Can Crowdfunded MMORPGs Truly Ever Deliver? | MMORPG.com

System · November 5

Can Crowdfunded MMORPGs Truly Ever Deliver? | MMORPG.com

With its recent Alpha 2 test phase, Ashes of Creation has reignited debate on the viability of crowdfunded MMORPGs. Despite promising features, initial reactions reveal a certain tension between expectations and reality.

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ShinyFlygon · November 5

No, they cannot. Not if the game is being produced by an unknown indie studio.

If a studio were to set a realistic funding goal asking for enough money to fund the entirety of the development costs needed to produce a full MMORPG, they would never reach that goal within the time limit set by Kickstarter.

Maybe if you create a GoFundMe to raise the money you need to market your Kickstarter campaign, you could raise enough awareness and interest in your game, but even that would be a long shot.

An established studio might be able to generate enough interest in a MMO to fully crowdfund it, but they would also have a reputation to risk if it falls through.

Angrakhan · November 5

Until SC either delivers or tanks this question can't be answered, and that may be a decade in the future. However, I will say the vast majority of crowdfunded MMO projects consistently and predictably underestimate both the complexity and budget required to build an MMO. What's surprising is even industry vets have made this mistake. My guess is that an MMO team is so big with so many teams and moving parts, you can be a part of a successful MMO and still not understand how all the parts came together to make the whole and/or not understand the financial realities of a project that vast unless you happened to be the CFO.

Scot · November 5

MMO crowdfunding stands out from the rest of indie gaming, it tries for a much higher grade of graphics than we see in most indie games. And adds two words to send any developer aquiver, massively multiplayer.

Albion Online tried the more lower graphics quality approach and made good, maybe this is the solution. It may mean such games will never be for me, Lotro is the bar that MMO graphics has to reach to be acceptable. But never say never, I was reluctant to join WoW because of the cartoon graphics and was still playing three years later.

mitech616 · November 5

Given what we've seen, I'm inclined to say it's highly unlikely. Star Citizen "may" end up being the standout here, but frankly it seems that every time there is a crowd funded MMO, the dev team is unprepared and unqualified for the project. So all we get is sloppy, poorly organized, barely playable junk.

Wargfoot · November 5

Yes.

Slapshot1188 · November 5

Wow.. great article.

You may have talked me back to reality and away from finally giving in to buy an Alpha Phase 2 Wave 1 (LOL....) key.

I was leaning towards it even though deep down I know it will end in disappointment. But now you shifted me back to the Less Likely side.

Elidien_ga · November 5

I think they can deliver. But can they keep delivering is the question.

Lithuanian · November 5

No, they cannot. Reason is crowdfunding, because:
1. To get money, you must promise big;
2. When you get money, you may run away with them. Use them for whatever you want - subscription to xxx website or golden yacht. You are NOT responsible to backers;
3. If things fail, backers are without money and product.

Crowdfunding in mmos must disappear completely. If your product will be thaaaat good, it would attract that much folks - then you must have no problems with banks financing your idea. If you cannot get money from them - try finding job.

aslan132 · November 5

Pretty sure this is already answered, at least for me personally. Honestly, even if Star Citizen ends up delivering on "most" of its promises, does it even matter? Its been 12 years for SC, Ashes is over 8 now, both are likely to take at least 2 or 3 more years. If it takes over a decade, and you have to keep asking for more money, and trying to keep the hype up, only the die hards or those heavily invested will even care. The rest of us just keep playing other games (you know, ones that actually release), and if and when those get releases, I will play them too. There are just way too many options out there to keep my interest in the meantime, and you wont get my money until you have a product for me to buy.

harken33 · November 5

I recall one of the main reasons for kickstarting MMORPG’s was to phase out corporate interference / oversight. Giving total control of the project to a Creative Visionary, leaving minimal interference from other sources.

Much like the 6-million-dollar man tv show they were going to build these MMOPRG’s better, stronger, faster with nary an interfering word.

In 5 months, the Kickstarter for Camelot Unchained will be 12 years old.

That’s enough time for just about all pro sports leagues to have a rookie to enter a league, have a long career, then retire.
Blackberry phones were still being widely used then, although the decline had started.
Grand Theft Auto V was released, grabbed game of the year and basically became a license to print money. (this one is for you Babs)

Other non MMORPG games have been successfully kickstarted, developed and released during this time.

Maybe MMORPG’s are just too big to be developed successfully without corporate involvement.

Neoyoshi · November 5

Deliver? usually yes.

Is it what you were expecting once it's delivered? commonly no, it isn't.

That is the key difference here, and the question people should be asking themselves when they commit to a project; because the outlined vision is ALWAYS going to be grander and exaggerated to get people to pledge; it's essentially a 'Sales Pitch"

That question that people should ask themselves: "Will this game i am pledging to actually be what is being promised?" It's not an unfair question to ask, considering it's your money after-all.

Only one crowdfunded project has ever reached the goal it was designed to reach, delivered on what was initially promised, stopped asking for money via kickstarter, commercially released on a storefront like Steam to make it's revenue, was ported to multiple consoles, was wildly successful with it's fanbase, continues to make money for it's publisher, and still creates content for the game and rarely asking for money from said new content, and even does collaborations with other video game titles.

Only one crowdfunding game has managed to do this.

Can you guess what it is?

ValdemarJ · November 5

Slapshot1188 said:

Wow.. great article.

You may have talked me back to reality and away from finally giving in to buy an Alpha Phase 2 Wave 1 (LOL....) key.

I was leaning towards it even though deep down I know it will end in disappointment. But now you shifted me back to the Less Likely side.

How much are they selling them for on the site? I wish I could 'legally' (within their rules) sell my account. I'm not playing and have lost all interest in this sort of game.

Slapshot1188 · November 5

ValdemarJ said:

Slapshot1188 said:

Wow.. great article.

You may have talked me back to reality and away from finally giving in to buy an Alpha Phase 2 Wave 1 (LOL....) key.

I was leaning towards it even though deep down I know it will end in disappointment. But now you shifted me back to the Less Likely side.

How much are they selling them for on the site? I wish I could 'legally' (within their rules) sell my account. I'm not playing and have lost all interest in this sort of game.

From $100 to $120

Pher0cious · November 5

Wargfoot said:

Yes.

No.

Sovrath · November 5

Well look at the evidence. Most crowd funded MMORPG’s have issues during development and sometimes stay in “early access.” I would say that very few deliver.

Even if a game like Star Citizen launches, how much money will it need just to break even and pay back investors let alone keep the doors open?

Dattelis · November 5

Short answer: no.

I say that because only getting to a launch is the 'start.' People look at Albion as a 'success' which they are but it took YEARS post launch and for the game to finally go f2p in order for that to happen. You gotta ask yourself if any of these other companies are essentially willing to stay in the red for years or just sell out once it 'launches' like Crowfall did (I think Pantheon is trying to get to that point).

KnightFalz · November 6

Presumably those that play them feel they deliver.

Herithius · November 6

If they keep it small in scope like Albion Online then sure. Otherwise it's too big of an endeavor in an industry where fan expectations are already extremely high.

kitarad · November 6

Promises too grandiose and seldom achievable within the amount of money available and this is why it often fails. Too much euphoria followed by unsustainable goals and often unrealistic ideas.

Xiaoki · November 6

The only successful crowd funded MMO is Albion Online and it didn't start successful.

When Albion Online launched it was buy to play and it quickly fell off, it wasn't until they went free to play, and later the mobile version, that it became successful.

kitarad · November 6

Xiaoki said:

The only successful crowd funded MMO is Albion Online and it didn't start successful.

When Albion Online launched it was buy to play and it quickly fell off, it wasn't until they went free to play, and later the mobile version, that it became successful.

So is the lesson here : Make mobile MMORPGs

Xiaoki · November 6

kitarad said:

Xiaoki said:

The only successful crowd funded MMO is Albion Online and it didn't start successful.

When Albion Online launched it was buy to play and it quickly fell off, it wasn't until they went free to play, and later the mobile version, that it became successful.

So is the lesson here : Make mobile MMORPGs

Yes, that's it exactly!

If Pantheon was a free to play mobile MMORPG it would be an instant success.

ShinyFlygon · November 6

KnightFalz said:

Presumably those that play them feel they deliver.

Sunk cost copium isn't exactly an indicator of success.

KnightFalz · November 6

ShinyFlygon said:

KnightFalz said:

Presumably those that play them feel they deliver.

Sunk cost copium isn't exactly an indicator of success.

It isn't, but choosing to play a game isn't exactly an indicator of sunk cost copium. So, whatever.

Sovrath · November 6

KnightFalz said:

ShinyFlygon said:

KnightFalz said:

Presumably those that play them feel they deliver.

Sunk cost copium isn't exactly an indicator of success.

It isn't, but choosing to play a game isn't exactly an indicator of sunk cost copium. So, whatever.

I was going to say the same thing. People play what they enjoy. By that logic no one would ever leave a game.

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Can Crowdfunded MMORPGs Truly Ever Deliver? | MMORPG.com

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In 5 months, the Kickstarter for Camelot Unchained will be 12 years old.

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Can Crowdfunded MMORPGs Truly Ever Deliver? | MMORPG.com

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In 5 months, the Kickstarter for Camelot Unchained will be 12 years old.