EQ Hammer

This is one of my favorite things I've read in some time, and that's because I have a Norrath-sized dragon bias. Veluux puts together a really great lore primer, laying out what is known (and a few educated not-so-known guesses) with this framework for EverQuest Next's lore.

Fil dives into what has been happening lately: those in the spotlight being harassed because others do not like what they're doing. Whether it's developers receiving death threats or YouTube personalities chased out of their homes or CEOs getting their planes grounded, there are a lot of crazy issues happening right now. Harassment has no place in gaming and we should work together to create inclusive environments and safe places for everyone, whether we like them or not.

This week's Landmark Live went over PvP being added into the game and what is now yesterday's patch. To learn why Terry is now being called “Naked Face,” see this week's Highlights article, where you can also read the latest Q&A and where PvP (which means combat) is heading.

Is EQNext getting too big for its britches? Is SOE taking too much of a gamble putting so much in the hands of indie developers, or are they our future of gaming? Or are they creating a game that will be a meaningful and powerful experience for us? Veluux examines the risk of so much time, effort, and studios involved versus the reward we will hopefully see.

Is Landmark ready for open beta yet? Are people ignoring Landmark because only people playing it (beyond 7-day trial keys) have bought into closed beta? Our wise druid has a look at these questions in this week's Ask the Druid.

What are the pros and cons of EQNext's combat? Veluux dives deep into traditional combat roles versus an open ended system like what SOE is planning with Next. Is a more organic, combat driven form of classing the future?

Fil discusses an interesting phenomenon that is MMO-specific. Sequels don't necessarily mark the end of one game when another begins. Instead, MMO sequels end up being reboots, while the expansions themselves are sequels as we traditionally think about them. This is something I've never really thought about before, but find the article to be pretty great.

eSportsMax

Crumbzz, Jungler for Team Dignitas, is interviewed by Jeremy moments after his win against Counter Logic Gaming. Because I pick my eSports teams like I pick my football teams, I totally with have gone with Team Dignitas anyway. It's the name, you guys. The name, OK?

Last week we saw Team SoloMid (my favorite team name, in case you were wondering) overcome LMQ, and now it's up to Team Curse and Cloud 9 HyperX to duke it out to see who advances the bracket. Both teams took turns winning and losing, but in the end, C9 will be in the finals against SoloMid.

In case you missed anything from Season IX in Toronto, this page is for all of eSportsMax's coverage of the StarCraft 2's tournament. Here you will find everything from highlights of the group stage to playoffs to semis, finals, and grand finals.

Jeremy interviews LemonNation after Cloud 9 beats Team Curse in the NA LCS semi-finals at PAX. I want this to be a 30 Rock reference, but I'm pretty sure it's not a 30 Rock reference. Liz Lemon is my spirit animal and there's no party like a Lemon Party.

Leading up to PAX Prime, contestants had to battle through a Hearthstone gauntlet over a couple of weeks to see who would come out on top, only to finally be able to compete at this year's PAX Prime in Seattle. If you were watching during PAX, you probably know who the cash prize winners were already. For a recap of the excitement, see what Dylan has to say about it.

NA LCS ends in a surprising twist as Team SoloMid dethrones Cloud 9 HyperX's rule, giving them their first loss of the season and taking their crown.

Due to differences in preferred regimented playstyles, INnoVation has left Team Acer after his first year with the team. He joined Team Acer after his original team, STX SouL was dissolved. His statement about leaving the team was apologetic, but he hasn't said what will happen in the near future.

Jeremy interviews Dyrus after Team SoloMid's victory over Cloud 9 at PAX Prime.

GG Master

Dylan put together a mid-range Druid deck with the new Naxxramas cards in mind. This deck is based on Amaz' Druid archetypes, but updated with new cards that have been added to the game since then. Naxx seems like such a long way off for me, considering I can't seem to overcome the Shaman totem swarms to unlock that class and even get to Naxx.

GG Master isn't just game guides. They do interviews, too! Here is Jared's interview with Team Liquid HyperX's Bunny, who discusses Terran vs Terran matches in StarCraft 2 and how they've evolved over the years. There are also plenty of tips on stepping up your game throughout the interview.

A master of enemy movement manipulation through two main abilities, Headbutt and Pulverize, Alistar was one of the first champions added to League of Legends. Just because he's been around for this long doesn't mean that there aren't new ways to learn how to master him. See what Greg has to say about grabbing the bull by the horns.

In Dota 2, the map fog of war, or hero vision is not only dependent on your character and teammates, but the game's day and night cycle as well. Some heroes can have improved vision at night, while most will not. To learn more about the day and night cycle, as well as who performs better when, check out Greg's guide on the game feature.

Aura Items in League of Legends are items that give area of effect benefits to both you and your teammates, some across the team and some within a certain distance of the person with the item. Learn more about the six available auras – four buffs and two debuffs – from this guide that Greg has put together.

Guild Wars 2 Hub

Lee has put together a nice guide to make sure you're ready for September's Feature Pack. I've written a couple of articles this week with what to expect from all of the UI updates and changes, but this guide not only has everything in one handy place, but goes over areas I haven't covered.