Some developers and fans have already tried to realize their own MMORPG projects on Kickstarter. This was also the case for Camelot Unchained, which was funded there and is now starting Early Access after 13 years.
What kind of MMORPG is this? Veteran MMORPG players will likely remember Dark Age of Camelot. Released in 2001, the title, which took place in Norse mythology, is especially known for its large “Realm vs. Realm” battles. Even back then, there were fights with hundreds of players simultaneously, shaping PvP MMORPGs.
With Camelot Unchained, the spiritual successor to the MMORPG was supposed to appear. For this, they secured nearly 2 million Euros (without adjusting for inflation) through a Kickstarter campaign in 2013 and aimed to deliver an initial playable version to backers in December 2015.
After a delay of over 10 years, they have now completed this first version and invite backers to test the MMORPG, but they are not thrilled.
Here you can watch a trailer for Camelot Unchained:
Early Access without Steam
What kind of version is this? In a rather surprising announcement for many backers, the developers of Camelot Unchained announced their Early Access launch. From now on, anyone who donated the required amount back then can take a look into the MMORPG.
Every weekend from Friday to Monday afternoon, players have the opportunity to access the servers of Camelot Unchained and see what has happened in 13 years of development. The developers promise, in addition to a packed roadmap, to capture the charm of the spiritual predecessor and also to bring the great “Realm vs. Realm” battles back to life.
Nevertheless, the developers are currently purposefully avoiding Steam as a platform for their Early Access. So, the first version is initially aimed at the backers from that time before the MMORPG can then be purchased through its own store. Steam is expected to join later.
Here you can see the roadmap:
How is the MMORPG being received? Players on Reddit are unsure whether to laugh or cry. Sending the MMORPG into Early Access with an 11-year delay while forgoing Steam is one thing.
Already announcing the sales through their own shop in the first version, however, triggers memories for many players of the recently failed MMORPG Ashes of Creation. Accordingly, the comments on Reddit are also quite negative:
- nova8808: “Does this game have some shady board of private equity directors?”
- FineAssignment1423: “I trust this game even less than Ashes of Creation. And that says something.”
- Low-Ad-3829: “I should have actually given birth when the beta came out, and I was so worried I would miss it!! Now it’s been 10. Lol.”
- huey2k2: “I feel sorry for anyone who buys into this.”
- Noximilien01: “So basically, they ran out of money.”
How good is the MMORPG? At MeinMMO, we have not yet had the opportunity to try Camelot Unchained ourselves. However, there is a comment on Reddit claiming to have already tested the MMORPG. It comes from user ElderberrySpare6985:
I tried it. Oh my God, it’s really bad right now. It feels like an early alpha version.
- Log in, create a character
- Spawn in the world. Absolutely no orientation. No quests or anything.
- Leave the city, searching for monsters. There’s nothing, everything is barren.
- Finally come across a monster that’s just hanging around by itself. Kill it.
- No further signs of life found, aside from occasional other players aimlessly wandering around
- In about 20 minutes found no more monsters. Didn’t see a single interesting place or anything else. Log out
It’s a terrain demo.
The individual opinion of the player cannot currently be verified, but there are more players who share the same opinion under the comment on Reddit.
With Camelot Unchained, a strong PvP MMORPG was supposed to launch as early as 2015. The fact that we are now getting an Early Access version 11 years late, which is likely far from complete, is causing frustration among the backers. It remains to be seen whether the MMORPG can still convince its former fans. Until then, Crimson Desert is especially convincing: Crimson Desert breaks its own record on Steam, but one detail remains the biggest hurdle
