Ilysia
Setting: Fantasy / VR-MMORPG | Developer: Team 21 Studio | Platform: PC, VR | Status: In Development | Year of the Campaign: 2020 | Funds raised on Kickstarter: $159,347 | Backers: 1,548
The next VR-MMORPG on the list enticed with the promise of offering a massive world inspired by the best MMORPGs of all time. The developers offer quests, dungeons, free exploration, climbing, optional PvP, airships, mounts, caravans, and much more that you would expect from many representatives of the genre – just all of it as a virtual reality experience.
As of October 12, 2023, Ilysia is in Early Access on Steam. They aim to fully launch in early 2026. Anyone with a supported headset who wants to give it a try must currently pay €14.79. However, the existing user reviews, of which there are only 176 (VR = niche), are mixed, with 57 percent positive. At least there was a major update last year: A game on Steam wants to be the future of MMORPGs – has been completely overhauled with a major update
Untamed Isles
Setting: Fantasy / MMORPG | Developer: Joshua Grant | Platform: PC | Status: Canceled, or not? | Year of the Campaign: 2021 | Funds raised on Kickstarter: €441,055 | Backers: 3,052
Like Pokémon, but as an MMORPG. With PvP, trading, breeding, and a story. That was basically the promise of Untamed Isles, and more than 3,000 curious people sent money. The game relied on a “Pay2Earn” model: All items and monsters in the game should be able to be bought, sold, or traded using cryptocurrency.
Just a year later, there were already bad news: The development costs are too high. Additionally, it had to be noted in the meantime that the hype surrounding cryptocurrencies has significantly diminished. Therefore, the development of Untamed Isles is being canceled, and no one will get their money back.
After that, there were three years of silence. However, a blockchain company is said to have acquired the rights, with the plan to complete the game after all. The associated Steam webpage is not accessible in Germany, and the official website untamedisles.com only refers to a relaunch in 2025.
Loftia
Setting: Solarpunk / MMO | Developer: Qloud Games | Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch | Status: In Development | Year of the Campaign: 2023 | Funds raised on Kickstarter: $1,271,661 | Backers: 16,740
Not only the name reminds of Palia, but also the cozy orientation of Loftia: A cozy multiplayer world awaits you where you build friendships, farm, craft, explore, and decorate. The MMO takes you to Loftia City, a floating city. There, you are supposed to work together to rebuild the city and lead it to a better future.
There are no fights in Loftia, but you can still expect dungeons and raids where 3 to 10 players tackle instanced challenges. For example, the developers mention It Takes Two, Fall Guys, and the shrines from the latest The Legend of Zelda. Sounds exciting to you? The Early Access phase of the MMO is supposed to take place at the end of 2025.
