World of Warcraft led to many companies developing MMORPGs due to its great success. In the beginning, many WoW clones were created. However, if an MMORPG is to become a hit again, it must be significantly different, says MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch.
What is the current state of MMORPGs? In 2021, many MMORPG fans are longing for a new, major hit. But the last few years, especially since 2016, have been filled with disappointments.
The last MMORPG that was able to establish itself firmly and build a larger fanbase was Black Desert, released in 2016. Other promising titles lie in niche status or have already been discontinued:
- Bless Online was released in 2018, was a major flop and was discontinued in 2019.
- MapleStory 2 was released in 2018 and was supposed to build on the success of the first part. It was discontinued in 2020.
- Legends of Aria promised to be a new Ultima Online and launched in early access on Steam in the summer of 2019. At the beginning of 2021, it looks like this MMORPG will be discontinued sooner or later.
- Astellia was released in 2019 and aimed to appeal to fans of classic MMORPGs. Although the game had no major scandals and is still running in 2021, its success is modest.
The only “new MMORPG” that has been able to establish itself since then is WoW Classic.
There is still a huge demand for a new game. Whenever we write about a potentially new MMORPG here on MeinMMO, it generates attention and discussions.
Which games are currently hits? Especially between 2006 and 2012, many MMORPGs tried to copy the principle of WoW and failed miserably.
In the years between 2012 and 2016, several games emerged that broke away from the well-tested concept of WoW and succeeded:
- ESO has primarily targeted story fans and solo players who want to interact with other players only marginally
- Black Desert focuses heavily on sandbox fans and PvP
- Guild Wars 2 experiments with the absence of an item spiral and a greater casual mindset
But none of them managed to dethrone WoW. They often still have too many similarities with the title or their own problems that hold the masses back.
But what does a new hit actually need?
Alexander Leitsch is primarily responsible for MMORPGs here at MeinMMO. Across various titles, he has over 25,000 gaming hours.
His main games include Guild Wars 2, Black Desert, and ESO, but basically, every new game on the market is directly tried out.
The next hit must offer something that attracts non-fans
What does a new hit need? Every MMORPG fan can probably remember their first steps in their first game. It was something completely new, epic, that they had never experienced before. But that feeling fades, especially when games are very similar.
A new hit must therefore bring something that distinguishes it from other titles, as well as something that appeals to players who currently do not feel comfortable in any MMORPG.
In this context, features that used to exist and have been forgotten due to WoW are often mentioned. They long for:
- the “Massively” in MMORPGs – not just being in a dungeon with 5-20 players.
- social features that are supposed to bring players together.
- rewarding grind that keeps players occupied for months or years. A positive example often cited is Old School RuneScape.
Overall, titles like Old School RuneScape and Tibia Online are still very popular today, even though they are over 20 years old.
At the same time, the new hit should also find ways to attract completely new target groups that are currently found in other genres, such as fans of survival games or PvP titles.
This requires innovations and surprises that clearly differentiate it from WoW.
Why does no WoW clone work? WoW is still the king of MMORPGs today, but if a new game is to become a hit, it cannot be a simple clone.
Because the people who would potentially be interested in such a game are usually already playing WoW. And behind WoW is a huge company, decades of experience, and a large budget. No indie MMORPG can surpass Blizzard in a rush.
Indie MMORPGs have different approaches – One sounds promising
Which indie MMORPGs are currently in development?
- Crowfall – an MMORPG with strategy elements focusing on PvP
- Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen – an old-school PvE MMORPG
- Camelot Unchained – a pure PvP game inspired by Dark Age of Camelot
- Ashes of Creation – a sandbox MMORPG that focuses on PvP and large communities
They all share that they have been in development for years and often get stuck in a pre-alpha or alpha state. This is particularly evident in Crowfall, which announced its release for 2018, 2019, and 2020 respectively. A release is again planned for 2021.
Which game could be successful? Of the mentioned indie titles, the greatest hopes probably lie with Ashes of Creation. This MMORPG promises especially social features and the Massively that so many desire.
Additionally, it already impresses before alpha with good graphics and some innovative approaches, such as the special node system that should be the focus of the entire game. In the combat system, it relies on a hybrid between tab-targeting and action battles.
Ashes of Creation is set to begin with Alpha 1 in April 2021. The NDA will also be lifted then, and more gameplay will be showcased.
Last hope Amazon?
What else is there besides indie titles? The biggest attention aside from indie MMORPGs is currently drawn by two games:
- New World, the new MMORPG from Amazon
- Lost Ark from Korean developer Smilegate, which is being brought to the West by Amazon.
Both titles are set to release in 2021 and could bring fresh air to the market.
New World is particularly characterized by its unique combat system and the castle battles, while Lost Ark is supposed to combine the ISO perspective of Diablo 3 with the depth of an MMORPG .
Both of these titles, as well as Ashes of Creation, differ significantly from WoW. They theoretically have the potential to establish themselves in the market in the long term and at least scratch at the throne of the MMORPG king.
And there may still be another candidate.
An MMORPG to LoL: Besides Amazon, developer Riot Games (LoL, Valorant) has also committed to a new MMORPG.
So far, it is only known that it is to take place in the same universe as League of Legends. Recently, new staff were sought for the game. The game has huge potential solely because of the large fanbase.
What do you think about the mentioned games and generally about the state of MMORPGs in 2021? What should a new MMORPG hit definitely include for you?
If you are currently looking for a new game for 2021, you might find something here: The 15 currently best MMOs and MMORPGs of 2021.
