Abyss Online is a new sandbox MMORPG that focuses on PvP and player-modifiable quests. After the announcement, some users on Reddit noticed that it seems to be a rebranding of the game MetaGates, which focused on cryptocurrencies and NFTs. Now the CEO responds to the allegations.
What is the game about? Abyss Online was officially announced on August 29 and initially sounded unremarkable:
- A new sandbox MMORPG from a small indie team.
- PvP in the open world and in arenas in 1v1 and 3v3.
- A rather mediocre trailer.
- Gold selling for real money.
- The only interesting aspect was the modification of quests. Players should be able to give a written answer to an AI in the main story, which will slightly adjust the course of the story.
However, the development story is really exciting. Originally, Abyss Online was supposed to focus on NFTs and cryptocurrencies. But after careful consideration, the studio concluded that this content is not good for players. And it will also not be pay-to-win.
You can watch the trailer here:
“There are too many fraudsters in crypto-gaming”
What does the CEO say about NFTs? Nick Liverman is the CEO of the studio and stated in an interview with the colleagues at MMOBomb that Abyss Online was originally called MetaGates and focused on cryptocurrency.
However, the developers saw it more as a means to create a marketplace similar to that in CS:GO. But they have since decided against it:
Everything we sold was similar to what was included in founder’s packs of every major MMO. We sold founder’s packs and game items over the blockchain and thought, “Blockchain really gives power to players.” The team hoped that NFTs would lead to the creation of a new generation of CS:GO shops where creators could sell items they made in our game.
The unfortunate reality of the NFT community is that there are no viable solutions for operating a game with NFTs. The technology is not there and will likely be delayed indefinitely due to the poor culture in the crypto industry.
Another main reason for the removal was the distrust and skepticism towards crypto and crypto-gaming. There have been so many scams and cash grabs that it’s understandable. We realized that no real gamer would want to play a crypto game, and for our team, players always come first. Our only goal is to develop a great game that people will want to play for many years to come.
By the way, not everyone shares Liverman’s opinion. Developer legend Richard Garriott – creator of Ultima Online – is currently working on a new NFT MMORPG.
What will happen to the content of MetaGates? Since both games are based on the same foundations, the previous development time was not in vain.
Anyone who invested in the old game is supposed to receive comparable rewards in the new game. They are in close contact with the supporters who want to stay involved with the new MMORPG.
Poor decisions by developers and PR
Why wasn’t the rebranding communicated immediately? During the interview, Liverman explains that the switch from MetaGates to Abyss Online was simply omitted by the PR agency. They probably saw the development story as too negative. However, the CEO emphasizes that they have completely distanced themselves from crypto.
What is the issue with the sale of gold? Here too, there were major communication problems. The gold sold in founder’s packs is not an in-game currency, but the name of the real money currency.
Here Liverman acknowledges that the name was poorly chosen. However, Abyss Online is definitely supposed to be free of pay-to-win.
What else was revealed in the interview?
- Abyss Online will be buy-to-play
- There should be the first test events on Steam in the coming weeks.
- The developers communicate a lot with the community in their Discord and want to incorporate feedback into the MMORPG.
What do you think about Abyss Online? And are NFTs and cryptocurrencies actually content that would immediately put off a “real gamer”?
If you are looking for a strong PvP MMORPG right now, you will find it here: The 5 best MMORPGs for PvP fans.
