The Console MMOG Renaissance
Rumors have been flying all year that PC MMOG elephant Blizzard was either not working on a console MMOG [http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/worldofwarcraft/news.html?sid=6155203]. Meanwhile, the new consoles have continued to gain traction, bringing the long-hyped possibility that a console could rival the PC in both power and software offerings even closer to a reality. So where are the MMOGs?
Marvel's plans, however, are about as vacant as Sigil Studio's offices. Rumors circulated last year about a Marvel MMOG being developed by the creators of Vanguard, but following that studios tragic demise and re-absorption into the SOE collective [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/71867-Brad-McQuaid-Tells-His-Side-of-the-Story], no further details have emerged. It wouldn't be a terrible surprise to learn that the Marvel MMOG has been shelved to preclude competition with SOE's DC game, especially considering it had been rumored to be an Xbox 360 game. But then again, you never know.
Sony is also in the spotlight with their seemingly ridiculous Home [http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/07/playstation-home-revealed/] project, a mash up of Xbox Live and Second Life, promising to offer virtual world creation, file sharing and a host of other features to owners of the PS3. The downside? The PS3. Also, the similarity to Linden Lab's great experiment may spell the project's doom from the outset, as Linden and the advertisers they've attracted begin realizing that an "anything goes" environment in the virtual world is just as obnoxious a place as it is in the real world. In any case, considering Home ate up the lion's share of Sony's GDC presentation, in spite of numerous bugs and a general lack of detailed info, we can safely expect they'll be offering an open house of sorts at E3. I can't wait. I hope there's punch and pie.
Not participating however, this year at least, is Blizzard - the one company everyone keeps hoping and dreaming will crash the console MMOG party, just like they did for PC gamers. The only problem: There is no console MMOG party. Not yet. Blizzard has the bankroll (and the cojones) to wait it out and let the Webzens and Sigils do the dirty work of building the console MMOG market, while they quietly rub their hands together, plotting to eventually take it over. Now that the cat is out of the bag, and we know Starcraft 2 is not only not destined for consoles, but apparently the only major release Blizzard has planned for the next two years, it's safe to assume a Blizzard console MMOG is at least a few years off. Which could put it up against a LOTRO [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=166363] MMOG for the consoles.
But for now, prospective console MMOG players have PSO and the promise of something great down the line. No wonder WoW has 8.5 million subscribers.
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Rumors have been flying all year that PC MMOG elephant Blizzard was either not working on a console MMOG [http://www.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/worldofwarcraft/news.html?sid=6155203]. Meanwhile, the new consoles have continued to gain traction, bringing the long-hyped possibility that a console could rival the PC in both power and software offerings even closer to a reality. So where are the MMOGs?
Sony is also in the spotlight with their seemingly ridiculous Home [http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/07/playstation-home-revealed/] project, a mash up of Xbox Live and Second Life, promising to offer virtual world creation, file sharing and a host of other features to owners of the PS3. The downside? The PS3. Also, the similarity to Linden Lab's great experiment may spell the project's doom from the outset, as Linden and the advertisers they've attracted begin realizing that an "anything goes" environment in the virtual world is just as obnoxious a place as it is in the real world. In any case, considering Home ate up the lion's share of Sony's GDC presentation, in spite of numerous bugs and a general lack of detailed info, we can safely expect they'll be offering an open house of sorts at E3. I can't wait. I hope there's punch and pie.
Not participating however, this year at least, is Blizzard - the one company everyone keeps hoping and dreaming will crash the console MMOG party, just like they did for PC gamers. The only problem: There is no console MMOG party. Not yet. Blizzard has the bankroll (and the cojones) to wait it out and let the Webzens and Sigils do the dirty work of building the console MMOG market, while they quietly rub their hands together, plotting to eventually take it over. Now that the cat is out of the bag, and we know Starcraft 2 is not only not destined for consoles, but apparently the only major release Blizzard has planned for the next two years, it's safe to assume a Blizzard console MMOG is at least a few years off. Which could put it up against a LOTRO [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=166363] MMOG for the consoles.
But for now, prospective console MMOG players have PSO and the promise of something great down the line. No wonder WoW has 8.5 million subscribers.
Permalink
