This year there have been 3 Triple-A MMORPGs: The Elder Scrolls Online, WildStar, and ArcheAge. All of them are good games, but which one is the best?
First came The Elder Scrolls Online on April 4th of this year. Long before the launch of the game developed by ZeniMax Online Studios, there was a huge hype about the unofficial successor to Skyrim. In the meantime, it was even referred to as the “Skyrim MMO”, although the developers distanced themselves from such statements. Nevertheless, just the name “Elder Scrolls” generated high expectations among fans who hoped for a mix of a classic MMORPG and the single-player games.
On June 3rd, WildStar was released. The comic-style sci-fi MMO from Carbine Studios took a completely different path than TESO and did not build on an existing IP but created a new one. The result is the self-proclaimed “hardcore MMO” WildStar, where the two factions fight for control over the planet Nexus.
Taking a different approach is the recently launched ArcheAge. It is based on an MMO that was already released in South Korea in January 2013 but was adapted for Western countries. ArcheAge is also often referred to as a “sandpark MMO”, which represents a mix of “sandbox” and “themepark”. In the early levels, it is a classic themepark MMO with quests and quest hubs, but later it opens up a bit and includes many sandbox elements, such as extensive crafting or housing.
