From former developers of the sci-fi MMORPG EVE Online and veterans from EA Games, the new studio Arctic Theory was founded. They are working on an MMO that forces players to work together towards a large goal.
What kind of game is this? The MMO that the new Icelandic studio is working on is currently titled Annex. Although the game is set to enter Early Access by the end of 2023, this is not the final name, as confirmed by the developers.
Annex takes place in a post-apocalyptic scenario, where the last civilization has long fallen, and nature has reclaimed large parts of the formerly modern world. The overarching goal for all players is to build a new civilization.
And everyone is involved, whether they want to be or not. All players cooperate in a large shared world that is gradually influenced and improved by the actions of large player groups as well as by each individual.
The MMO features the following:
- Shared world that changes through all players
- A common goal for all players
- Resources and crafting play a major role
- Logistics and transport of these resources are also important
- From small huts to democratically run industrial cities, you should be able to build everything
- Combat is not the focus
What is unclear? Regarding the actual gameplay of Annex, Arctic Theory is currently withholding information. It is not known whether the game will be played in first or third person, or whether you will need to pay a one-time, ongoing, or no fee at all.
Also, what role combat plays is still unclear. While it is stated that it will not be in the foreground, we do not yet know whether you can fight at all or if there is no PvP.
Details about the shared world and how many players actually contribute to it are also missing. A mega-server model like in Guild Wars 2 could be conceivable here, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
Some of the developers previously worked on the space MMORPG EVE Online:
Annex impresses with developer veterans
What makes the project exciting? Even though we know little about Annex so far, the team at Arctic Theory working on the game is quite experienced. Mainly former developers from EVE Online are on board. The founder of the studio, Matthías Guðmundsson, for example, previously worked for over 15 years as a lead programmer and technical director for the MMORPG.
But there are also some veterans from EA Games, like Snorri Sturluson, who worked there for over 4 years as a senior software engineer. And this has already convinced not just fans. In a first funding round in March 2022, the MMO managed to secure 2 million dollars from Brunnur Ventures. But that should not be the end.
The team is currently looking for a publishing partner who will bring the game to market. Who that will be is still uncertain.
When will the game be released? This will still take a few years. While Arctic Theory aims to enter Early Access with Annex by the end of 2023, it should be a true Early Access experience. The developers want fans to be able to influence how Annex develops as early as possible.
A final release will therefore happen no earlier than 2024, and probably later. It is also still completely unknown on which platforms, besides PC, Annex will be released.
What do you think of Annex? How do you feel about the concept? Or do you think it is still too early to make a meaningful statement about the title? Do you like the idea of working on a large project with all other players? Please share your thoughts in the comments here at MeinMMO.
I got to see firsthand how the creators of EVE blew up a star and hundreds of players died
