This week in MMO crowdfunding, Camelot Unchained’s idea of a “short” newsletter is still over 3000 words, but it’s live this week with a rundown of the news that’s still buzzing from January: that the studio is making new hires left and right in the wake of a huge cash investment that’ll speed up production of the game. It’s also called its first alpha a success now that it’s smashed some lag bugs.
And in surprising news, one of the principals on Greed Monger actually began processing refunds for its 2012 MMORPG Kickstarter after years of abandonment.
Meanwhile, the Elite Dangerous community thwarted griefers, Star Citizen added earliest test access to subscriber perks, Legends of Aria began another round of beta, AdventureQuest 3D teased its new Paladin class, Albion Online rolled out another update to the Kay patch, Dual Universe’s pre-alpha edged up to R0.8.16, and Crowfall made good on its promise to get the EU test servers up and running.
Read on for more on what’s up with MMO crowdfunding over the last week and the regular roundup of all the crowdfunded MMOs we’re following.
Camelot Unchained
Recent MMO crowdfunding news
Greed Monger has actually begun refunding Kickstarter backers from 2012 - Way back in 2015, Kickstarted MMORPG Greed Monger was dead in the water, ripped apart by development delays, infighting amongst the developers, lawsuit threats, and then abandonment. The word "scam"…
Star Citizen touts Squadron 42 progress, monthly studio report, and the 3.0.1 alpha - The Star Citizen crew is back to work on Squadron 42 in 2018, as chronicled in the latest episode of Around the Verse. The Frankfurt studio, now up to 79…
Crowfall gives a glimpse of the goddess Yaga in new art timelapse - It's almost magical to watch a talented artist create a striking piece of concept art from start to end. ArtCraft isn't keeping this magic to itself but is sharing it…
OrbusVR releases its first major content patch with some endgame dungeons - The first big patch for OrbusVR has arrived, and it's bringing in some endgame dungeons for your delight and/or terror. Technically, this is the first half of the first content…
Dual Universe thinks through territory control, starts testing blueprints - With January over and done, Dual Universe is ready to blast through a series of pre-alpha tests every weekend in February. The team had a lot to report in its…
Crowfall’s most recent video Q&A covers crafting, stats, and demonstrations - Are you ready to make some ornamental accessories?! That may not seem like Crowfall's whole raison d'etre, but one of the major points covered in the most recent live Q&A…
Star Citizen: Subber PTU access ‘perk’, developments in the Crytek lawsuit, and patch 3.0.1 - Who says subscriptions are dead? Not Star Citizen. The alpha MMORPG has long taken a page out of the Pathfinder Online playbook by offering a subscription service for backers. But…
Watch 15 minutes of Ashes of Creation in action - For Ashes of Creation fans, January has provided a video bonanza to help with the lengthy wait to beta and launch. Last week we were treated to a look at…
Crowfall’s new hires bring studio to 45 people as ‘complete game loop’ testing is mapped out - Let's talk about money. Specifically, let's talk about Crowfall's money. ArtCraft is doing just that in a dev blog out today. Referencing the $6M cash injection it picked up from…
Elite Dangerous community thwarts griefers’ attempt to ruin final in-game voyage of terminally ill player - Elite Dangerous has once again become the battleground between griefers and everybody else, this time with real-life stakes. A few weeks ago, the Elite community banded together to come to…
Elite: Dangerous makes delicate course adjustments to Beyond 3.0 - It's the year of Elite: Dangerous' Beyond DLC, and this space sim isn't heedlessly jumping into the deep cosmos without careful course planning. A second beta build for Beyond (say…
Ship of Heroes deep-dives villains and new ‘body-conscious’ female hero costumes - If you cared about the lore in City of Heroes, you were probably pretty attached to certain villain groups, right? Who doesn't remember Circle of Thorns fondly? And what about…
Shroud of the Avatar plans launch celebration while Reddit community debate sub’s existence - A rather unique shindig is being planned for Shroud of the Avatar's launch this March. Portalarium announced that it will be holding a release party on March 14th at the…
Legends of Aria starts closed beta testing today - Welcome to the Beta Club, Legends of Aria! Enjoy the full benefits of membership, such as free snackies, the comfy couch, and increased attention from players. Legends of Aria - that's…
AQ3D paladin tease
Here is a screen shot of the new skills coming with the new Paladin class coming soon to https://t.co/pVIXcD3VIN. pic.twitter.com/wd2l1P3lar
— AQ3D Community (@AQ3DCommunity) February 2, 2018
Campaigns and crowdfunded MMOs we’re watching
3001SQ (Société des Mondes Virtuels) – Kickstarter unsuccessful. Work continues.
AdventureQuest 3D (Artix Entertainment) – Raised 368k; beta began Oct 2016.
Albion Online (Sandbox) – Launched July 2017.
Antraxx (Team Antraxx) – Kickstarter canceled.
Ascent: The Space Game (Fluffy Kitten Studios) – Successful KS. Fully launched 2016.
Ashes of Creation (Intrepid Studios) – Successful KS. Alpha zero.
Broke Protocol (Cylinder) – Unsuccessful KS. In free early access.
Camelot Unchained (City State) – Kickstarter successful; open donations/packages.
Caribbean Conquest (Invenio) – First KS canceled, second ended unsuccessfully.
Contested Space (Zon)
Crowfall (ArtCraft) – Kickstarter win, open packages, Indiegogo crowdfunding ongoing.
Chronicles of Elyria (Soulbound) – Kickstarter successful, open packages.
Citadel of Sorcery (MMO Magic, Inc.) –Â Open donations.
City of Titans (Missing Worlds Media) – Successful KS; launching fall 2018.
Descent Underground (Descendent Studios) – Successful KS.
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.
Dual Universe (Novaquark) – Kickstarter funded, now has donor platform. Pre-alpha.
Eco (Strange Loop Games) – Funded, now in alpha.
Edengrad (Huckleberry Games) – Kickstarter funded; in early access.
Elite: Dangerous (Frontier Developments) – Funded and launched.
Empyrion Online (Eleon) – Kickstarter canceled; launched on Steam early access.
Epic Space (EpicSpace.net)
Ever, Jane (3 Turn Productions) – Now in open beta.
Global Adventures (SubaGames) – Kickstarter funded.
Gloria Victis (Black Eye Games) – Open donations, no end date; in early access.
Greed Monger (Greed Monger) – Abandoned, now in refund process.
Grim Dawn (Crate Entertainment) – Funded and launched.
Guardians of Ember (Runewaker) – Funded and launched.
Guns of Icarus (Muse) – Funded and launched.
Hero’s Song (Pixelmage) –Â KS canceled; Indiegogo. Canceled w/ refunds.
Infinity: Battlescape (I-Novae Studios)
HEX (HEX Entertainment) –Â Funded and launched.
Legends of Aria (Citadel Studios) – Kickstarted as Shards Online. Alpha ended.
Life is Feudal (Bitbox): Indiegogo ended. Currently in beta.
LUX (Chimera) – Kickstarter canceled.
Maestros of the Anthymn (String Theory) – Kickstarter canceled.
Mekria (Infinity Online Studios) – Kickstarter canceled.
Midair (Archetype Studios) – Kickstarter successful.
Nebula Online (Mizar Games) Kickstarter canceled; launched in November.
Neo’s Land (NeoJac Entertainment) –Â Open donations, no end date.
Novus AEterno (Taitale Studios)
OrbusVR (Ad Alternum) – KS funded March 2017. In early access.
Overpower (Hydrant Games) –Â Kickstarter unfunded; heading to early access.
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen (Visionary Realms) –Â Open donations. Prealpha.
Pathfinder Online (GoblinWorks) – Doom, mostly.
Planet Nomads (Craneballs) – Kickstarted, early access launched sans multiplayer.
Pixel Starships (SavySoda)
Project Gorgon (Elder Game) – Kickstarted in three tries + Indiegogo. In alpha.
Pumpkin Online (Monique) – Downgrading from MMORPG.
The Exiled (Fairytale Distillery) – fka Das Tal; 2015Â KSÂ unsuccessful. Early access.
The Realm: Reawakened (Stephen Nichols) – Ongoing GoFundMe.
The Repopulation (Idea Fabrik) – Kickstarted twice by A&B. Back in alpha.
ROKH (Darewise) – Kickstarter canceled; now in early access.
RUiN (Tarhead Studio) – Kickstarter successful.
The Stomping Land (Alex Fundora) – Abandoned.
Sacrament (Ferocity Unbound) – Kickstarter failed; Patreon ongoing.
Shadow’s Kiss (Clockwork Throne) – Ongoing Patreon, Kickstarter funded.
Shroud of the Avatar (Portalarium) – Successful KS. Soft launch July 2016.
Star Citizen (Cloud Imperium) – Ongoing donations/packages.
TUG (Nerd Kingdom) – In middle of year-long revamp after funding surge.
Vigor Roads (NeuronHaze) – Kickstarter unsuccessful; early access planned for 2017.
War of Rights (Campfire Games) – Successful Kickstarter; in alpha.
