This week in MMO crowdfunding news, space games have dominated the headlines. Indie Kickstarted sandbox Ascent: The Space Game formally launched out of early access into the wilds of fully live games, and Elite: Dangerous announced that the beta for its next big update, Engineers, will be live within the month. Star Citizen, meanwhile, announced a new concept ship, the MISC Prospector, that made eyebrows rise on even the normally CIG-friendly Star Citizen subreddit. The ship costs $140 now and is expected to rise as it progresses from concept to hangar to actual playability. (Thanks, Cotic!)
There’s a bit of bad news too for two games we’ve been watching: Sacrament’s Kickstarter finished well short of its goal, and LUX’s Kickstarter, which ends tomorrow, isn’t quite to 50%.
Remember Shadow’s Kiss, the vampire-themed MMO on Patreon? It’s got new gameplay footage out (which you can watch below). And don’t forget our own Justin Olivetti’s handy guide to getting started in Project Gorgon!
Read on for more on what’s up with MMO crowdfunding this week and the roundup of all the crowdfunded MMOs we’ve got our eye on.
Shadow’s Kiss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPCXPdWtooc
Recent MMO crowdfunding news
Ascent: The Space Game formally launches from early access today
Elite: Dangerous’ Engineers tweaks starports, map filtering, and POIs
Camelot Unchained shows off concept art and animation work
Massively OP’s guide to the Project Gorgon starter island
Crowfall interview covers the campaign system at length
Gloria Victis further balances combat while improving account management
LUX looks for other investors as its Kickstarter comes up short
Sacrament’s Kickstarter ends unsuccessfully
Crowfall shares details on the upcoming Throne War test version
Fragmented Early Access kicks off on April 26th
The harsh lesson City of Titans learned from Kickstarter
The beta for Elite: Dangerous’ long-awaited Engineers update arrives in May
Exploring Camelot Unchained’s siegecraft system
Pantheon’s Rogue will throw chemicals in your face
Crowfall has kicked off external pre-alpha Siege Perilous testing
Das Tal’s investors give the game more funding
Crowfall Q&A talks about Eternal Kingdoms and next playable archetypes
Saga of Lucimia shows off its alpha environments
Derek Smart is pulling Line of Defense from Steam over review-bombing
Project Gorgon introduces player vendor stalls
Shroud of the Avatar
Some images from SOTA’s latest newsletter:
Campaigns and crowdfunded MMOs we’re watching
AdventureQuest 3D (Artix Entertainment) – Raised 368k; plans October launch.
Ascent: The Space Game (Fluffy Kitten Studios) – Funded and fully launched.
Camelot Unchained (City State) – Open donations/packages.
Caribbean Conquest (Invenio) – Kickstarter live; ends May 12.
Contested Space (Zon)
Crowfall (ArtCraft) – Open donations/packages
Citadel of Sorcery (MMO Magic, Inc.) –Â Open donations.
City of Titans (Missing Worlds Media)
Descent Underground (Descendent Studios)
Divergence Online (Stained Glass Llama)Â –Â Three campaigns; now in KS early access.
Dogma: Eternal Night (Prelude Games Factory): Kickstarter over, donor preorder packs.
Dragon of Legends (Thrive Games) – Successful Kickstarter.
Eco (Strange Loop Games)
Elite: Dangerous (Frontier Developments) – Funded and launched.
Epic Space (EpicSpace.net)
Ever, Jane (3 Turn Productions)
Gloria Victis (Black Eye Games) – Open donations, no end date.
Greed Monger (Greed Monger) – Abandoned, multiple times now.
Grim Dawn (Crate Entertainment) – Funded and launched.
Guns of Icarus (Muse) – Funded and launched.
Hero’s Song (Pixelmage Games): Kickstarter canceled; game launches in October.
Infinity: Battlescape (I-Novae Studios)
HEX (HEX Entertainment)
Life is Feudal (Bitbox): Indiegogo ended.
LUX (Chimera) – Kickstarter ends April 17.
Neo’s Land (NeoJac Entertainment) –Â Open donations, no end date.
Novus AEterno (Taitale Studios)
Overpower (Hydrant Games) –Â Kickstarter unfunded; heading to early access.
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen (Visionary Realms) –Â Open donations, no end date.
Pathfinder Online (GoblinWorks)
Planet Nomads (Craneballs) – Successful Kickstarter.
Pixel Starships (SavySoda)
Project Gorgon (Elder Game, LLC)
Pumpkin Online (Monique)
The Realm: Reawakened (Stephen Nichols) – Ongoing GoFundMe.
The Repopulation (Above & Beyond Technologies)
The Stomping Land (Alex Fundora) – Abandoned.
Sacrament (Ferocity Unbound) – Kickstarter unsuccessful.
Shadow’s Kiss (Clockwork Throne) – Ongoing Patreon.
Shards Online (Citadel Studios)
Shroud of the Avatar (Portalarium)
Star Citizen (Cloud Imperium) – Ongoing donations/packages.
TUG (Nerd Kingdom) – In middle of year-long revamp after funding surge.
