A few weeks back, we covered a new-to-us strategy MMO, Lionhearts – a game effectively spun out of a Roblox game by indie studio Credenzio. And now, the game has officially rolled into a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. The buy-ins start fairly low, mind you; you can get pre-alpha demo access for just 10 bucks, though the game itself is $50+.
“Lionhearts is a medieval world where you shape history. Lead armies, build trade empires or rise to religious prominence in a player-driven persistent multiplayer feudal simulator: a living medieval open world where every player’s choices shape history,” Credenzio says. “Build kingdoms, forge alliances, wage wars, and rise through the ranks of military, trade, or religious hierarchies in a persistent, player-driven world. History and legacy are yours to create.” The Kickstarter specifically highlights historical authenticity to the 12-century European medieval setting, player-driven politics and trade, player housing, territorial conquest, and 12 player-run kingdoms.
As it stands, the Kickstarter sits at over $50,000 pledged out of a $100,000 ask, with 160 backers and 28 days still to go in the campaign. The Kickstarter doesn’t technically call it an MMO and in fact says it’s not while defining MMO in a very odd way.
“This game is not an MMO by genre,” the FAQ states. “Instead of relying on quests and experience, Lionhearts relies on favor and real player-driven hierarchy progression. In this way it does not feel or operate like any typical MMO – hence the name ‘Persistent Feudal Simulator’!”
Of course, since none of those things is required in an MMORPG let alone an MMO, it’s flagged as an MMO and MMORPG on Steam, and it’s hard to see how it’s not one, given that it’s a single-shard persistent world with presumably thousands of players PvPing and trading in all of these kingdoms and factions; it clearly belongs to the same MMORPG lineage as EVE Online, Shadowbane, Ashes of Creation, Anvil Empires, or maybe even Myth of Empires. Welcome to our genre!
In any case, what MMORPG players will want to pay the most attention to here is that the devs promise “monetization will remain ethical, no pay-to-win, microtransactions or exploitative mechanics,” though the very next line promises limited-time donor rewards such as land and titles – and these devs are not kidding around with the types of win they are selling. Kickstarter rewards expressly include perks like extra favor, gold, weapons, instanced housing spaces, decor, rosaries, prayers, statues, housing plots, physical buildings, guild crests, custom outfits, and even lordships and temporary “immunity from coups and takeovers.” For $10,000, for example, you can begin the game as the Duke of your very own duchy with a pile of in-game gold valued at $16,650. We’re honestly not sure what Credenzio thinks is pay-to-win if that isn’t?
Anyway, the devs are planning a pre-alpha demo for Q1 of next year. We’re tucking the trailers down below
