Upcoming post-apocalyptic, open-world zombie MMORPG Persist Online has just been announced by CipSoft, the devs behind pioneering 1997 MMORPG Tibia.
This is CipSoft’s first MMORPG in those decades since, and they’re flipping the genre from fantasy to survival on the streets with the undead all around. Still, despite the change in theme and the setting, the devs are pushing Persist Online as a “true, old-school MMORPG”, with a persistent server shaped by the players. It's set to launch on PC, Mac, and Linux.
With their announcement came a trailer to show off their premise and some of the gameplay in some pre-alpha footage. Cipsoft is planning to release the game in Early Access, and they are emphasizing the role of the players in making an MMORPG what it is. Citing their decades running Tibia, which still has an active community 27 years later, Lead Project Manager Benjamin Zuckerer says “The true charm of an MMORPG lies in the diverse interaction possibilities among players and the unpredictable stories that emerge from them”. With this in mind, we can expect several playtests before Persist Online enters Early Access at some point.
When it's live, the game will host hundreds of players on a persistent server in a large open world. There are no instances so you and everyone else will share the same world and learn to survive it together. Finding allies could make the difference between success, and winding up as a source of powerful loot when you fall. Open PvP seems on the table, along with friendly fire, adding to the things you need to navigate.
Expect a variety of weapons in this post-apocalyptic world, including shotguns, frying pans, and more. The world itself will have a day and night cycle that will have an impact on gameplay, and every building is planned to be accessible and detailed.
Persist Online’s Early Access doesn’t have a window yet, but the team will announce more later.
