In 2014, Wildstar was released, but it closed its doors after about 4 years. Nevertheless, the MMORPG is still talked about. In a new petition, more than 10,000 players are demanding a return. But what fascinates them about the game?
What kind of game was it? WildStar was one of the last major MMORPGs developed in the West. The game was created by the North American developer Carbine Studios, which belonged to NCSoft. The same setup exists with ArenaNet, the developer of Guild Wars 2, which also belongs to NCSoft.
WildStar was a colorful sci-fi game that generated a lot of attention even before its release and relied on a subscription model. The company confidently stated that they wanted to attract former WoW players.
Although the launch went relatively well, it became apparent that the hardcore aspect was too exhausting for many in the long run. There were also some bugs in the endgame, and the promised content updates were lacking. Additionally, PvP did not convince players and was almost extinct shortly after the release.
Although WildStar became Free2Play in 2015 and received some updates, they could not save the MMORPG. It was finally shut down in November 2018.
What are the fans demanding? In an online petition on Change.org, fans are calling for a return of the MMORPG. WildStar is not just a game for many, but something like a family. They criticize what they see as a hasty launch and hope that NCSoft will relaunch the game.
So far, more than 10,000 people have signed this petition.
But what actually fascinates players about the discontinued MMORPG? We at MeinMMO take a look back.
Action-packed combat system and the best housing
What made the game so special? WildStar wanted to do many things differently from the MMORPGs of its time. It focused on group play and hardcore content at a time when WoW was criticized for becoming too easy.
Additionally, WildStar appeared modern and offered several unique features that set it apart from the market at that time.
What was the combat system like? WildStar had one of the best combat systems in the MMORPG genre for many players. It was action-packed, and players had to be alert and have good reflexes to succeed in the sometimes very challenging raids.
The game utilized a telegraph system that clearly displayed important attacks from enemies. The system was as smooth and intuitive as in very few other games.
The housing system: When players talk about WildStar, many fondly remember the housing system, which offered a lot of freedom.
Every detail of their own residence could be adjusted in position and size. New items could be created from individual objects, and multiple players could collaboratively build on a property.
The housing also allowed for great role-playing, as Cortyn recalled in her farewell to WildStar:
An interesting setting: Last but not least, WildStar also stood out from many other MMORPGs with its setting.
The sci-fi world with its many quirky and charming NPCs and the game’s unique humor remains memorable for many because it was not the usual, medieval-inspired and often smooth fantasy world. This included crazy mounts that players could even visually customize.
However, this very world and humor also faced criticism in an article on MeinMMO, where we wanted to know from you how WildStar could have been saved.
Could WildStar return? A return of WildStar seems unlikely despite the interest. It would be a significant task for NCSoft to improve the MMORPG to a better state than it was in 2018. And the version at that time did not seem profitable for the South Korean company.
The greatest hope may well be a private server that has been in the works for some time.
