MMO on console

SimonR

SimonR

SimonR

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I wonder why, after all of this time, we have never really seen a succesful MMO on a console platform ? I dont think the kb/mouse excuse is really valid any more, both Sony and MS are fully capable of implementing them on their relevant platforms.

Sony has one of the oldest MMO ips (the Everquest line) and a very robust gaming platform, plus they own and run all of the backend hardware (servers) to run the games on, so why have they never made the transition from PC to console ?

There must be something very fundamental that I am missing. Anyone any ideas ?
 
I would settle for just a co-op RPG!


give me fallout 3 with 4 people and I would be happy as a pig in my own waste
 
Maybe it's because console gamers would sniff at paying for Xbox Live and then having to pay a monthly sub as well? Also I think the platform vendor would insist on a large slice of the cash; not like on the PC where Blizzard can just take all your money for themselves.
 
reflux said:
Maybe it's because console gamers would sniff at paying for Xbox Live and then having to pay a monthly sub as well? Also I think the platform vendor would insist on a large slice of the cash; not like on the PC where Blizzard can just take all your money for themselves.
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This, getting the release and SDK rights for a console is quite expensive. At the beginning of their life cycle consoles are sold at a loss, and costs recouped via royalties from the games released on them. Producing an MMO on a console would result in a large percentage of the money going in Sony or M$'s pockets. I can well imagine there being network costs as well as all infrastructure must first go through Xbox live or the PSn, as well as the additional costs of Xbox live and the new premium PSn accounts rolling out
 
I'm sure there was an Everquest console release at some point. Didn't do that well!

The closest thing to an MMO success on a console that I know of would be Phantasy Star Online on the Dreamcast if that counts.
 
MMO games are traditionally considered for the more hardcore crowd, but now the sony and MS are having enough trouble keeping exclusives plus the fact that they are pushing a lot into their movement technologies leaving little time or thought for an MMO, which would cost a lot of money to fund. a lot.
 
Final Fantasy XI for the PS2, Xbox 360 & PC was quite successful so I don't know why you are forgetting about this. It might not be as successful in some people's opinions, but it was pretty much the only major MMO game that actually worked on console and one of the first to be cross-platform.

The Phantasy Star Online/Universe series aren't really MMO, more Online-RPGs (Like the Diablo games), but they were quite successful. PSO having the distinction of being the first ever online console RPG as well.
 
MMOs last longer than the consoles. WoW and Everquest 2 for example came out before PS3 and 360, and they'll outlast them too.

This can be somewhat solved by having the game launched across multiple generations, with client-side graphics updates. No different to WoW players with Pentium 3s playing alongside those with the lastest hardware :)
 
Sony has been planning to have a crack at this for a while now, apparently SOE have a few things up their sleeves.

Until then there's always some 256 player FPS lovin' in MAG which is surprisingly fun.
 
Streeteh said:
Sony has been planning to have a crack at this for a while now, apparently SOE have a few things up their sleeves.

Until then there's always some 256 player FPS lovin' in MAG which is surprisingly fun.
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SOE are met with complete derision in most MMO circles. I wouldn't put too much stock in them. Anything they do turns to ****, and really fast. It's like saying don't worry, Borat will save the world!
 
KNiVES said:
SOE are met with complete derision in most MMO circles. I wouldn't put too much stock in them. Anything they do turns to ****, and really fast. It's like saying don't worry, Borat will save the world!
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I happened to love Planetside thankyouverymuch!
 
They torpedo'd Vanguard and ruined Star Wars: Galaxies and failed to get Everquest 2 modernized in time (it now lags far behind its direct competitors when it was expected to continue the original's dominance of the genre). The Matrix Online was also a brutal casualty of inept management, poor support and dwindling developer focus.

Their track record with MMOs are not good.
 
Streeteh said:
I happened to love Planetside thankyouverymuch!
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Planetside was great.

At it's peak, you could literally have a thousand people trying to assault and defend one base.

I don't see why a MMOFPS like it wouldn't work on a console too.
It's fps combat on an epic scale, coupled with the RPG element of leveling up your character, which essentially is what we've seen happen in games like Battlefield & COD with ranks.
 
Well there is the "Huxley" MMOFPS game that is in development for PC and Xbox 360, but we haven't really heard much about it for a while now. Even then, the last time there was major news about it, a lot of the original ideas changed i.e. 360 version scrapped, and it just didn't feel like it will turn out as great as it originally should have been.
 
KNiVES said:
They torpedo'd Vanguard and ruined Star Wars: Galaxies and failed to get Everquest 2 modernized in time (it now lags far behind its direct competitors when it was expected to continue the original's dominance of the genre). The Matrix Online was also a brutal casualty of inept management, poor support and dwindling developer focus.

Their track record with MMOs are not good.
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Did i mention i'm not really into MMOs? Oops no i forgot to so you're taking my opinion as something way more significant than it is :p

The only MMO i've played are Guildwars (which arguably isn't a proper MMO) and Planetside (which certainly isn't a MMO). I didn't know much about the titles you've listed aside from SWG (which i've read about) so you've successfully quashed nearly all optimism i've had for a SOE MMO on the PS3, i hope you're happy with yourself!
 
This may sound funny and perhaps I'm not really sure what I'm trying to say but, I don't think MMO's would be very smooth on a console. The controls would be restricted, I don't think an xbox cpu could handle a 40 man raid and yeah, it would just feel weird.

+ an MMO is a social interactive game, it would be a headache to type without a keyboard. I dunno, there's lots of reasons why I think it wouldn't be as good a PC mmo. Honestly, chances are you just need to buy a graphics card and your PC will run most MMO's anyway so just do that.
 
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