The new MMORPG Stars Reach on Steam is being created by a legendary developer. Now he has revealed what inspiration he is using.
What kind of game is this? The Galaxy Sandbox MMORPG Stars Reach aims to provide a parallel world where players can dive deep. The game is intended to function as a sandbox, not as a theme park MMORPG, and players are meant to explore the “deeply simulated lifeworlds in a shardless galaxy”.
In contrast to many genre competitors, there is supposed to be a “fully player-driven economy” here, filled with “peaceful gameplay opportunities.” So, those who are not interested in fighting will still be happy in the MMORPG.
Here you can watch the first trailer for the sandbox MMORPG:
MMORPG by a Mastermind
Who is behind the MMORPG? Industry veteran Raph Koster was the lead designer of Ultima Online, which was released in 1997. He was also the Creative Director of Star Wars Galaxies from 2003. He is also behind the new MMORPG Stars Reach.
In an interview with Gamesradar, the developer spoke about his inspiration for the MMORPG. He mentioned Sword Art Online as the first example. An anime in which the protagonists’ bodies are connected to their characters from an MMO and only become free when they win the game. If they die in the virtual world, it also happens in the real world of the anime.
About Sword Art Online, he says: “It’s a fantasy, of an immersive parallel world, and players yearn for it, we believe […] Just look at all the isekai anime, the Sword Art Onlines and all that. The games shown there are not theme park games. They are immersive, alternative realities, right?”
Is there already an example from the gaming industry? For Raph Koster, his MMORPG is to be a sandbox where players can leave their everyday life behind. He knows exactly how this can work in a video game.
He cites the cozy game Animal Crossing as an example: “If you look at the rise of all these other sandbox game forms on a smaller scale, it’s pretty clear, isn’t it? I think the way Animal Crossing went viral during COVID is a sign of that. So, yes, when you put these things back in context, we believe there is a huge, huge appetite for it.”
Raph Koster has a clear vision of his MMORPG and knows exactly how it should be. Before the game becomes a reality, funding needs to be secured. For this, the developers are relying on a Kickstarter campaign that is set to launch soon. You can learn more about it here: Legendary developer has been making a new MMORPG for 5 years, now he wants your money
