2023 is right around the corner and several new MMOs and MMORPGs are being released, but some are also dying. MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch presents to you 6 games that probably won’t survive the year.
How was this list created? Last year, I created a list of MMOs that could die in 2022. I used the same principle this year.
It is often said that certain MMOs are already dead, even though there are still hundreds or thousands of players on their servers. Such games are not meant in this list.
Instead, I looked for MMOs that are struggling with serious problems and/or measurable player decline. This does not automatically mean they will actually be shut down this year, but the chance is high. I will also justify each decision. The player numbers on Steam were determined using the website Steamcharts.
By the way, anyone who wants to know how many titles I got right last year can find the answer on the last page of the post.
Crowfall
Genre: MMORPG | Developer: Artcraft Entertainment | Platform: PC | Release Date: July 6, 2021 | Model: Buy2Play
What kind of game is this? Crowfall is a new MMORPG that was released in 2021. It deviates significantly from traditional games in the genre and offers different campaigns instead of a permanent world.
These campaigns last for a certain amount of time before being completed. Players who participated take their earnings into the Eternal Kingdoms, a social realm where housing, trade, and player interaction are mainly at stake.
Crowfall appeals to PvP fans, as almost all campaigns focus on combat between players. It impresses with timeless graphics and a large variety of classes and playable races.
This video from the developers offers an insight into the gameplay of Crowfall:
How is Crowfall doing currently? Crowfall started weak from the beginning. The game launched with performance issues, a weak tutorial, a confusing interface, and several other flaws. For the fans of the game, it was also problematic that they had been playing an alpha/beta version for years that hardly differed from the release version.
While we don’t know the current player numbers, only about 3,200 players were supposedly online simultaneously at launch. Shortly after the launch, however, the extraction of player numbers was disabled, apparently due to negative headlines.
In December 2021, the MMORPG was on the verge of being shut down. The developers considered whether to shut down the servers or simply let the game run in maintenance mode. However, Crowfall was sold to another indie studio. Some developers, including Executive Producer Gordon Walton, will continue to work on the game.
That’s why I believe Crowfall will die in 2023: Crowfall was already on the list for 2022. However, the new studio initially had perseverance and is trying to save the MMORPG. But in November, they took it offline first to develop new content. I don’t believe it will ever come back from this offline mode.
Crowfall is a PvP MMORPG and places a corresponding emphasis on a solid player base. And it simply doesn’t have that. Many backers are disappointed and openly show this in forums and on Reddit. At the same time, there is almost no advertising for the game.
Crowfall will not make a comeback, as FFXIV or ESO did. For that, the MMORPG would have needed to ignite at the launch.
