FEATURE
Life After Warcraft?
As smash hit World of Warcraft approaches its third anniversary, we look forward at what may take its place.
Characterized by vast online worlds, player-driven economies and, often, life-demolishing addictiveness, massively-multiplayer online games - or MMOGs - shot from a geeky niche fringe pursuit to the most popular games on the PC with the release of Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft in 2004. But players of World of Warcraft, who currently number some 2 million in North America alone, are sure to be looking for their next fix at some point. Find out which upcoming games are vying for a chunk of Warcraft's action.
Warhammer Online
An offshoot of the near-legendary tabletop wargame (of the lead figurines and tombstone-like rulebooks ilk), Warhammer Online separates its players into two warring factions, much like World of Warcraft. Blizzard's universe was always (ahem) heavily inspired by the considerably older Warhammer setting, and that's sure to be reflected in EA Mythic's creation. In keeping with its warlike setting, though, Warhammer Online features a much more detailed representation of the struggle between the two alliances.
One thing's for sure: Games Workshop stores around the world know exactly how to separate adolescent boys from their pocket money. If Warhammer Online can duplicate the Games Workshop experience in a virtual world, it might be the MMOG with the best shot at stealing Blizzard's crown. Expect to hear a lot more about it as it approaches release, early next year.
Game Page ... Screenshots ... Videos
Huxley
Although MMOGs, both domestic and foreign, are absolutely huge in Korea, it's rare for a Korean-developed title to make waves over on Western shores. That's not the only unusual thing about Huxley, either: it's due for release on both PC and Xbox 360 next year, breaking the usual PC-only MMOG paradigm. Like Tabula Rasa, it takes inspiration from popular sci-fi first-person shooters to brighten up its combat.
You'll be fighting in much larger groups than in your typical shooter, though. Team up with other players to take on computer-controlled enemies, and your forces can number up to 64 players. In player-versus-player combat, each team can bring along an impressive total of 100 buddies.
Like Halo and Battlefield 2142, Huxley's crowded battlefields also come fully equipped with sci-fi vehicles - and as your character develops, you'll gain handy abilities like cloaking, melee attacks and double-jumps. Look for it later this year.
Game Page ... Screenshots ... Videos
SUN
Another project from Korean developer Webzen, SUN (or Soul of the Ultimate Nation, as it's properly titled) has actually been out for well over a year in its native land. It's on its way to American shores, and although no release date has been announced, it can't be too far away. It's beautifully presented, featuring a score from Lord of the Rings composer Howard Shore and explosive, fantasy-themed visuals. In Korea, SUN is free to play but funded through sales of in-game items for real currency -- whether this will be the case in other countries remains to be seen, but if so it'll be one of the highest-profile free-to-play releases to date.
Game Page ... Screenshots ... Videos
Star Trek Online
It's Star Trek. It's online. How can you go wrong? Judging by the long, long line of terrible video games Gene Roddenberry's creation has spawned, very wrong indeed. Trek Online is actually in development at the same studio as Gods and Heroes, although it's not due out for at least another year, and details on its gameplay are few and far between.
That said, we know it's set shortly after the popular Next Gen, Deep Space 9 and Voyager triumvirate, and that players will be able to own and fly smaller ships of their own - although larger starships of the kind highlighted in the TV shows will take the role of social areas and mission hubs, and won't give players the opportunity to take their helms. It's planned to have a mixture of space and ground combat, and the opportunity to crew starships in cooperation with other players.
If nothing else, the opportunity to walk the corridors of a Galaxy-class starship chatting with fellow nerds is probably enough to snare a good number of Trekkies alone. If Perpetual can back up that appeal with gameplay that's compelling enough to keep them coming back, they could well be onto a real winner.
BIOWARE
Unnamed Bioware project
Although we know next to nothing about this game - not even its name - it'd be a foolish MMOG punter indeed that underestimates it...whatever it turns out to be. Bioware's heritage encompasses many of the finest and best-loved RPGs on PCs and Consoles, and although the Alberta, Canada-based firm has never turned its hand to an MMOG before, nor had Blizzard before it set to work on World of Warcraft.
Most of Bioware's big hit games were based on licensed intellectual property, such as Star Wars or Dungeons & Dragons - and both of those already have comparatively recent MMOGs. Unless Bioware intends to supplant one of those, it's likely to be striking out into unknown territory, and whatever it comes up with, we (and Bioware's many devoted fans) will be anticipating with bated breath.
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Posted: 27 Sep 2007