A player has become so fond of Triad Wars that they did not want to give up the MMORPG. Half a year of work later, and the game is running again.
What kind of game is this? Triad Wars was a kind of MMORPG experiment by United Front Games, the creators of Sleeping Dogs. For many players, it was like Sleeping Dogs Online, where players were to build their own criminal empire. The game strongly resembles the big sandbox hit GTA Online, as both games feature a massive world full of vehicles and crime.
Although the “Massive” (as in “Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game”) was not the focus of the game, there were some mechanics that strongly resembled an MMORPG. Players were able to distribute skill points in skill trees that then enhanced combat skills, firearms, and driving abilities. Instead of experience points, players collected “Face”, a kind of street reputation. With a higher reputation, better equipment was also available.
The game world was always online, even when players were not actively playing. Through clans and leaderboards, players could compete against each other. Players joined forces to take control of Hong Kong.
However, there were also raids in the game where players could enter other players’ bases and fight against NPC guards. Although they did not fight against the players themselves, they had to get through the defenses placed by the defender before.
Here you can see the game in action:
Rescue 10 Years After the End
What’s the status of the game? Triad Wars only ran in 2015, as the game was definitively shut down on January 20, 2016. At that time, the title never left the status of an “Open Beta” and there was never a full release.
The reasons for the quick downfall were related to the community and the title itself. Players were more thirsty for a Sleeping Dogs 2 than a Free2Play online offshoot. At the same time, the game offered too little “Online”, as there were never real fights with other players. It lacked interactions.
At the same time, the title clearly deserved the name Open Beta. There was a lot of grind as the thrilling presentation of the single-player campaign was missing and players constantly repeated the same actions. Additionally, the game world seemed too empty and unspectacular. However, the title still has one dedicated fan.
Where does the rescue come from? The fan with the username “Keiters” on Reddit has not given up on the title even 10 years after its end. According to his own statements, he revived the game 10 years after its conclusion.
To do this, he rebuilt the entire server structure himself, without having the server files. On the project’s website, he reports on his process. His Frankenstein project is now in a playable alpha, where many of the elements work, although not everything is functional yet.
Especially the core, the multiplayer and the economy of the title, are still not functional. At the same time, Keiters seems to be working without the permission of the former developers. Although he does not take any money, publisher Square Enix could intervene at any time and stop the project.
Since there have been MMORPGs, they have also died again. Loyal fans rarely manage to resurrect one. That one fan has succeeded is joyful, but it is not a solution for all titles. One initiative aims to save MMORPGs: Initiative to save video games had little hope, YouTubers and Twitch streamers rush to help
