General: Shortest Lived MMOs: Revisited

Stradden

Over a year ago, I wrote one of the first ever MMORPG.com lists on the subject of the shortest lived MMOs. In it, we covered the top four titles  with the shortest time between release and cancellation. Normally, we don’t resurrect articles but after today’s events, there is a fifth to not only add to the list, but to add to the top of that list: APB.

First, the original article:

Last week, we examined five games that died on the cutting room floor. This week, we look at four games that made it to launch, but died within 18 months.

They’re presented in a countdown, from the game that lasted the longest to the fastest live MMO shut down in history.

Sadly, in recent years, MMO shutdowns have become much more common and the corporate leashes a lot shorter. Older games like Asheron’s Call 2 and Earth and Beyond aren’t on the list. The sad truth is, not everyone gets cancelled as quickly as these four. Earth and Beyond ran for 729 days, while Asheron’s Call 2 survived a whopping 1,134 days.

Read Shortest Lived MMOs: Revisited.

Daakkon

What about Fighting Legends if anybody remembers that game?

Slampig

I wish I had gotten a chance to try Fury before it closed. At the time I just could not run the game, now that I can, oh well, it is gone...

Kraoss

Originally posted by OoMpAlOmPaZ

What about Fighting Legends if anybody remembers that game?

I loved that game, even though it lacked tons of content.  Wish another developer would adopt some of the cooler ideas from that game.  The base you could setup and pick up anywhere, and the choice of units and upgrades that made up your squad was awesome.

 

RIP APB

The_Grump

Note that the developer for two of the games on this list is NCSoft. That says something, no matter how you look at it and, of course, people are very likely to argue that developers merely provide the cash. For those with those blissfully ignorant dreams...yes, of course, developers only provide the funding.

Daakkon

Originally posted by Kraoss

Originally posted by OoMpAlOmPaZ

What about Fighting Legends if anybody remembers that game?

I loved that game, even though it lacked tons of content.  Wish another developer would adopt some of the cooler ideas from that game.  The base you could setup and pick up anywhere, and the choice of units and upgrades that made up your squad was awesome.

 

RIP APB

 

Definitely, too bad it didn't last longer.

Jadetooth

Originally posted by The_Grump

Note that the developer for two of the games on this list is NCSoft. That says something, no matter how you look at it and, of course, people are very likely to argue that developers merely provide the cash. For those with those blissfully ignorant dreams...yes, of course, developers only provide the funding.

 

You might be confusing the "Publisher" with the "Developer". 

Slampig

Originally posted by The_Grump

Note that the developer for two of the games on this list is NCSoft. That says something, no matter how you look at it and, of course, people are very likely to argue that developers merely provide the cash. For those with those blissfully ignorant dreams...yes, of course, developers only provide the funding.

I thought NCSoft was the publisher, the people that made Crackdown made APB, or did I get that wrong?

Wraithone

Originally posted by The_Grump

Note that the developer for two of the games on this list is NCSoft. That says something, no matter how you look at it and, of course, people are very likely to argue that developers merely provide the cash. For those with those blissfully ignorant dreams...yes, of course, developers only provide the funding.

Well... Considering that NCsoft has now axed *four* games (all of them from western developers) I'd say thats a pretty obvious pattern. I also note that Linage2  has had server merges.  Any bets if it had been western, that NCsoft would have added it to their list of axed games?

Its too bad about APB. I always hate to see a game fail, but they never really found the audience they had intended the game for.  Given all of the time, talent and money these games cost, its too bad that such things happen, but the MMO market tends to be brutal these days.

Leucrotta

Originally posted by The_Grump

Note that the developer for two of the games on this list is NCSoft. That says something, no matter how you look at it and, of course, people are very likely to argue that developers merely provide the cash. For those with those blissfully ignorant dreams...yes, of course, developers only provide the funding.

Also note that NCsoft was the publisher, but not only that ,those 2 were way different from the most mmo's out there. NCsoft imo has balls to try/support to do something different. if it dusnt work sure they axe it but still they try it anyways.

 

So far NCSoft/Anet is the only one that dares to go the buy to play route as well and with great succes.

 

Also note btw that all games made by NCSoft are still up and running.

prototypo

All Points Bulletin..... AH i knew it was something keeping me from buying this mmo. Money well saved 80)

brenth

SEED:

I played the beta

while the basic premise was good  the constructon of the game was effectivly all complete FAILS

crash landing a colliny/teraforming ship on a totally unknown and  unexplored alien world  is  simple bursting with possibilitys

and absolutely great for a game company because the beginning of the game  players are in a confined area of the ship just getting fixing things and making it habitable, giving the coders more time to flesh out the world

but everything else strait out of the guinness book of epic stupidity

comic book cell  style   they should have went with a unreal type engine

movement was click on ground  and no alternate method so you easily got traffic jamed in crowds

the chores were blindlingly simplistic and repetative  repair  component hatches  over and over  and they quickly rebreak so itquickly feels pointless

never got as far as combat  but in this theme of a setting it would be a must have  to deal with alien critters,  aliens  or even other colonies  fighting over resources

this could easily been a very popular sandbox game with alot of exploring and discovery and freedom  but it was so bad  and testers were screaming at the developers about immenant doom  but all was lost.

 

it is one of the FEW game Ideas I feel is worth  a resurection  with the right game mindset.

ThomasN7

Well when you have craptastic developers making games and putting montly fees and item malls into games that is surely a recipe for failure.

causs

Fuck man. I feel so.. sad. I love APB. You know, there was so much fun tonight on the server. It was my home for the last 2/3 months, and I loved every second of it. I hope some company will pick this game up eventually. Rock on APB. 

LJonte

"...just over half as few days..."

Dude, really?

Daakkon

There was this other mmo that was a top down uo/diablo style cell-shaded game that lasted like 1 month, but I forgot the name.

prairiefire

I am just curious as to why Mimesis Online is not on the short list or even mentioned? 

Hedeon

SEED didnt die due to non combat, atleast not the only reason, even if it properbly reduce the customer circle, it were simply not working when they had to launch due to lack of money.

non combat games work in other branches of the gaming industry, so why not in a MMO, but agreed with Brenth, they would have needed a better idea for the day to day activity....and well that being fun.

lack of money, know how, creativity on how to make the gameplay fun (mind it might have ruined it abit for me due to rubberbanding and crashes) and well money again since for someone to pull off an idea this far from the traditional MMO, you d need to advertise it heavy.

Daakkon

Originally posted by prairiefire

I am just curious as to why Mimesis Online is not on the short list or even mentioned? 

It didn't make it out of alpha...I considered it alpha.

Wardrop

I always hoped that NCsoft would have released Patches for Auto Assault and Tabula Rasa allowing the game to be played as a single player game.

The gameplay was that of a singleplayer game for both of these titles.

I dont touch NCsoft games..Now. Who knows what games next to be shut down by them, leaving me with a useless peice of plastic with an NCsoft logo on it.

Astro6

Babylon 5 the mmo hit open beta and was cancelled before it was released.

Daakkon

Since people are bringing up games that never made it to release I would like to add Wish onto the list. It had some awesome pre-trammel uo potential.

eyeswideopen

Originally posted by OoMpAlOmPaZ

Since people are bringing up games that never made it to release I would like to add Wish onto the list. It had some awesome pre-trammel uo potential.

Bet you didn't know that the OP was a developer of WISH.

Daakkon

Originally posted by eyeswideopen

Originally posted by OoMpAlOmPaZ

Since people are bringing up games that never made it to release I would like to add Wish onto the list. It had some awesome pre-trammel uo potential.

Bet you didn't know that the OP was a developer of WISH.

I did not lol

I miss that game

Stormwatch

… The Chronicles of Spellborn …

Matticus75

I played Auto Assault and Tubula Rasa, personally both failed becasue of money really

And this is a trend I see more and more,

Look at Auto Assault, I think the game could have had the ablity of carrying passangers/other players more like a fast paced tank sim, and still be able to get out of your vehicle in the main world to add depth, reason why I didnt think it was done...."money" It was a good game but not much else you can do in it....not really groundbreaking.....low budget

Also, Tubula Rasa. Why did the game not work out like Fallen Earth with the combat? or even better? And if not then why did the game not have capture points in areas for pvp, similar to a very old game like planetside? It cant be that expensive unless you have a dev team of 5 people then I can understand....again low budget, small dev team.

 

New MMOs seem to work on this level: A publisher presents the money for a new game, they want assurance that it will make a profit, originality is to risky; so more and more MMOs and or low budget studios are making games that are safe and unfinished (aka clones of other games with)

In 2010 we have the technology to make some really serious mind blowing MMOs; But what I see are low budget world engines, alot of hype, unfinished games that are as much as a year to early from release

Expamples: AoC, STO (Star Fleet Command from the early 2000's had more thoughtful combat), Global Agenda (Common Tribes 2 and Tribes Vengance were better and free with no need for microtranctions, Planetside was better game too)  Warhammer (Why is this game seem like it was made in 2002) Warhammer Dark Millenium (Why does this game seem like it was made in 2005, but comming out in 2013)

All of it comes down to hype, and low budget, small dev teams, Technology is improving but MMO are very rarely keeping up it.