The Upcoming MMOs of 2016 - General Column

SBFord

The Upcoming MMOs of 2016 - General Column

2015 is in the past, and the majority of 2016 lies ahead. What games will we be playing as we crawl through the calendar year? We’re here to help figure that out.

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LilithM

I find it interesting that despite the fact that hardcore and pvp focused mmorpgs continue to do badly in the West, publishers continue to push forward games with this as the games main features. Black Desert and Blade and Soul are perfect examples of this. And I believe Camelot Unchained?

What's the point? Or is the hope that millions of moba players will leave their favorite moba game and play their games instead?

postlarval

Hey, how about you remove anything that says beta. That's not a launch.

Once you've done that, there is very little to choose from, just like 2015.

SPRPGs here I come.

Lobotomist

Are you joking ? The most of the list is based on estimated times pitched on some promo announcements in early preproduction.

Some of the MMOs listed are under vaporeware question mark (EQN)

And Voxelnauts, the company closed doors year ago.


Disappointing. I know there is not much MMOs to write about anymore. But if you do. As MMO focused site. At least check if the game websites are alive...

BillMurphy

Voxelnauts isn't closed down (yet). And until we hear otherwise, they're predicted early access can stay. Note, we said we'd be updating the list all year long. Inquiries are out to most of the developers already. 

Dauzqul

Lineage Eternal officially stated a "2016 or later" Global Release.

http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/18/ncsoft-promises-a-simultaneous-global-release-for-lineage-eterna/

BillMurphy

Dauzqul said:

Lineage Eternal officially stated a "2016 or later" Global Release.

http://www.engadget.com/2014/11/18/ncsoft-promises-a-simultaneous-global-release-for-lineage-eterna/

I hope that's true. We can't get much of a comment out of NCSOFT. I'll try again this week, and add it citing this old story. 

fodell54

I find it interesting that on some games you name well known game creator ie. Chris Roberts and Mark Jacobs. Yet, on other games like Pantheon and Shroud of Avatar you leave out the names of it's well known creators. Not saying this was done on purpose but it does leave a bad taste in my mouth.

SpottyGekko

Luckily 2016 is looking like a great year for SPG titles, so there will be a couple of actually fully complete games to play.

I'm not interested in this pre-alpha, early access, etc. nonsense. Paying to play a half-finished, buggy mess is not my idea of fun at all.

Anthur

So in short some asian MMOs, some games I wouldn't classify as MMOs at all, but whatever, and some indie MMOs which might or might not reach beta status.

Not much to look forward to as far as MMOs are concerned in 2016. edit: 2015 -> 2016.

sgel

Star Citizen isn't releasing in 2016.

Gaming.Rocks2

Most indie MMOs that campaigned in the first wave of Kickstarters are either going to be released or in late beta stages. The result would make or break the future of MMO development. 

Lyrian

Are we there yet? 2016 seems nebulous as hell, with no fixed dates and long drawn out 'early access' periods.

This just gets more and more frustrating as my disposable income has no unproductive outlets. If the stock markets weren't so awful I'd start throwing my money at that!

NordicApache

fodell54 said:
"I find it interesting that on some games you name well known game creator ie. Chris Roberts and Mark Jacobs. Yet, on other games like Pantheon and Shroud of Avatar you leave out the names of it's well known creators. Not saying this was done on purpose but it does leave a bad taste in my mouth."


You wouldn't have that taste if you kept things out of your mouth.

Mikeha

Black Desert is all that matters.

Cramit845

Camelot Unchained, Albion Online, Pantheon:RotF, The Division and maybe Star Citizen and black desert.

Whiskey_Sam

2016: The year of the tumbleweed

Righteous_Rock

Thanks for the list, I think it would beneficial if we stopped hearing anything about games in alpha or beta state. It's free advertising for a product that's not ready, stop promoting unfinished games.

elocke

Wow....nothing to look forward to at all in 2016...good thing I've been playing single player games and enjoying the hell out of em. At least I have Legion from WoW and ESO in 2016 to hold me over MMORPG wise until something actually grabs my attention. Might even dip my toes back into FFXI for a nostalgia fix before it shuts down at some unknown date in the near future.

[Deleted User]

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Siphaed

The choices a player makes in Shroud of the Avatar will have an affect on the world more than anything and lean toward avoiding grinding

More than the cash shop?  Doubtful.   Most every review for the game state that it "looks promising, except for the heavy emphasis on cash shop".    The game is totally a virtual barbie dream house store.

Crowfall is a fantasy MMORPG in development from ArtCraft. The game focuses on political alliances, as well as feudal conquest. Expected to follow ArtCraft's professed desire to create MMORPGs that promote risk taking, player skill, and competition. Crowfall players are expected to compete with one another, with the chance to take the throne in the offering.

It also promotes a cash shop too. Selling tons of player housing features currently with a "coming soon" for what looks to be character aesthetics and "convenience items" that gives no hints on the scary future cash shop trappings other than "coming soon". So why try to take a throne in Crowfall when you and your guild can just buy one?!

Star Citizen will be available for a one-time purchase fee and no subscription, with an item shop based on in-game currency for convenience and customization items

Isn't that a lie with it's $300-600 ship sells going on right now? Because a glance at the internet states that those ships are power for sell. Or is that just a system of milking money out of game-backing hopefuls and won't be in at launch?

Camelot Unchained is an Arthurian fantasy MMORPG from City State Entertainment and Mark Jacobs, founder of Mythic Entertainment and known for his development of Dark Age of Camelot. Camelot Unchained offers the three factions of Arthurian, Tuatha De Danann, and Viking, and focuses on Realm-vs-Realm, housing, and a player economy, along with crafting and other features.

Practically the only good one coming out of the future. Promising no cash shop at all, just subscription or bust. Everything earned in-game rather than by the size of the player's wallet.

Thupli

Righteous_Rock said:

Thanks for the list, I think it would beneficial if we stopped hearing anything about games in alpha or beta state. It's free advertising for a product that's not ready, stop promoting unfinished games.

While I hear what you are saying, these companies release their games she they hit alpha and beta, so better to judge them when they are "opened".

Siphaed

Righteous_Rock said:

Thanks for the list, I think it would beneficial if we stopped hearing anything about games in alpha or beta state. It's free advertising for a product that's not ready, stop promoting unfinished games.

You realize that then they shouldn't do "preview"s for any AAA game that hasn't gone gold.  That is what you're asking by your statement.   You're asking that no game get looked at or previewed before it is ready to launch because doing so is "promoting unfinished games".     To do that would take away 90% of content from game reporting websites. 

heerobya

Biggest thing I am looking forward to is Destiny 2 in the fall. If it is current-gen only, as it should be, should be the game Destiny 1 should have been all along.

BillMurphy

heerobya said:

Biggest thing I am looking forward to is Destiny 2 in the fall. If it is current-gen only, as it should be, should be the game Destiny 1 should have been all along.

I HOPE, this actually gets announced this year. But I'd bet on a 2017 release.  If they surprise me, consider the list updated! (Oh, and a PC release please.)

Wicoa

Hmm. Any news on city of heroes successors, there were a good couple of projects that were started after it closed down, seems to have gone silent.