Starting on April 18, Abyss Online will launch a new MMORPG on Steam. The online role-playing game has already undergone a turbulent development, initially taking a dark path with NFTs and cryptocurrency, but it has reversed course and now aims to impress with PvP and sandbox elements. They see themselves as “EVE Online in medieval times, but with tasty changes for casuals.”
This is what the developers themselves say about Abyss Online:
- The developers, Old World Labs, describe Abyss Online as an “epic MMORPG” featuring magic in an open fantasy world.
- They emphasize their dynamic combat system with classless battles and a variety of weapons and magical abilities.
- They promise quests that can be solved together with other players and intense PvP battles. There will be skills ranging from 1 to 100, but they will only be for PvE; in PvP, everyone is expected to use the same base.
What is the story of the MMORPG? In September 2023, we reported on Abyss Online that “Abyss Online” was originally known as “MetaGates” and was based on cryptocurrencies.
However, they moved away from that idea. It was said that NFTs had not developed in reality as wonderfully as one had theorized. And a growing skepticism against crypto gaming had emerged due to so many scams and cash grabs.
The studio’s CEO even stated: No real gamer would play a crypto game. Thus, they abandoned that approach.
“Like EVE Online … in medieval times and better for casuals”
What do the developers say now? The site mmoingame conducted an interview with the developers:
- Abyss Online is being developed by 2 developers in Thailand – both are “lifelong fans of the MMORPG genre.” The game is being developed with the Unreal Engine 5.
- However, they have 70 additional freelancers worldwide working on Abyss Online.
- Abyss Online will not have classes; instead, player abilities depend on the equipment.
The developers state: They are “extremely disappointed” with current MMORPGs and have now developed Abyss Online instead of waiting for better new games. They were inspired by the MOBA-like combat of Albion Online and have developed it further. They also see influences from For Honor and Mortal Online 2 in the combat system.
The developers describe their MMORPG as a “medieval version of EVE Online, but toned down a bit to make it more palatable for casual gamers.”
What will it cost? The game is expected to cost about $25 in Early Access, which starts on April 18 on Steam.
The eternal narrative of new indie MMORPGs
What’s behind it: The statements “We are disappointed with the MMORPG market and wanted to create our own game” and “It’s like EVE Online mixed with something else” are two sentences that one frequently hears from developers of new indie MMORPGs.
People who are not really game developers often say they are so disappointed with the MMORPG market that they now want to release their own game. This was mentioned by Steven Sharif at Ashes of Creation many years ago.
Even the later flop “Crowfall” was described by developers as “EVE Online meets the Sopranos.” EVE Online emanates a fascination as a sandbox MMORPG that many developers of new MMORPGs strive for.
The narrative of all these projects is: Before WoW, there were two types of MMORPGs:
- Classic theme park MMORPGs like Everquest
- Chaotic sandbox MMORPGs like Ultima Online
- Due to the immense success of WoW around 2008, theme park MMORPGs have won and only WoW clones have been developed, which has led MMORPGs into a dead end.
- Therefore, the goal with a new sandbox MMORPG is to bring back the fascination of MMORPGs and orient oneself again towards the freedom of Ultima Online or Star Wars Galaxies.
However, it must be said that smaller developers have no choice but to develop a sandbox MMORPG since theme park MMORPGs are huge projects that can only be undertaken by AAA studios and require many years of development and cost tens of millions of US dollars.
It’s certainly great that developers set such a big goal as an “MMORPG,” but before someone spends €25 on an Early Access title on Steam, they might want to wait for the initial reactions and the general vibe.
6 promising crowdfunding MMORPGs that have flopped spectacularly
