WildStar and ArcheAge in head-to-head race for MMO flop of the year 2014

The two MMOs WildStar and ArcheAge are currently neck and neck on the US site massively for the “biggest disappointment of the MMO year.”

This is a title both games would have preferred to avoid. The major US MMO site massively awards MMO honors at the end of the year. First, the editorial team gives their assessments. Then, fans are allowed to vote. In the category “Biggest MMO Disappointment of the year,” the SF MMO WildStar and the sandpark MMO ArcheAge, both launched this year, are currently in a tight race. WildStar has 33.9%, ArcheAge has 32.8% of the votes cast.

WildStar – not the game one hoped for

 The disappointment with WildStar probably stems from the high expectations. For two consecutive years, the SF MMO has won the award for the MMO that people were most looking forward to. The release, as one of the authors writes, had little to do with what had been advertised a year earlier. Another mentions that as much as he wanted to love the game, he just couldn’t manage to play WildStar for an extended period.

The consensus seems to be what the editor-in-chief of the site, Brianna Royce, writes: WildStar is not a bad game, but it could have been so much more. Especially since the highest expectations of all MMOs this year were pinned on WildStar. The launch was okay, but the time after the release was not well handled by the studio, leaving behind a feeling of disappointment.

ArcheAge – “Mess” is still the nicest word

ArcheAge, on the other hand, has a completely different situation. Initially, there weren’t the expectations like there were for WildStar, but then players recognized the immense possibilities that the gameplay of ArcheAge could offer, until a series of absurd stories and problems raised doubts about the game and the publisher Trion Worlds.

The sandpark MMO is already leading in the category “The Biggest Story of the Year” significantly, as the drama surrounding Trion Worlds seems to have no end, starting with launch problems to hacking, cheats, and bots and server outages. The editors’ assessments here already lean towards gallows humor: “My favorite story is the one that’s currently trending and has ‘Trion Worlds’ in the title.”

Therefore, the comments regarding the disappointment around ArcheAge are also somewhat more bitter. One of the authors writes: “I usually wait until a game is cheap on Steam before buying, so I’m not often surprised by disappointments. However, as an observer, I still choose ArcheAge, as I have witnessed how the enormous enthusiasm for the game turned into sheer hopelessness.”

Another writer commenting on ArcheAge notes: “The biggest story for me is the complete horror show that ArcheAge presents. It seems to be a cautionary tale of how to destroy an MMORPG. And although it breaks my heart that this is happening to such a rich game full of potential, I still cannot stop watching.”