Joystiq

Age of Conan dethrones GTA IV in Europe

Griffin McElroy — 2008-05-31T19:00:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, MMO

With the amount of hype, advertising, positive reviews and media attention Grand Theft Auto IV has received over the past few months, we wholly expected it to remain on top of the software sales charts until our video game consoles grew sentient and attempted to purge humanity from the planet. Strangely enough, a dark horse recently overtook Rockstar's well-received crime drama in many European territories -- a horse mounted by a brawny, rippling Cimmerian.

Yes, Funcom's decapitation-rich MMORPG Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures recently outsold GTA IV in a number of European locations, including Germany and Sweden. Since Rockstar's latest opus is still selling like freshly baked hotcakes in North America, we can't help but wonder if GTA's themes of living the American dream and hooker brutalization got lost in translation as the title crossed the Atlantic -- or whether Age of Conan's musclebound mascot reminds German gamers of a certain pop culture icon who is quite revered in their country.

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Age of Conan collector's edition is all sold out

Jason Dobson — 2008-05-19T08:25:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, RPGs, MMO, Business

Selling out has become a common occurrence for Funcom's upcoming MMO Age of Conan, a theme that continues this morning with news that the game's collector's edition print run of 111,000 units is "completely sold out in all markets." The announcement stings for those of us who kept putting off pre-ordering the limited edition box until tomorrow, and while Funcom notes that some boxes may still be found on retail shelves, stores will not be able to order more.

Even so, Funcom adds that it is putting some 700.000 copies of Age of Conan on trucks bound for retail shelves on day one, ensuring that anyone who fancies suiting up in virtual loincloths will be able to do so when the MMO officially begins tomorrow.

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Age of Conan's retail, monthly subscription prices revealed

Jason Dobson — 2008-04-23T05:00:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, MMO

Norwegian publisher and developer Funcom has announced the amount of money armchair barbarians can expect to shell out from beneath their loincloths to play Age Of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, with the MMO's retail box costing $59.99 and €49.99 in North America and Europe respectively. Beyond that initial outlay of coins, swinging an axe in Hyborea will carry a monthly subscription price of $14.99 in North America and €12.99 for players on the other side of the Atlantic.

However, while the oft-delayed MMO has seen a healthy influx of interest during the game's beta test, this hasn't clouded Funcom's gift for the obvious, with the company stating in an investor update that "the success of the game will depend first and foremost on the response it receives from players after several hours of playtime of the finished product."

[Via Massively]

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Age of Conan pushed back until May 20

Ross Miller — 2008-01-21T14:15:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Online, RPGs, MMO

The age of Conan will begin eight weeks late. Funcom has announced that its visceral MMO Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, originally due at the end of March, has a new release date of May 20. The company cites further polish as the reason for the delay, but we suspect they just wanted to keep up with a never-ending trend of "final" delays for the award-winning title that had an impressive showing at E3 ... 2006.

The new release date could put the game against another highly-anticipated MMO, Electronic Arts' Warhammer Online, although our sister site Massively points out there are rumblings of a fall 2008 delay for Warhammer. Check out our impressions of Age of Conan from this month's Consumer Electronics Show.

[Via Massively]

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Conan MMO dev: WoW popularity in decline

Kyle Orland — 2007-12-19T17:30:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, Online, MMO

Everyone knows that World of Warcraft is the hottest thing to hit the MMO genre since BakeQuest: The Battle for Sliced Bread. But according to at least one rival developer, that popularity may be starting to dwindle. Speaking to the accurately named VideoGamer.com, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Quest Designer Joel Bylos cites a "feeling on the Internet" as evidence WoW is beginning to lose its appeal. "You get that just from online communities, which of course we all pay attention to as well," Bylos said when asked if people might be getting tired of WoW.

We're sorry, but a "feeling on the internet" probably isn't the best way of measuring satisfaction in a game with 9.3 million paying subscribers (up from 7 million roughly a year ago) and a celebrity-packed ad campaign. Sure, there will always be internet trolls and forum whiners that threaten to leave over every little problem, but by and large the silent majority seems just as hooked on the game as ever. Much like Democrats who promised to move to Canada if George W. Bush was reelected, these vocal complainers seem good at making threats but bad at following through on them. Then again ...

[Via WoWInsider]

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Age of Conan beta surpasses 10,000 testers, more invites to come

Jason Dobson — 2007-12-07T19:58:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, MMO, Business

Age of Conan, Funcom and Eidos' perpetually delayed massively multiplayer romp through the magical world of Hyboria and its sea of rippling pecs, has surpassed 10,000 beta testers, which by itself would sound impressive had more than ten times this number of would-be warriors not signed up earlier this year. Given this, it seems that the powers-that-be have been particularly selective about who they let into their sandbox, a practice that we presume has Lord British chartreuse with envy.

The devs state that Age of Conan is being patched and updated 'frequently,' and that Funcom plans to "continuously expand the beta efforts in the months to come, including adding tens of thousands of new testers," no doubt welcome news for the thousands of would-be players still waiting at the gate, shivering patiently in their loincloths for the chance to grind alongside fellow barbarians. The MMO, which was first announced way back in Ye Olde 2005, is currently scheduled to ship for the PC on March 25, 2008, though if you are like us you're holding off placing bets quite yet.

[Via Massively]

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Dragon*Con impressions: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures

Elizabeth Harper — 2007-09-18T21:20:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, MMO

Funcom was at this year's Dragon*Con in force with demos of their upcoming MMO Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. While the game isn't slated for release until March 2008 (we hope), the game Funcom showed us looked pretty slick -- though they're still tight-lipped on the feat system (that would be "talent trees" for you World of Warcraft-ers) and the "spell weaving" system the magic users will have access to. We did, however, get a good look at the gameplay as well as a look at the game's female models. For those of you who have to see these things for yourself, Funcom is accepting applications for beta-testers, but for full details on what we saw at Funcom's demo, keep reading!

Gallery: Age of Conan

The game begins, as MMOs are want to do, with character creation. You start out with a choice of races (Cimmerian, a Celt-like race; Stygian, a North African/Egyptian-like race; or Aquilonian, a Greek/Roman-like race) and a wide variety of appearance customization options. You can heavily modify your bodytype, chose from many hairstyles (which are changeable later in the game if you wish), fully customizable facial features, and many different options for tattoos. And though I don't have have any clear shots of them (and probably couldn't post them if I did -- the female models start out with minimal clothing), female characters are an option, and in a break from the Conan lore, can be just as powerful as their male counterparts.

Before we jump into the game, a bit about the interface. From what we've seen, there's nothing shocking in its design -- Funcom hasn't tried to reinvent the wheel. I'm afraid that none of the official screenshots have UI elements displayed, so you'll have to get a glance at the UI elements using our fuzzy, digital-camera-from-a-distance shots.

The only things out of the ordinary are the buttons in the upper left, which have no obvious function, though I speculate that some of them may access the player's inventory. And then above the hotbar there's a swing bar, which allows you to control the direction of your weapon swings in melee combat. (More on the game's combat system later!) Other than that, we have some menu buttons at the top of the screen, a tried-and-true round mini-map in the upper right, a casting bar in the dead center of the screen, a combat log on the left-hand side, a bar for your health, a bar for your target's health, and a hotbar for easy access to all of your abilities.

This is all we know about the game's UI for the moment -- and with about six months before the game's release, this may get shuffled around before we see it live.

But for now, back to gameplay! Your character begins life on a galley ship as a slave -- when you're shipwrecked, you have the opportunity to break free and begin your adventures in Hyboria.

Once we're off the ship, our task is to pick up our first quest (side-note: Funcom tells us we won't be killing any rats in this game), complete with yellow exclamation point, and head towards the nearest town, escorting a slave to the safety of the nearest town, fighting pirates along the way. (And unlike the World of Warcraft escort quests with which I'm more familiar, your escortee will stop, cower, and hide when combat begins.)

Combat in Age of Conan is a bit different than what we've seen in other MMOs. Beyond simple point and click, melee combat is a series of directional sword swings (5 directions for melee classes, 3 directions for caster classes) which you control completely. Your swings can be chained into combos which, on success, give you a blood frenzy buff to you and your party and provide a small chance of a "fatality." Fatalities are exactly what you think they are -- Mortal Kombat-style finishers that are exceptionally gory, complete with blood splatters on your screen.

Though they weren't yet ready to show off spellcasters in the game, they did tell us a bit about combat with casting classes. In the same way that melee classes will be able to link different types of swings to create combos, spellcasters will be able to link different types of spells together using the spell weaving system. These can be powerful magical effects (just like melee combos) -- but magic in Hyboria is a dangerous thing, and your spell weaving can also backfire on you.

Starting at level 5, you can chose from one of four available class archetypes: Priest, Soldier, Rogue, and Mage. And at level 20, you can select a class based on your archetypes. A Priest can become a Druid of the Storm, a Priest of Mitra, a Scion of Set, or a Bear Shaman. A Soldier can become a Guardian, a Conqueror, or a Dark Templar. A Rogue can become a Barbarian, a Ranger, or an Assassin. And a Mage can become a Demonologist, a Necromancer, a Lich, or a Herald of Xotli. While we don't have full details on what types of abilities and specific spells each class will have, Funcom does give us some general information about each of the options.

Though we're told you can solo all the way up to level 80 (and all classes have some damage capacity), there are also small group options starting around level 8 to 10 and continuing throughout the game. The standard group size in Age of Conan is 6 players, and it scales up to raids of 24 players (or four groups). Group content will scale based on the number of players approaching it and their levels -- though we don't have full details on how this will function, and we're told that you should still expect to head into group content, especially raid content, with a full group of players. The game will also feature an integrated system to help find groups for these encounters.

On the PvP side of the coin, the game features battleground-style combat (instanced, with your character teleported in from wherever you might be) -- we got to see a brief demonstration of a capture the flag style PvP combat (in the game it will be 6v6, though our demo only had two players). The play was between two casters with succubus-type pets. The casters traded ranged damage spells and used various shield abilites while the succubi dealt melee damage across rocky terrain. It struck me as a typical capture the flag style game -- the fun to such games tends to be in class balance and strategy, which we don't yet know enough about to comment. These battles will reward you with blood money and small amounts of experience.

However, while this battleground-style combat was all we saw, in the final game there will also be able to participate in large-scale siege weapon PvP in the border kingdoms and drunken brawling (which is precisely what it sounds like -- though there is the interesting aspect that what you drink changes the amount of damage you can do).

While we're still missing a lot of details on the game -- and you can make or break an MMO with the details -- the gameplay Funcom was showing has my curiosity piqued. And with the mantra "easy to learn, difficult to master" on everyone's lips, it seems like Funcom is pulling some pages from Blizzard's playbook -- and with the continued success of World of Warcraft, that can't be all bad.

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Age of Conan's last delay wasn't so 'final'

Alexander Sliwinski — 2007-08-10T09:25:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, Online, RPGs, MMO

Remember when Funcom promised in January that their delay of Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures to October was guaranteed as the "final launch date" for the MMO? Well, they totally lied. Age of Conan has been delayed again until next March. This time around they aren't silly enough to say it's the "final" time. Funcom CEO Trond Arne Aas said, "We believe that the new release date is in the best interest of the gamers, our company and our owners."

Our time with the game has been fine, but a ten minute demo doesn't give enough of an answer to how this game will avoid the MMO trap of making players not realize they are "waging a war against the mind-numbing effects of repetition." Obviously the developers think they need more time and publisher Eidos seems to be on board with that idea. Funcom now has until next March to announce another delay.

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Joystiq impressions: Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures

Ludwig Kietzmann — 2007-07-21T19:40:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, MMO

When playing an MMORPG, you're essentially waging a war against the mind-numbing effects of repetition. There's no way to avoid it in a genre that's less concerned with immediate interaction than it is with protracted character building and management. The crucial trick in creating a good MMORPG then, is to bury this almost mechanical repetition in enough layers of entertainment and atmosphere to convince you that you're plundering loot from a defeated swamp creature, and not a polygonal mass of lesser statistics. World of Warcraft is demonstrably such a game and judging by our brief time spent with it, Funcom's Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures may be as well. Don't misunderstand -- it's not going to radically change your feelings towards MMORPGs, but it may prompt you to consider getting your hands dirty.

Indeed, getting your hands dirty is arguably one of Age of Conan's most prominent features. Being based on Robert E. Howard's Conan the Cimmerian novels (sorry, Arnie fans!) naturally gives the combat a barbaric edge, with the ability to string together attack combos resulting in a greater sense of immediacy and involvement compared to other titles in the genre. It's not quite an action RPG -- statistics still play a predominant role -- but you are given a variety of physical attack options through a set of on-screen buttons. A smartly executed combo will finish off weakened foes with a fatality animation and a satisfying splatter of blood across the screen.

Of course, you don't have to play as a barbarian (or "tank" as you RPG kids say), but choosing differently will somewhat lessen the authenticity of the game's drunken brawling (which is exactly what it sounds like). Other character classes obviously bring their own aesthetics and abilities, with an efficient raiding party consisting of classes skilled both in magic and brute force. The E3 raiding party (rendered somewhat schizophrenically due to the Fairmont hotel's woefully inadequate internet access) consisted of a barbarian, a priest and a master of beasts (said summoned beasts tended to be frighteningly large scorpions). The combined might of the trio was able to foil a huge creature hidden deep inside a vast and ancient (aren't they always?) temple, though some leveling up cheats were clearly in effect. Don't worry Funcom folk, we didn't think less of you.

As evidenced by the temple and a set of snow-covered ruins, the sense of environmental scale in Hyboria is quite impressive. Old architecture is nestled within craggy mountains and obscures a considerable draw distance. We could certainly see where some of the game's $25 million budget and 4-year development time went. Not seen -- but scheduled for release next year -- was the Xbox 360 version. Aside from the forgotten Final Fantasy XI, the console has not yet been graced by a major MMORPG and its arrival will surely be watched intently by gamers and publishers alike. Age of Conan product director, Jørgen Tharaldsen, told us that going after a console audience is a challenge, due to communication and control being handled so differently between the platforms. Will we see some cross-platform play? "We would like that to happen," answered Tharaldsen.

So would we. Having players launch sieges and fire ballistas across gaming platforms would certainly give Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures another hook with which to, umm, hook players still wary of things massively multiplayer. Those already reeled in by the genre can look forward to the PC version's arrival on October 30th.

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Over 100,000 gamers sign up for Age of Conan beta test

Kevin Kelly — 2007-04-12T17:27:00+00:00

Filed under: Culture, PC, Action, Adventure, Online, RPGs, MMO

If you haven't already signed up to get into Hyboria in the Age of Conan beta test, you might want to try before they slam the gates shut. They had over 50,000 wannabe barbarians sign up during the first 24 hours of the signup period, and a total of over 100,000 over easter weekend.

Apparently they made the signup process a bit difficult in order to "avoid gamers that were simply looking for a free trial of the game." So, if you're looking for a free trial of the game, just work a bit harder during signup. With this game winning "Best MMO of E3" from several different sources, it'll only get more and more popular. Unless the beta ends making gamers shout "By Crom!" in frustration.

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Age of Conan MMO delayed for the "final" time

James Ransom-Wiley — 2007-01-26T10:19:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure, Online, RPGs, MMO

Developer Funcom dropped in on the official Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures forums to bring news of further delay. Bad news first: the PC version has been pushed back to October 30, 2007. And now the good news: Funcom promises this is the "final launch date." Specific details regarding this latest delay were not disclosed.

Age of Conan is currently in closed beta. Funcom is expected to announce details about open beta in the near future. An Xbox 360 version will be released sometime following Age of Conan's debut on PC.

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Strong lineup to boost PC gaming in '07

James Ransom-Wiley — 2007-01-03T23:25:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, Action, Adventure, First Person Shooters, Online, RPGs, Simulations, Strategy, MMO

Here at Joystiq we don't always pay proper attention to PC gaming. Luckily FiringSquad has picked up the slack. The site has issued its 'Most Anticipated' games of the year list, featuring twenty upcoming titles. Here's a look at the top five:

Supreme Commander (Gas Powered Games/THQ) - spiritual successor to Total Annihilation; sci-fi RTS with dual-monitor support
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars (Splash Damage/id Software/Activision) - prequel to Quake 2; two playable sides (Human and Strogg) are said to offer vastly different gameplay experiences
World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade (Blizzard) - the expansion to end all expansions ('cha-ching')
Spore (Maxis/EA) - from single-celled to universe conqueror; the video game to end all video games
Crysis (Crytek/EA) - it has the looks, can it live up to the hype?

Which games are you planning to upgrade your rig for?

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Age of Conan MMO extended to Xbox 360

James Ransom-Wiley — 2006-12-12T11:55:00+00:00

Filed under: PC, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Online, RPGs, MMO

Development of an Xbox 360 version of the Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures MMORPG will soon be underway. The PC version was lauded by numerous media outlets as the 'Best MMO of E3' this year, certainly fueling the decision to extend the game's reach to Microsoft's console. Age of Conan has not yet been confirmed for cross-platform or Live Anywhere support.

Age of Conan begins as a single-player adventure, and once complete, morphs into a persistent world, online-multiplayer game; highlighted by activities like city building and PvP siege warfare. Brutal gameplay is defined by a "Real Combat" engine, which relies on active combo-inputs.

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Joyswag: X06 Photoshopping contest

Kyle Orland — 2006-09-28T18:00:00+00:00

Filed under: Joyswag

While we were unfortunately unable to fly you all to Barcelona to attend Micosoft's X06 conference, we would like to share our X06-related bounty with one lucky Joystiq reader. The person who sends in the most amusing .jpg format edit of the above picture to joyswag [dot] submissions [at] gmail [dot] com will take home the following goodies given out at the conference:

An Alan Wake flashlight
An Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures comic book from Dark Horse
Three limited edition pieces of art from Mass Effect

All entries are due by midnight Eastern time on Sunday, Oct. 1, so put down those outstretched arms and get cracking.

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Pre-E3: MMO roundup [update 6]

Jennie Lees — 2006-05-04T08:55:00+00:00

Filed under: Features, Mac, PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, E3, MMO

Massively multiplayer online games, known by a series of acronyms beginning with MMO, are a rising trend among developers. With monthly fees meaning regular income, and a player base too addicted to stop, developers trip over themselves to enter this lucrative market.

We can guarantee we'll be seeing a lot of MMOs at E3, so that's why we're bringing you this comprehensive overview of every MMO we currently know to be in development -- excluding expansions of existing MMOs. Here's a quick summary of the trends that we see emerging from this list:

East meets West. Ten out of the thirty-five games listed are Korean MMOs hoping to make it in America and Europe, with several companies banking on the success of such a translation.
Elves and Orcs. Despite a number of fantasy-themed MMOs, there are several under development that have no sign of the fantastic about them -- instead, we see themes from sci-fi to pirates.
Microtransactions. Pay for currency, don't pay for the game -- this increasingly common strategy allows gamers to try games for free. Those who become heavy players end up pouring in more cash than they would have paid for an all-you-can-play monthly subscription.
Casual MMOs. Three of the titles listed below are trying to break into the casual space, with appealing cutesy graphics and Flash-based play. Most casual titles aren't persistent, though games like Runescape have done well out of the browser-based market so far.
New developers. Fifteen of the studios below are working on their first MMO, or their first game altogether. This could mean increased innovation, or more problems -- MMOs are risky business.

However, there are some challenges many of the companies listed below will need to overcome to make their products succeed:

Carve out a niche. Many of the games in development look similar at a first glance, and developers will have to make their product unique and appealing.
The Anti-WoW. An ever-growing proportion of gamers play nothing but World of Warcraft. Developers face the challenge of luring them away, as well as competing with the World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade expansion, released later this year. The same applies to other MMOs -- will gamers want to give up an all-powerful character to start again in an unknown world?
Freeloaders. Offering free play with micropayments is all very well, but a certain number of micropayments are needed for this to succeed -- getting the balance right may prove tricky.

9 Dragons

Developer: Indy21
Platform: PC
MMO History: Publisher Acclaim was recently resurrected as a company focusing on the localisation of Korean MMOs. 9 Dragons and BOTS are its first two titles.
About the Game: 9 Dragons is a martial-arts-themed MMO, focusing on kung-fu action with a graphical theme reminiscent of single-player RPG Jade Empire. Winner of a "Game of the Year" award in Korea, the game includes quests and mini-games to train skills.
Release Date: Around Nov 2006; beta applications open.

Adellion

Developer: HonorBound
Platform: PC
MMO History: With a staff which is volunteer-based, HonorBound has been working on this game since 1998 -- it's the first project for the company, and an ambitious undertaking for a team of volunteers.
About the Game: Adellion is set on a fantasy-style world with mediaeval technology; the game features permadeath and focuses on role-play, with a number of cultures and skills available.
Release Date: TBA; beta signup is available.

Age of Conan

Developer: Funcom
Platform: PC
MMO History: The company behind Anarchy Online, Funcom has already established a hold in the non-fantasy MMO world, despite the spectre of its cancelled Norse-themed MMO Midgard.
About the Game: Themed around the eponymous fantasy hero, Age of Conan is an action-themed MMO set in a "dark, lush, violent and sinful" world. Players complete the single-player game to become a hero, then enter the MMO stage. More announcements will be made at E3.
Release Date: 2006

Aion

Developer: NCsoft
Platform: PC
MMO History: From veteran MMO developer publisher NCsoft, Aion joins other successful fantasy titles such as Lineage and Lineage II. Launching in Korea before America, it's effectively an East-to-West conversion.
About the Game: Aion is set in a world "torn between good and evil", with a complicated "PvPvE" network of allegiance and hatred between factions. We'll hopefully find out more at E3.
Release Date: 2007

All Points Bulletin (APB)

Developer: Real Time Worlds
Platform: PC, Xbox 360
MMO History: Webzen, developer of MU Online, is publishing a multitude of MMO projects at the moment. Bringing a Grand Theft Auto-style real-world crime game to the MMO concept is going to be an interesting journey.
About the Game: A MMO cops and robbers game, APB features "urban warfare in a 100% explorable city". The game features heavy customisation rather than level-based gameplay, and a persistent turf war between Gangs and Law Enforcement factions.
Release Date: 2008

Archlord

Developer: NHN Games
Platform: PC
MMO History: Another Korean game being translated to the West, Archlord joins British publisher Codemasters' existing MMO lineup which includes RF Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online.
About the Game: A fantasy-based MMO with a twist; players compete in both PvE and PvP trials to become the "ArchLord", supreme ruler for a month. Includes Orcs, Elves, and Humans, covering eight classes. More than a million signed up for the Korean open beta.
Release Date: Q3 2006; beta signup open

Atriarch

Developer: World Fusion
Platform: PC
MMO History: This appears to be World Fusion's first MMO, though the company has been around for 19 years working on large software projects.
About the Game: Featuring a "massive", round world and features such as player housing, Atriarch is set in an alien environment. Characters can advance without killing and will be able to advance offline as well as online.
Release Date: TBA; beta signup available.

Bang! Howdy

Developer: Three Rings Design
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
MMO History: Three Rings Design is the studio behind popular Java-based MMO Puzzle Pirates, and while Wild Western games aren't exactly a sure bet, recent consoles titles like GUN have helped popularise the genre.
About the Game: Free to download and play, Bang! Howdy is a cowboy MMO that centres around tactical strategy. It will presumably be similar to Puzzle Pirates in that it's a themed Java-based game, easily accessible to casual players, though the strategy focus is a new angle.
Release Date: TBA; beta signup open.

Bioware's Untitled MMORPG

Developer: Bioware
Platform: TBA
MMO History: Well-known for its RPGs such as Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire, Bioware has many gamer fans. It's acquired talent from a few well-known MMO companies for this upcoming project, including Ultima Online and Sony Online Entertainment veterans.
About the Game: Bioware only recently announced it was opening a new studio in Austin for MMO development; nothing is known about the game itself hopefully we'll hear more about the project at E3.
Release Date: TBA

BOTS

Developer: N-Log Corp
Platform: PC
MMO History: The first release for the resurrected Acclaim, BOTS will test their Korean-to-Western MMO strategy.
About the Game: A casual multiplayer action title that only just falls into the MMO category, BOTS allows players to pit robots against each other. Free to play, but with microtransactions and in-game ads driving revenue. Over a million registered players in Asia.
Release Date: Q2 2006. Closed beta in progress.

The Chronicles of Spellborn

Developer: Spellborn International Ltd
Platform: PC
MMO History: This is Spellborn International's first MMO. The privately-owned company was established in 2004.
About the Game: Based on the Unreal engine, set in a post-apocalyptic fantasy world, The Chronicles of Spellborn is centred around skill-based combat and PvP. The game also involves quests and fighting for various in-game rewards, such as control of realms and statues of renowned players.
Release Date: Q4 2006; Open Beta in Q3 2006.

Crusade

Developer: Quest Online, Inc
Platform: PC
MMO History: David Allen, creator of Mordor and Demise, is behind this project. His MMO resumé consists of Horizons: Empire of Istaria; Crusade is QOL's first MMO.
About the Game: Crusade's motto is "Crush, Conquer, Convert". Only announced a week before E3 2006, little is known about the game; it is based in a fantasy world and includes two warring player factions, with PvE and PvP-oriented play.
Release Date: TBA

Dark and Light

Developer: NP Cube
Platform: PC
MMO History: Dark and Light is the first MMO from French developer NP Cube and Mauritian publisher Farlan Entertainment.
About the Game: Set in a large, non-sharded world with "no loading zones", Dark and Light is a fantasy-themed MMO with a number of races ranging from fairies to orcs. It is billed as the "largest MMORPG ever," and includes airborne travel on dragons and gliders. Gameplay allows for exploration as well as combat, with a free pregame Settlers of Ganareth currently underway to begin population of the world.
Release Date: May 30, 2006.

Darkfall Online

Developers: Aventurine and Razorwax
Platform: PC
MMO History: This is the first outing for Greek developer and publisher Aventurine (who have acquired Razorwax, a Norwegian company working on the title since 2001).
About the Game: Combining both fantasy MMO concepts with some RTS features, Darkfall Online allows players to build their own empire centred around land ownership and resources. With six races to choose from, character classes are flexible, with many choices for specialisation. Combat options include fighting from horseback and naval battles. The game looks to be heavily PvP oriented, with no safe zones.
Release Date: 2006

Dark World Online

Developer: Tulga Games
Platform: PC
MMO History: Horror MMOs are rare, though horror games are less so. Tulga Games is the developer of MMO Horizons: Empire of Istaria, a fairly low-key fantasy MMO.
About the Game: Dark World Online is a MMO with a modern horror setting; players will be able to choose between vampire, werewolves and human races. The game features PvP and PvE gameplay, but little more is known at this early stage.
Release Date: TBA

Untitled DC Comics MMO

Developer: Sony Online Entertainment
Platform: PC, PS3, Xbox 360 (speculative)
MMO History: SOE is certainly one of the big names behind MMOs at the moment, though this comics-based MMO will be encroaching on fellow giant NCsoft's territory. With both DC Comics and Marvel entering the superhero space, things are certainly looking crowded.
About the Game: DC Comics' Jim Lee was recently announced as creative lead, and the game will be "as close to the DC Comics source material" as possible. Holy multiple worlds, Batman!
Release Date: 2008

Dofus Arena

Developer: Ankama
Platform: PC, Mac (Flash-based)
MMO History: Dofus Arena is essentially a spinoff from Ankama's first MMO Dofus. A casual, Flash-based 2D MMO, rather than a 3D Windows-based MMO, Dofus claims over 700,000 players and won the Audience Award at the Independent Games Festival.
About the Game: A PvP-based game, Dofus Arena is free to play and pits players with opposing teams of characters against each other. The final version will be presented at E3.
Release Date: Currently in beta, expected to go gold soon.

Dungeon Runners

Developer: NCsoft
Platform: PC
MMO History: A new title from an established MMO publisher known for its non-traditional themes, Dungeon Runners is a return to the fantasy genre. NCsoft's MMO pedigree includes City of Heroes, Guild Wars and Auto Assault.
About the Game: Based on the idea of conquering multiple dungeons, Dungeon Runners involves adventuring in instances alone or with other players. As with Guild Wars, it effectively falls into the "online multiplayer RPG" category rather than the true MMO space, though its visuals are more reminiscent of World of Warcraft. We'll learn more at E3.
Release Date: Q3 2006

Endless Saga

Developer: Webzen
Platform: PS3, PC
MMO History: Webzen, a Korean company, is developing another console MMO, Huxley, as well as the popular MU Online and Soul of the Ultimate Nation.
About the Game: Very little is known about Endless Saga other than its platform -- as a PS3 MMO title, it stands out. The game's trailer appears fantasy-themed, and the website refers to the Unreal engine, which may power the game.
Release Date: 2007

Exanimus

Developer: TMSGames
Platform: PC
MMO History: Horror-based MMOs aren't a lively genre, but browser-based zombiefest Urban Dead has proved popular. This appears to be TMSGames' first MMO endeavour, though the studio is dedicated to massively multiplayer development.
About the Game: A zombie-horror survival MMO, Exanimus promises a break from fantasy themes. Players will be able to take the role of zombies or humans. The game is in early stages now -- we may see more at E3.
Release Date: TBA

Exteel

Developer: NCsoft
Platform: PC
MMO History: Another MMO from Korean-based veteran NCsoft, and another Korean game trying to make it in the West.
About the Game: Robot fighting. What more can we say? Very little, though we hope to find out more at E3.
Release Date: Q4 2006

Fallen Earth

Developer: Icarus Studios
Platform: PC
MMO History: This is Icarus' first MMO, and first product -- the company claims to have assembled world-class talent for the project, and the game has been under development since 2003.
About the Game: Fallen Earth is a post-apocalyptic survivalist MMO, set in a world where 99% of the human population has been wiped out by a virus. Genetic mutation and manipulation is central to the game's theme, and it involves a zoneless single world. Fallen Earth intends to be a "cross-media experience" that only begins in MMO form.
Release Date: TBA; beta signup available soon.

Fury

Developer: Auran
Platform: PC
MMO History: Australian developer Auran is behind games like Trainz, but this appears to be their first MMO. The transition from railroad simulation to fantasy multiplayer gaming may be a tricky road.
About the Game: Fury claims to combine both RPG and FPS elements to create a fast-paced combative MMO, with "no ganking, no grinding, no waiting, no wimps". According to its website, the game is launching at E3.
Release Date: TBA

Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising

Developer: Perpetual Entertainment, Inc.
Platform: PC
MMO History: This is one of Perpetual's first titles, being developed alongside a second MMO, although it's being handled by veteran publisher Sony Online Entertainment's Platform Publishing label.
About the Game: A Rome-themed MMO, Gods and Heroes: Rome Rising is based on the premise that Roman mythology was fact. The game will involve quests, squad-based combat, controllable NPCs and realm-versus-realm PvP, and will be on show at E3.
Release Date: TBA

Hello Kitty Online World

Developer: Typhoon Games
Platform: PC
MMO History: Neither a Hello Kitty MMO nor a Sanrio-based MMO have been seen before, but the cutesy cartoon space has been well filled with games like Neopets. Typhoon has worked on several Hong Kong-based games.
About the Game: Reaffirm your masculinity by playing with fluffy pink kittens. Hello Kitty Online World will allow you to customise your character, build a house and buy furniture, all within a Hello Kitty setting.
Release Date: TBA

Hero's Journey

Developer: Simutronics Corp.
Platform: PC
MMO History: Originally announced for development in 1999, Hero's Journey has had a long road to production. Developer Simutronics has a long history in multiplayer games, having developed several MUD titles, though the 3D MMORPG world seems fairly new to the company.
About the Game: Hero's Journey claims to focus on "fun, action-packed, adventure-style" roleplay; dual classing is mandatory, with nine classes to choose from. The game is fantasy-based and has an adaptive 'Journey' system which allows players' adventures to be customised.
Release Date: 2006

Huxley

Developer: H-Studiot
Platform: Xbox 360, PC
MMO History: Huxley joins Korean publisher Webzen's MMO family. With two other MMOs lined up, Webzen will presumably be launching a three-way attack on the Western market.
About the Game: Breaking out of the RPG style of many MMOs, Huxley is a massively-multiplayer first-person shooter, or MMOFPS. The game is based on the Unreal 3 engine and set in a post-apocalyptic world, where two factions of humans battle for survival. Vehicles and a selection of weaponry feature in the game.
Release Date: Q3 2006

The Lord of the Rings Online

Developer: Turbine, Inc
Platform: PC
MMO History: Although many MMOs draw heavily from Tolkein's imagination, and other games of the books have been released, this is the first MMO to invoke the Lord of the Rings franchise. Originally announced by Sierra in 1998, the game has suffered delays and become a Turbine product.
About the Game: Set in Middle-earth shortly after Frodo and his companions leave the Shire, The Lord of the Rings Online allows players to interact with Tolkein's characters in a story-driven PvE environment. It involves standard MMO features such as a class system and four playable races: dwarves, elves, hobbits and humans. No orcs, unfortunately.
Release Date: TBA

Untitled Marvel MMO

Developer: Sigil Games
Platform: PC, Xbox 360
MMO History: Cryptic showed the world it was possible to make a superhero MMO with City of Heroes, though it landed them with a hefty lawsuit from Marvel. Now the comics giant is doing things their own way. Sigil has many Sony veterans onboard who'll be throwing their MMO weight behind this.
About the Game: Microsoft's first console MMO will most probably be superhero-themed, and will allow players from console and PC versions to interact. Little more is known; we hope to hear more at E3.
Release Date: 2008

Naughty America: The Game

Developer: Naughty America
Platform: PC
MMO History: While social-themed online worlds and sex-themed online games have been around for a while, this is Naughty America's first foray into either.
About the Game: A cross between online dating and an MMO, Naughty America: The Game is primarily a social space with added sex. Cartoon sex, that is.
Release Date: Summer 2006

Phantasy Star Universe

Developer: Sega
Platform: PS2, PC, Xbox 360
MMO History: After the popular Phantasy Star Online, spanning the Dreamcast, Gamecube, PC and Xbox platforms, Sega is no stranger to console conversions. Originally scheduled for a March '06 release, this title has been delayed.
About the Game: Phantasy Star Universe is effectively an RPG with both single- and multiplayer components rather than an MMO. It features hack-and-slash combat with strafing and dual-wielding, player-controlled vehicles and three planets to explore.
Release Date: 2006

Pirates of the Burning Sea

Developer: Flying Lab Software
Platform: PC
MMO History: There's only one other pirate-themed MMO (Puzzle Pirates) out at the moment, so the way is clear for more; this is Flying Lab's first MMO release.
About the Game: Set amid the high seas, Pirates of the Burning Sea lets players partake in naval combat against other players and NPCs. Players can side with one of three powers -- Britain, France and Spain -- to conquer the Caribbean. The game also supports piracy and trader-style gameplay as well as combat and adventure.
Release Date: TBA; beta signups are open.

Pirates of the Caribbean Online

Developer: Disney
Platform: PC
MMO History: After developing kiddy MMO Toontown Online, Disney has turned its attention to one of its popular movie franchises to make a game that has broad appeal. However, pirate fans may have to choose between this and competitor Pirates of the Burning Sea.
About the Game: Little is known about Pirates of the Caribbean Online; players will be able to interact with the movie characters Jack Sparrow, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, on the route to creating a pirate and setting sail on the seas. Expect evil undead pirates and a large amount of movie crossover. More will be revealed at E3.
Release Date: 2007

PlaneShift

Developer: Atomic Blue
Platform: PC, Mac, Linux
MMO History: An independently-developed project, PlaneShift is an open-source project, an innovative direction to take MMO development. It's possible to join the team if you have the time and skills to help out.
About the Game: PlaneShift is a 3D fantasy MMO, free to play. Part of the team's mission is to recreate the complexity of a mediaeval world that can be enjoyed by role-players.
Release Date: Alpha releases are downloadable; v.1.0 release TBA.

Project Wiki

Developer: Webzen
Platform: PC
MMO History: Another of Webzen's titles, joining dissimilar brethren Huxley and Soul of the Ultimate Nation at E3 this year. As a casual title, it departs from Webzen's previous MMO efforts.
About the Game: Project Wiki is nothing to do with collaborative editing and all about a fairytale land for casual gamers. With a cartoonish feel, the title is designed to appeal to a wide market.
Release Date: 2006

Roma Victor

Developer: Red Bedlam Ltd
Platform: PC
MMO History: This is Red Bedlam's first MMO and one of the first to focus on an authentic historical setting. The game was recently in the press for its in-game punishment of virtual crucifixion.
About the Game: Roma Victor aims to reproduce a historically accurate Roman world, circa 180AD, though players won't have to speak Latin (unfortunately). It involves a revenue model based around in-game currency rather than a monthly fee.
Release Date: July 2006

Soccer Fury

Developer:
Platform: PC
MMO History: Another of NCsoft's veritable harem of games, this was only announced towards the end of April 2006. Adding the concept of MMO to a sports title is an interesting experiment, but NCsoft is one of the few companies with the weight to try it.
About the Game: The only sports MMO in this line-up, Soccer Fury combines "arcade-style" football with an online multiplayer element. With teams, leagues and tournaments, the term "MMO" is perhaps stretching it a little, but the game seems aimed at the MMO space.
Release Date: TBA

Soul of the Ultimate Nation

Developer: Webzen
Platform: PC
MMO History: Webzen, developers of MU Online, have several new titles underway in a number of settings; this title seems closest to MU with its fantasy theme. Webzen have claimed that MU has 40 million registered accounts worldwide.
About the Game: Soul of the Ultimate Nation aims to incorporate console-style play into a PC MMO (an endeavour which bodes well for Webzen's other, console-based MMO titles). The game is set in a fantasy world and focuses strongly on a battle system.
Release Date: 2006 (Korea)

Space Cowboy Online

Developer: Masangsoft/Gala-Net, Inc
Platform: PC
MMO History: With a beta-test community of 60,000 the game looks to be off to a good start; developed in Korea by Masangsoft, this is another Eastern import now handled by Gala-Net, following on from fantasy flight-based MMO Flyff.
About the Game: Free to play, Space Cowboy Online is a 3D space shooter that allows players to pilot their own fighter ships. The game involves both PvE and PvP combat and includes voice integration. Microtransactions provide the revenue.
Release Date: May 2006

Square Enix's Untitled MMORPG

Developer: Square Enix
Platform: PS3, PC
MMO History: Makers of the PC and console MMO Final Fantasy XI, Square Enix has delivered the only next-gen console MMO currently on sale. However, the company has shunned the 360 for its new untitled project.
About the Game: Very little is known about the game other than its platform and developer; we hope to learn more at E3. Possibly called Fantasy Earth: The Ring of Dominion (we don't speak Japanese).
Release Date: TBA

Stargate Worlds

Developer: Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment
Platform: PC
MMO History: Cheyenne has brought various industry veterans onboard, but this is their first MMO. It's also one of the few MMOs to be based around a television series.
About the Game: Stargate Worlds is set in the world of Stargate: SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis, and will focus on small groups (much like the TV series). PvP combat will also be a feature, and the game features a number of races and three major factions. Development is in early stages.
Release Date: TBA

Star Trek Online

Developer: Perpetual Entertainment
Platform: PC
MMO History: This is one of two MMOs under development by Perpetual, a young American studio, as well as another franchise-based MMO that concentrates on a popular TV series.
About the Game: Star Trek Online intends to encompass the universe of Star Trek, from holodecks to away missions. There will be PvP opportunities as well as solo and grouped PvE. A number of races and classes (departments) will be playable, though the only faction available to begin with is Starfleet.
Release Date: TBA

Tabula Rasa

Developer: Destination Games
Platform: PC
MMO History: Part of established MMO publisher NCsoft's upcoming lineup, Tabula Rasa joins the likes of City of Heroes and Guild Wars. However, the game has had a bumpy development history, despite being spearheaded by veteran developer Richard Garriott.
About the Game: Tabula Rasa is an action-based MMO which is centred around a war between rebel soldiers and a warlike alien race. Players will have access to futuristic weapons and mystical powers, working together to stop the oncoming enemy. The game is designed to appeal to FPS, RPG and MMO fans, and has built-in voice chat.
Release Date: Oct 2006; Beta slot competition open.

Trials of Ascension

Developer: Shadowpool Studios
Platform: PC
MMO History: An indie studio working on this MMO since 2002, Shadowpool have poured a lot into this one game, without committing to a release date.
About the Game: One of the few MMOs to include permadeath, Trials of Ascension is a fantasy-based game with no fixed class system. With the twist that player names aren't visible (a player can tell you whatever name they want you to know them by), the game encompasses twelve races from pixies to dragons.
Release Date: TBA

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes

Developer: Sigil Games
Platform: PC
MMO History: Founded by ex-Sony Online Entertainment developers, Sigil's first MMO product is Vanguard: Saga of Heroes. After signing a publishing deal with Microsoft in 2002, the studio attracted more talent.
About the Game: Vanguard: Saga of Heroes takes place in a fantasy world where people are struggling to rebuild after a war. Involving 19 classic fantasy races and 15 professions, as well as tradeskills, this looks to be a fairly traditional fantasy MMO.
Release Date: 2006; currently in closed beta.

Warhammer Online

Developer: Mythic Entertainment
Platform: PC
MMO History: Mythic is well known for its MMO Dark age of Camelot, and has picked up the Warhammer franchise for a new MMO.
About the Game: Warhammer Online is set in a time of conflict, with warring factions tearing the world apart. There are six playable armies and no knowledge of the Warhammer games is needed to play, although it will likely appeal to Warhammer fans more than non-fans.
Release Date: 2007

Honourable mention goes to the expansions we're hoping to see at E3, which include World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade and a new chapter of Guild Wars. Also, Egyptian MMO A Tale in the Desert is about to start a second beta for its Tale 3 expansion. Sony Online Entertainment will also be showing EverQuest II's third expansion Echoes of Faydwer, and its third adventure pack The Fallen Dynasty.

With over 40 products jostling for buyers' attention, the MMO landscape certainly looks interesting -- if crowded -- in the near future.

[Update 1 - added Hello Kitty Online World. Thanks, Deekman]

[Update 2 - added Exanimus. Thanks, 007craft]

[Update 3 - added Bang! Howdy and A Tale in the Desert III (as expansion); clarified Fallen Earth beta. Thanks Lonin, wormbin and jbrandt.]

[Update 4 - added Hero's Journey, Trials of Ascension, Adellion, Atriarch, Aion, Soccer Fury, PlaneShift, APB, untitled Bioware MMO; updated Square Enix project and added SOE expansions. Thanks, Severius, Ethan, Stephen, DaBlade, Tux, dejitaru. Whew!]

[Update 5 - added Marvel & DC Comics MMOs, removed Untold Legends Dark Kingdom, updated ArchLord with beta link. Thanks, toga]

[Update 6 - added Dark World Online and Fury. Thanks, Feral]

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