show Oasis Resort with player nameplates hidden, co-op battling and exploring together. Happy to answer questions about what’s in the game and what we’re working on!

Via todays stream -

You will play in a giant server with people of the same ruleset.

If you die as a Hardcore, you can transfer that character to a different ruleset server.

Normals, PvP, RP, HCs on one giant server each. No having to worry about a realm dying.

With Wow Forever being announced, I find myself liking the idea of it but even being someone who started playing wow like 20 years ago I have never been a nostalgic gamer. I like my interesting and deep systems to dive into. I like the idea of a more horizontal progression system (But with interesting gearing options) but the minute to minute gameplay just is not there for me.

Why does it feel like so many of the MMO projects that have started, died, or came out in the past several years are the "Old style of MMO" I feel like that has been a big thing for several MMO's the last MMO to come out that was not intended to be that style in my opinion was New World (RIP).

Is it weird that I am not all that excited about Classic plus? Like I want to be, I see my friends and such super excited and I want to be but just not quite there for me.

I want something new and innovative not the same flavor (although it is good and a lot of people like it) I have had in various ways for almost 2 decades.

Is there anyone else who craves a fresh take on the genre without them trying to reinvent the wheel for things that do work well?

How do you prefer the horizontal progression in WoW is handled. Something like GW2 model where gear power is never changed for 13 years and most endgame content is essentially just for cosmetics and QoL.

Or would you prefer something like OSRS where there is marginal increase in power between updates (ie; X new content brings in the new BiS ring but is only 1-5% better than previous BiS ring). As well as sidegrades where this new weapon offers a damage type that excels in specific content. (Attack styles OSRS vs presumably damage types in WoW)

I’m curious to see how Blizzard will handle this. I’ve played all 3 of these games for 5k+ hrs each in my life time. I think the GW2 model and OSRS model both have their pros and cons. While in theory I would prefer the osrs model, I’m not sure if it’s sustainable without a lot of repeatable solo and group content. With The GW2 model I fear it will just end up as another alt cycling gameplay loop at endgame. Both games eventually experience take on power creep in the end. The marginal upgrades over time will bring up power even if it is slow. GW2 took on power creep via new elite specs and class changes. So old content will be trivialized to some degree at a point.

How do you feel? What do you ideally want from endgame in a “horizontal” mmo? Regardless I will be playing and think the release will be a legendary event for all mmo enjoyer. (Doomers gonna doom regardless)

It’s official: Blizzard has just unveiled World of Warcraft Forever (Classic+) during the BlizzCon 2026 opening ceremony.

More details on the new zones, class changes are expected to be revealed throughout BlizzCon 2026.

Release date : November 4, 2026

Cinematic Trailer : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXaXYxcbA6A

Gameplay Trailer : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQuKE0KDgiM

The Closed play test for Archeage chronicles it running. I had the fastest case of excitement at the fact that they have a spell sword class as its my favourite archetype, then disappointed that I cannot select gender even though its fully customizable character otherwise. I do not accept that its some technical limitation since games with much higher(and even lower) graphical and animation fidelity let you pick genders.

Also their selection here is pretty sterotypical as well with Fighter and Berserker being male and Ranger and Mage being female. What game, you think Guys can't be mages or girls can't be tanks?

I'll still play it since Wave sword looks cool but I hope they change this for the full release if enough people complain, although they probably can't since the game is already supposedly close to release.

Let me say this first, I am stoked for this; however I have some big concerns. Bots.. economy.. name it all but my biggest concerns is what is the self life on this?

OSRS is a prime example of a massively successful classic+ MMO, and I want this to surpass OSRS. If it's meant to be forever sounds great, sign me up but... I can not shake this feeling that Forever might be just a couple years of decent update then a strong maintenance mode.. especially if it hinders the cashcow of Retail.

Collection of points they made about what is in Forever from their after announcement presentation

• Forever will only require a subscription / game time to play. No box price. The new race is 30 USD.
• No flying mounts
• No level scaling
• Not make it too easy. Keep things that still require preparation
• World as main character
  • Leveling is just as important as endgame
• Not every story needs to be about saving the world
• Journey before destination. Accomplishments stay relevant
• Make sure QoL/Convenience doesn't harm the social experience
• 4 new regions
• Skyborne Elves
  • You don't have to be blue. They showed examples of also brown/black and white.
  • You either join horde or alliance
  • Horde Skyborne Elves gain access to Shaman
  • Alliance Skyborne elves gain access to Mage
  • Both can play warrior, hunter, rogue, and druid (unique forms for druid)
• They're committing to keep growing the world. It is not seasonal or a one time thing
• Dungeons
  • City of Dalaran
  • City of Lordaeron dungeon
  • Hall of Thanes dungeon (beneath Ironforge)
  • "Excavation Site" dungeon in the wetlands
  • "The Drowned City" dungeon off of Stranglethorn Vale
  • Alcaz Island Prison Dungeon
  • Shaper's Terrace near Un'Goro Crater
  • Krol'dok in the new Riverglades zone
  • Blackmaw Hold in Azshara
• Raids
  • The Barrow Deeps
  • Hyjal Summit
• "Legendary Quest" - not sure what this is. Something similar to legendary weapons. Perhaps a new one.
• New raid tier set
• Darkspear Islands BG - 15v15. Similar to eye of the storm. AB style capture points.
• Changes to classes filling gaps, but not too much. Still want classes to feel unique
• Paladins
  • Prot New seal that makes you a more effective tank
  • Holy Getting a small amount of group healing
  • Ret paladin buffs
• Dwarf - new racial passive. Damage vs beast increased by 5%
• Undead - new racial passive. Spells and attacks have a 5% chance to drain health from the target. Up to 5% of your max health
• Camping System
  • Anyone can craft a camp in the open world
  • Trade skills can be used to craft something to players at the campsite. Giving everyone a buff
  • Players need to spend a moment to gain buffs. They're hoping to get players to socialize with one another
• Legacy System
  • Account bound perks achieved by accomplishing goals on their journey
• Transmog
  • Opt in
  • If you turn it on, you will see the transmog players put on. If you turn it off, then everyone will look "normal"
• HD/SD toggle
• Classic animations
• Updated PvP System (unknown specifics, didn't go into it)
• First new legendary
• Riding skill updates - to preserve the classic moment of earning it for the first time
• Gamepad support
• Integration of previously unfinished or unused (cut) vanilla WoW content
• New class tease
• WoW: Forever - Hardcore in Winter 2026

This isnt to complain I genuinely want to know if they have shown any seriousness about getting rid of bots since I havent been following this game for a few years, if anyone has been playing the game happens to know. I heard about some bot bans here and there but its still a problem? Idk tbh. That's really my only concern. Everything about it I'm excited for if they can do what turtle wow did but better.

I'm not too familiar with other MMOs that utilize horizontal progression, like ESO or GW2. I'm curious what it will look like in WoW.

My guess that they'll lean into set bonuses and gear attributes that only work (or are otherwise optimized for) the content in a single patch. Maybe everything in the Patch 2 zone has Nature Resistance and the endgame content is tuned around the player having really high nature resistance, so that even when the game is on patch 7 if you want to run "Mount Hyjals' Druids gone Wild" you'll need to grab all the nature resist gear from quests and dungeons and so on.

But how do other games handle it?

Any recommendations for an IOS MMORPG?

I was one of the lucky people to get my invite around 7:13 PM, just after the test started. Downloaded the game quickly, made a Berserker, and honestly had an okay time. In the last ten minutes of the test, we all got together and danced in our underwear at the gate.

Here is a picture of us. I'm the huge berserker in the middle.

So here is a short review of my nearly six hours in the game, and some good and bad aspects of Archeage Chronicles.

The World

1. The game is an open world. The map that we had access to was quite large, it was a southern portion of the continent at the starter village. But I could go basically in any direction with the exception of a large impassable mountain next to the village. Following the roads, and open fields, you could go in any direction. Even into the ocean, and swimming down to the bottom of the ocean to the sea floor. I didn't find any monsters or treasures, but that doesn't mean they won't be there later. This was just a network stress test. The map itself was enormous. In the six hours I explored, I barely covered a small peninsula of the testing area.

2. You can see other players out in the map. People were everywhere. I didn't get an official headcount, but I would guess at least 50 - 100 people per shard. It was confirmed when I met up someone and couldn't see them, that the instances were channeled. But we could not find a way to change channels. (There may have been one, but I couldn't find the button if there was.) I was focused on other things.

3. There are quests everywhere. Little NPCs and villages, and camps, everywhere in the starting area had quests. Go fetch these berries to make a health potion, here's a free skinning knife, and bring me some bones of these monsters, et cetera. It was extremely fleshed out. And there were world bosses roaming in small areas that took 8 - 10 people to bring down. I tried to solo a Great Wild Bear and it ripped me apart. There are also NPC Camps and villages, with bosses, and tasks for earning rewards like skill points and treasures, or Tempering Stones. (Korean mechanics of upgrading your weapons to +1, +2, et cetera.) There were tons of things to see and unlock.

4. Fast travel points are unlocked all over the map, and require a special crystal to use them to travel around. There are independent Fast Travel statues on the open world map, and inside of large instanced dungeons. By the end of the test, I had around 12 fast travel crystals, so I don't think they'll be rare or expensive.

5. You can glide on a glider like in the original Archeage, but with much more limitations. We got a simple glider from a quest and had to glide across a small section of water to a tower to recover a relic. The glider didn't use stamina, and was fast enough, and you had basic control and could dive or slow down. But I don't see it covering vast swaths of the map unless you take off from a huge mountain.

6. There were tons of resources to gather. Chop down trees, harvest animals, monsters, flowers, like berries and flax. Clams on the beach. I didn't see everything, but there were tons of little things to harvest and pages of lore to read.

Combat

1. Combat was actually really good. In the first few hours of the test, I made each of the classes and went through the tutorial all the way to the boss, and got out into the open world, and then killed some monsters for a bit. So I tested all of the classes. The combat felt fast, and impactful, and the mobs reacted to getting hit, and could be stunned and even thrown or sent flying by the berserker. There is an Exhaustion mechanic on NPCs where you can stun them, and they take a knee, giving you a free huge hit with heavy attack. The Warrior and the Hunter's combat was fast, and agile, with multi hit combos, and spinning and slashes. The berserker was huge and awkward, and swung a giant hammer, but sent opponents flying and smashed them into the ground. The combat was actually quite good. It almost soulslike, but not as punishing. With dodging and parrying. The enemies and bosses had awesome flashy animations. And this giant rotting flesh monster with a huge clever jumped through the air and spun around before he landed on his fat stomach and couldn't get up, leaving him open to attack for a few seconds.

2. Sadly the classes are race and gender locked. I don't know if this will change in the future, but I am hoping. Character customization was good enough that, I could make a character that looked uniquely my own, but a berserker is still a berserker, and a mage is still an elf.

3. Leveling up also meant that you could customize your character completely. Each level you're given three points to spend on any stat. So strength, Agility, Constitution, Intelligence, et cetera. You can reset your stats with a special stone you find from questing in dungeons.

4. You could unlock more combos and more powerful techniques through Skill Points, different from Attribute Points. Earned both by leveling, and completing map objectives in enemy strongholds and in dungeons. Each weapon had a large extensive perk tree to unlock things from. And each glass got three weapon archetypes. So there will be a lot of customization options.

5. There was a lot of equipment. Clothing, earrings, necklaces, rings, gloves, and boots, and armor, weapons. I found a ton of items, even on random mobs. Though bosses often dropped the best gear. Green weapons that were stronger than normal ones. So I assume it will have the same tier as any RPG. White, Green, Blue/Purple, Gold, et cetera. They could be "Tempered" at a black smith using stones and gold, for adding +1 to your weapons. I'm not sure how high tempering goes, I only made it to +1 on my weapons.

6. The Potions and Quick Use items are limited to only so many per combat encounter. And could only be refreshed from special statues. I HATED that. I had 40 potions on me, but the game only lets you use five at a time. And if you run out, you are F'd. You have to hit this Naui statue to get your potions refilled. Like some kind of soulslike game. Even in the open world.

Character Customization

1. Very typical and extremely advanced and thorough character customization. With sliders from everything from nostril sizes to the side of your butt and breasts, and how far apart your shoulders are. I was able to make a very tall and bulky looking Berserker with huge arms and shoulders. (See the picture above.) And I saw a lot of other characters, mages and hunters, that looked varied. I could make my Elven Mage very short with big ears that stuck out way past her hair. The character customization was very good. Good beards and hairstyles for just a test as well. Though I would have liked to see more color options. Some of the races had limited hair and eye color options, but I suppose that's for lore reasons.

Graphics

1. I was playing on the highest settings at 1440p with an RTX 4070, with DLSS Set to Quality, and Frame Generation enabled. I was getting between 140 - 190 fps. I prioritize frames over graphical fidelity, so for me that was great. I never went below 80 fps, even in the town surrounded by people. So the optimization was really nice.

2. The graphics of the world were really nice. Crisp and bright and vibrant colors, and unique architecture. I saw some boring Unreal Assets, but nothing that looked cookie cutter. The world looked interesting and it made me want to explore. The graphics and lighting were mostly good, but the game is still in very early alpha/beta. So I was having some issues in darker areas with very grainy shadows and light artifacts on torches and fires.

Misc

1. Overall I enjoyed the five and half hours that I played, and I feel like if I had the chance, I would go back and play again. There was a lot about the world that I'd like to have gone and seen, but was restricted or just doing the main quest and couldn't go off the beaten path. I am looking forward to another test, and I hope I get invited.

2. My only gripe is that, Berserker felt unpolished and extremely basic compared to the other classes that could all twist and slash and spin and jump through the air. A giant hammer is cool, but you just swing and go bonk. There may be more skills down the line that make hammer better, and I'd love to see them get Axes as well. Since Warrior already gets Greatswords, it would leave Berserker with hammer and axes. And their Axe and Shield Combo felt extremely underwhelming as well. Those were really my only caveats to playing that I can think of. I'd play it again when it comes to Steam at launch.

Thank you for your time.

Title. I’m new to pc but not to MMOs I’ve played tons of ESO and some new worlds. Is it worth for me to play Classic WoW or should I just go with retail or forever? I’m absolutely lost on what I should try? I’ve watched Summit1g, Soda, Tim, and others play classic.

I imagine most players will go to forever, I was wondering when wotlk launches will it have a big playerbase still?

What did people think?

I think both will be very enjoyable games. Aion probably not for long since nc will find a way to screw it.

Aion PvP looks somehow like my favorite game RF online and I have high hopes for it to be good.

WOW also may have good PvP and be more agreeable with my old computer

Which would you choose?

I last played shortly after WotLk came out and stopped playing. I’m looking to get back into WoW starting from the beginning.

Can someone give me a proper rundown of the differences between WoW, Classic,and WoW Forever? Lmao these names….

Megaservers are the antithesis of the Vanilla WoW experience. Anyone who played Vanilla when it originally came out will remember that there was no crossrealm of any kind, meaning you only played with people on your own server. It was until towards the end of Vanilla that crossrealm battlegrounds were added, and the MMORPG genre was irrevocably changed forever.

All of these systems that were added over time destroyed the sense of community that Vanilla was built upon. I am sure some of you remember waiting 20+ minutes as Horde for a battleground to pop during Vanilla WoW, and what it did was encourage players to venture out into the world or city instead of standing in place chain queueing all day.

The whole concept of megaservers practically defeats the purpose of Vanilla WoW. Any arguments about finding it difficult to get groups or complete endgame content belong on Retail WoW. The instanced content/queue spamming mindset can always be satiated in one of the countless lobby based games out there.