I want MMOs to waste our time again
PC Gamer has launched “Terminally Online,” a new biweekly MMO column covering industry commentary, interviews, and mechanical deep-dives. The debut installment features Lincoln Carpenter exploring Star Wars Galaxies, the Star Wars-themed MMO that launched in 2003 and was shut down by publisher LucasArts in 2011.
Carpenter accesses the defunct game through a private fan-run server, dropping into Mos Eisley to witness active player-versus-player combat with blasters and thermal detonators. The column’s title—“I want MMOs to waste our time again”—suggests a nostalgic critique of modern MMO design. Carpenter argues that contemporary MMOs have abandoned the time-intensive engagement mechanics that defined earlier titles in the genre.
By revisiting Star Wars Galaxies as a historical touchstone, the column examines what the MMO genre has lost and what players value in games designed with different priorities. The column plans to feature guest writers, interviews with players, and deep-dives into genre mechanics.