We require an exceptional new MMO.
We require an exceptional new MMO.
It's not great, and it seems like time is passing... I think I'll pick Guild Wars 3 around now!
I've got a ton of anime to check out. People say it's great, so I'm adding it to my list. Just finished 'Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon' and there are still plenty more to watch. SAO could have been improved, and I didn't read the light novels or manga, but it would have been better with a longer run time.
The final goal is to avoid another "WOW" moment. Earlier MMOs offered such deep immersion that you'd gladly play them all weekend, returning daily or staying engaged for years. Before WoW, there was no constant grind loop—no item progression, no token grinding, no recurring quests. The experience was designed to endure, woven naturally throughout the world. Titles like Everquest, Ragnarok, or FFXI felt vibrant and alive. You'd explore widely, discovering fresh challenges in each area, especially in FFXI with its legendary enemies and random rewards that sparked new missions. The world kept evolving, offering surprises and maintaining your curiosity.
Games back then weren’t just endless quests for higher stats; they weren’t simply about power scaling. After WoW’s WotLK update, Blizzard began shifting the whole approach, making every other MMO follow suit. Everything became segmented into isolated zones, the open world turned into a playground with no real risk or reward. The content felt forced, like a checklist to be checked off rather than a living experience.
Sometimes you’d revisit familiar spots and find something new—especially in FFXI with its infamous monsters, unpredictable loot drops that led to intriguing side stories, and endless possibilities. The world kept surprising you, ensuring there was always something worth exploring.
This era wasn’t just about grinding for more gear; it was about engaging with a rich, evolving narrative. Nowadays, many titles fall into the same pattern: repetitive tasks, rigid structures, and a lack of genuine depth. They’ve become what some call "themed parks"—predictable, formulaic, and devoid of true adventure.
There were always challenges in MMO games, but it wasn’t until you were stuck in a loop of the same quests, quests that reset daily, and endless instances, that it truly felt stale. The developers pushed boundaries, but the result was a sterile, artificial experience that stifled creativity.
While grind sessions existed, they became obvious only when you were forced to repeat the same actions weekly just to hit token limits or endure the same daily tasks. Eventually, you’d switch to another instance, repeating the cycle.
FF14 once showed promise with its expansive world and engaging stories. But after WotLK, Blizzard shifted focus, turning the entire MMO landscape into a more controlled, less dynamic space. The industry moved toward predictable patterns, mimicking the old days of WoW but without any real innovation.
Now, with Black Desert in development, I’m cautiously optimistic. Yet, seeing how long it’s taken for the genre to evolve, I think it’s wise not to raise expectations too high.
This conversation seems to mix different experiences with Korean MMOs. Most people here find Korean MMOs disappointing, possibly confusing them with Chinese titles. The Chinese versions are generally well-regarded and share similar developers as the popular ones like Neverwinter. The only Korean MMO that really gained attention was Dragon Nest, but it only became mainstream after being acquired by a Chinese developer.
I wasn't aiming for WOW 2. I was thinking about something that matches the scale and achievement of WOW.