The Digital Continuum: Five PvP MMOs with potential
PvP and PvE -- both are part and parcel to the MMO experience. Some games focus on one more than the other, to be sure. Others try to strike an even balance, but ultimately a game seems to become one aspect more than the other.
With so many upcoming MMOs in the next couple of years, I thought it would be worthwhile to see which games may possess a substantial degree of PvP potential. As per usual, I'm choosing five to keep things from getting out of hand.
I should also mention that I've listed these in the order I think they'll be released, so the further along we go the less solid information I'm basing my choices from.
Jumpgate Evolution
With its still-experimental Hardcore mode and closest release date, Jumpgate Evolution currently offers PvP that has me the most excited for what possibilities lie within. Beyond Hardcore mode, there's Battle Space -- Jumpgate Evolution's instanced PvP scenarios -- and a open world system that's apparently quite exciting.
Details are scarce on the open world PvP stuff, but if it includes the Hardcore flagging of characters at creation then I have a feeling it could really deliver. By not sharding full-on PvPers with PvE/PvPers, a much more robust community could thrive. World of Warcraft has hands-down proven the potential of a PvE heavy game. Generally speaking, more people become invested in PvE long term than people who do with PvP. Thus, by combining those communities -- and assuming the Hardcore system works -- NetDevil may solve the issue of how sustain those long term PvP players' interest.
What I mean, is that interest will wane on a full-on PvP server after three or four months. But what if a PvE player could roll two characters, one Hardcore and one non-Hardcore? Maybe she's a weekend PvP warrior, and takes it easy during the weekdays. Or, maybe she switches every few days to mix things up. People rolls alt characters all the time, but in JGE one character can learn pretty much all skills given enough playtime. Thus, the only reason to roll another character is to play a different faction or play it risky, but with bigger rewards, in Hardcore mode.
The Agency
While information on the game has been slightly difficult to come by, it's definitely out there. SOE seems to be keeping quite while they let their team churn away on what I think is one of the more original MMO concepts in quite some time.
Of course, the reason for The Agency's PvP potential has much to do with its combat. The first-person shooter angle of the game is going to attract a lot of previous Planetside players, even though the game is more of an instanced experience rather than an open world. Although this may be the reason it works better -- smaller spaces allow for a much tighter and snappier shooter.
This is also another game that embraces letting players focus more advancement on a single character. Aside from making a different avatar to play on the opposing faction, there shouldn't be any other reasons -- unless you decide you'd rather be a girl spy instead of a boy spy. Ever since Final Fantasy XI, I've felt a module class system was the way to go. So it's good to see new games coming out and embracing that philosophy.
