
In the lifespan of MMOs, we have seen quite a number of them! A "Sunset" as they call it. The Sunset of an MMO is never a joyous time, as there are always devout players whom have vested interest....nay deep love for said MMO. People develop deep connections with others, friends, comrades, lovers. They get provided a world where they can feel happy and alive, outside the every day drudgeries of real life. But when someone decides it is time to pull the plug, is this really something that should be happening? In my blog today I will cover the cycle of how MMOs get Sunset in my opinion, and how to prevent it.
Everquest Classic
First off the cycle looks like this:
X MMO Ages ---> X MMO becomes less relevant as a result ---> New blood does not flow in ---> Player population declines ---> Less revenue for Developer ---> ultimately leading to Sunset.
Age plays a HUGE factor into a game. When a game launches more often than not, it is presented in a state of the art engine, has beautiful looks, and some pretty awesome systems as well. Systems don't age quite as badly as engines do, but acquiring new systems as well as updating old ones is important. To keep a game feeling fresh, it also has to look fresh. The fresh look and feel keeps it relevant, allowing new players to enter the game because it keeps interest up.
Before I continue, This next part is very important for the players of said game. Keeping the look fresh is is a two way street. If you don't want your game to eventually die, you need to accept that the Developers will have to upgrade the engine, which means new renders for races, environments, textures etc. A lot of players cry about possible changes due to it not being true to the original flavor of the game. This is where it is up to the Developers to make sure the engine upgrade and assets for said game are recreated to match the original, but in a newer fresher additional polygon type of way.
Since games especially MMOs are subject to technology changing as fast as I can do a load of laundry, they tend to age in dog years. A five year old MMO is over the hill as far as looks are concerned. To combat the aging, the engine and system upgrades should be done every 4 years, and the acquiring new systems should be ongoing like with most expansions.
EQ- Shadows of Luclin Upgrade
SOE had the right Idea with Everquest. Shadows of Luclin marked an engine/assets upgrade that came with smoother character models and textures, they also upgraded alot of NPCs and Mobs however this seems to have fallen by the wayside in lieu of other games rushing out the door in the genre.
Everquest 2
Ask yourself this though. What if Everquest 2 never existed? Instead Everquest got its graphics updated to the engine used for EQ2, and SOE added the newer systems from EQ2 into EQ. You would have a game evolving over time and staying fresh and relevant, and now was being upgraded again into the Forgelight engine being used for Planetside 2 and EQ Next.
Everquest Next
Evolution instead of death.
What about Asheron's Call? If AC had gotten an engine upgrade to AC2, It could have been HUGE for that game as well. Instead all these games are aging and not handling the problem.
While I don't know for certain that it would be cost effective, I believe converting an existing game to a new engine is probably cheaper than a completely new development. Logically it would stand to reason that half the work is already done as well as paid for.
The new cycle would look like this:
X game ages ---> X game gets an engine and systems upgrade ---> X game stays relevant ---> New players continue to try the game ---> population remains steady or grows ---> Profit margins remain steady or grow ---> Cycle restarts.
Thus effectively preventing the sunset of said MMO.
Thanks for reading,
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