One of the known factors of the MMORPG is that nothing lasts forever. Even long-standing games like World of Warcraft, EverQueset, Ultima and more aren't guaranteed to be online years and years down the road. Some MMORPGs were shut down before their time, while others continued far longer than they should have.
In the genre there are games that are held in high regard among players, shuttered before their time. Or maybe it's a game that brought something interesting to the genre that has influenced other MMOs in the years since.
For me, the game I always regret not buying is Star Wars Galaxies.
Back when SWG was on the market, I was just finishing high school. My focus was on getting a gig, starting college and practicing my instruments as I was aiming to be a gigging musician here in Vegas. I wasn't thinking about what game to play next, even though I played plenty of video games even then. But back then I was more invested in RTS and 4x games, especially since I couldn't afford to pay a subscription fee to play a game I had already paid for (like World of Warcraft).
However, I would see Star Wars Galaxies on the shelf of the PC section at the Base Exchange at Nellis where I grew up, or I'd be in the game shop accross the street from my first gig at a music store and wonder if my PC could run it. But then I would shake the thought from my mind. I didn' want to get wrapped up in a Star Wars game and lose out on gigs and whatnot, I would think to myself.
Fast forward 15 years and I'm wishing I had played Star Wars Galaxies, even though it wasn't long for this world. This was a game that garnered something for players to do, regardless of what they were interested in doing. An MMO that really leaned into ensuring that a player could be what they want, not what the game dictated you should be.
This kind of freedom isn't found in many other MMORPGs, EVE Online being one of the few left that really affords a high degree of sandbox gameplay. Star Wars Galaxies is often looked fondly on by many in the industry, especially as a game gone too soon. It's no wonder that so many people look to the emulation community like SWG: Legends to bring these old games to life again, even continuing the story with expansions like the upcoming Bespin update for Legends.
There are other games that have come and gone that I never really played all that much. WildStar comes to mind. I tried it at launch but it really wasn't for me at the time. I wonder if I would think differently today?
While I could jump into Star Wars Galaxies if I could find a copy of the MMO at a reasonable price thanks to the emulation community, not every MMO has that dedicated community keeping it alive. Is there an MMO you never played and regret not doing so? What game is it and what about it makes you wish you experienced it during its height?
