Identity attracted attention in 2017 because it wanted to take you into the real world with the MMORPG. The PvP aspect was supposed to be in the fight of criminals against the police, and it actively advertised with an image reminiscent of Breaking Bad. It was released in Early Access on Steam in 2018. However, with only 23% positive reviews, it is not well received.
What kind of game is this? Identity aimed to be a mix of MMORPG and life simulation. The game world was supposed to be heavily based on the real world and take place in a fictional American city. The features sounded very interesting and were a bit reminiscent of GTA Online as a proper MMORPG:
- You play as a person who learns new skills over time. As a chef, you provide food for the city, and as a drug dealer, you produce meth or other substances.
- You start off small with drug production in your garage and are supposed to work your way up to become a well-known drug baron. A trailer is inspired by the successful series Breaking Bad.
- You initially live in an apartment but can later afford a huge house or a villa – if you are successful in your job.
- Through the fight of police versus criminals, Identity was supposed to feature a PvP component.
Already in 2018, the MMORPG launched as a Buy2Play title in Early Access on Steam. While the initial reactions were mixed, the reviews soon plummeted. This was mainly because the developers did not keep their promises and have since completely vanished.
Broken Promises and Silence of the Developers – Players Suspect Fraud
How did the launch of Identity go? At release in Early Access, the MMORPG only offered basic content such as exploring the city, entering houses, and performing small professions. However, the developers promised a quick implementation of new modules.
Module two was supposed to refine the factions and bring PvP content. This was planned for 2019. In 2020, racing was to be integrated, while the full release was planned for 2021.
Where does the game stand now? By 2022, nothing had changed with Identity. None of the announced modules have been released, and there has been silence from the developers. Although the website received a small update and a copyright notice for 2022, there has been no communication about the game or even a patch since 2019.
Still, the game can still be bought on Steam – for 24.99 Euros.
Does anyone actually buy this? For the money, players get an absolutely unfinished MMO that will probably never be completed. Still, Identity seems to be bought from time to time:
- In 2022, the game briefly reached 3 concurrent players at peak, absolutely out of nowhere (via SteamDB). Almost daily, one player logs in, although it is hard to imagine that the same person logs in every time with such weak content and the lack of fellow players.
- Identity received 13 reviews in 2022, all of which were negative.
- Overall, it had a peak of nearly 700 concurrent players and received a total of 552 reviews.
The reviews are correspondingly negative. Many feel cheated out of their money and warn against the game. However, the basic setting was received very well. The few positive reviews mainly appeared in 2018 when players still had hope for a turnaround.
With 23% positive reviews on Steam, it ranks among the top 3 MMORPGs with the worst reviews. Only one VR and one Asia MMORPG are rated lower.
Perhaps in the future, another MMORPG with such a setting will be released. Here, there is only the explicit warning against buying Identity. Nothing indicates that it will ever be completed.
Another MMORPG that also sounded promising and features an unusual setting is The Secret World. Although it fascinated MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus, he could not be captivated in the long run:
