Star Stable Online is an MMO centered around horses and it is very successful: Over 600,000 players log into the game monthly. And yet, you may have never heard of it. Because the target audience of the MMO is primarily teenage girls, who do not fit the classic “gamer mold.”
This is Star Stable Online: In fact, the MMO Star Stable Online for PC is nearly 10 years old. The first server for Swedish players went online in September 2011. The game is played from a third-person perspective. After character creation, players are introduced to the basics of Star Stable Online and can embark on adventures on the mysterious island of Jorvik.
Once the island was a dreary rocky place, until one day a star crashed onto it. From the flames emerged a horse carrying a girl on its back. They rode to the center of the island and brought life with them. At least according to a legend. But since that day, all horses have a special connection to the island.
Essentially, Star Stable Online follows the usual MMORPG formula. You can explore the various areas and settlements of the island of Jorvik with your character. This can be done both alone and together with friends. In the process, you complete quests, solve puzzles, advance in the story of the game, and above all, take care of your horses.
This is the gameplay of Star Stable Online: Horses are the focus of the MMORPG. You receive your first horse right at character creation. Others must be earned or purchased.
- The game offers a wide selection of different horse breeds, including both real and magical horses
- You can level up and train your horses
- The horses have a mood indicator that affects their performance
- Each horse has its own stats and special abilities
- You can equip your horse with saddles and other accessories, which also have stats
Completing quests and caring for horses in stables gives you the in-game currency Jorvik Shillings, which can be spent on various items: such as new accessories for horses or your own character.
When the horses are well cared for and in good spirits, you can take them to various racetracks. Star Stable Online features over 60 racetracks with varying difficulty levels. Besides the usual rewards like in-game currency and EXP, you can also compete for first place on the High Score Board and try to set a best time.
Additionally, you also earn reputation with the various factions within the game. How much reputation you gain and for which faction depends on which track you choose.
Star Stable Online: A refuge for many girls during the pandemic
What the financial reports say: With the horse setting, Star Stable Online has found its own niche, which now successfully supports the MMORPG. In the financial report for the year 2020, the company Star Stable Entertainment AB, the developer of the MMO, reported several major successes (via press.starstableentertainment.com):
- The amount of play hours increased by 53% compared to the previous year to 109 million
- The average number of active users per day increased by 39% to 152,000
- On average, 633,000 players log into Star Stable Online monthly
- Over 2 billion chat sessions were recorded in 2020
And the growth continues. For the first quarter of 2021, the company reported a growth in player numbers of 25%. Like many other online games, Star Stable Online benefits from the global Corona pandemic, due to which many people spend more time at home and cannot see their friends as often. The CEO of the company, Johan Sjöberg, is aware of this:
[…] For many [girls], our game was the place where they met friends with whom they otherwise could not play. […] We will continue to be a hub for today’s teenage girls.
Gaming worlds that pass us by
Why do so few gamers know the game? Star Stable Online is a game that receives virtually no attention or coverage from most gaming media because it targets a completely different audience than the gaming media addresses. While the average gamer will have no interest in the horse MMO, the game is still booming because it has found its own niche and is virtually unmatched in it.
Which huge hit is hardly known? A similar example is the gaming hit Roblox, which should also be rather unknown to many core gamers. The game has been around since 2006 and has developed over time into a social hub for children and teenagers, where, for example, virtual birthday parties are held.
In recent years, Roblox has experienced a financial boom. Especially in 2020, the estimated value of the game grew from 4 to a staggering 29.5 billion, largely attributed to the Corona pandemic. The number of players was around 164 million in August 2020. These are numbers that some AAA titles can only dream of.
However, despite their successes, these games do not appear or only rarely on the radar of core gamers.
