Chronicles of Elyria
COE is definitely up there in all the new MMOs being made, but we wonder just how far off it truly is from releasing or hitting a largescale beta. That said, its progress has been promising, and the studio’s on target for the voxel-driven “test” version called VoxElyria in the early part of 2018. Its intent is to test the systems and MMO aspects of Chronicles of Elyria while the team designs the higher fidelity world for full launch. How that plays out should tell us just how feasible Soulbound’s ambitious plans really are.
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World of Warcraft: Next Expansion
It’s hard for any of us here at MMORPG to not get excited for a WoW expansion. I mean, despite the game’s ups and downs, a lot of us here have very strong ties to Azeroth, its characters, and nostalgia plays a big part in any MMO game’s lifetime. How many of you still check in on UO or EQ, for example? WoW is still the biggest MMORPG in the world, and come BlizzCon this weekend, we expect our excitement for the game to be rekindled for 2018.
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ESO: Next Chapter
This year, Zenimax Online Studios committed to a new Chapter DLC every year for Elder Scrolls Online. With the announced launch of Clockwork City complete, we’re already looking forward to 2018 and what it could bring to Tamriel. Most are predicting that it’ll bring us to the Summerset Isles, and a story focused on the Altmer. In short? We really hope so. While less awe-inspiring than the idea of returning to Morrowind, Summerset has the sort of political and social intrigue that could make a great expansion.
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Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen
It’s coming, folks. A return to group-driven exploration, questing, and dungeoneering. Visionary Realms and Brad McQuaid are taking a second stab at bringing a new spin on the EverQuest formula, and everything we’ve seen so far has been incredibly promising. Wisely starting with a laser focus on their core ideals of camaraderie and exploration over quest grinding and solo excursions, Pantheon may just wind up finding the nuclear audience that made EverQuest a household name in the late 90s.
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