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When Quake was the dominant first person
shooter (FPS) many years ago there was constant
talk about what the Quake killer would be. Now
that World of Warcraft is the reigning king of
MMORPGs, the question is what future MMORPG has the best chance to
beat World of Warcraft. None of the current MMORPG
crop has a real chance to beat WoW unless one
makes a drastic change that helps to evolve the
industry. If World of Warcraft is surpassed
anytime soon, it will more likely be a new MMORPG
that catches everybody's attention.
World of
Warcraft's Gigantic Lead
WoW is on top of the MMORPG industry due to
several key factors. These factors could also keep
WoW on top for sometime unless the right MMORPG
comes along.
- 5 million
worldwide subscribers.
- Easy to learn.
- In-depth
enough for most hardcore gamers.
- Mainstream
attention.
- Ran by one of
the best companies in gaming, Blizzard.
- Was developed
over many years.
- Expansion of a
well-known PC game franchise.
Keys for a Killer
Without a doubt,
it will take a special MMO to dethrone World of
Warcraft. For an MMO to have a chance against WoW,
it needs to capitalize heavily on several of these factors.
- Based on
either a huge gaming or entertainment franchise.
- Offers a
tremendous end game (after you hit the level
cap).
- Cheap (well
below the usual $15 per month) or free
game play.
- Extensive PvP
system that can satisfy hardcore gamers.
- Easy enough to
learn to attract casual gamers.
- Great support.
- Creates a new
niche in the genre.
- Should not be
too hard or too easy to reach the level cap.
- Community that
makes players feel like they are part of the
game.
- Simple
interface.
- Awesome 3D
graphics.
- The ability to
maintain servers for millions of subscribers.
The Possible
Killers
What upcoming MMORPGs stand the best chance of
rivaling WoW? Several of the upcoming MMOs will
look to innovate the genre in different
ways. Here are a few of the front runners
with what they can bring to a head-on collision with
World of Warcraft. They are ranked by
potential impact.
Dungeons and
Dragons Online
Out of all the
upcoming MMOs, Dungeons and Dragons Online stands
the best chance of being able to go head-to-head
with World of Warcraft. D&D is not just a
popular franchise but it is the father of all RPGs,
will actually provide stories, and will innovate
the industry with extremely deep game play.
Lord of the
Rings Online
One of the best
book and movie franchises ever. Needs to succeed
where Stars Wars Galaxies failed by providing an
experience similar to the movies and books at
launch. Look for the game to easily surpass Star
Wars Galaxies if it captures the magic of the
franchise but it will probably not be a
genre-buster like Dungeons and Dragons
Online.
Huxley
Huxley stands the best chance of innovating the
MMO genre since it will probably be the first real
blockbuster MMOFPS. Will it have a chance
against WoW? This game will probably turn a lot of
heads when it comes out but it will have to prove
that it can handle huge numbers of players at once
with out any problems before it can be a true WoW
killer.
SUN
Although it has much eye candy as any upcoming
MMORPG, SUN does not get as much as attention as
most of the other MMOs on this list. That is a
shame because this game will definitely be one to
watch as it combines a single player RPG with a 3D
multiplayer action game.
Auto Assault
Should provide
plenty of excitement and carve out a nice little
nice as a car combat MMO. Like City of Heroes when
it first came out, Auto Assault will need to be
able to keep players excited with enough depth if
it wants to be a major MMORPG.
RF Online
Sci-fi/fantasy MMO that
is sure to turn heads when it is released due to
the awesome looking robot battle units that you
can control and jaw-dropping graphics. The blend
of fantasy and sci-fi has a little bit of a
Japanese cartoon feel to it that should set RF
Online apart from other major games in the genre.
Pirates of the
Burning Sea
Without question,
a pirate MMO is a welcome change since
fantasy and sci-fi seem to be done to death these
days. Who wouldn't want to sail the high seas
looking for adventures, ship battles, and stealing
booty. Look for this one to be a leader in the
non-fantasy niche.
Age of Conan
Not
only is Conan a large entertainment franchise, but
it also should
make a great MMO with its gritty and barbaric
world. How brutal will the world be? You
start out alone until you are strong enough to
survive in the massive part of the game. Believe
or not, but this game may actually do better than
Lord of the Rings Online. In fact, Age of Conan
has the second best chance of being a rival to WoW
after D&D online. Possible
Killers Ranked by Potential Impact
- Dungeons and
Dragons Online
- Age of Conan
- Huxley
- RF Online
- Lord of the
Rings Online
- Pirates of the
Burning Sea
- Auto Assault
- SUN
MMORPG
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