We are in one of the longest "generations" of consoles to date and a lot can happen in 8 years. We've seen trends come and go, PR change, companies rise and fall. In this editorial we look at Sony and Microsoft and how they handled their consoles up until this point along with their announcements on what's next. Could one company be learning from the other?

We take a look at the Secret World dropping its subscription, Final Fantasy XIV preparing for its Realm Reborn relaunch, and Asheron's Call 2 being resurrected from the graveyard of dead MMOs.

Looking back at 2012, it was a bit of a downer overall for co-op gamers. Not that we didn't have a lot of great co-op games, but it just seems that the field of truly standout games was a lot thinner than previous years. This year we're doing our awards a little different - awarding just two winners in two categories - Indie and AAA. Let's see who is up for the coveted Golden Fitty award.

It may seem odd that we're covering a story that puts co-op in a negative light, but I think that's only true at first glance.  To truly understand what's going on with Diablo 3 and just how over 10 million people are playing the game requires a look at the history of the franchise.  It's easy to have a knee jerk reaction to a quote, but sometimes it's better to sit back and examine the full picture.  First, lets start at the quote in question.

Co-Op games have come a long way since our first terminology guide. We've seen hundreds of new titles appear offering unique ways to share the gaming experience in a non-competitive way. We thought it was a good time for a refresher and a good time to tweak some of the terminology used around the site to avoid confusion. With a database of over 2000 cooperative video games, there's something for everyone.

Over the years Xbox Live Arcade has gone through an evolution. While it started as remakes, re-releases, and every so often an original title it’s now evolved into something different. It’s now a service filled with games that aren’t quite big enough for a full retail product. It it feels like XBLA has lost its identity.

When the Indie-Ana Co-Op feature first began, I always intended to one day extend this space to the indie development community to share their trials and tribulations in game making. Today marks the first of what I hope to be many such pieces as Final Form Games, developers of our PC Co-Op GOTY winner Jamestown, share their story of making a four player 'shmup, and the challenges they faced along the way. This is a must read!

Before this fall started there was a battle heating up on the gaming front. It was a battle of military shooters - Modern Warfare 3 vs Battlefield 3. Activision entered the contest as the reigning champion, their franchise selling millions of copies each year across all three platforms; Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. But EA wanted to challenge the dominance with their own storied franchise with BF3. We take a look at both games and ask - "Did their co-op promises deliver?"

We've all heard it before - "Couch co-op gaming is dying." Most of us simply shake our head and nod in agreement, but perhaps it's not doing quite as bad as we previously thought. Today we bring you an editorial that focuses on the myth and explores some avenues around it. We also explore the benefits of couch and online co-op as they compare to each other.

There are two types of co-op campaigns in this world: one that allows a single player to continue, and one that exacts the same fates to both. Which one is best suited for couples, and why?

This month for MMO Co-Opportunities we look at Dragon Nest, a newly open-beta'ed F2P MMO with an action twist and the recently announced various editions of Star Wars: the Old Republic. We also visit the world of MOBAs.

This month MMOCO features a guest writer: the lovely and talented Andrew Gaskill, who is quite possibley writing this very blurb himself. He sure is awesome. Today he'll be discussing his co-operative experiences with the other super hero MMORPG, DC Universe Online.

Splash Damage has a tall order. They always have. Since the announcement and unveiling of Brink at E3 and PAX 2009, respectively, they've held strong to their original vision for a game that seamlessly blends single-player, co-op, and multiplayer experiences. This week the internet is abuzz about Brink, and critics the world over are poised to release their opinions into our laps (including one of my favorite critics, Co-Optimus' very own Andrew Gaskill).

I’m pretty sure there’s never been an online multiplayer mode that forces players to cooperate as much to actually complete it as Bulletstorm’s Anarchy. While other online co-op games suggest, imply, and hand hold their way to co-op play to success, Anarchy literally makes you fail if you don’t.

This month in MMO Co-Opportunities we take a look at one of the superhero MMOs for a change a pace: Champions Online. A deep character customization system and a personalized Nemesis experience offer some unique ways to play with others.