Oath – Crowdfunding of at least $67,750
What made the game so interesting? Oath was intended to be a free-to-play MMORPG focused on group content and PvE. Challenging raids for groups of 20 players were planned. PvP was to be limited to arenas in 1v1 and 2v2.
A highlight was the use of “wonder technology” SpatialOS, which was meant to enable many players to be represented in one place.
The developers also wanted to impress with their action-packed combat system:
- You should have to aim with most of your abilities.
- Some also used a “homing” system. You could target multiple enemies to hit them in the targeted order. As an example, a group of wolves was shown. First, you would target all four wolves, then activate the ability to hit them.
- In addition, abilities should be usable while moving, and there would be a dodge roll.
Oath also featured 7 different classes, colorful comic graphics, and a shop without pay-to-win.
How much did it raise? Oath raised $67,749 through Kickstarter. There were briefly more backer packages available on the official website.
What did it fail on? Oath struggled with allegations of fraud after their Kickstarter campaign. The company Ocean Spark claimed to have made graphics for the MMORPG but was never paid.
The company also claimed that the developers of Oath were not qualified enough for a game of this size. The MMORPG had no direction, no backstory, and not even an early playable version.
The developers of Oath responded, claiming that Ocean Spark had only purchased existing assets and submitted them. This would constitute a breach of contract.
All of this happened in the summer of 2020. The website for Oath has since gone offline, and the last posts from developers on Twitter or YouTube were also in 2019 or 2020. The MMORPG is unlikely to be released.
Shroud of the Avatar – Crowdfunding of at least $12 million
What made the game so interesting? Richard Garriot aka Lord British is regarded as the father of Ultima Online and is one of the most well-known developers in the genre. He announced his new MMORPG Shroud of the Avatar in 2013. It started an early access on Steam in 2014. The full release took place in 2018.
- SotA tells a thrilling story and showcases the consequences of decisions.
- It mixes theme park and sandbox elements. The best items can only be crafted by players.
- The combat system is action-packed.
- There is housing in the game.
- PvP in the open world only takes place in certain areas.
How much did it raise? In an initial Kickstarter campaign, the MMORPG raised $1.9 million. Through further packages and sold game versions, it reached a minimum of $12 million in crowdfunding.
What did it fail on? After the release, reviews were average to poor. Criticisms included the grinding aspects, the deviation from some promises made in the Kickstarter campaign, the rather dull presentation of the story, and the heavy focus on the shop.
Player numbers continued to decline. The transition to a free-to-play model did not help. Eventually, employees had to be laid off, and the European publisher Travian Games backed out. Richard “Lord British” Garriott, the creator of the Ultima series and the creative mind behind SotA, stepped down as CEO.
Although the MMORPG is still being developed, it has not achieved great success. Recently, around 50 to 60 players played Shroud of the Avatar simultaneously at peak times according to SteamDB.
MMORPGs that might join this list
In conclusion, we would like to introduce you to two MMORPGs that had some problems during development but have not yet been released and have not been canceled. Both have the potential to find themselves on the list in the future.
Camelot Unchained
What kind of game is this? Camelot Unchained is the spiritual successor to Dark Age of Camelot, which is still regarded as one of the best PvP MMORPGs of all time. It is being developed by Mark Jacobs, who was also involved in DaoC.
In Camelot Unchained, three kingdoms are supposed to fight against each other and capture fortresses. The MMORPG promises a lot of freedom and massive battles with up to 1,800 players. In 2015, it was able to raise over $2.3 million through Kickstarter.
You can watch the “latest” trailer from 2016 here:
What is the current status? Difficult. Since 2014, the MMORPG has been in development, but significant progress remains – if it exists – invisible. There are recurring tests with backers who secured access to the alpha, but mainly to test various elements such as the combat system, a siege, or general server stress tests.
There is no functioning, cohesive game version as one would expect from alpha tests.
Additionally, the company behind the MMORPG – City State Entertainment – has faced criticism. They developed a PvE co-op game to finance themselves further. However, fans were upset because they were waiting for their Camelot Unchained. However, the new game did not fare well, leading to a renewed focus on the MMORPG.
There was also good news in November 2022. City State Entertainment found a new investor who invested $15 million:
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen
What kind of game is this? Brad McQuaid, who played a crucial role in the development of EverQuest and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes, announced his new MMORPG Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen in 2014. This was meant to connect with old-school games and focus heavily on the social component:
- There will be 14 different classes at launch.
- The leveling phase should be long and not skippable.
- Quests will not be marked by glowing exclamation points, but you have to talk to NPCs. Many quests are supposed to be not soloable but require a group.
- Exploring the world and hidden secrets should play a role.
- Already at release, there should be 15 dungeons that each require at least two hours of gameplay to complete.
Many players had high hopes. Although the MMORPG missed its Kickstarter goal of $800,000, it raised at least $5.5 million through crowdfunding and investors.
What is the current status? After nearly 9 years in development, the first alpha test was recently launched. YouTuber PantheonPlus was also able to show gameplay. However, this disappointed both in terms of the combat system and the graphics:
New MMORPG, long seen as the great hope for PvE – But the new gameplay looks terrible
