OP, I agree with you. Although I would place the context of your statement in a 5 year period.

The fact so many MMO's are being made is a good sign.  Albeit, lots of them are trying to carve out thier slice of the "casual drone" market.  The main point to take home is that there are numerous investors that see the MMO market growing and are willing to invest in more MMO's being created.

I just dont think we will see a singular MMO, that at one time, revolutionizes the genre or creates a completely new standard.  We will probably see incremental changes as MMO's are iterated upon and new hardware technologies come into play. 

The only way to bypass these incremental changes and experience something more grand (different) would be to unplug.  Dont play or follow MMO's for 3 - 5 years.  Come back to the genre after a large number of incremental changes have occured.  I am currently in the process of convincing myself to do this, but I need that PvP fix.

Originally posted by IIIcurrier

Asheron's Call most innovative and well kept MMORPG, hasn't been a good MMO since 1999, I think we need to go backwards.

~

Even Turbine the company who originally produced AC fell into the stock and standard MMO rut with AC2, and they proved again they have no understanding by reviving AC2 again, instead of focusing on a new MMORPG with complete character freedom in skills and attributes, giant open world, with difficult quests instead of being lead along the happy themepark train.

~

AC 1 with revamped graphics = An mmorpg I see succeeding in drawing in players that stay for 12+ years, instead of these recent mmos which you can complete all content and get bored in a couple monthes. This community is a fine example of why MMORPG's are bad ( not fun ) in general, along with the others mmorpg sites out there, here is a quote from one of them... "Millions of gamers can't be wrong", well I beg to differ!!

^^ this... No game has matched the features of this game, ever. For those of you that say (and I agree with you) that the current stock of games including WoW, GW2, SWTOR, etc. are too easy, give this a shot. Yes the graphics are dated, but if you play more than 20 minutes, you'll soon forget the graphics and be hooked.

AC2 - not sure what Turbine is doing, I never cared for it, still don't really care for it but for $12/mo for both AC1 and 2, can't really go wrong. I hope one day they are able to make either AC1++ with better graphics & some features, or AC3, a true successor to AC1 (AC2 was NOT).

GW2 - Well, this game was interesting (even having worked on it) but it's crashing and burning because they missed the boat on too many things (end game, character progression, etc.) It sure is pretty, but again, after 20 mins, you forget about the graphics.

Neverwinter? - Just another crap Perfect World game IMO...

Originally posted by Icewhite

Tryouts for the Self-Pity All Stars?

He played, in post one, pretty much the ultimate prophet 'o doom already.  The rest of the thread doesn't seem to have any particular point.

Yup.

Originally posted by Onecrazyguy

Originally posted by IIIcurrier

Asheron's Call most innovative and well kept MMORPG, hasn't been a good MMO since 1999, I think we need to go backwards.

~

Even Turbine the company who originally produced AC fell into the stock and standard MMO rut with AC2, and they proved again they have no understanding by reviving AC2 again, instead of focusing on a new MMORPG with complete character freedom in skills and attributes, giant open world, with difficult quests instead of being lead along the happy themepark train.

~

AC 1 with revamped graphics = An mmorpg I see succeeding in drawing in players that stay for 12+ years, instead of these recent mmos which you can complete all content and get bored in a couple monthes. This community is a fine example of why MMORPG's are bad ( not fun ) in general, along with the others mmorpg sites out there, here is a quote from one of them... "Millions of gamers can't be wrong", well I beg to differ!!

^^ this... No game has matched the features of this game, ever. For those of you that say (and I agree with you) that the current stock of games including WoW, GW2, SWTOR, etc. are too easy, give this a shot. Yes the graphics are dated, but if you play more than 20 minutes, you'll soon forget the graphics and be hooked.

AC2 - not sure what Turbine is doing, I never cared for it, still don't really care for it but for $12/mo for both AC1 and 2, can't really go wrong. I hope one day they are able to make either AC1++ with better graphics & some features, or AC3, a true successor to AC1 (AC2 was NOT).

GW2 - Well, this game was interesting (even having worked on it) but it's crashing and burning because they missed the boat on too many things (end game, character progression, etc.) It sure is pretty, but again, after 20 mins, you forget about the graphics.

Neverwinter? - Just another crap Perfect World game IMO...

Pretty much discredits everything you would hope to come across to others, paired with whay you say about GW2 which is far from crashing and burning.  Another hater IMO...

FYI... PWI is a publisher for Neverwinter and Cryptic are the ones that are doing the game along with Wizards of the Coast in the picture PWI will have the say only with dealing with how the CS will be which already Cryptic has made statements on what it will be like.  The game itself is Cryptic and Wizards of the Coast.

Originally posted by Reklaw

Everquest Next

EverQuest Next is an interesting concept, SOE is taking the EverQuest universe and rather than continuing the story they are “re-imagining the EverQuest universe”. The MMORPG won’t be a sequel but will still retain some familiar faces, races and places. This might get a lot of EQ fans giddy, hence why it is included in the list, but to me “re-imagining” just says they were lazy and decided to just re-texture the zones, throw in a new story and call it a new title (aka MW3).

im not sure what to expect from EQ3

but im expecting EQ3 to be different --  EQ2 was much different than original EQ

Originally posted by Icewhite

Tryouts for the Self-Pity All Stars?

He played, in post one, pretty much the ultimate prophet 'o doom already.  The rest of the thread doesn't seem to have any particular point.

Did you have to graduate high school to get hired for the mmorpg.com "Thread Quality Control and Relevancy Police."  How much does it pay. 

I bet you work long hours.  You sound lonely.  Either way, keep up the good work.

Originally posted by Ambros123

Originally posted by Onecrazyguy

Originally posted by IIIcurrier

Asheron's Call most innovative and well kept MMORPG, hasn't been a good MMO since 1999, I think we need to go backwards.

~

Even Turbine the company who originally produced AC fell into the stock and standard MMO rut with AC2, and they proved again they have no understanding by reviving AC2 again, instead of focusing on a new MMORPG with complete character freedom in skills and attributes, giant open world, with difficult quests instead of being lead along the happy themepark train.

~

AC 1 with revamped graphics = An mmorpg I see succeeding in drawing in players that stay for 12+ years, instead of these recent mmos which you can complete all content and get bored in a couple monthes. This community is a fine example of why MMORPG's are bad ( not fun ) in general, along with the others mmorpg sites out there, here is a quote from one of them... "Millions of gamers can't be wrong", well I beg to differ!!

^^ this... No game has matched the features of this game, ever. For those of you that say (and I agree with you) that the current stock of games including WoW, GW2, SWTOR, etc. are too easy, give this a shot. Yes the graphics are dated, but if you play more than 20 minutes, you'll soon forget the graphics and be hooked.

AC2 - not sure what Turbine is doing, I never cared for it, still don't really care for it but for $12/mo for both AC1 and 2, can't really go wrong. I hope one day they are able to make either AC1++ with better graphics & some features, or AC3, a true successor to AC1 (AC2 was NOT).

GW2 - Well, this game was interesting (even having worked on it) but it's crashing and burning because they missed the boat on too many things (end game, character progression, etc.) It sure is pretty, but again, after 20 mins, you forget about the graphics.

Neverwinter? - Just another crap Perfect World game IMO...

Pretty much discredits everything you would hope to come across to others, paired with whay you say about GW2 which is far from crashing and burning.  Another hater IMO...

FYI... PWI is a publisher for Neverwinter and Cryptic are the ones that are doing the game along with Wizards of the Coast in the picture PWI will have the say only with dealing with how the CS will be which already Cryptic has made statements on what it will be like.  The game itself is Cryptic and Wizards of the Coast.

Not hating, just look at the population - make your own decision. Loving GW2 while it's population dwindles doesn't change the fact that it's not meeting Mike O'Brien's expectations, nor many of those by what used to be the large player base.

I'm very aware that the game is being made by Cryptic, the guys that did a pretty poor job on STO and CO. Tell me a single, GOOD game that PWI has published. I bet you can't.

As for PWI not having much say, you're sadly mistaken. They own Cryptic and are funding the game development. Whether we like it or not, THEY call the shots.

Originally posted by Maephisto

Originally posted by Icewhite

Tryouts for the Self-Pity All Stars?

He played, in post one, pretty much the ultimate prophet 'o doom already.  The rest of the thread doesn't seem to have any particular point.

Did you have to graduate high school to get hired for the mmorpg.com "Thread Quality Control and Relevancy Police."  How much does it pay. 

I bet you work long hours.  You sound lonely.  Either way, keep up the good work.

When someone's inner censor is malfunctioning we have to extend a helping hand, don't you think.

Kim Yong Il believed he was a demi-god among many other things. And you can't really blame him cause everyone around him said so. What else was he supposed to believe? He could've used someone behind his shoulder saying "Really tho - you're not." Consider Icewhite that guy.

Originally posted by Onecrazyguy

 

Not hating, just look at the population - make your own decision. Loving GW2 while it's population dwindles doesn't change the fact that it's not meeting Mike O'Brien's expectations, nor many of those by what used to be the large player base.

I'm very aware that the game is being made by Cryptic, the guys that did a pretty poor job on STO and CO. Tell me a single, GOOD game that PWI has published. I bet you can't.

As for PWI not having much say, you're sadly mistaken. They own Cryptic and are funding the game development. Whether we like it or not, THEY call the shots.

#5 on xfire. Pretty stable on the graph for the last month. Better than ALL MMOs except WOW. I would say if that is not a "large player base" ... no MMO has one.

It has a lot more people playing than Eve, for example.

Originally posted by Onecrazyguy

Originally posted by IIIcurrier

Asheron's Call most innovative and well kept MMORPG, hasn't been a good MMO since 1999, I think we need to go backwards.

~

Even Turbine the company who originally produced AC fell into the stock and standard MMO rut with AC2, and they proved again they have no understanding by reviving AC2 again, instead of focusing on a new MMORPG with complete character freedom in skills and attributes, giant open world, with difficult quests instead of being lead along the happy themepark train.

~

AC 1 with revamped graphics = An mmorpg I see succeeding in drawing in players that stay for 12+ years, instead of these recent mmos which you can complete all content and get bored in a couple monthes. This community is a fine example of why MMORPG's are bad ( not fun ) in general, along with the others mmorpg sites out there, here is a quote from one of them... "Millions of gamers can't be wrong", well I beg to differ!!

^^ this... No game has matched the features of this game, ever. For those of you that say (and I agree with you) that the current stock of games including WoW, GW2, SWTOR, etc. are too easy, give this a shot. Yes the graphics are dated, but if you play more than 20 minutes, you'll soon forget the graphics and be hooked.

AC2 - not sure what Turbine is doing, I never cared for it, still don't really care for it but for $12/mo for both AC1 and 2, can't really go wrong. I hope one day they are able to make either AC1++ with better graphics & some features, or AC3, a true successor to AC1 (AC2 was NOT).

GW2 - Well, this game was interesting (even having worked on it) but it's crashing and burning because they missed the boat on too many things (end game, character progression, etc.) It sure is pretty, but again, after 20 mins, you forget about the graphics.

Neverwinter? - Just another crap Perfect World game IMO...

Well, Illcurrier proved he knows absolutely nothing about AC2 when he made his ignorant themepark comments about the game. Sure, AC2 had some of the groundwork for themepark gaming (which Blizzard took to the next level), but the game still promotes a ton of exploration and makes you figure out the best way to go about things after the first little string of quests that are just an extended tutorial. Just because a game has quests doesn't make it a themepark.

Asheron's Call 2 is a labor of love for some of the staff at Turbine. I have no idea what their plans are, but the game is heavily populated at the moment.

As far as Asheron's Call 1 goes, it was my first mmo so it has a special place in my heart. However, it's far from the perfect game or the perfect gaming system. AC has a great amount of freedom with how skills and attributes are handled, but that's also it's greatest weakness. Far too many folks fell into the trap of "perfect" templates. Og Mages, War Mages, Drain Mages, Three School Archers, etc were all shining examples of how a "free" system will break down to flavor of the month templates. You effectively make "classes" in a class-free game. Not only that, but eventually design decisions were made because of the rise of perfected templates. Yes, Turbine fixed some of this, and a more wide range of templates are viable, but in reality there's little freedom. You can't pick skills at random and have a functional character, you have to pre-plan and build your character. It becomes a game about micromanagement and spreadsheets. Hell, even Jessica Mulligan called AC1 "the part-time job", at her 2004 keynote speech at Turbine Nation (which I was an attendee).

AC3, if they decide to make it, would be very well served to be a blend of the first two games. Completely open world, with tons of areas to explore and that exploration rewarded. However, the skill system should have limitations placed on it to promote a wider range of diversification (like you can't spec a Life school and War school because of opposing dictomies), additionally keep melee and missle combat fun like it is in AC2 and not the boring auto-attack b.s. that it is in AC1. No quest hubs, but optional quests spread throughout the world like they are in both AC games. Turbine has the basis of an excellent game in both AC games, they just need someone with vision to move them forward.

The following is not my quote nor does it relate to MMOs particularly, but to gaming in general.  I took it watching a nostalgic channel on youtube presenting games from the 80s.

- I feel like the people behind games back then were the marginalised artists of society who'se only exit was the quasi inexistent gaming industry, and thus to make a break through they had to put all they had in their guts to succeed and be noticed.

Quote ended there but you could say that nowaday, games atract all kind of people that follow a guideline to make games. Emphasis on guideline.

The best games I've played had, looking back, a risky background and unorthodox approach that would scare investors nowaday.

...and MMOs more than most games, require a huge amount of financing....they HAVE to go through the safest road , the one that's worked in the past.

To me that's the core of the problem, that one young developper with a revolutionary idea will be send back to his home jobless without even being given a chance, so here we are hoping for *the beatles of gaming* which were turned back once by a producer saying "Guitar bands are on the way out"

P.s: Sry for my innacurate english, not my first language.

the reason i actually forsee MMO development reaching farther and trying newer things in 13 and beyond:  Crowdsourcing.

a lot of the more risky ideas that might not be pitchable to a board room full of suits.... can easily be pitched on kickstarter to 10,000 gamers who all would love to play in that risky game.

my prediction:  the next "great MMO" will have crowdsourcing as its origin.

I can kind of agree with the OP on this one.  However, it is in moments like this where gems come out of nowhere.  Look at console games as an example.  Who knew before this year how awesome Far Cry 3, Assassin's Creed 3 or a few others I can't think of right now, would be?  I sure don't remember those being the big games at E3.  Well maybe AC3, but Far Cry 3?  I never would have seen myself playing a game from that series.  Best part of the games I mentioned, they are using MMORPG staples such as open world aspects, crafting, deep side missions and progression systems.

Which is why I think since no one is looking for the Next great MMO is when the next great MMO will hit or at least give us a handful of awesome gems in the genre.   I'm a bit of an optimist though.

The difference is that the very first AAA MMOrpgs where made by enthusiasts for enthusiasts.

Games today be made by an underpaid overburdened arbitrarily adjusted wageworker force.

Originally posted by Elikal

We live in a time of gaming barbary, resting on the laurels of greater days and inable to create with the greatness of the past.

I totally agree with you. Once upon a time of few and fantastic MMOs with the right number of players and the right money income. Was the pre WoW age. Then, after Blizzard MMO, everything is changed: MMO is no more a game genre for few players but a really massive one.

But producers and developers was blind, looking for WoW 2.0: only Blizzard can beat Blizzard.

Or, maybe, WoW should be the only one really massive MMO with a lot of stupid carbon copied games around it.

Now MMO list on this site is long, very long, with thousands voices. But looking at cancelled list and people, maybe, can find the right path: too many games killed by too many games.

Or producers and deveropers come back to golden age or they should find a new way in order to restart this dying genre. With CRPG was easy, thanks to BioWare, Bethesda and other few game developers. But what about MMOs? BioWare failed, Mythic failed. Will Bethesda fail too or The Elder Scroll Online become the MMO of a new golden (or silver) era?

Originally posted by Thorqemada

The difference is that the very first AAA MMOrpgs where made by enthusiasts for enthusiasts.

Games today be made by an underpaid overburdened arbitrarily adjusted wageworker force.

massivelys top 10 for 2013

http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/01/03/the-perfect-ten-new-mmos-to-watch-in-2013/

1.  City of Steam
2.  Defiance
3.  WildStar
4.  Age of Wushu
5.  DUST 514
6.  Neverwinter
7.  World of Warplanes
8.  ArcheAge
9.  Marvel Heroes
10. The Elder Scrolls Online