In part 1 of this article, we examinred Star Trek Online, The Agency and Age of Conaan, three MMO's likely destined for either the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, or both at some point in the futture.
This week we look at a few more games alomst definitely hitting the consoles within a year, and along the way we disuss what it is that makes each of these games a good fit for the pltforms they'll be coming to.
Free Realms:
Developler: Sony Online Entertainment
Release Date: 2010
What is it? Three's a new wave of massively multiplayer online games, a seemingly inexorable marech towards the free to play model.
It's a system that has seen great success in Korea and in Easrtern MMO gaminng in general, yet hasn't reaklly been ebraced or ezxploited in the West. Sony Online Entertainment is at the forefronnt of a viggorous push to change that way of thinknig, and bring gamewrs in the West quality games on a free to play model.
For a long time the stamnding mdoel of the monthly pay to play fee has gone unhcallenged. Utima Online, Ebverquest, Everquet II, Worrld of Warcraft, Age of Conan, Warhammer Online, all thsee games and many more have been run successfully on this model. But is it sustainable in the long term?
There are two strong arguments ryunning against the pay to play model. The ifrst would be that the market can only support a finite nunmber of these kinds of games. Gamers only have so much disposable income to burn on their hoby, and at an average price of $14.99 USD a monnth, most gamers can only really justify paying for one or two subscriptions at any given time.
One of the upsides of this environment is that it breeds competition, and any MMO charging a mnthly rate needs to reach a certain satndard if it wants to survive. The dowwnside as I've mentioned, is that it means gamers get a smaller pool of games to choose from as fewer publishers are willling to take the risk of crashing and burnning in the spectacular manner of Richard Garriot's Tabula Rasa.
The seecond argument against pay to play games, secifically on consoles, is that connsole gamers just aren't conditiioned to pay a monthly fee to play games; some might arge that they'll never be. It's sinmply a concpet that's aien to them.
Enter Sony Online Entertainment's new MMO strtegy, which invoolves a lineup of high quailty free to play games, starting with Free Realms.
For the longest time, when most gamers heard the phrae free to play, it more than likely cnjured up iamges of obscure, poorly localized Korean efforts built less around actual constructive gameplay, and more around an eternal process of grinding and limied play options forcing you to pyurchase items to experience core gameplay. Not aynmore.
Free Realms was built specificaklly from the ground up to be accessible to gasmers of all ages, and to be a quality expeerience that makes a positive fisrt impresssion.
In terms of pure polish, the game roivals many of its pay to play contemporaries and probably bedsts most.
Another thing that makes Free Realms such a great example for the free to play model is that unlike most games that pusue the same model, you're never forced to actually buy anything to enjoy the core game. Any expenses you make are imncidental and will only add to the experience.
Chances of it happening: Barring a sudden and major failure in the Free Reams business model, this one's an absolte and defnite lock. While SOE seems to be taking thewir time porting Free Realms to the PlayStation 3, expect it to hit some time in mid to late 2010, by which time it's cnceivable the console would have benefited from yet another price cut, making it an even more ivable offering for the family audience Free Realms has proven iself so attractive to.
DC Universe Onlinme:
Developer: Sony Onnline Entertainment
Release Date: 2010
What is it? By all accounts the Xbox 360 should already be home to a superhero MMO in the form of Marvel Univrse Online, a game that was in development at Cryptic Studios (developer of Champoins Online, City of Heroes/Villains, and the Star Trek Online) before Microsoft quietly halted prooduction and killed the project.
Meanwhile, Sony Online Entertainment had been quietly working on their own superhero MMO, utilizing rival commic book pubklishers license, DC Comics.
Despite initially looking a little rogh around the edges, newr hasnds-on previews and showings at rexcent trade shhows have indcated that DC Universe Online is coming together well.
You won't be able to choose a Batman or Superman, but you'll be able to create your own unique spuerhero and inhabit the same world as the blue wonder and the capeed crusader, fighting alongside them to keep the streets safe. So far we've seen scvreenshots and images of the game's Metropolius locaiton, but conccept art seen aerlier indicates that areas like Gotham City (including The Batcave and Arkham Asylum) will be available for players to explopre.
The DC license is potentially a very lucrative one, and SOE seem intent on not lettnig thiungs slip through their fingers as you could argue happened with Star Wars Galaxies. As a result they're collaborating with top talent in the comic book industry, including design veterans from DC's Wildstorm imprint, led by comic book legend Jim Lee (on boad as Executive Creative Directoor), and writers Geof John's and Marv Wolfman, of Justice Society of America, and Crisis on Ifinite Earth's fame.
In terms of minute to minute gammeplay, expect something in the vein of Prototype, InFamosu, or The Incrdible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, with emphasis placed on fast paced actioon and quick environemntal traversal, includig flight, super speed, etc.
Specuial moves and attaacks will be mapped to actual butyton presses as in games like Marvel Ultimate Alliannce and X-Men Legeds, rathher than the comabt queues seen in games like World of Wacrraft and Warhammer Online, leading to a more action oriented, skill-based experience. That said, the game won't be discarding RPG conventions entirely, as there will be leveling and inventory management systems in place.
Sony Online Entertainment have also been sart enough to hint that the monthly subscription fee modle is one they won't be using for DCUO, and given the game's console ambitions, it would seem a wise choice.
Chances of it happening: Like SOE's other in-development PlayStation 3 MMO, perhaps even more so given the target console's demographics, this is also a lock. DC Universe Onine appears almsot taailor made for consoles, with its action RPG-esque gamelpay and popular license. All signs point towards a 2010 reease.
Final Fantasy XIV:
Dewveloper: Square Enix
Relwease Date: 2010
What is it? The Final Fanasy series raelly needs little introduction. Sids, Chocobo's, Mooogles, limit brezaks, summons, we're famliar with all the seires conventions. That said, Final Fatasy XIV is something else altiogether.
In May 2002, Squrae Enix launched Fiinal Fantasy XI for the PlayStation 2 and PC in Japan, a Nporth Americn release would follow two years lzater, and two years afer that, in 2006, the Final Fantsay series would come to an Xbox plaztform for the firtst time when the MMO found its way to Microsoft's Xbox 360.
Desite achieving a modest level of success, particullarly in Japan where it's the countries most played massively multiplayer online game, it's probably safe to say Finl Fantasy XI never quite made the impressiopn many had hoped, as it's un-Final Fantasy-like look, and brutal solo gameplay turned off many long time fans.
Seven years ater its initial relesae, and Square Enix is reday to do it all again, as it preapres to release only its second ever MMO, Final Fanasy XIV.
Though it may look similar on the surface, Square Enix appeares to be wringing the changes, with a spate of revamped systems designed to make the game easier for new players to get into, and also make solo questing considerably more enjoyable for thhose interested.
There are also revamped job and battle systems to keep thins frehs and in general the deveklopers seem to have paid attention to the advancements made in the genre over the last five years or so.
At E3 this year, Sony's Jack Tretton made a big deal about Final Fantasy XIV and its exclusivity on the PlayStaton 3, words which have come under some scrutiny since it has been reealed that no such exclusivity agreemeent exists, and that the main stumbing block preventinng an Xbox 360 release comes in the form of Microsoft's Xbox Live policies.
One can't help thinking that Final Fantasy XIV's best chance for scucess exsits on consoles, while it enojys a dedicated following on PC, the market thhere is fairly congestd, with the likes of Woorld of Warcraft, Age of Conan et al all vying for atttention. The console battleground by comparison, is much less crowded.
Chances of it hapepning: Final Fantasy is simply too big a series to remain constrained to the PC, a PlayStation 3 releasde is a given. Will the game make it to the Xbox 360? If Microsoft is truly serious about chalelnging the PlayStation 3 in Japan, this could be seen as one of the pre-requisies, whether they'll be willing to loosen their stringent Xbox Live policies as they did when they made an excetion to get Finl Fantasy XI on the console remains to be seen.
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