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The Daily Grind: What was the best year for MMOs?
Some time ago I became frustrated that I couldn't find a comprehensive timeline of when MMO launches and expansions happened, so I decided to make one myself. I've always been fascinated with the overall unfolding of history across this genre, and I've also wondered one important question that comes from such examination: What was the best year for MMOs? There are definitely some years that have seen more releases than others, but maybe the answer to that question doesn't lie in sheer numbers. Perhaps it's in quality or significance. Was the best year 1997, when Ultima Online came out and really put MMOs on the map? Or was it perhaps 2004 with its incredible trio of City of Heroes, World of Warcraft, and EverQuest II? Would you say that 2009 was significant, as DDO ushered in a wave of sub-to-F2P conversions? I think there's even a good case to be made for 2012, what with its large amount of high-quality releases. But this isn't about what I think; The Daily Grind is about your opinion. If you had to pick the absolute best year for MMOs, what year would that be? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Are new MMOs afraid to take risks?
Syp over at BioBreak is working on an interesting gaming project. He is valiantly attempting to flesh out a timeline for all MMOs in the history... of MMOs. While working on this project, he came to a stunning, if not somewhat obvious realization: MMOs don't take as many risks as they used to and the ones that do aren't rewarded for it. The latter is likely feeding the former in this situation.It seems with all emerging genres that the pioneers really are just that; the risk-takers who pave the way for future products (or services). Over time though, this innovative spirit is lost or at least lessened to a great degree, and when it comes to satisfying the masses, it is somewhat understandable. Take the television, music, and motion picture industries for example. How many hospital dramas have we seen since E.R. first aired? How many recycled pop music tracks fuel success for the next big boy or girl band? We just can't wait to see the next super-hero movie sequel! While individuals may crave fresh ideas and implementations, "the masses," just don't seem interested.However, not all creativity is lost. There are a number of independent MMO developers working on niche titles that might catch your eye. Don't bet on them being a huge hit with the masses, though we're sure they're just fine with that.
