MMORPG’s and Metaverse can go hand in hand, and in a recent announcement from Avalon Corp, a new contender has emerged with a vision to redefine the genre: AVALON. This ambitious project, unveiled by a fully remote, global team of industry veterans, promises to empower players with unparalleled creative freedom and player-centric experiences.
The brainchild of Jeffrey Butler, a pivotal figure in the development of EverQuest and its expansions, and Sean Pinnock, a seasoned CEO with a history of successful game projects, AVALON stands unique standout in their development history with their shared vision. This vision is not just about creating another MMO; it's about crafting a limitless online world that blurs the boundaries between virtual and real, where players wield the tools to craft their dreams into digital realities.
Avalon Corp is also a Web3 company, and has found considerable stakeholders and partnerships with popular Web3 venture companies and organizations such as BITKRAFT, who has assisted in funding many in-development Web3 games such as Ember Sword as well as the (Non-Blockchain) Cloud Native Sandbox MMO from Raph Koster’s Playable Worlds. Other partners include decentralized autonomous organizations such as, Avocado DAO and Merit Circle, that essentially focus on smart contracts, tokens and blockchain built for gaming applications.
Utilizing Unreal Engine and technologies from start-ups like Didimo and Inworld AI, AVALON leverages the collective expertise of developers who have shaped iconic games such as EverQuest, Call of Duty, Diablo, Assassin’s Creed, Elden Ring, and World of Warcraft. This collaboration has enabled the creation of Popul8™, Didimo's end-to-end character creation platform, and Inworld's AI-powered character engine. These tools offer players what Avalon Corp believes will be an unprecedented capability to design characters and interact with NPCs, pushing the envelope of what's possible in an MMO.
Butler, serving as the chief product officer, emphasizes the team's commitment to giving players control over their gameplay, and their digital assets. Their approach prioritizes creativity as equally rewarding as questing, a concept Butler has nurtured since his time at EverQuest. The goal is to foster a community where players can not only create and share content but also immerse themselves in the creations of others.
The first look at AVALON showcases a game where everything is creatable by players, offering a small glimpse into a world where the only limit is the player's imagination. This approach is a significant departure from the traditional business-driven metaverse, with the team attempting to shift their focus on the “art and magic” of game-making. User generated content is often a big factor in building “metaverse-like” platforms that transcend the capabilities of a singular development studio. We’ve seen the popularity of metaverse-like games such a Roblox take flight, and become a platform that’s far greater simply due to the content that players generate.
As AVALON steps into the spotlight, it represents more than just a game, but the team themselves stops short of calling it a Metaverse. Instead of being a metaverse, which Pinnock states will eventually materialize as a collaborative effort in the future, AVALON is a platform, a set of tools, and a community-driven initiative to revolutionize how games and virtual experiences are built.
Stay tuned to AVALON's journey through their social platforms and on playavalon.com, as the team continues to pave the way for a new chapter in MMO gaming, where they see players as not just participants but creators of their own epic narratives.
