MMORPGs are currently in an interesting phase. Changes are coming to the genre that could fundamentally transform it
The Elder Scrolls Online now offers the possibility to play almost all content alone. Phasing strongly instantiates the world, causing not all players to be able to see each other. In Shroud of the Avatar, all scenes are instantiated and not designed for thousands of players at the same time. Star Wars: The Old Republic also heavily relies on instances for story areas. The Division essentially only shows friends you are currently playing with. More and more MMORPGs are focusing on instances to promote gameplay with smaller groups or even solo play. It seems that the “Massively” is slowly disappearing from MMORPGs.
Online games with fewer players seem to be more successful right now
Interestingly, except for World of Warcraft, it’s exactly the games that do not rely on large numbers of players interacting simultaneously that are currently successful. It is also evident that in terms of PvP, MOBAs and hero shooters are very well received by players, and large groups of players do not clash in these either. It is worth noting that single-player RPGs are experiencing a revival, which was quite different at the release of World of Warcraft.
Many fans of MMORPGs note that there are no “real” MMORPGs anymore. In which real group play is at the forefront, requiring a large team to complete raids or fight against boss enemies. But the real question is, why did this change occur? Developers and publishers would not have simply introduced these changes by themselves. Because such things are always associated with risk. These changes are based on analyses and observations of their own players and the market.
Solo content and small player groups come to the forefront
It has simply been noticed that there is a very high interest in instances and solo content. Apparently, a significantly greater interest than in content for large groups. Of course, fans still want these, but the market shows that there is apparently even more interest in solo content and content for smaller groups, and that is exactly what developers and publishers are directing their efforts towards. One recognizes where the current interests of players lie and aligns the games accordingly.
For this reason, we are currently seeing more and more online games that are oriented towards these interests. Real MMORPGs are rarely announced or are niche titles that only appeal to a small number of players due to this niche. This does not mean that there are only a few fans of Massively Multiplayer RPGs left; their number is simply not as large compared to others and is currently not relevant enough.
This could change again someday. But that’s how the gaming market works. A genre becomes popular, experiences a peak, and is replaced by something new. Eventually, interest in it awakens again, and another peak follows… However, at present, it seems that the “Massively” in MMORPGs will just remain minimized for now.
