The New year is here and that means a brand new influx of MMORPGs to try out in 2020. Here comes our pick of new MMOs we’re hyped for in 2020.
If like me, you’re stepping into the new year with a bit of a push to try out something new then 2020 is looking great for games that are offbeat and a little different while still ready to swing their sword in the open world. The glut of badly ported high fantasy eastern MMOs that plagued the market for years has somewhat rolled back and publishers seem to be realizing that the MMO market simply won’t sustain excessive gouging and a fantastically diverse ecosystem seems to be sprouting up across the web. We’ve taken the time to prune back the clutter and list some of our best hopes for change in the MMO market this year. These are the new MMOs we’re going to be playing in 2020. What about you?
Corepunk
Robots, weird alien planets, and plenty of Moxie. No, it’s not Wildstar but it’s got us just as hyped as the other Sci-Fi MMO did the first time around. Corepunk came out of leftfield at the end of this year. Under development for the last couple of years at Artificial Ccore’s studio in the Netherlands. Corepunk is a highly stylized Sci-Fi MMORPG that revolves around a mysterious location called Kwalat. It takes a top-down view of the evolving action and includes both PvP and PvE adventures for new recruits to take on.
Due to hit PCs sometime in 2020, this stylish multiplayer title throws players into a huge open world shrouded in the fog of war. Each of the game’s classes will explore a new world, never knowing what lurks in among the darkness.
Beyond the awesome aesthetic and a glimpse of combat we’ve already seen, Artificial Core dropped a bunch of detail about the lore and game pacing this month. Players will fit into one of four factions. The Elanien Kingdom, the clans of Faidens, the Yorners, and the Quaddari reflect the massive diversity afforded to players in this game and the mix of humor, action, and a deep mystery that surrounds the fate of Kwalat makes this a definite addition to our 2020 watchlist.
You can check out more detail on the game over at the official Corepunk website now.
Ascent: Infinite Realm
Ascent: Infinite Realm is set to take the MMO market to new heights and it is certainly something different for the MMO market and developer Bluehole. Out go the Chicken Dinners of PUBG fame and in come massive steampunk airships and grand adventures.
Announced with a breathtaking teaser A:IR caught all our attention when it blew onto the scene with rumors and a reveal trailer in 2017. Now we know a fair bit more about the game than a few years ago and this Korean led jaunt into the clouds has a ton of interesting elements. Taking some definite inspiration from games like Guns of Icarus Online, the game that slowly took form over the last couple of years is a gargantuan mix of PvP, PvE, and Realm vs Realm combat hanging high up in the stratosphere. Beyond the insane shipbuilding here, we know that this MMO takes place in a world full of danger, exotic animals, and dangerous threats that are ready to tear you out of the sky. It isn’t all about battling monsters, however. There are plenty of ferocious beasts to tame and train, housing systems, and lots of exploration. Korean Beta testing had plenty to say on it and the game looks gorgeous. If Kakao games do half as well by A:IR as they did with Black Desert Online then I’m sure this is one to watch. We don’t have a definite release date but with beta testing already done in Thailand, we can reasonably assume it will land in 2020. You can check out more about this title over at the official Air: Infinite Realm website now.
Magic: Legends
Magic: legends is something that seems incredibly obvious but still surprised us when it snuck out a release trailer at the start of December 2019. Coming from Cryptic Studios and in development since at least 2017, the latest game from the team behind Neverwinter and Star Trek Online is about to bring the card-carrying franchise to us as an MMO. This isn’t the first time that Wizards of the Coast have seen Magic come to gaming screens, but the Legends MMO is a definite departure from the deck based Magic: The Gathering Arena. Magic: Legends is a massive online Action RPG MMO that places players firmly into the established lore of this long-standing fantasy world. As a dark force creeps across the realm, players will enter Legends and play the part of a Planeswalker. As you choose your path you’ll battle hordes of enemies across Xbox One, PC, and Playstation 4, all while defending the light. I’m sure there are even rumors of card battles in-game, but there isn’t a ton more information on this particular title.
We’re not even entirely sure it will make it out of the forest before 2021. We do know the best bet about getting more information on this is to sign up for the beta on the official Magic: Legends website now and just hope you’re dealt a good hand after all.
Last Oasis
Last Oasis has been on our radar for some time and Developer Donkey Crew has built some serious hype for this title, among other things.
Due to hit PCs in Q1 2020, this massive multiplayer sandbox survival takes some interesting ideas as it takes the established ideas of something like Conan Exiles and spins it out into a post-apocalyptic future that seems almost inviting. Set after a cataclysm that has ravaged the Earth, the population exists on a ball of rock that no longer rotates, leaving some serious environmental extremes. While one side of the planet faces space, the other boils under the glare of the sun. Only a small slither of habitable land exits and that crawls across the globe fire and ice orbit the sun. While you might imagine the space race would allow humanity to survive, technology has taken a bit of a turn and this civilization is on the move. Forget lasers and rockets, Last Oasis uses gargantuan woodpunk walkers to get around.
Focusing on survival in massive online environments, Donkey Crew has put together several systems that ensure players will want to keep coming back. When I got hands-on with Last Oasis at Gamescom 2019, Donkey Crew pin pointed the mass migration that will spawns new biomes and prevents a stale power structure, the ability to cooperate with other players, a stripped-down health system that allows players to focus on gaming, and the option to pack up your base and move as civilization crawls on.
A range of really interesting enemies even wait on you. Seemingly mutated bipeds and incredible sandworms are just as likely to run you down as the weather. Combat is fast, frantic, and a risky strategy when it drains water resources. Last Oasis might be stretching the MMO moniker without any prescriptive classes or fetch quests but it’s huge and ambitious. The aesthetic is original, and I’ve already harpooned a sandworm while riding a giant walking machine. Check it out on Steam before it hits Early Access.
Destiny’s Sword
Destiny’s Sword is a game that aims to get under the skin of the traditional MMO, making characters more than just a two-dimensional archetype, and it’s coming to Steam during 2020.
Due to release on 31 March 2020, Destiny’s Sword is a squad-based MMO that takes the hero shooter and flips it on its head. The steadfast heroes from developer 2 Dogs Games aren’t just in it for the loot. That kind of behavior could be considered psychotic and you won’t get away with that blinkered behavior during this long standing faction war. Destiny’s Sword distinguishes itself from the pack by taking on the psychological effects of those raids that you insist on pushing characters through time after time after time.
The online action might be set in a sci-fi narrative but as the combat careers of their squad progress, all that shooting and looting has a price attached. Crafted using the Insight Engine, every character in Destiny’s Sword comes with their own distinct personality and narrative. Commanders will be expected to track and manage the psychological development of their team while molding them in combat. Random life events, your own actions, and the ties that bind build characters and community. It’s not all about strength and swiftness when your Tank can’t face the horrors of war any longer.
Destiny’s Sword, much like Last Oasis, is an interesting take on the MMO and a competently put together game to boot. We’ve tried the pre-alpha demo and while it’s rough around the edges, the first glimpse throws around some great ideas. You can find out more about this new MMO on the official website or head over to Steam and wishlist it ahead of final release.
Phantasy Star Online 2
Not technically a new MMO, but one we haven’t seen in the west yet, Phantasy Star Online 2 is a long-awaited online entry in the Phantasy Star lineup and is finally due to hit western shores as a free-to-play experience in spring 2020 on Xbox One. The hype for this imminent title kicked off recently with beta testing signups going live and now fans of the franchise seem somewhat insatiable to get in and start exploring a brand new world.
The original Phantasy Star Online was the first online RPG to hit consoles. Produced by Team Sonic and released for the Dreamcast by SEGA back in 2000, it allowed players to explore the world of Ragol with up to three other friends. The second major release in the franchise launched in Japan way back in 2012. It has taken all this time to travel west and it seems like there is plenty of appetite for the second free-to-play installment.
The story returns to the Oracle organization, who use Photons to traverse the universe. Players are dropped onto three plants, Naberius, Lillipa, and Amduscia. As the story unfolds and the secrets of these planets are revealed, players will quest with their friends, battle for survival, and take on innumerable challenges. Real-time combat mechanics, a huge range of weapon systems, a fully-fledged character development tree, and the ability to explore a diverse set of worlds make Phantasy Star Online seem just as enticing as the newest MMO.
This one might be a bit long in the tooth but if you want something that isn’t a looter shooter to draw your console loving friends into the MMO market then you could do worse than log into cross-play with one of the grand old online games this year. PC players will even get the chance to join in later in 2020, although cross-play is still up in the air. Let’s be clear. We’re stretching the term MMO here, but ever since Bungie refused to use the term when introducing Destiny, we figured we’ve got some wiggle room. Phantasy Star Online 2 is taking beta sign-ups at the official PSO2 website.
Did we miss anything? What new MMO in 2020 are you looking forward to playing for the first time. Let us know and may you get some epic gear.
