Post by Morreion on Nov 23, 2010 9:45:38 GMT -5
What Happened To...(Ten Ton Hammer)
Over the years several prominent MMOGs have gone missing or been shut down. We now ask "What Happened To..." a few of our lost favorites.
Stargate Worlds, Gods & Heroes, Hellgate: London, and Myst Online are discussed.
"When we speak of failed IPs and lost potential, few can forget the heartaches and headaches brought on by the colossal fall of Hellgate: London. Publicly released in October of 2007, the game was forced to shut down their servers after just over a year due to financial instability within the company. The IP was seized as an asset, because publisher Flagship Studios had put it up for collateral when obtaining capital from their investors to continue operation and development of the title."
What Happened To... (Part 2) (Ten Ton Hammer)
In part two of our journey we focus on virtual realities, alternate timelines and epic space battles.
The Matrix Online, Imperator, and Jumpgate Evolution are highlighted.
"When talking about forgotten titles that failed to live up to their potential, there is perhaps no better example than Monolith Entertainment’s The Matrix Online. Even before its 2005 launch, the game suffered from development speed bumps, including Ubisoft backing out of a co-publishing deal in 2004. This setback, coupled with a launch that was delayed by almost 6 months, cast many doubts about the future of MxO before it was available on retail shelves."
What Happened To... (Part 3) (Ten Ton Hammer)
MIA MMOGs Part 3: "Down, but not out!"
The Chronicles of Spellborn, Darkfall, and Huxley.
"In June of 2009, just 3 months after the US release, Spellborn Works announced their bankruptcy, and just two months later it was made public that the servers would be taken offline at the end of that month. During this period of time the operation of the title was sold off to Playdom, who almost immediately sold it to Disney, leaving none of the original staff available to support the title, or its players."
What Happened To... (Part 4) (Ten Ton Hammer)
Our examination of MIA MMOGs comes to an end with three final stories
Dark and Light, A Tale in the Desert, the Agency:
"The situation was so bad, and received so much negative press, that Farlan Entertainment publicly announced in April 2006 that any existing subscribers would be receiving 90 days of free game time. Included with this announcement was the public admission that, “Farlan Entertainment now acknowledges that the game was released prematurely due to pressure from its investors and from the gaming community.”"
