Is this the death of a genre? Somehow, there are hardly any new MMORPGs on the market, and when they do appear, they are merely Asia imports relying on tried-and-true methods. So where have all the online role-playing games gone?
Today, I thought about the question in the headline while in the shower. “Where have they all gone?” In the past, there wasn’t a year without at least one big new AAA MMORPG being announced, but this year has been a bust so far. Neither at the E3 nor anywhere else have we heard anything about new major online role-playing games. Is a genre dying here?
Just the term “dying out” led me to an idea. Because biologists and archaeologists have long had various theories about species extinction, one of which suggests that not every species that no longer exists must have necessarily gone through a brutal extinction process. Rather, it is believed that one or another creature continues to live today through evolution and adaptation into other species. Even the good old Neanderthal continues to exist in the genetic material of modern humans according to modern research findings.
Evolution Niches
A similar development to biological evolution is currently happening in the genre of online games. Because the classic AAA MMORPG is indeed a species that is currently stagnating. Somehow, we have seen it all, and genuine innovations are rarer than ever. What we see more often now are specialized products catering to a specific market.
For example, PvP sandbox MMORPGs like the upcoming Camelot Unchained. But also sandboxes in general, such as the promising Chronicles of Elyria or the upcoming German project Albion Online. The latter also runs on Android and Apple tablets, which is a forward-looking concept as well.
Hybrids in Power
Another biological success model is hybrids, which are beings that combine the characteristics of several species, offering an optimal mix. For example, a mule combines the obedience of a horse with the high endurance and load-bearing capacity of a donkey. In the case of online games, such hybrids are the extraordinarily successful concepts of MMO shooters, MOBA shooters, MOBA strategy games, and MOBA top-down co-op shooters.
Especially MMO shooters like The Division and Destiny have been particularly well-received by players due to their action-packed gameplay, MMO component, and role-play elements. But even pure shooters like Overwatch have a certain role-playing touch with numerous unique heroes. A different approach is taken by Master X Master, which, while primarily a MOBA, comes very close to an RPG with its co-op PvE mode and various customization options for heroes.
New Habitats
In nature, there are always special habitats that are so secluded and isolated that species survive there that have long disappeared elsewhere – such as the Galapagos Islands. This development is also happening in the MMO area, as many online role-playing games are currently experiencing a second bloom in a completely new habitat: the consoles!
Games like The Elder Scrolls Online and Final Fantasy 14 – the latter even with a classic subscription model – are thriving on the Playstation 4 and Xbox One. The success of these games is also leading to a renaissance for MMORPGs that have had mediocre success on PC such as Neverwinter, Star Trek Online, and TERA, as devoted console gamers had little to do with MMORPGs and are welcoming the newcomers with open arms.
Migration from the East
Lastly, there is the phenomenon of migration in nature, meaning the movement and spread of a successful species into other habitats. This is currently happening in online games, increasingly from the Asian region to Europe and North America. The only larger new online role-playing games of 2016 so far have come from Asia, after promising Western projects like Everquest Next got canceled.
Instead, numerous Asia MMOs like Blade & Soul, Black Desert Online, Riders of Icarus, Bless Online and Revelation Online are currently appearing in the West and vying for the favor of players. However, these games are not a reinvention of the genre but largely rely on well-known values, often in modified form – for example, the beat-em-up gameplay of Blade & Soul or the aerial combat from Riders of Icarus. Curiously, however, the Asian games are indeed successful in the West, as the sales figures of Blade & Soul show, which have already outperformed Guild Wars 2.
The Genre Lives!
In conclusion, one cannot say that MMORPGs are dying out; rather, the genre is developing naturally and splitting into many sub-aspects, while the big old AAA MMORPGs are not completely disappearing, we just see fewer completely new concepts arising. However, the large number of high-profile games from Asia should ensure that online role players will have plenty to keep them busy in the upcoming months.
Interesting: MMO Releases 2016 and These 12 new MMORPGs are coming in 2017.
But those are just my thoughts on the subject for now. What do you think? Is the era of the big MMORPGs still history for you, or do you see things similarly to me? Write it in the comments and let me know!
