[Column] General: The Most Wanted Indie MMOs of 2014

BillMurphy · January 2014

We already covered our all-around most wanted MMOs of 2014 last week, but did you know there were a boatload of Indie MMOs also releasing this year? We’d be remiss if we didn’t give the guys with the littler budgets and possibly bigger dreams their own spotlight, so we’re back this week with the Most Wanted Indie MMOs of 2014. Read on for our list, and be sure to comment and let us know if you agree or have something we missed to boot.

Read the rest of Bill's The Most Wanted Indie MMOs of 2014.

mightpyro · January 2014

I thought Elite Dangerous was single player only.

MumboJumbo · January 2014

Some interesting stuff there. The Repopulation looks most interesting to me.

Anthur · January 2014

Originally posted by mightpyro
I thought Elite Dangerous was single player only.

Just like SotA you can play it solo, with friends or with strangers. Actually I am more confused than delighted by this concept so far. Will have to wait and see how it works out.

My ideal would be one universe/world with all players but that always brings also the problem of griefers and then the question is how the games handle this if at all. So being able to play only with friends or even solo might solve that issue but of course it won't be played as an MMO then.

bcbully · January 2014

Black Gold

rca50 · January 2014

The Repopulation!!!

Ozmodan · January 2014

First off, Hex is a card game, it is most certain NOT a MMO in any sense of the word and there are far better card games out there if that is your thing!

Second, pvp and indie is a frightening thought. The big reason, cheaters, they know that indies don't have the staff to control them, hence they flock to them. Just look at the Dayz beta for an example, the number of people cheating is amazing. It will be so in any indie developed game that is popular. So if you are anxiously waiting for one of these indie pvp titles, think again.

Ice-Queen · January 2014

Black Desert is the only one on the list I'm interested in, but sadly it won't be here in the US for 2014.

RefMinor · January 2014

Originally posted by mightpyro
I thought Elite Dangerous was single player only.

You can play offline in single player and your actions don't affect the persistent universe.

You can play online singly or in groups and your actions affect the universe.

SP - you can play online single.

COOP - you can play in a limited group with friends.

MMO - you can play in an all group.

Sawlstone · January 2014

The repop, GV and Black Desert are my tops.

Sawlstone · January 2014

@ OZ how is there cheating in DayZ?

Tuchaka · January 2014

great list , am really hoping at least one of these titles become very succesful since the wow clones are going F2P just to survive, really should tell people that the MMO market needs some new ideas or its gonna continue to stagnate.

delta9 · January 2014

The Repopulation should be #1 in that list

BearKnight · January 2014

No disrespect, but William Murphy needs to learn what an MMO is. Some of these don't even belong on this list, such as Hex or DayZ.

Hex is a Card Game, and DayZ is a lobby based individual server-to-server set. It is FAR from ever being anything near an MMO.

DayZ is essentially just normal Arma with zombies and a better interaction system.

VincerKaden · January 2014

I'm just here to give my support to the Repopulation.

EDIT: The entry for it should probably mention the sandbox aspect; the freedom of choice with measurable effects from decisions made. It's so much more than just US vs. THEM.

Novuhz · January 2014

Originally posted by BearKnight
No disrespect, but William Murphy needs to learn what an MMO is. Some of these don't even belong on this list, such as Hex or DayZ.

Hex is a Card Game, and DayZ is a lobby based individual server-to-server set. It is FAR from ever being anything near an MMO.

DayZ is essentially just normal Arma with zombies and a better interaction system.

Quote for Truth!

I don't understand how games that are not MMORPG's are being listed in there... DayZ is a MMOFPS or MMOSFPS... I think they are getting paid well for advertising DayZ... not only that they also did a garbage review on WarZ aka Infestation: Survivor Stories, these 2 games have nothing to do with MMORPG.

Even in the award list for 2013 they forced 2 games into 1 award... Rising Star - EverQuest Next Landmark & DayZ

apocoluster · January 2014

Originally posted by bcbully
Black Gold

Texas tea. Well the next thing you know ole Jed's a millionaire

Greymantle4 · January 2014

That list makes me cry. I'm glad I have moved on and play classic versions of the old school mmo's now. I have found all over again why I fell in love with them in the first place.

ragz45 · January 2014

Hmmm would Star Citizen be considered an Indy project? Yes it's got a huge buget, but it's being made by an Indy studio all the same.

apocoluster · January 2014

Originally posted by ragz45
Hmmm would Star Citizen be considered an Indy project? Yes it's got a huge buget, but it's being made by an Indy studio all the same.

2015 though

Razeekster · January 2014

Black Desert is not an indie developed title MMORPG.com. How you could possibly not know that is beyond me *facepalm*

Tamanous · January 2014

Originally posted by Zeppelin4
That list makes me cry. I'm glad I have moved on and play classic version of the old school mmo's now. I have found all over again why I fell in love with them in the first place.

What doesn't grab you and what do you consider old school? The Repopulation is pretty much old school sandbox trying to grab SWG type players. Black Desert is sort of an asian version of this from my understanding. Albion Online is almost UO-like. Shroud of the Avatar is almost super-old school as it is trying recapture the old Ultima single player feeling but I certainly isn't old-school mmo.

I'm almost a little curious about the top down and even turned based games. They used to be fun for a reason.

The issue with the list is limiting it to 2014. I agree it's limited and even more so if you exclude the games that aren't even mmos which bloats nearly half the list. 2015 and beyond has some very nice concept which certainly fall in line with the old-school concept (something hard to describe by today's catch phrases). It still seems we are limited to indie developers for anything resembling what one might call "old-school".

Ghabbo · January 2014

Originally posted by BearKnight
No disrespect, but William Murphy needs to learn what an MMO is. Some of these don't even belong on this list, such as Hex or DayZ.

Hex is a Card Game, and DayZ is a lobby based individual server-to-server set. It is FAR from ever being anything near an MMO.

DayZ is essentially just normal Arma with zombies and a better interaction system.

HEX is defined as a MMO/TGC by its creators, and it really has a lot of MMO elements (raiding, guilds, crafting, etc).

Arskaaa · January 2014

Links for thouse listed games would been nice.

BillMurphy · January 2014

Originally posted by BearKnight
No disrespect, but William Murphy needs to learn what an MMO is. Some of these don't even belong on this list, such as Hex or DayZ.

Hex is a Card Game, and DayZ is a lobby based individual server-to-server set. It is FAR from ever being anything near an MMO.

DayZ is essentially just normal Arma with zombies and a better interaction system.

Actually, I do know. Trust me. But I also know where the genre's headed, and how the somehow predetermined definition of what MMORPG means is changing. And frankly, if we as gamers can't accept that the MMO is broadening, we don't deserve to see the fruits such changes could potentially offer.