With 2011 right around the corner, the members of the news team decided to share their personal opinions about 2010 and look ahead toward the New Year.

Reporter Kayla "Reiyami" Smith

I'm pretty lucky. I get to write news about games I love. I just started here at ZAM this year, but have been gaming since I was old enough to read long-winded, poorly-translated game text from the '80s. This year was an wonderful year to start with ZAM because so much has gone on in the MMO world.

Favorite MMOs of 2010

World of Warcraft: I know, I know, I'm not the first to say it, but there's a reason for that. This year was huge for Warcraft players, obviously, and I was happy to ride the hype-wave right up to the release of Cataclysm. As a player, I was eating up every single press release, every bit of information and every screenshot Blizzard released. I was in awe the first time I saw the official trailer. I was there for the midnight release, despite having what I'm pretty sure was the plague. It was so massive; I just couldn't stay away, even if the only thing fueling me was caffeine and cough syrup. I love making alts and, when I finally got online well after 3 a.m., I raced for the worgen starting zone. As I've continued to play through I can't help but feel that Cataclysm was the breath of fresh air that WoW needed. Right down to the small changes, I've appreciated the entire ride that Blizzard has afforded fans this year.

Lord of the Rings Online: This year was huge for LOTRO. Many players may have been concerned that going free-to-play this year was 'the mark of death.' Yet, we keep reporting on all these amazing features that continue expanding the game. They even added a whole new zone this year just for the holiday celebration. The questing is fun, the graphics are fun, special events are fun, and not having to pay for it is even better. I think Turbine has taken LOTRO to a whole new place this year and we will continue to see much more from the game in the future.

Top News Stories of 2010

Two words: Planet Calypso. Not necessarily the first thing that pops to mind when you think of 2010. Looking back, for me, I can't remember a more jaw-dropping story than the sale of an in-game property for $635,000 real-world dollars. I must have read over the information 50 times before I could wrap my brain around that. Most people paid less for their homes! It just brought up so many more questions for me. What kind of gamer has that much lying around? I hate paying monthly fees to play games I love, so I couldn't imagine paying that out in a lump sum. This sale was so unique it landed in the Guinness World Records book. Kudos to the big spender; I hope the investment is paying off!

The other thing that really hit me this year was the overwhelming amount of charity work that is currently going on in the MMO gaming community. I really think it bears mentioning. So many companies have been donating the profits from sales of in-game items to some really helpful charities. Most of the games you play are offering some type of charity item. Some games even got a little more creative, like Sanrio's Hello Kitty Online. Players had to hand in items to an GM which were then calculated into real world donations to Toys for Tots. Why is this so remarkable? It shows that as a community, MMO players care. Not only do we care, but in numbers we make a difference. Gaming for a cause just feels good and if playing a game can make someone else's life better too, then why not?

Most Anticipated Games

2011 promises to be a big year in the MMO world. Right around the corner is the release of DC Universe Online on 1-11-11. I have stalked the DCUO Facebook page regularly for new videos (which they've been very generous with) and just can't get enough. I really think DCUO is going to offer a unique experience for players who are long-time DC fans as well as for those new to the DC Universe.

Rift also has me ready to play, like, now, please, thank you. So many games boast a 'unique fantasy gaming experience' but tend to fall short on delivery. Rift, on the other hand, has me totally roped in from concept and story to graphics and gameplay. I love the idea of a rift opening up as you're playing along, and changing the game you're immersed in. Bring it on Rift, I am so ready!

My last pick would have to be the upcoming zombie-themed, console-based MMO from Undead Labs. While we don't have a lot of information on this game yet, I'm already hooked on the idea. Zombies? Yes. MMO? Yes. That's pretty much all I need in life to be happy. I'll be watching these guys closely in the upcoming year.

Continue to Page 4 for LockeColeMA's answers.