Video Games News
Future of MMORPGs
The Future of the MMORPG Genre
Posted on 2009/06/16 by Nelson
In the previous articles, we looked at the MMORPGs currently sitting on the top of the pile, while also looking at those which are close to launch. However, the MMORPG genre is still expanding, and there are a lot of MMORPGs further in the future which are attempting to find their own niches in the market. Are games like World of Warcraft safe from possible dethronement in the short term? The answer is probably yes, but the real question is... for how long? This article hopes to uncover the methods that some companies are now looking toward implementing in order to keep the genre original and fresh.
World of Warcraft has been quite established as a franchise for some time now. While its end is not going to come in the foreseeable future, Blizzard clearly aren't willing to place all their eggs into one basket anymore. They've stated that at this year's Blizzcon, there will be an MMO announcement and it's currently shrouded in secrecy. It's unlikely to be a sequel to World of Warcraft, and most rumours are hinting towards a venture into the StarCraft universe. It would be nice to see an entirely new fresh approach to the genre, but with Blizzard being as a keen and as in touch as they are with their fans, it's likely they'll be unveiling something quite special.
As previously pointed out, a sequel isn't always the best approach to MMORPGs. However, many companies have used this approach already or are planning to: Lineage, Guild Wars and Ragnarok Online to name but a few. It's a somewhat successful strategy, but it can be quite problematic. Attempting to move players from one game to the other often proves taxing, as players don't necessarily want to part with their characters, only to start again from scratch.
Thus we arrive at the latest addition and announcement to the MMORPG genre, Final Fantasy XIV. Announced at E3, Final Fantasy XIV was a prominent part of Sony's Press Conference, as they stated it will be coming out on PlayStation 3 exclusively. This has since been cleared up, and Square Enix have confirmed it will also be coming to the PC, with other platforms being investigated. It may look like a direct sequel to Final Fantasy XI, due to similar races and creatures, but the gameplay will be completely different. Square Enix came into the MMO genre with lots of innovation, and they are looking to do the same thing again, while implementing what they've learnt from Final Fantasy XI.
Then there are also titles like The Secret World that are trying to implement completely different ideas. The developers, Funcom, are looking to set their game not in a fantasy realm, but in reality. Because of this, they are looking to have a strong emphasis on the supernatural, while also focusing on the possiblity of time travel and it's these kind of ideas that will help to keep the genre fresh moving forward.
It's hard to say how successful any of these methods will be. One thing's for certain as far as transitions from one MMO to another go, players will be very unwilling to give up on the amount of time they invested in previous titles so easily. However, for those that haven't really got very far in a game, and haven't invested much time, they may just find what they've been waiting for.
TAGS: MMORPG, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, World of Warcraft, Lineage, Guild Wars, Ragnarok Online, Final Fantasy XIV, The Secret World, Final Fantasy XI
More Recent Stories
PSN Game Might Be 10GB
Sat, Dec 5th, 2009, 3:45 pm (EST) by Shawn
Until now, most PlayStation Network games have been relatively small in size. However, there now appears to be a game that will break that record.... (Read More)
Play Gran Turismo 5 This Year With GT Academy
Fri, Dec 4th, 2009, 8:53 pm (EST) by Darryl
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe have announced that on the 17th of December, gamers will have early access to Gran Turismo 5, via the GT Academy on PlayStation Network. Upon downloading the trial, gamers will be able to sit behind the wheel of a N... (Read More)
North American Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker Release Date Set
Fri, Dec 4th, 2009, 8:07 pm (EST) by Kyle Wynen
Konami has announced, as expected, the North American release date for Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. The PlayStation Portable game will sneak onto retail store shelves the morning of May 25th, 2010.... (Read More)
White Knight Chronicles North America Release Date Set
Fri, Dec 4th, 2009, 2:05 pm (EST) by Kyle Wynen
White Knight Chronicles - yes that JRPG from 2008 that still hasn't been release outside of Japan - has finally received a North American release date. SCEA has announced the release date as February 2, 2010, just under two months from now.... (Read More)
inFamous Has Now Sold 1.2 Million Copies
Fri, Dec 4th, 2009, 10:31 am (EST) by Darryl
inFamous was released during the middle of the year, and at the time, its sales didn't look overly promising. It only managed to sell around 250,000 in its first week worldwide and sales dropped off relatively quickly.... (Read More)
Comments (0)
Nobody has commented on this entry to Gaming Union yet, why not make your opinions heard and comment?
Post A Comment
You need to be registered to post a comment. If you haven't registered, please use the Sign-Up Form.
Sign In
Like This Story?
Technorati
Mixx It!
Newsvine
Reddit!
Find It Useful?
Stumble It!
Del.icio.us
Facebook
MyYahoo!
Ma.gnolia
Furl
News Archive
- December 2009 (20)
- November 2009 (125)
- October 2009 (155)
- September 2009 (59)
- August 2009 (113)
- July 2009 (75)
- June 2009 (81)
- May 2009 (75)
- April 2009 (29)
Top News Stories
- WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010 ..
- Assassin's Creed 2 Reveals..
- Amazing Resistance 2 Marks..
- Tecmo: PlayStation 3 Most ..
- Monster Hunter Freedom 3 B..
- Assassin's Creed 2 Can Sta..
- New Super Mario Bros. Wii ..
- Fallout 3: Broken Steel In..
- Assassin's Creed 2 Extensi..
- Tecmo Aware Of Quantum/Gea..
Recent Comments
Site Navigation
- Home
- Video Game News
- Video Game Reviews
- Gaming Union Community