[Column] General: Top 10 Most Anticipated MMO Releases of 2015

SBFord

Right now we are in a bit of a lull in the MMO release schedule. Crowdfunding campaigns like Crowfall keep on trucking and the astronomically high level of hype around Star Citizen continues to escalate, but both of those games are pretty far off from a real release. This list isn’t going to mention any current crowdfunding games, nor will it mention stuff that will go into a closed alpha of any kind – only open betas and full releases. This list will however include expansions and ports of MMOs to different consoles.

Read more of David Jagneaux's The List: Top 10 Most Anticipated MMO Releases of 2015.

DeserttFoxx

The most anticipated games for 2015 are the console re release of the games of 2014.

Sigh, gaming is in a sad state right now.

 

Maybe the divison can do well. I hope so anyway.

Howbadisbad

Why not just make it top 5 and skip all the console rereleases?

Pyuk

Not a very uplifting list to get excited about.

Telondariel

The order of importance is a bit off, imho, and some of those on your list shouldn't even be on there.  But, since it is purely an opinion piece (read: one person's opinion), it's about as valid as anything else out there that gets pulled out of thin air.

 

#3 Landmark?  Really?  That should be at the bottom of the pile, if on it at all.  Not even the fans of the game are excited anymore.

 

 

issling

Other then the consoles getting some pc titles and the existing pc mmos getting expansions, I don't see any of the other games launching in 2015 except Landmark maybe. And Landmark isn't really an mmo is it?

Vonatar

4 MMOs (arguably), 3 console re-releases, 2 expansion packs and an online shooter.

meonthissite

uhm wait.... why is there console releases and an expansion for a game that's already out on this list? Is the list really like this? If so 2015 is bleak for PC MMOs which is a further testament to the issues this genre faces.

Wizardry

With so many watered down games because of watered down business models,i wonder how successful any of them would be if they charged a subscription fee and were EXPECTED to deliver sub worthy content?I would say NOT very successful at all.

This whole free to play and KS's and early access have given the market a very FAKE look.

I watch streams almost everyday,every single game has been 1-2 months and drops off the charts.If that is what free to play and early access and KS can deliver,then i say they are a terribly weak system to be supporting.

last month it was all H1z1 ,now that game has dropped right out,then we see Reign of Kings now,it'll drop out just the same in a month or two Some other game ORi something has popped into the picture,same thing another cheap side scroller just as Child of Light was,it'll be gone in 1-2 months..Nobody is following ANY of those mentioned games in streams,so obviously they are not very popular.

You know what most  ALL these games share in common,updates,lack of.FFXIV has received a lot of content over the past year,GW2 some content,i guess this being it's biggest.

Warhammer??I have seen little to no buzz over that game at all and trust me in the chat rooms in Twitch people are bantering about games all the time.

All of he bigger streamers seemed to be bored of their games,moving from one game to the next only to stay if they get a lot of subs from streaming a certain game.Point is the gaming industry is NOT delivering on prolonged FUN,and i would say not 1-2 months warrants any accolades at all.

 

Pepeq

Originally posted by SBFord

Right now we are in a bit of a lull in the MMO release schedule. Crowdfunding campaigns like Crowfall keep on trucking and the astronomically high level of hype around Star Citizen continues to escalate, but both of those games are pretty far off from a real release. This list isn’t going to mention any current crowdfunding games, nor will it mention stuff that will go into a closed alpha of any kind – only open betas and full releases. This list will however include expansions and ports of MMOs to different consoles.

Read more of David Jagneaux's The List: Top 10 Most Anticipated MMO Releases of 2015.

I'm curious as to how EQNext made this list when clearly it will not be released in 2015.  And Shroud?  I think the concept of *release* has long been forgotten and any game put out there, in any state, qualifies as a release.

orbitxo

you forgot -'wildstar -reboot'!, the game is just turning out better n better with this years changes! and upcoming content!

the division<----looks pretty awsome!

 

orbitxo

Originally posted by MisterZebub

Originally posted by Vonatar
4 MMOs (arguably), 3 console re-releases, 2 expansion packs and an online shooter.

I feel this is just a reflection of the sea change as big money decides to leave the PC MMO stage. Some will reach out towards console gaming to try and expand into that customer base while others will abandon this market entirely and move on to a more stable investment. This mutation leaves the playing field wide open for smaller indie companies to make the games they want rather than just chasing trends. In the end I think this will be a good thing for PC MMORPG gamers who are weary of the current MMO offerings.

 

good point.

Telondariel

Originally posted by MisterZebub

Originally posted by Vonatar
4 MMOs (arguably), 3 console re-releases, 2 expansion packs and an online shooter.

I feel this is just a reflection of the sea change as big money decides to leave the PC MMO stage. Some will reach out towards console gaming to try and expand into that customer base while others will abandon this market entirely and move on to a more stable investment. This mutation leaves the playing field wide open for smaller indie companies to make the games they want rather than just chasing trends. In the end I think this will be a good thing for PC MMORPG gamers who are weary of the current MMO offerings.

There is a lot of truth in those two sentences.  Right now, and for quite some time (~10 years), money chasers have simply been pumping flavor of the moment, low involvement and quick to abandon trash.  I don't see that trend changing, as the market still supports the Walmart and McDonald's tier of gaming entertainment. 

 

But, as you say, that leaves an untapped oilfield for a savvy handful to cater to.  We're already seeing the beginnings of that, so I have a great deal of optimism for the genre.  I think it took the industry, and the community, to crash to a depressing low for developers and gamers alike to finally get a grip on quality vs quantity. 

 

 

immodium

The only problem with The Division is Ubisoft are the publishers. And there's been rumors circulating that the gameplay footage being shown isn't representative of what the game will actually look like, a la the Watchdogs fiasco.

gunmanvlad

I'm not sure if The Division really has a place on the list, a 2015 release seems unlikely (as with SotA and Warhammer ofc). On the other side, it is the MMO I'm most excited for. The Secret World was an absolute blast, I only stopped playing due to the lack of new content for a while and the lack of EU players. If The Division brings in a large enough crowd and delivers that modern day feel...it's going to be fun

 

After the Closed Beta for Skyforge launched, I think they hype fell a lot. Many found the game overly unpolished, which I can't really argue with. The environment and world seem overly robotic and lifeless.

 

I feel bad about people who are still excited about Neverwinter...

Warlyx

Originally posted by Wizardry

With so many watered down games because of watered down business models,i wonder how successful any of them would be if they charged a subscription fee and were EXPECTED to deliver sub worthy content?I would say NOT very successful at all.

This whole free to play and KS's and early access have given the market a very FAKE look.

I watch streams almost everyday,every single game has been 1-2 months and drops off the charts.If that is what free to play and early access and KS can deliver,then i say they are a terribly weak system to be supporting.

last month it was all H1z1 ,now that game has dropped right out,then we see Reign of Kings now,it'll drop out just the same in a month or two Some other game ORi something has popped into the picture,same thing another cheap side scroller just as Child of Light was,it'll be gone in 1-2 months..Nobody is following ANY of those mentioned games in streams,so obviously they are not very popular.

You know what most  ALL these games share in common,updates,lack of.FFXIV has received a lot of content over the past year,GW2 some content,i guess this being it's biggest.

Warhammer??I have seen little to no buzz over that game at all and trust me in the chat rooms in Twitch people are bantering about games all the time.

All of he bigger streamers seemed to be bored of their games,moving from one game to the next only to stay if they get a lot of subs from streaming a certain game.Point is the gaming industry is NOT delivering on prolonged FUN,and i would say not 1-2 months warrants any accolades at all.

 

child of light , ori and the blind forest are single player games , why even mention this games at all?

both are awesome games btw , loved every min of it

Gruug

I do not consider ANY of the games listed as "most anticapated MMO's of 2015". Two reasons. One, a couple are not really MMO's in my book (The Division and Planetside 2). And two, none of them are compelling enough to be of interest to me.

I should note that The Division is a co-op rpg/shooter that I AM looking forward to. But again, I do not consider it a traditional MMO.

Raquis

you all got it wrong,the most anticipated mmorpg is releasing in 9 days.

BLOODBORNE!

ShadowVlican

Black desert somehow didn't make the list? Or is that gonna be a 2016 release...

CrazKanuk

Originally posted by Gruug

I do not consider ANY of the games listed as "most anticapated MMO's of 2015". Two reasons. One, a couple are not really MMO's in my book (The Division and Planetside 2). And two, none of them are compelling enough to be of interest to me.

I should note that The Division is a co-op rpg/shooter that I AM looking forward to. But again, I do not consider it a traditional MMO.

I don't feel like we really have enough information on The Division to make that call yet. I mean by the same standard, Neverwinter might not even be considered an MMO. Right? 

Azaron_Nightblade

Looks like it'll be a calm year for me when it comes to MMOs. Hopefully the ones I'm currently playing will release some good updates. Of course several of those are already on that list, but I'll be sticking to their PC versions, so the console releases aren't all that exciting to me.

Hopefully they'll draw in a lot of new blood though. It's always good for the longevity of the games.

elocke

What a horrible list.  GW2  - HoT and FFXIV - Heavensward are the only ones that really intrigue me.  Skyforge is off my list now that I've played it.  Another failure.  All the console releases shouldn't be on this list as they are are already out.  EQNext is basically dead, and the few Kickstarter games mentioned won't be coming out this year.  I don't consider the Division an MMORPG either, same way I don't consider Destiny an MMORPG.  Just too different.  Bah.

Gruug

Originally posted by CrazKanuk

Originally posted by Gruug

I do not consider ANY of the games listed as "most anticapated MMO's of 2015". Two reasons. One, a couple are not really MMO's in my book (The Division and Planetside 2). And two, none of them are compelling enough to be of interest to me.

I should note that The Division is a co-op rpg/shooter that I AM looking forward to. But again, I do not consider it a traditional MMO.

I don't feel like we really have enough information on The Division to make that call yet. I mean by the same standard, Neverwinter might not even be considered an MMO. Right? 

 

In regards to The Division, yes we do have a LOT of information. I won't repeat it here but it is simply a co-op rpg/shooter. It will have a good bit of pve style gameplay that you can or are not required to group up for. Group size is maxed at four players (five with the drop in mobile devices side). There will be "social areas" where you can interact with more players but that is more or less just a 3D lobby for creating those four player groups. There will be "Dark Zones" in which more the 4 players will engage in pvp combat, but those are rumored to be no more the 32 (maybe up to 64) player shooter style instances.

As to Neverwinter, I don't see it as much more then the same.

 

rodingo

Out of that particular list I choose:

1) GW2 Hot (that's a gimme)

2) The Division  <-- Tom Clancy nut

3) WH40K Eternal Crusade  <-- WH40K nut

Oh wait...was I supposed to complain about the console games?  Ok,..booo console games!

BadSpock

Neverwinter might be an interesting distraction on XB1 - couldn't really get behind it on PC, but that action-y style is really well suited for console, and it's still F2P so why not try it?

Already pre-ordered ESO for XB1 - even if it isn't very good as a MMO, hopefully as an ES RPG it's worth the price of admission. I payed for it with trade ins, so not like I'm losing out on much. B2P ftw.

Don't know much about Shroud of the Avatar, but anything Ultima Online related/inspired peaks my interest.

Division is going to have to blow me away to compete with Destiny. 2015 is going to be a big, big year for Destiny.

Chaserz

SkyForge?  Seriously?  Top 5 for 2015?  If that's the case 2015 isn't looking very promising for MMOs.