Sunday, November 8, 2009

Do we need another 'X' MMO?




I sometimes wonder, do we really need another 'X' MMO game. What I mean is, do we need another Star Wars when there already is one. Another super hero game when there's already two out now? How many super hero games do we need, what is going to make the new one more interesting to players? Are these companies saying the previous games were not as good as they could do them?

Everyone wants to make a big hit, they promise bigger and better, but honestly how many types of the same game do we need. Sometimes it feels like a copy of a copy of a copy. Then there's the games that make a sequel to compete with their own games. Everquest 2, I was seriously let down when I heard about this game. It to me meant a decline on the first, which at the time I was really into still. Years later I'm actually happy playing it, though it took years for me to get over that. I suppose it's different when it's within the same company, you know the lore will be there, the things you liked in the first place.

Why do game companies make new games to compete with what they already have? In the same genre I mean, is it really to compete with the newer games out? I think that was the intention with Everquest 2. I think it's the same intent for NCSoft with Guild Wars 2. If Aion isn't a hit, they know people liked Guild Wars, they can always fall back on that.

When do companies realize what they have is good, well liked, popular enough to keep chugging along? Sometimes they seem to move on and leave the games that put them on the map, to fade away quietly. Take DAoC for instance, the game still receives updates, however to me it feels neglected when you compare it to Mythic's shiny new game WAR. No more expansions. But do older games really need more expansions? Look at Everquest. S.O.E. was wise enough not to make that mistake when the shiny new game came out. People still like the older games, Everquest is proof of this. Obviously it's still doing well enough to keep putting out an expansion each year.

I also wonder at the alternative ideas companies use, take the upcoming Star Treak MMO for instance. Who really is interested in this type of game? I've read about it, seen many articles, but nobody seems really hyped. Is it to widen an audience? It sure would be a trekkie's dream. I as a gamer have no interest in it though. Maybe that's just me.

Look at some of the niche games out. How about those PvP aimed games. Which of those is really a big hit. I'm not saying they are not doing well. Out of the all of them I would say Aion. But why? From my perspective it draws in PvE players due to the style of play we start out with. How many of those PvE players really stuck with it though?  They are niche games, you have to simply like PvP a lot to play them. Why do companies limit themselves after seeing the previous company flounder with this type of game? People say they love PvP. How come Fury didn't make it? It was strictly PvP. I thought it would be a PvP dream? Simply put, niche games don't offer to a big enough audience.

I sometimes wonder do many of these companies really pay attention to what the customers even like or want? No, I'm not saying we need another WoW! It seems a lot of companies compare success to this game. 

Just some thoughts I had recently. Feel free to comment.
-kaozz

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