MMORPG invading a console near you - 4.7.05

An interesting write-up over on the guardian blog examines the new shift in gaming on next-gen consoles, in particular the focus on bringing the mainly PC based MMORPG populous to the new consoles.

It has to be argued that it does indeed represent a great risk in trying to bring the MMORPG market to console players, who in the past seemed quite content with less "thinking" titles and more mindless action games. Of course it is hard to ignore such a large audience and if the shift can be pulled off successfully, the revenue potential is quite enormous.

It's a pretty huge move, pushing an arguably niche genre to the mass market at great expense and at great risk. While the move is not without precedent, I agree with this GamePro article which argues that MMOGs are only for the hardcore. You have to be a pretty dedicated gamer to get through some of the nonsense that results in an ultimately rewarding interactive experience, whether it's in Final Fantasy XI on your console, or Star Wars Galaxies on your PC. That's not to say that there aren't exceptions to the rules. World of Warcraft has managed to get 2 million people worldwide to log on and stay on (and pay up monthly) which says something about its design, its accessibility, and the good feelings players achieve through interacting with one another and the gameplay objectives in the virtual world. The Sims Online managed to get a huge female population playing (before waning monumentally), which is a testament to its accessibility. There are over 1600 active virtual worlds out there. Some of them seem to be doing something right.

Virtual worlds from the TV screen: making the casual gamer bite

By Gary (Email: Gary at igniq dot com)

	« Igniq.com Gaming News MMORPG invading a console near you - 4.7.05 An interesting write-up over on the guardian blog examines the new shift in gaming on next-gen consoles, in particular the focus on bringing the mainly PC based MMORPG populous to the new consoles. It has to be argued that it does indeed represent a great risk in trying to bring the MMORPG market to console players, who in the past seemed quite content with less "thinking" titles and more mindless action games. Of course it is hard to ignore such a large audience and if the shift can be pulled off successfully, the revenue potential is quite enormous. It's a pretty huge move, pushing an arguably niche genre to the mass market at great expense and at great risk. While the move is not without precedent, I agree with this GamePro article which argues that MMOGs are only for the hardcore. You have to be a pretty dedicated gamer to get through some of the nonsense that results in an ultimately rewarding interactive experience, whether it's in Final Fantasy XI on your console, or Star Wars Galaxies on your PC. That's not to say that there aren't exceptions to the rules. World of Warcraft has managed to get 2 million people worldwide to log on and stay on (and pay up monthly) which says something about its design, its accessibility, and the good feelings players achieve through interacting with one another and the gameplay objectives in the virtual world. The Sims Online managed to get a huge female population playing (before waning monumentally), which is a testament to its accessibility. There are over 1600 active virtual worlds out there. Some of them seem to be doing something right. Virtual worlds from the TV screen: making the casual gamer bite Related: No Revolution 'til after PS3? Revolution To Be Much Cheaper than Xbox 360, PS3 Nintendo's E3 Interactive Floor Display No harddrive for PS3 upon launch? Sony hide millions, face 4.5 billion yen fine PS3 To Lose Over A Billion In The First Year? More Xbox 360 support in July? PS3 and Xbox 360, disappointing CPU performance? Konami hint at Xbox 360 exclusive Xbox 360 to side with HD-DVD? More Xbox 360 details published in online mag Discussion >> By Gary (Email: Gary at igniq dot com) Sponsored links: Concert Tickets Online skill games Play Online Bingo Gamer Social Networking Buy Wii Games Online Best prices: PS3 (60 GB) Console Place a link here