Bernkastel
Ask me about my fanboy energy!
He has worked on WoW,Guild Wars,Warcraft III,Starcraft and Diablo. With Microsoft's funding he can make a proper MMO that everyone wants.
Yes because we've seen how well all the other ex-Blizzard staffed MMORPGs worked out.
WOW was lightning in a bottle. Its success can't be duplicated. You also have the problem that it's basically impossible to compete with because it's got 14 years of content built out for it already. No new game can launch with even a tenth of the content it has.
State of Decay was originally an indie game and Undead Labs is still only a 50 member studio. I mean a large big budget MMO(now that they are a part of Microsoft) with a proper team headed by Jeff Strain. Look at how Playground Games is hiring for there open world RPG.MMORPGs are very risky. Very expensive, and many people get their hands burned. EA and Ubisoft have massive massive MMO AAA Projects that went down the drain and became failures. Sony (SOE) too. Microsoft has also tried various MMO attempts including Halo. Undead Labs latest launched with a fair shair of bugs, limitations and gameplay problems, and I don't think it showed they could tackle something much much more complex like a MMO. At least there needs to be a better engine, a more streamlined and polished direction and they need to have a faster output.
A new IP ofcourse.Well, which IP are you thinking about? What one Xbox IP is most likely to get people to drop money every month? Although gamepass kind of had that covered. Cause GaaS print money from what I'm told. Isn't that what a MMORPG is anyway?
Announcement from Undead Labs - Undead Labs
Today we are excited to announce that the Undead Labs Studio Head and Founder, Jeff Strain, is launching an exciting new initiative.undeadlabs.com
As a member of the software engineering team, you will be accountable for designing and implementing systems to support peer-to-peer gameplay modes for an ambitious unannounced game project in the Unreal Engine.
I just did a quick wiki search, I had no idea how many MMOs use UE4 as their engine. Interesting.Multiplayer Software Engineer
This position reports to the Engineering Manager. A senior individual contributor position focused on the creation of technical solutions for compelling multiplayer gameplay. As a member of the software engineering team, you will be accountable for designing and implementing systems to support...undeadlabs.bamboohr.com
I just did a quick wiki search, I had no idea how many MMOs use UE4 as their engine. Interesting.
Looking at your original post I was thinking that the reason they wouldn't do that is that MMOs just don't have the earning potential they used to. On the other hand, if they want content for game pass, an MMO is exactly the kind of thing that keeps people subscribed. And it might just be time for a new MMO to rise up in the endless cycle of gaming trends and become the "new WoW."
Do you still think an MMO is in the cards, or are you betting on some other genre for their ambitious project?
Dont know why someone reopened this old thread but
Apparently, Undead Labs hired a lot of ArenaNet(Guild Wars dev) staffs after they were laid off as NC Soft wants to focus on mobile. They increased heads from below 40 to around 100 in a few months. So, will they make a MMO? I think they have a team capable of that.
Their are two Undead Labs now, like Playground Games and eventually Ninja Theory. Jeff Strain is in the new New Orleans studio.They always wanted to turn State of Decay in a MMO. Its still their big vision
The guys who made this have mostly made multiplayer games throughout their career.Honestly, SoD (both) were very enjoyable, especially if you were in that The Walking Dead binge state of mind. I think with the 3rd one they can really hit it out of the park and fully realise their vision. Just don't force multiplayer on us.
Not SOD2 after the anniversary update.Basically because SOD was a bad game.
Not SOD2 after the anniversary update.
What did it add that made it good? the game had zero content before so i kinda wanna know.
Plus a lot of content added till the anniversary update.State of Decay 2 celebrates 2-year anniversary with new content pack
This update also includes a bunch of bug and gameplay fixes.www.windowscentral.com
That didnt stop Amazon from making one. This thread quickly drifted to State of Decay, when its about Undead Lab New Orleans studio led by Jeff Strain.Aren't MMORPGs considered risky by big publishers?
With the huge amount of online only games and even free to play games nowadays, the risk is even bigger.
fucking hell, you must be trollingFor the same reason they went out of their way to buy Ninja Theory and reminding everybody how awesome Hellblade was, just to put them to work on yet another useless Overclone.
For the same reason they went out of their way to buy Ninja Theory and reminding everybody how awesome Hellblade was, just to put them to work on yet another useless Overclone.
That wording is straight out of next gen speculation threads. Dont do drugs kids.put them to work
this.MMORPGs are very risky. Very expensive, and many people get their hands burned. EA and Ubisoft have massive massive MMO AAA Projects that went down the drain and became failures. Sony (SOE) too. Microsoft has also tried various MMO attempts including Halo. Undead Labs latest launched with a fair shair of bugs, limitations and gameplay problems, and I don't think it showed they could tackle something much much more complex like a MMO. At least there needs to be a better engine, a more streamlined and polished direction and they need to have a faster output.
Generally speaking, I agree, but ArenaNet? GW is a massively successful franchise. Along with WoW and FFXIV, it's probably the most successful western MMO ever in terms of reach and staying power. GW2 has a massive player base still, and had sold 7-8 mill before going F2P years ago.
Jeff Strain is pretty accomplished in his own right. A lot of the tech WoW later adopted to streamline all its problematic infrastructure was pretty much GW1s unique tools. He was a key player in the success and development of BattleNet. GW1 was a super unique concept that went against stats based RPG in favor of a focus on skill, tactics and decks inspired by card games like Magic The Gathering. Under his leadership, Guild Wars became a home for millions of people who hate The EQ/WoW model of MMORPGs in favor of skill based gaming, but with a casual and social PVE element.
Didnt stop Amazon. And they are describing the second studio's project as an ambitious unannounced game project and considering background of the people behind the studio and the recent hires, you would assume that to be the case. So, farSeems like putting money into an MMO is kinda risky now. Don’t very few survive along with WoW? Or am I just missing a bunch of good MMOs?
if anyone do it doesnt mean that because they guaranteed it will be done properly....Amazon actually willing to take risk.... thats all which is, something not to taken lightly of..even with all the money and the talent they had it still not guaranteed anything..it still and always risky..there still big chances that things could mess up..that kind bussiness of mmo as....Didnt stop Amazon. And they are describing the second studio's project as an ambitious unannounced game project and considering background of the people behind the studio and the recent hires, you would assume that to be the case. So, far
I need to put some of these things in the OP.
- Jeff Strain (creator of Guild Wars and co-founder of ArenaNet) left to create a second studio at New Orleans
- They hire more people from ArenaNet and people with similar expertise(like from Bungie), bringing the studio head count from slightly over 30 to around 100(mostly for the second studio).
- As Jeff Strain leads the new project in second studio, ArenaNet's Philip Holt becomes Studio Head. Original team is still doing State of Decay 3.
I mean why else would the creator of Guild Wars start a new studio for "an ambitious unannounced game project" and hire even more Guild Wars dev or devs with similar expertise ?if anyone do it doesnt mean that because they guaranteed it will be done properly....Amazon actually willing to take risk.... thats all which is, something not to taken lightly of..even with all the money and the talent they had it still not guaranteed anything..it still and always risky..there still big chances that things could mess up..that kind bussiness of mmo as....
and consider how much money Amazon have, it makesense that the willingness to take the risk but it still not something that anyone could dive in just because they had money..
dont forget, their new mmo 'New World' also didnt have smooth sailing..lot of issue and things being critisized...devs currently doing their best to improved the game....making mmo is also not simply as developed it and done like that..there still lot more things to do once the server is up and how they continuously fare up since that moment is important...even wow also somehow can get screw up
not to mention how the market bussiness model trend changed from p2p to f2p model that going popular which is also played important role
but if they nailed it, it could generate lot of money which is probably why some company willing to take risk..but, if they screw up...the consequences is also worth considering for
its riskier than making single player or multiplayer game
its as i said above..making mmo is risky...not saying it never should get made but its risky..not everyone willing to throw their money in it...and Amazon is one of those who want to take risk and let the gw creater to start his own studio for this purpose..so far they hiring right person but how the project will goes is different matter..mmo trend is constantly changing..failed to adapt will resulted to stuff like xiv 1.0...im not saying he gonna fail..i just give some example..it would be great if he success...I mean why else would the creator of Guild Wars start a new studio for "an ambitious unannounced game project" and hire even more Guild Wars dev or devs with similar expertise ?
Thanks for your input. To be frank this thread started in 2018 as a wishlist of mine, but now we are hearing things that just point in that direction. Phil also really wants to get MMOs like PSO2 and FF XIV(confirmed) into Xbox.its as i said above..making mmo is risky...not saying it never should get made but its risky..not everyone willing to throw their money in it...and Amazon is one of those who want to take risk and let the gw creater to start his own studio for this purpose..so far they hiring right person but how the project will goes is different matter..mmo trend is constantly changing..failed to adapt will resulted to stuff like xiv 1.0...im not saying he gonna fail..i just give some example..it would be great if he success...
you can mention as many devs with mmo background start his own studio for supermega ambitious game project ever but it doesnt change the fact that making mmo is not easy and riskier than making single player game
it doesnt simply mean microsoft should join amazon just like that..even amazon, invest alot for this purpose for a reason...they also didnt simply hire just anyone
no problem..if you had free time, you can do some research about how different developing mmo vs single player game...there surely a reason why lot of big name in industry doesnt bother with this much..as i understand its not about the technical or graphics issue but the larger content needed compared to single player game hence the 'Massive' multiplayer online rpg label is not there without reason, and how they need to keep managing new content release, economy, support system, player inventory, maps, UI, server maintenance, QoL improvement, communication/interaction with player/community, future roadmap and other stuff ..these things required lot of resource/money and they need to recoup the devs cost and need money to flowing to keep making content.. a good mmo always having new content patched but if they screw up things that resulted to less player imagine how it would happened....the server need to keep running and its not free...there pro and cons of p2p and f2p model....player usually play 30-40 hours (might goes hundred for those with bigger world) for big open world single player rpg but mmorpg required to have continuously content for player to play hundreds of hours without run out of content ......the genre itself is not easy to tackleThanks for your input. To be frank this thread started in 2018 as a wishlist of mine, but now we are hearing things that just point in that direction. Phil also really wants to get MMOs like PSO2 and FF XIV(confirmed) into Xbox.
“Managing an MMO is like managing a country,” -Naoki Yoshida