Welcome to another blast of MMO crowdfunding news from the last few weeks!
Pantheon has fully backtracked on its plans to launch the 247 extraction mode as a standalone game, vowing to return to full development on the MMORPG players backed. “The Pantheon community made it clear that the 247 test mode is not the reason they support us, and we need to listen to that,” Visionary Realms wrote. “We understand that for many of you, we have damaged your trust. That’s on us.”
Meanwhile, we got some rough news from Project Gorgon , as illness threatened financial woes for the two-person dev team and maintenance mode for the game, though fortunately, players came through with donations and purchases to keep the studio supported in the near future.
Brighter days are also ahead for Fractured Online , which finally rolled back into early access after a year of remission, and The Wagadu Chronicles , which is heading to its own early access on December 4th.
And finally, we added a new entry to our big list: Wizard’s Wrath . It’s a new MMO seeking $61K on Kickstarter, promising a VR angle for the MMO genre.
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!
Wizard’s Wrath
VIDEO
Recent MMO crowdfunding news
‘We’re out of money’: Project Gorgon moves to part-time development to keep its server lights on
Kickstarted MMORPG Pantheon cancels 247 extraction mode: ‘We have damaged your trust’
Pantheon Rise of the Fallen claims ‘solid forward momentum’ thanks to art change and 247 extraction mode
Star Citizen outlines tentative timing and dates for its monetized Pyro preview channel testing
Project Gorgon, buffered by player donations, has been spared from maintenance mode – for now
The Wagadu Chronicles confirms a Steam early access launch date of December 4
PSA: Embers Adrift is adding temporary subscription perks to all current owners of the game
Ashes of Creation takes players on an Alpha Two caravan ride in latest preview video
Embers Adrift releases new hair, alchemy, and a roadmap for the rest of 2023
Kickstarted MMORPG sandbox Fractured Online relaunches early access on Steam today
Pantheon Rise of the Fallen talks about the return of 24-hour MMO testing and a shift of dev mindset
Legends of Aria’s crypto-spinoff nearly loses IP rights, promises pre-alpha this year
Wizard’s Wrath is a developing cross-platform VR spellcasting MMORPG on Kickstarter now
Fractured Online opens character creation ahead of next week’s early access relaunch
Fractured Online’s return to early access sees bug fixing, a small server rollback, and mixed player reaction
Star Citizen’s Intergalactic Aerospace Expo free-to-play event returns November 17
Ship of Heroes revamps targeting brackets and tab-targeting ahead of next test
Kickstarted VR MMO Ilysia releases an early access trailer as bug-hunting continues
Ghostly death returns to Book of Travels in its biggest update since its early access release two years ago
The Stream Team: Making a return visit to Project Gorgon
Star Citizen introduces the Gatac Syulen, Crusader Spirit C1, and Tumbril Storm as IAE free-fly event begins
Loftia checks in with progress on crafting, gathering, infrastructure, and dev tools
Fractured Online deploys medium-sized patch with ‘urgent balance changes’
Ashes of Creation
VIDEO
Campaigns and crowdfunded MMOs we’re watching
Holy crap it launched
It semi-launched?
In development
Dead or abandoned
Drama bomb
3001SQ (SMV) –
Kickstarter unsuccessful, dev halted in 2018.
AdventureQuest 3D (Artix) – Raised
368k ; beta since 2016.
Albion Online (Sandbox) – Launched July 2017, hit Steam May 2018.
Antraxx (
Team Antraxx ) –
Kickstarter canceled.
Ascent: The Space Game (
Fluffy Kitten ) – Successful KS. Launched 2016.
Ashes of Creation (Intrepid Studios) – Successful KS. Alpha one.
Blast Out (Tarhead Studio) –
Kickstarter successful . Originally called RUiN. In
EA .
Book of Travels (Might and Delight) –
Kickstarted . Early access.
Broke Protocol (Cylinder) –
Unsuccessful KS . In free early access.
Camelot Unchained (
City State ) – Kickstarter; open donations/packages.
Caribbean Conquest (
Invenio ) –
First KS canceled, second ended unsuccessfully .
Codename Reality (Orode) –
Kickstarter unsuccessful .
Contested Space (
Zon ) –
Kickstarter unsuccessful .
Crowfall (
ArtCraft ) – Kickstarter successful,
Indiegogo .
Launched ,
sold ,
unlaunched .
Chronicles of Elyria (Soulbound) –
Kickstarter . Much
shenanigans .
City of Heroes Homecoming (Homecoming) – Monthly
donation rounds .
City of Titans (
Missing Worlds Media ) – Successful KS.
Dawngate (Studio Wayfinder).
Kickstarter successful, but no license.
Day of Dragons (Beawesome) – Kickstarter successful.
Descent Underground (
Descendent Studios ) – Successful KS.
Destiny’s Sword (2Dogs) –
Kickstarter successful June 2019; downgraded.
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 .
Dreamworld (Dreamworld Realities) – Successful
Kickstarter .
Dodgy af .
EA .
Dual Universe (
Novaquark ) –
Kickstarter funded,
donor platform . Launched 2022.
Eco (
Strange Loop Games ) – Funded, now in beta.
Edengrad (Huckleberry Games) –
Kickstarter funded.
Abandoned .
Elite: Dangerous (
Frontier Developments ) – Funded and fully launched.
Embers Adrift (Stormhaven) –
Indiegogo . Fka
Saga of Lucimia . Launched.
Empyrion Online (Eleon) –
Kickstarter canceled ; launched on Steam.
Endless Trials (Fire Hurts) –
Kickstarter canceled .
Epic Space (
EpicSpace.net )
Ethyrial Echoes of Yore (Gellyberry).
Kickstarter canceled .
EverFeud (PSB) –
Kickstarter canceled .
Ever, Jane (
3 Turn Productions ) – Successful Kickstarter. Sunsetted 2020.
Fractured (Dynamight/Gamigo) –
Kickstarter successful. EA again as of 2023.
Fractured Veil (Paddle Creek) –
Kickstarter successful.
Freeland VR (Freeland VR AB) –
Kickstarter successful.
Frozen Flame (Dreamside) –
Fig campaign successful. In founder alpha.
Genfanad (Rose Tinted Games) –
Kickstarter successful. Launched 2022.
Global Adventures (
SubaGames ) –
Kickstarter funded.
Gloria Victis (
Black Eye Games ) –
Open donations ; 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 ) –
KS canceled ;
Indiegogo . Canceled w/ refunds.
Identity (Asylum) –
Kickstarter successful. Beta July 2022.
Infinity: Battlescape ( I-Novae Studios ) – Successful
KS ; in early access.
Ilysia (Team 21) –
Kickstarter fully funded Oct 2020. Closed beta.
HEX (
HEX Entertainment ) – Funded, launched; sunsetted
2020 .
Legends of Aria/BRITARIA (
Citadel /
Reaper ) –
Shards Online . Launched 2020.
Yikes .
Life is Feudal (
Bitbox ):
Indiegogo ended.
Closed and maintenance-moded .
Loftia (Qloud) –
Kickstarter . Fully funded.
LUX (
Chimera ) –
Kickstarter canceled . Seemingly abandoned.
Maestros of the Anthymn (
String Theory ) –
Kickstarter canceled .
Maguss (Maguss) –
Indiegogo successful; launched then sunsetted in 2020.
Mekria (Infinity Online Studios) –
Kickstarter canceled . Seemingly abandoned.
Midair (Archetype Studios) –
Kickstarter successful . On Steam but abandoned.
Nebula Online (Mizar Games)
Kickstarter canceled ; launched in
November .
Neo’s Land (
NeoJac Entertainment ) –
Open donations . Abandoned.
Novus AEterno (
Taitale Studios ) –
Successful KS .
Abandoned .
Oath (Ready-Up) –
Kickstarter funded. Seemingly abandoned.
Occupy White Walls (Stikipixels) –
Kickstarter unsuccessful. Launched 2022.
Odd Giants (Odd Giants) –
Patreon ongoing .
OrbusVR (Ad Alternum) –
KS funded March 2017. Launched 2019.
Overpower (Hydrant Games) –
Kickstarter unfunded ;
early access .
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen (
Visionary Realms ) –
Open donations . Pre-alpha.
Pantropy (Brain Stone GmbH): First KS canceled,
second funded . In
EA .
Past Fate (Icy North):
First Kickstarter unsuccessful,
second successful. Alpha.
Pathfinder Online (
GoblinWorks ) – Sunsetted 2021.
Path of Titans (Alderon) –
Indiegogo . In early access.
Planet Nomads (Craneballs) –
Kickstarted , early access
launched sans multiplayer .
Playcraft (Bebop Games) – Kickstarter funded May 2019; in
EA .
Pixel Starships (
SavySoda ) –
Kickstarter funded .
Second one too . In
EA .
Project Gorgon (
Elder Game ) – Three KS +
Indiegogo . Early access.
Project Oasis World (POW) –
Kickstarter unsuccessful .
Pumpkin Online (
Monique ) – Launched as
Pumpkin Days .
RAW (Killerwhale) –
Kickstarter canceled by Kickstarter .
ROKH (Darewise) –
Kickstarter canceled;
dev ended .
Sacrament (
Ferocity Unbound ) –
Kickstarter ,
Patreon failed. Abandoned.
Seed (Klang Games) – Kickstarter imminent?
Shadow’s Kiss (
Clockwork Throne ) – Ongoing
Patreon ,
Kickstarter funded . Early access.
Ship of Heroes (Heroic) –
Kickstarter canceled, launch expected in 2022. Beta.
Shroud of the Avatar (
Portalarium ) – Launch 2016 & 2018.
Trainwrecks .
Solarpunk (Cyberwave) –
Kickstarter successful.
Spycursion (Defun) –
Kickstarter unsuccessful.
Squadron 42 (Cloud Imperium) – Beta delayed.
Star Citizen (
Cloud Imperium ) – Ongoing funding. Backer alpha.
Starfighter Infinity (Ben Olding) –
Kickstarter funded.
Early access .
Swords ‘n Magic and Stuff (Kindred) –
Kickstarter funded. Early access.
Temtem (Crema) –
Kickstarter fully funded and launched.
The Exiled (Fairytale Distillery) – fka Das Tal;
KS unsuccessful. Early access but dev halted.
The Flower of Knighthood –
Kickstarter canceled.
The Realm: Reawakened (Stephen Nichols) –
Live game . Ongoing
GoFundMe .
The Repopulation (Idea Fabrik) – Kickstarted twice by A&B.
Abandoned in alpha .
The Stomping Land (
Alex Fundora ) – Abandoned.
The Wagadu Chronicles (
Twin Drums ) –
Kickstarter successful . Early acces Dec 2023.
TitanReach (Square Root) –
Kickstarter failed . Defunct/scam. Aka World of Titans.
Trials of Ascension (Dragonfire) – Latest
Kickstarter failed. In
EA as a singleplayer demo.
TUG (
Nerd Kingdom ) –
Abandoned without a word .
Scam .
Valiance Online (Silverhelm) –
Backer beta .
Vigor Roads (NeuronHaze) –
Kickstarter unsuccessful. Website dead/abandoned.
War of Rights (Campfire Games) – Successful Kickstarter; in early access.
World Seed (Ape Egg) – Kickstarter unsuccessful. Classic launched.
Wizard’s Wrath (DragonfiAR) –
Kickstarter ends December 14 .
Zenith (Ramen) – Kickstarter successful; VR version launched, PC delayed.
Pantheon
VIDEO
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
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