The new year has begun and many new games are on the horizon. However, there will also be some games for which 2020 will be the last year. Our editor Alexander Leitsch introduces you to 6 MMOs that he believes will not survive in 2020.
Which MMOs could die in 2020? After I created a list of MMOs that did not survive 2019, I began to think about which games might be affected in the next year.
Time and again, there is talk that certain MMOs are already dead, even though hundreds or thousands of players still populate their servers. Such games are not meant in this list.
Instead, I have looked for MMOs that are struggling with serious problems and/or proven player decline. This does not automatically mean that they will actually be shut down this year, but the chance for that is high. Every decision will be justified by me.
Ashes of Creation Apocalypse – The standalone to the MMORPG
Genre: Battle Royale | Developer: Intrepid Studios | Platform: PC | Release Date: September 24, 2019 | Model: Free2Play
What is Ashes of Creation Apocalypse? Apocalypse is a standalone PvP game to the MMORPG Ashes of Creation. Its function is mainly to stress the servers and test combat systems.
However, it was released as a Battle Royale in a fantasy world. Moreover, it was supposed to be released in 2018, but struggled with major issues, causing the release to be delayed.
How is the game currently doing? Currently, Apocalypse has an average of 7 players according to Steamcharts. The peak in December 2019 was 21, at release in October it was 288 players.
That’s why I believe Apocalypse will die in 2020: The standalone is not well received by many fans of Ashes of Creation. They criticize it for not representing the MMORPG and for being heavily monetized.
Another problem for the standalone will be the release of the alpha of Ashes of Creation, which is planned for 2020. Real fans will watch corresponding streams or try it out themselves. Who would then want to turn to a weaker version of it?
In spring 2020, Apocalypse is supposed to be expanded with a fortress mode. Whether that will be enough to excite players remains questionable. I expect that the lights of Apocalypse will go out at the latest with the start of the alpha.
Rift – The forgotten MMORPG by Trion Worlds
Genre: MMORPG | Developer: Trion Worlds | Platform: PC | Release Date: March 1, 2011 | Model: Free2Play
What is Rift? Rift is an MMORPG from developer Trion Worlds, who was acquired by the German company Gamigo in 2018. It is heavily inspired by the gameplay of World of Warcraft, but has developed its own mechanics with the “Rifts”.
The game also started with a subscription model but switched to Free2Play with optional subscription on June 12, 2013. The developers recognized the potential of this market and regularly expanded the MMORPG.
However, in 2016, players accused the developer of making life difficult for Free2Play players. In the meantime, Rift has faded into obscurity.
How is Rift currently doing? Rift claims that it will not receive any major expansions at long intervals, but more frequent smaller updates. So far, this has only worked to a limited extent.
The updates in 2019 consisted mainly of the introduction of a battle pass and the merging of the European servers. Players are already fearing that the MMORPG will transition into a kind of maintenance mode. Publisher Gamigo, however, denies this.
That’s why I believe Rift will die in 2020: The biggest headline of 2019 was that Rift’s classic server failed. At first, the server was booming, but many bugs and issues led to its demise.
Moreover, it feels like nothing is happening in the MMORPG outside of small events and bug fixes. This is also reflected in the forums and on reddit. There are few posts and if there are, they are rather negative.
Day of Dragons – Survival game with many problems
Genre: Survival | Developer: Beawesome Games | Platform: PC | Release Date: December 4, 2019 Early Access | Model: Buy2Play
What is Day of Dragons? Day of Dragons is a survival MMO where you hatch from an egg as a dragon and must survive in a harsh world. You need to find food and water and, of course, encounter other players in the form of dragons.
Another twist is that you age as a dragon and can lay eggs from which new dragons hatch.
Overall, the game garnered a lot of attention and raised over $500,000 on Kickstarter.
How is Day of Dragons currently doing? Shortly after the release in Early Access, the game faced major problems. Rumors of fraud arose because the MMO made little development progress and still consists of many pre-made assets.
The communication surrounding Day of Dragons has also been heavily criticized.
According to Steamcharts, a peak of 1,063 players looked into the game in December. Interest noticeably dropped on December 9, just a few days after release, because according to reviews, there was hardly anything to do.
That’s why I believe Day of Dragons will die: On Steam, the game currently has balanced reviews, but mainly the ideas, concepts, and graphics are being praised. None of this has been finalized yet.
The main person responsible for the game seems ambitious, but the communication and image projected outward are rather negative. Thus, I believe that Day of Dragons will not leave Early Access.
Your opinion is important to us!
Do you like the article? Then let us know!