Make My MMO: Crowdfunding January 12 - 25, 2014
After a sleepy holiday season, the crowdfunding crowd has woken up and gotten down to business. And amidst that new bustle of activity, Make My MMO's ranks are altering a bit. Two games leave our listing, but each for different reasons; the cross-platform space sim Space Unfolding folded after missing its goal, and Face of Mankind moved along to Betawatch to join the ranks of the games in testing. And now that War of Omens' campaign has wrapped up, it moves into the fully funded category.
Some campaigns have really kicked into high gear. Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen joined the crowdfunding race and has delivered a slew of nearly daily news. Novus AEterno has nearly tripled its goal and is closing in on yet another stretch goal these final days of its campaign, while The Repopulation has also blown away its initial goal and is aiming for its eigth stretch goal (not to mention revealed plenty of juicy new bits). A smaller title, Tales From The Strange Universe, is more than halfway to its modest goal with a week left. And newcomer Star Rider also jumps on the Kickstarter bandwagon. Unfortunately, others aren't faring as well. Things aren't looking promising for Antilia or Universe Rush, whose campaigns end soon and are still over $85K and $98K short of their respective goals.
Want more details on these stories or an update on all the already-funded projects? We've got the round-up right here.
Dream a little dream, get a little green, and before long you'll have your very own MMO... at least that's what these developers are hoping! Games seeking funding to make their plans a reality are listed in this section.
Antilia (Right Brain Games): Kickstarter campaign ends January 28, 2014
Fantasy sandbox with unique animal races (with dragons coming soon)
Skill-based with fishing, cooking, crafting, and player housing
Citadel of Sorcery (MMO Magic, Inc.): Open donations, no end date
A vast, dynamic world where nothing is set in stone and each player will experience the game in very different ways
Gloria Victis (Black Eye Games): Open donations, no end date
Fantasy medieval setting with a classless system and unrestricted character development
Realistic weather system
Hot Rod Hustle: Kickstarter campaign ends February 13, 2014
2-D/3-D racing game
Minigames
Neo's Land (NeoJac Entertainment): Open donations, no end date
A sandbox where the community decides development by round table discussions
Massively news: Voxel-based building demo available
Novus AEterno (Taitale Studios): Kickstarter campaign ends January 27, 2014
Persistent sci-fi MMORTS
Appearance of investors led to relaunching Kickstarter with a lower goal
Each backer who re-pledges gets a Ring Planet
Met its goal
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen (Visionary Realms): Kickstarter campaign ends February 22, 2014
Old school fantasy MMO with focus on group content
New pledge tiers added twice
Cleric and Dark Knight classes
Star Rider: Kickstarter campaign ends February 12, 2014
Aims to create the biggest MMO to date
Based on lore from creators short story series
Includes crafting, housing, PvP, mining, and ground and air gameplay
Tales From The Strange Universe: Kickstarter campaign ends January 31, 2014
Browser-based sci-fi/fantasy strategy game
Galaxies run three to six weeks then restart
Build industry, train military, conquer stars and planets, form alliances, trade resources
Six races (including dragon and robot)
The Repopulation (Above and Beyond Technologies): Kickstarter campaign ends January 27, 2014
Sci-fi sandbox adding more features, including non-combat, weapons, transportation
Also running a Steam Greenlight campaign
Three-hour Q&A livestream
Met inital goal, is Greenlit, and met many stretch goal
Will have standard and PvP servers
Universe Rush (Kercus Holding): Kickstarter campaign ends February 3, 2014
Cross-platform space strategy combining space battles, console-level graphics, and long-term strategic multiplayer in an evolving environment
Evolving economy
Success has its privileges, like a spot in this section! Games that have reached their crowdfunding goals and are in current development are listed here. Once a game reaches the closed testing stage, it will move to the hallowed halls of Betawatch.
Camelot Unchained (City State): Official site
- Recent news: Alpha plans and player interaction; Dev Q&A interview; another interviewCity of Titans (Missing Worlds Media): Official site
Embers of Caerus (Forsaken Studios): Official site
Epic Space (EpicSpace.net): Official site
- Recent news: Release 6.7.5Ever, Jane (3 Turn Productions): Official site
- Recent news: Massively interviewGreed Monger: Official site
- Recent news: Alpha updateHEX: Shards of Fate (Cryptozoic Entertainment): Official site
- Recent news: Patch 821 breakdown; sealed decksPathfinder Online (Goblinworks): Official site
- Recent news: On track for April alphaShadowrun Online: (Cliffhanger Productions) Official site
- Recent news: Response to "When will we see the game?"Shroud of the Avatar: Forsaken Virtues (Portalarium): Official site
- Recent news: Raised $3 million; Early access release 2 outStar Citizen (Cloud Imperium): Official site
- Recent news: Plotting jump points; death mechanics; guild functionality; reaches $37 millionStarCraft Universe (Upheaval Arts): Official site
The Mandate (Perihelion Interactive LLC): Official site
War of Omens (Fifth Column Games): Official site
Like few platforms before it, Kickstarter puts the power to determine the fate of fledgling MMOs in the hands of gamers themselves. Which will live and which will die? Check the pulse of all things crowdfunded in the MMO-sphere with Massively's MJ Guthrie every two weeks in Make My MMO. And for a look at non-MMOs in the crowdfunding realm, don't forget Joystiq's Crowdfund Bookie.