Former SOE, Blizzard and Relic executives join forces to make AAA online game

[Powerninja]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/former-...studio-6411983

any thoughts?

[Skorpionss]

The moment I read NCSoft I lost all faith in this project and it is now dead to me. Not to say there was much faith before since I never put faith in online games... in fact if it's online only it already loses faith points... I'd take an awesome single player experience over an online one ruined by all kinds of retards any day.

[FlawlessSoul]

"Former <job title> from <previously well-regarded developer> along with <insert developer #2> join forces to make <insert game>"

Seems to be a recurring theme that has yet to bear any worthwhile fruit, and has so far just been used to hype shit up.

[Deleted]

The moment I read NCSoft I lost all faith in this project and it is now dead to me. Not to say there was much faith before since I never put faith in online games... in fact if it's online only it already loses faith points... I'd take an awesome single player experience over an online one ruined by all kinds of retards any day.

You seem to be really mad, specially at online games and at people.

[RoninaThorstone]

If they can make a game that pushes the genre to evolve, great.

Unfortunately, AAA usually means they play it safe.

[Pachycrocuta]

Former Blizzard head of Esports... That right there makes me not care about it. The investor of NCSoft... I don't have high hopes for Molten Games at all.

[Mormolyce]

The moment I read NCSoft I lost all faith in this project and it is now dead to me. Not to say there was much faith before since I never put faith in online games... in fact if it's online only it already loses faith points... I'd take an awesome single player experience over an online one ruined by all kinds of retards any day.

They invested money into it... THAT'S enough to make you immediately hate on it? What does it feel like to wake up in the morning with a belly full of irrational hatred?

"Former <job title> from <previously well-regarded developer> along with <insert developer #2> join forces to make <insert game>"

Seems to be a recurring theme that has yet to bear any worthwhile fruit, and has so far just been used to hype shit up.

Give them a break, it's really hard to make a great game as a start up developer run studio without the backing of giants like Blizzard, EA, etc etc.

But yes sadly a lot of those developer exodus studios have failed to produce truly spectacular games and most of them wind up closing down shortly after.

- - - Updated - - -

Former Blizzard head of Esports... That right there makes me not care about it. The investor of NCSoft... I don't have high hopes for Molten Games at all.

So what, investors decide game quality?

I get that since this only just happened there's no games on which we can judge the studio yet. But maybe we should just withhold judgement until there is.

[Mezzolith]

Executives don't make games. So, I won't hold my breath when it comes to seeing something good just yet.

[Sj]

Executives don't make games. So, I won't hold my breath when it comes to seeing something good just yet.

That's the way I feel. I mean, they could have a really awesome idea, but the AAA online game scene isn't really conducive of anything interesting or refreshing.

I would really like to see more single-player games from these companies that keep making MMOs and other online games.

[Fernling306]

NCsoft mostly killed it for me. They haven't done any game good. Well, maybe Guild Wars 1, but everything else was just okay. lets see if they ruin Wildstar.

[Deleted]

i like relic.. dislike almost everything blizzard has done recently. Id rather relic just get funding from somewhere else.

[Zenotetsuken]

So what, investors decide game quality?

Yes, they really do. Game companies have to cut corners (and content) all the time in order to meet deadlines that are set by publishers to appease investors.

[Edge-]

That's cool and I'm really happy for them and all...but until they announce a game and the details of said game, I really don't care that much.

[zito]

NCsoft mostly killed it for me. They haven't done any game good. Well, maybe Guild Wars 1, but everything else was just okay. lets see if they ruin Wildstar.

Publishers and investors don't make the games.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

If they want to start something new online game or what not I'm happy for them.

[zito]

Has NCsoft even made any games lately besides blade and soul? (Which is doing extremely well with localization's going to china, EU and US)

They advertise themselves as publishers first, so all this game hate for anything not aion or lineage 2 is irrelevant.

[Edge-]

Publishers and investors don't make the games.

Actually, publishers can have a huge influence on game design. Look at EA's influence on many of the games they publish.

Has NCsoft even made any games lately besides blade and soul? (Which is doing extremely well with localization's going to china, EU and US)

They advertise themselves as publishers first, so all this game hate for anything not aion or lineage 2 is irrelevant.

Aion and then Blade & Soul, but they're working on Lineage Eternal.

B&S actually isn't doing very well. It's not doing poorly, but it's not really a big hit for them either.

In the West, they're primarily publishers nowadays. L2 and Aion still exist, but they've put most of their weight behind GW2 and WildStar, with CoH seeing good support until it's unfortunate closure.

[zito]

Have we seen Ncsoft have direct influence in some way over GW1,GW2 and wildstar? I consider EA another beast of their own but GW1 and 2 are great and if NCsoft had any say over it I think they did pretty decent... and wildstar seems to going to be another hit.

I believe with the length of the development of both GW2 and Wildstar NCsoft pretty much gives free reign or at least best of mind.

[Edge-]

Have we seen Ncsoft have direct influence in some way over GW1,GW2 and wildstar? I consider EA another beast of their own but GW1 and 2 are great and if NCsoft had any say over it I think they did pretty decent... and wildstar seems to going to be another hit.

I believe with the length of the development of both GW2 and Wildstar NCsoft pretty much gives free reign or at least best of mind.

They didn't own Anet when GW1 was released, and I don't think there's been a big influence in GW2, but there has been some influence.

I do know that when it comes to their Western studios, NCsoft is mostly hands-off with development. They get hyper-involved in a few very small area's, but they pretty much leave the development of the MMO's in the hands of the developers themselves.

[Anjerith]

A new developer has virtually no chance of creating a solid title in a genre where the operating cost of several iterations of a franchise is spent yearly in a single title.

If you add in NCSoft, well that is more like a promise of mediocrity.

I encourage the following thoughts; Companies have a LOT of positions. Some sound impressive even if the reality was the individual having been more or less a glorified yes-man or delivery boy/gopher. I have worked in my company for over ten years and have climbed my way to regional manager - my boss would not hesitate to fire me due to a misconception that I am somehow important to the company. No individual, regardless of internet fluff, is responsible for a majority owed credit in game development.