Make My MMO: Ship of Heroes’ demo, Pantheon’s art, Ashes of Creation’s alpha two (original) (raw)

Welcome to another blast of MMO crowdfunding news from the last few weeks! Interestingly, there’s actually been kind of a lot of nice forward motion on some of the big in-development crowdfunded MMOs this round; we’re on the cusp of several early access releases in particular.

Notably, Ship of Heroes is planning a free demo next week, Pantheon revealed its new art overhaul, Ashes of Creation teased alpha 2 for next year, Temtem released its Endless Night update, Fractured is in the middle of its last test before re-opening early access, Wagadu Chronicles dropped a trailer ahead of its own early access, Embers Adrift is running a free-play promo, Ilysia penciled in early access for this very month, and we checked in on Orbus. See? It’s a lot, and those are just the highlights. I didn’t even mention Star Citizen. Oops, never mind, I just did.

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!

Wagadu Chronicles

Recent MMO crowdfunding news

Fractured’s latest beta patch adds wagon updates and challenging new boss encounters

Zenith’s Might and Mastery patch adds leaderboards, revamps its skill tree, and adjusts the early game

Star Citizen shares a new sprint report and kicks off Halloween events

Ten-year-old Camelot Unchained gets all technical and mechanical with this month’s newsletter

Embers Adrift opens up subscription perks to all for its anniversary event

Ship of Heroes is running a free-to-play demo during next week’s Steam Next Fest

Whatever happened to the VR MMORPG OrbusVR?

Fractured Veil shows off the in-game social hub of Lahaina while honoring the real-life location’s legacy

Star Citizen chronicles work on Pyro, vehicles, missions, and engine updates in September dev report

VR MMO Ilysia nails down an early access launch window for sometime in October

Fractured accidentally patched in the new tutorial island in today’s imbuing update to the beta

Embers Adrift encourages new and lapsed players to login for its first anniversary

Ashes of Creation announces Alpha Two for 2024 and previews its updated event system

Zenith trots out a new raid boss in the Ascension update, plans Quest 3 launch in October

Star Citizen showcases a new mission and new global event currently in development

Star Citizen begins dishing out CitizenCon tickets to buyers and introduces a new CM

Pantheon Rise of the Fallen defends its art direction shift as more performative and less generic

Embers Adrift adds crafting dyes and patterns while readying its alchemy system

VR MMO Zenith revamps its skill tree to be more visual and impactful

Solarpunk cozy MMO Loftia opens preorder store with Kickstarter perks

Fractured Online will run one more beta this week before relaunching early access

Ryzom 2 is a version of the open-source MMO with RTS mechanics that seeks crowdfunding

Star Citizen previews cargo hauling and sound design, shares Arena Commander mode schedule

Temtem’s Endless Night update arrives today with a new mythical being to collect

Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen shows off its new ‘hand-painted’ art style

Star Citizen releases new Arena Commander updates, new ships, and gameplay adjustments in Alpha 3.20

Star Citizen confirms HDR support and what items will persist in alpha 3.20’s release

The Wagadu Chronicles releases a gameplay trailer ahead of its early access release

Kickstarted VR MMO Ilysia discusses gameplay, promises collaborative and honest early access

Pantheon

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. Alpha 2.
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.
Zenith (Ramen) – Kickstarter successful; VR version launched, PC delayed.

Ashes of Creation

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 several times a month. Help us keep ’em accountable, would ya?