This week in MMO crowdfunding, we’ve got a long overdue status update on a pair of crowdfunded titles on our list, Divergence Online and Edengrad. Divergence Online, known largely for its drama spikes and apparent, er, borrowing of other games’ assets, ran multiple crowdfunding campaigns in the mid teens to build a SWG-esque sandbox; unfortunately, the game appears to have stalled out in early access on Steam, as multiple reviewers now report the game not only hasn’t been updated but no longer runs at all. A survival spinoff, Divergence: Year Zero, doesn’t seem to have fared much better.
Edengrad, for its part, was a Kickstarted survival title originating in 2017 that appeared to have been abandoned until it was sold last summer. Unfortunately, a check-in on the game’s Steam page makes clear that the game still hasn’t been updated since its early access launch in 2017 and once again appears to have been left to rot. Here’s hoping we’re wrong and that backers eventually get what they paid for.
Meanwhile, it’s been almost non-stop newsflow on Albion Online’s upcoming Queen update, Elite Dangerous launched its January bug-fixing update (and the update that fixed all the bugs in the bug-fixing update too), Crowfall and City of Titans both teased big UI changes, Valiance Online dropped a brand-new flythrough video, Chronicles of Elyria is hiring, and Temtem is gearing up for its early access launch.
Read on for more on what’s been up with MMO crowdfunding over the last few weeks, plus our roundup of all the crowdfunded MMOs we’re following!
Valiance Online
Recent MMO crowdfunding news
Albion Online is planning a big Battle for Caerleon event tomorrow ahead of the Queen update - With Albion Online's Queen update rolling on toward launch next week, Sandbox Interactive is understandably keen on ramping up the in-game storyline that'll drive the update - and drive players…
Albion Online reminds players what can and cannot be moved when the Queen update arrives - Are you ready for the Queen update in Albion Online? That's not a rhetorical question meant to build up hype, actually; that's a legitimate query into whether all of your…
Dual Universe shows off how players can trade constructs to one another - I'm now officially intrigued by Dual Universe because it could now, potentially, allow me to live out my far-flung and wild dream of being an interestellar space car salesman. The…
Project Gorgon kicks off a new and improved Crafting Caravan event - The most wonderful time of the year for crafting-minded players of Project Gorgon is back once again. It's time for the Crafting Caravan seasonal event, and this time there are…
Pokemon-esque MMO Temtem is down to two last stress tests before early access next week - So, who's keeping an eye on Temtem? The Pokemon-but-better MMO has been in alpha since late 2018 and announced its pre-launch plans way back in December, but we're inching closer…
Albion Online goes into detail on the hideout system arriving with the Queen update - Building a base of operations in an open PvP area is often a risky proposition, but the hideout system arriving to Albion Online when the Queen update goes live might…
Crowfall’s UI is getting less survival-y and more MMO-y with February’s test patch - Call me weird, but user interfaces in games are among my favorite things to dig into, and Crowfall's has been of particular interest to me over the years as it's…
The Stream Team: To the rescue in AdventureQuest 3D - Storytime in AQ3D continues! The mayor of Darkovia, Gottfried Granemore, needs Massively OP's MJ to rescue his children, who were kidnapped by the vampires and the werewolves. However, he also…
Here’s what’s changing in Dual Universe’s economy when alpha 3 launches - Let's talk about money. Space money. Dual Universe dev Novaquark tweeted out a blog post that almost flew under the radar, and it shouldn't be left that way because it's…
Elite Dangerous’ first large scale bug fixing update goes live - Most of the time, folks like to see big ticket pieces of content or new shiny things in their updates, but we suspect that Elite Dangerous players are more than…
Valiance Online, still gunning for launch this year, drops a brand-new flythrough video - Let's not sugarcoat this: Valiance Online has almost been crowded out of players' vision when it comes to the City of Heroes spiritual successors. At one point it rivaled City…
Dual Universe shares its latest narrative Tale and shows off community creations - Sure, Dual Universe is mostly about building neat stuff and surviving the sandbox world of its sci-fi space, but it's also got some lore to absorb. Don't believe me? Then…
Crowfall Q&A talks fundraising, alpha and beta, and War of the Gods features - It's a bit of "second verse same as the first" for the latest version of the ACE Q&A video from Crowfall, but then again the game continues to further inch…
Star Citizen recounts development progress made in November and December - The end of 2019 was a loaded one for Star Citizen, with many of the fruits of that labor available in the latest alpha version. There's been a lot more…
Temtem
Campaigns and crowdfunded MMOs we’re watching
3001SQ (Société des Mondes Virtuels) – Kickstarter unsuccessful, dev halted in 2018.
AdventureQuest 3D (Artix Entertainment) – Raised 368k; beta began Oct 2016.
Albion Online (Sandbox) – Launched July 2017, hit Steam May 2018.
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.
Book of Travels (Might and Delight) – Kickstarted successfully.
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.
Codename Reality (Orode) – Kickstarter unsuccessful.
Contested Space (Zon)
Crowfall (ArtCraft) – Kickstarter win, open packages, Indiegogo crowdfunding ongoing.
Chronicles of Elyria (Soulbound) – Kickstarter successful, open packages.
City of Heroes Homecoming (Homecoming) – Monthly donation rounds.
City of Titans (Missing Worlds Media) – Successful KS; Issue 0 delayed into 2019.
Day of Dragons (Beawesome) – Kickstarter successful.
Descent Underground (Descendent Studios) – Successful KS.
Destiny’s Sword (2Dogs) – Kickstarter successful June 2019; demo avail now.
Divergence Online (Stained Glass Llama) – Abandoned in early access.
Dogma: Eternal Night (Prelude Games Factory): Kickstarter. Probably dead.
Dragon of Legends (Thrive Games) – Successful Kickstarter.
Dual Universe (Novaquark) – Kickstarter funded, donor platform. Backer alpha.
Eco (Strange Loop Games) – Funded, now in alpha.
Edengrad (Huckleberry Games) – Kickstarter funded. Abandoned, then not, then again.
Elite: Dangerous (Frontier Developments) – Funded and fully launched.
Empyrion Online (Eleon) – Kickstarter canceled; launched on Steam early access.
Endless Trials (Fire Hurts) – Kickstarter canceled.
Epic Space (EpicSpace.net)
EverFeud (PSB) – Kickstarter canceled.
Ever, Jane (3 Turn Productions) – Now in open beta.
Fractured (Dynamight) – Kickstarter successful. Alpha 2.
Global Adventures (SubaGames) – Kickstarter funded.
Gloria Victis (Black Eye Games) – Open donations, no end date; in early access.
Greed Monger (Greed Monger) – Abandoned, now allegedly 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) – Funded and launched.
Legends of Aria (Citadel Studios) – Kickstarted as Shards Online. Early access.
Life is Feudal (Bitbox): Indiegogo ended. Currently in beta.
LUX (Chimera) – Kickstarter canceled.
Maestros of the Anthymn (String Theory) – Kickstarter canceled.
Maguss (Maguss) – Indiegogo successful; open beta.
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)
Oath (Ready-Up) – Kickstarter funded.
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. Pre-alpha.
Pantropy (Brain Stone GmbH): First Kickstarter canceled, second funded.
Past Fate (Icy North): Kickstarter unsuccessful.
Pathfinder Online (GoblinWorks) – Doom, mostly.
Path of Titans (Alderon) – Indiegogo.
Planet Nomads (Craneballs) – Kickstarted, early access launched sans multiplayer.
Playcraft (Bebop Games) – Kickstarter funded May 2019.
Pixel Starships (SavySoda)
Project Gorgon (Elder Game) – Kickstarted in three tries + Indiegogo. Early access.
Project Oasis World (POW) – Kickstarter unsuccessful.
Pumpkin Online (Monique) – Downgrading from MMORPG.
RAW (Killerwhale) – Kickstarter canceled by Kickstarter.
Starfighter Infinity (Ben Olding) – Kickstarter funded. Early access.
Temtem (Crema) – Kickstarter fully funded; now in alpha.
The Exiled (Fairytale Distillery) – fka Das Tal;Â KSÂ unsuccessful. Early access.
The Flower of Knighthood – Kickstarter canceled.
The Realm: Reawakened (Stephen Nichols) – Ongoing GoFundMe.
The Repopulation (Idea Fabrik) – Kickstarted twice by A&B. Back in alpha.
ROKH (Darewise) – Kickstarter canceled; in early access but not active dev.
RUiN (Tarhead Studio) – Kickstarter successful.
The Stomping Land (Alex Fundora) – Abandoned.
Sacrament (Ferocity Unbound) – Kickstarter failed; Patreon ongoing.
Saga of Lucimia (Stormhaven) – Indiegogo. Intermittent pre-alphas.
Seed (Klang Games) – Kickstarter launching in 2020.
Shadow’s Kiss (Clockwork Throne) – Ongoing Patreon, Kickstarter funded.
Ship of Heroes (Heroic) – Kickstarter canceled, beta expected before 2020.
Shroud of the Avatar (Portalarium) – Soft launch July 2016. Launch March 2018.
Spycursion (Defun) – Kickstarter unsuccessful.
Squadron 42 (Cloud Imperium) – Beta delayed until at least 2020.
Star Citizen (Cloud Imperium) – Ongoing donations/packages. Backer alpha.
TUG (Nerd Kingdom) – Totally abandoned without a word. Now considered a scam.
Vigor Roads (NeuronHaze) – Kickstarter unsuccessful; early access planned for 2017.
War of Rights (Campfire Games) – Successful Kickstarter; in early access.
Zenith (Ramen) – Kickstarter successfully funded.
Albion Online
Yes, some crowdfunded MMOs most definitely do succeed. But others crash and burn, and you need to hear about the whole spectrum of games that sought your money early in exchange for the promise of input and transparency. And that’s exactly what Make My MMO does every Saturday. Help us keep ’em accountable, would ya?
