MMORPGs have not existed for just a few years, there are plenty of them. And although most games have a relatively solid player base and of course everyone plays the “one best” MMO, the games often differ only slightly in essence. Typical mechanics like defeating enemies for quests, farming materials, or the classic power increase when leveling up are part of the general standard. Anyone who has played any MMORPG will be able to navigate almost all other games as well. In short: The games don’t really differ; there is a lack of groundbreaking innovations. Today we ask the question: What does the MMORPG genre need to experience a second golden age?
Cortyn says: Although every WoW expansion always lures me out from under my stone, hardly any game manages to spark my enthusiasm for MMORPGs as strongly as it did over a decade ago. While my ideas at the moment may be a bit utopian, technology is evolving rapidly. The missing aspect for me is immersion. I long for a world where I can completely immerse myself and lose my connection to reality for a few hours a day. Devices like the Oculus Rift are just a small step on this development path. Even though many will now roll their eyes, I hope that it will be possible someday (for a certain duration and with appropriate safety measures) to log into a game and truly be the character – leaving reality behind for that duration.
Another thing is that fights are losing more and more importance for me in MMOs. This is certainly partly due to the fact that I immensely enjoy role-playing, but aside from that, I wish for more features that are simply of a social nature – and don’t even need a reward. More creative possibilities, inspired by Minecraft or the housing of WildStar, to create independent works with friends. Perhaps I am becoming older more experienced, but I now find peaceful coexistence in a game just as interesting as action-packed battles.
But now let’s talk about you! What does the MMORPG genre need to experience a second golden age? Which conventions should we break away from or what innovations should a game offer to really excite the masses again? Discuss with us and let us know in the comments!
