The Secret World console game is on the back burner
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Four years ago, it was still reasonable to believe that we were on the verge of some kind of console MMO explosion. That's when Funcom unveiled The Secret World, an MMO in development for PC and Xbox 360 -- the first and last time there's been a definitive statement about the console version of the game to date. (A press release in January described The Secret World as "a next-generation massively multiplayer online game for the PC platform.")
What a surprise, then, to hear creative director Ragnar Tørnquist tell Eurogamer that he's "been very vocal in saying that when -- I guess also if -- we have a console version of The Secret World, it's not going to be exactly the same game." This is the first we've heard of a change in plans, even if we'd presumed that, at best, The Secret World console game had been secretly delayed.
While Tørnquist allowed that he had "a team" working "specifically" on an Xbox 360 version (at least at some point), he noted, "It's not something we're focusing on now. I think it will only happen if The Secret World turns out to be -- as of course it hopefully is -- a huge success. We will want to do things on other platforms; we will want to expand the universe. But it won't be the same game."
"You can still have the same setting; you can still have the same philosophies, the same basic systems," he said of a console version. "But you really need to make a different game. How different that will be, it's hard to say."
As for the PC version, Tørnquist told Eurogamer, "We're at the point where we know when the game is going to be released, but we're not quite ready to tell people yet." It's a secret.
What a surprise, then, to hear creative director Ragnar Tørnquist tell Eurogamer that he's "been very vocal in saying that when -- I guess also if -- we have a console version of The Secret World, it's not going to be exactly the same game." This is the first we've heard of a change in plans, even if we'd presumed that, at best, The Secret World console game had been secretly delayed.
While Tørnquist allowed that he had "a team" working "specifically" on an Xbox 360 version (at least at some point), he noted, "It's not something we're focusing on now. I think it will only happen if The Secret World turns out to be -- as of course it hopefully is -- a huge success. We will want to do things on other platforms; we will want to expand the universe. But it won't be the same game."
"You can still have the same setting; you can still have the same philosophies, the same basic systems," he said of a console version. "But you really need to make a different game. How different that will be, it's hard to say."
As for the PC version, Tørnquist told Eurogamer, "We're at the point where we know when the game is going to be released, but we're not quite ready to tell people yet." It's a secret.
Reader Comments (14)
Posted: Apr 7th 2011 3:39PM ShadowXOR said
It's an MMO, this was a given really. How many times have we seen this pattern repeat itself?
Posted: Apr 7th 2011 3:47PM baby sea tuna said
@ShadowXOR
Right? I think a better article would have been: Joystiq has discovered that The Secret World's creative director, Ragnar Tørnquist, has the most badass effing name this side of Stig Assmussen!
Reply
Right? I think a better article would have been: Joystiq has discovered that The Secret World's creative director, Ragnar Tørnquist, has the most badass effing name this side of Stig Assmussen!
Posted: Apr 7th 2011 3:42PM Digital Viking said
No loss....
Remember, Age of Conan was also supposed to be released on Xbox 360. Don't know why they even bothered to announce TSW as a 360 game at all, I think we all knew it wasn't going to happen anyway.
Remember, Age of Conan was also supposed to be released on Xbox 360. Don't know why they even bothered to announce TSW as a 360 game at all, I think we all knew it wasn't going to happen anyway.
Posted: Apr 7th 2011 5:23PM SirUrza said
@Digital Viking
Because Funcom is the worse company when it comes to community communications. They announce things (like console ports) and then don't speak of them again.
Now they're saying IF the game is successful. No offense, but IF Secret World is a success, I'd rather they focus on expanding it then rushing out a console version of it.
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Because Funcom is the worse company when it comes to community communications. They announce things (like console ports) and then don't speak of them again.
Now they're saying IF the game is successful. No offense, but IF Secret World is a success, I'd rather they focus on expanding it then rushing out a console version of it.
Posted: Apr 7th 2011 3:49PM LaughingTarget said
Consoles just never get any luck when it comes to MMOs. There are quite a few crowding up the back of the stove.
Posted: Apr 7th 2011 4:20PM Jack Kevorkian said
@LaughingTarget FFXI had massive success on multiple consoles.
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Posted: Apr 7th 2011 3:51PM Softserve said
They never got around to bringing Age of Conan to 360, I don't expect this one.
Posted: Apr 7th 2011 4:02PM Dance Mofo said
Or how about a sequel to Dreamfall. That game has more plotholes than swiss cheese.
Posted: Apr 7th 2011 4:30PM fco said
I hope it actually succeeds. Adventure game developers have tried doing MMOs before, with terrible results.
Posted: Apr 7th 2011 5:23PM Nook said
I'm not sure what I just read, some sort of encoded.....secret.
Posted: Apr 7th 2011 7:47PM MicahR said
If Runic could modify torchlight's interface to work on the xbox, then FunCom could modify the secret world's interface to work on consoles. If people needed a chatpad or whatever, I'm sure we would buy one to play this game.
Also, if I could only play the game with other xbox players, that would be fine with me; as I am doing that now with all other multiplayer games released on the xbox.
Also, if I could only play the game with other xbox players, that would be fine with me; as I am doing that now with all other multiplayer games released on the xbox.
Posted: Apr 7th 2011 7:53PM MicahR said
This statement blows my mind:
"if The Secret World turns out to be... a huge success. We will want to do things on other platforms..."
So why would you not want to launch a game where there is no competition?
And why would you want to launch a game where the platform is flooded?
"if The Secret World turns out to be... a huge success. We will want to do things on other platforms..."
So why would you not want to launch a game where there is no competition?
And why would you want to launch a game where the platform is flooded?
Posted: Apr 8th 2011 10:28AM Sh1fty said
Still super excited for this game.






