Readers might recall that way back in July of last year, former Funcom and Blizzard luminary Craig Morrison announced he was studio director of a brand-new indie studio, Blue Scarab Entertainment, which was building a new MMORPG with a new IP, funded by NetEase – one of the Chinese corporation’s many (many) western investments. The spicy part of it all was the pitch for the game as a story-driven MMORPG with a “unique blend of cozy escapism and true-crime” that “puts players in the saddle as they discover a beautiful open world on horseback and uncover a dark mystery together.”
Not gonna lie, everyone from our writers to our readers was baffled as to how this could work, but it’s Morrison, so expectations have been high nevertheless.
Well, if you were one of the people who thought it sounded cool, then heads up because the devs are seeking early play testers for their “WIP multiplayer” “upcoming horse mystery game.” In fact, it sounds as if it’s the multiplayer experience that is in testing.
The signups include basic questions like general interests and age, alongside an irritating question about casual vs. core vs. hardcore that’s gonna provoke a Daily Grind discussion at some point, I just know it. Accepted testers will need to sign an NDA.
“Thank to everyone for the interest so far!” Morrison wrote on Bsky. “It has been a very pleasant surprise to see so many folks interested in an early look at the game. We genuinely appreciate the interest. Also a little terrifying, but a good kind of terrifying if you know what I mean.”
And yes, folks, the website is still calling it an “a story-driven MMORPG built using Unreal Engine 5, with a unique blend of cozy escapism and mystery” as of today. Inject it into our veins.
“The team’s first project is well underway: an original IP built in Unreal Engine 5. Cozy exploration meets true-crime in our story-driven MMORPG that puts players in the saddle as they discover a beautiful open world on horseback and uncover a dark mystery together.”
Thank to everyone for the interest so far! It has been a very pleasant surprise to see so many folks interested in an early look at the game. We genuinely appreciate the interest. Also a little terrifying, but a good kind of terrifying if you know what I mean 😲
— Craig Morrison (@silirrion.bsky.social) 2025-01-15T15:58:13.579Z
