A character for the long run
How to choose a class and role you will still enjoy months from now, not just on the first night, and why unhurried progress almost always beats the race for levels.
the long game: a magazine about online role-playing games
The long game: how to live in an online role-playing world for years
An online role-playing game rarely ends with credits. You come back to it on weeknights and weekends, after a vacation and after a long break, and your character slowly gathers a history: clanmates, battles worth remembering, a craft that pays its way, and mistakes you laugh about later. L2vs is a magazine for people who play not in sprints but for the long haul. We write about choosing a role, finding your people, not going broke on the in-game market, keeping your account safe and not letting the game crowd out everything else.
A good online world is like a city you live in: you don't need to conquer it in a week. What matters more is that a year from now you still want to come back.
Where to start
Clans and guilds
How to find a community that suits you, what roles and house rules guilds tend to have, why a shared treasury matters and how to leave a clan without burning bridges.
The world economy
Crafting, markets, player-to-player trade and in-game currency inflation. No "get rich" tips, just an understanding of where money in the world comes from and where it goes.
Account security
Two-factor protection, phishing messages, promises of "freebies," and why selling or sharing an account almost always breaks the rules and ends with a lost character.
Magazine sections
- Worlds
A catalogue of online world types (classic, seasonal, clan-driven, trade-focused and peaceful) and the questions that help you pick yours.
- Guides
Guides to the key crossroads of the long game: role, clan, budget, big battles, returning after a break and account protection. Plus our article catalogue.
- Mechanics
How experience, gear wear, crafting, markets, clan holdings and seasonal events work, and how to avoid burning out on the game too soon.
- Updates
What changes reach online worlds: season resets, economy and balance tweaks, server merges, and how to read them calmly.
- Reviews
How to judge an online world without scores: its economy, how it treats newcomers, how it fights cheating, transparency and account protection.
- FAQ
Answers about the magazine, clan life, game fatigue, sharing accounts, phishing and the risks of unofficial servers.
- Glossary
A plain-language dictionary of online role-playing games: terms about your character, your clan and the game-world economy.
Your first week in a new online world: five steps
Pick a role, not "the strongest class"
Class strength shifts from update to update, but your temperament stays the same. Think about what you enjoy: holding the front line, healing allies, striking from range or making things. A role you like will outlast any balance patch.
Secure your account on day one
Choose a password you don't use anywhere else, turn on two-factor protection and link an email address that only you can access. It takes a few minutes and saves you from many unpleasant evenings.
Find a friendly group
Keep an eye on general chat: who helps newcomers without mockery, and which communities are open about their house rules. Your first group has a big say in whether you stay in this world.
Don't spend everything on day one
In-game money, rare materials and upgrade points feel endless until you figure out what really matters. Keep a reserve: in a week you will know the world better and put it to good use.
Leave time for life outside the game
A new world pulls you in, and in the first week you especially want "just one more run." Decide in advance when the evening ends and stick to it: the long game is won by those who don't tire of it too early.
The essentials in brief
Do you cover new servers and rank them?
No. We don't publish server launch announcements, server names, links or rankings, and we don't promote anyone's projects. The magazine writes about how life in an online world works, not about where to go play.
Is it okay to play on unofficial servers?
We advise against it. Such servers usually break the game's rules and its owners' rights, their installers may contain malware, and characters there have no protection at all: the project can shut down any day, taking everything you built with it.
How do I find a clan?
Start by talking to people: play a few evenings in open groups, read in-game recruitment posts and ask about house rules. A good clan is happy to explain what it expects from members, how much time it takes and how disputes get settled.
What should I do if my account is hacked?
Right away, try to change your password and sign out of all devices, check the email linked to the account, and contact the game's support only through its official website or client. Don't pay anyone who promises to "recover your character," and never share verification codes.
About us
L2vs is an independent magazine about the long life in online role-playing games. We write for players who stay in one world for a long time: about a character as a long-term project, about clans and sieges, about the economy and security, and about fitting the game into the rest of your life.
This domain used to host a different site, a catalogue of game server announcements, and later some unrelated spam pages appeared here. Nothing is left of those pages, and we are not bringing them back. The magazine has no connection to them; all it inherited from those days is the name that came with the domain.
We write in general terms and without lecturing: we don't name games, studios or servers, we give no scores, publish no prices and sell nothing.
Read next
- Guides
Guides to the key crossroads of the long game: role, clan, budget, big battles, returning after a break and account protection. Plus our article catalogue.
- Mechanics
How experience, gear wear, crafting, markets, clan holdings and seasonal events work, and how to avoid burning out on the game too soon.
- Worlds
A catalogue of online world types (classic, seasonal, clan-driven, trade-focused and peaceful) and the questions that help you pick yours.
- FAQ
Answers about the magazine, clan life, game fatigue, sharing accounts, phishing and the risks of unofficial servers.
What we draw on
- Terms of service and rules of online games (in general terms)
- Guidance on protecting game accounts (in general terms)
- Editorial materials of L2vs
We write about the general principles of life in online role-playing worlds. Every game has its own rules, menus and mechanics, and they often change with updates, so check the exact wording against your game's terms of service and help pages.