World of Darkness Online to launch in 2010?

by James Egan Jan 19th 2009 at 2:30PM

Filed under: Horror, MMO industry, New titles, World of Darkness

Horror hasn't been a widely explored genre in massively multiplayer online games thus far, but there seems to be a shift in focus in the industry away from fantasy titles. Darren over at The Common Sense Gamer came across an interesting bit of information regarding World of Darkness -- the next massively multiplayer online game from CCP Games, creators of EVE Online. Horror fans eager to find details about the upcoming title turned up a business document (dated July 2008) from CCP Games that states World of Darkness is scheduled to launch in 2010.

Darren also makes a good point in his post -- there are a number of people who like the idea of EVE, but haven't been able to get immersed in the game. Given that the World of Darkness setting already has earned quite a number of RPG fans over the years, it seems the title is in a position to have a decent-sized following right off the bat. Or, at the very least, is likely to garner a number of people willing to try it out.

CCP Games apparently feels the same way, as stated in the Registration Document: "Given the World of Darkness legacy, its large fan base, and proven appeal to both genders, we estimate the subscriber potential of this product to be two to three times that of EVE Online, without competing head on with CCP's existing products thus enabling wider total appeal."

In terms of this 'wider total appeal', how do you feel about horror being better-represented in massively multiplayer online games? If you're one of those gamers who likes some aspects of EVE but never made the jump into the game, does World of Darkness -- and its modern setting populated with vampires, werewolves, and mages -- hold more appeal for you?

Tags: ccp, ccp-games, horror, mmo-industry, new-titles, the-common-sense-gamer, white-wolf, wod, world-of-darkness

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Omacron said on 2:53PM 1-19-2009

If I get to make a Tzimisce Fleshcrafter, I'll cream myself.

James Egan said on 2:55PM 1-19-2009

Vicissitude !

Holgar said on 3:04PM 1-19-2009

It really depends on how well its made, horror would (IMO) really go well with a massive world, in which player choices have far reaching effects themselves and others. (Eg. powerful character summons evil entity causing them to become hostile to pretty much everything. Then either controls entity or is unable to control it and entity goes on rampage)

I'm thinking what Darkfall is trying to be combined with diablo. That would be pretty damn awsome.....

shanoyu said on 3:21PM 1-19-2009

I think you missed the most interesting part of the document:

This engine will manage the full-body representation of humans, creatures, and other non-player-characters
(NPC) for both indoor and outdoor game environment settings. Ambulation includes R&D in Artificial Intelligence,
Animation Systems, Advanced Character Rendering Technology, Crowd Simulation, Navigation,
and Pathfinding for agents in indoor environments. Ambulation will be used to deliver the new EVE Online
feature “Walking in Stations”, and will be the technology foundation for the World of Darkness character
system.

Kyle Horner said on 4:56PM 1-19-2009

Big yes.

NeuroMan42 said on 5:57PM 1-19-2009

I want to make my Werewolf from my pen & paper days.

Wjowski said on 6:04PM 1-19-2009

Since it's highly improbably they'll be able to properly bring Mage into the setting I doubt I'll be playing. Still, I hope the first thing they do is dump that horrid metaplot the original setting had going.

mandrill said on 8:40PM 1-19-2009

I wouldn't call WoD horror as such, I prefer 'Alternative Fantasy' Yes there are vampires, and yes there are werewolves, but there are also demons, the fae, ghosts, mages, changlings, golems, and nearly all the other staples of fantasy fiction, simply put in a modern setting.

Was Buffy horror? Was Blade? Ginger Snaps anyone?

I wish people would stop dismissing WoD as being a 'horror' rpg, its much much deeper than that. Though if that doesn't come across in the MMO I'll be hugely dissapointed.

I also hope that CCP carry over some of the sandbox ideas from EVE, allowing the players to build the majority of the world's politics, intrigue and shenanigans.

Derek K. said on 8:55PM 1-19-2009

To really be horror, it would have to be either Vampire or Wraith. And Wraith is pretty much impossible to do in an MMO.

You could possibly add Werewolves, but then you might as well call it Underworld Online, for what it would become.

If it were done right, I would never play anything else.

But 1. My definition of right is very likely 99% different than everyone else's (mine, for instance, would have 4 different shards, with Vampires, Garou, Fae and Mages each on their own. And each would be completely different, graphically. Each could touch one other - Vampires and Garou (Urban vs Wyld). Garou and Mages (Pattern vs Wyld). Mages and Fae (malleable reality vs Alternate reality). Fae and Vampires (Alternate takes on living off the cattle). And Malkavian s and Pooka would be unlockable only by server vote, per player.
2. It won't be.
3. Part of the bit of WoD is that it's personal. An MMO is anything but.

All that being said:

A Hunter: The Reckoning MMO would KICK ASS.

Jargo said on 9:49PM 1-19-2009

After Darkfall the WOD mmo is number one on my most anticipated list. If they do the game right than I couldn't imagine playing another game.

As far as releasing in 2010; I think that might be a bit of wishful thinking. So far we haven't seen anything from the game regarding its development at all plus with Iceland being hit be the recession I have to question if it's having a negative impact on CCP and this project or not. I would love to be pleasantly surprised though.

Demona said on 9:11AM 1-20-2009

Yes. Please. Pretty please? With sugar on top?

Jinintaanik said on 10:37AM 1-20-2009

The fact that CCP is at the helm gives me hope that this could be a good MMO. With the success of EVE it shows that they're creative enough to make a non-cookiecutter MMO and make it work. Something fresh and creative is always good for the MMO market.

I plan on camping the CCP site for the beta sign up.

Brendan Drain said on 11:43AM 1-20-2009

I think 2010 is jumping the gun. Since July 2008 CCP has stated that they are now laser-focused entirely on EVE Online for now. I imagine WoD development would be costing them a lot of money they perhaps can't afford right now. But if ambulation from EVE is going to be the basis for avatar interaction in WoD, that does mean that a lot of the work being done on EVE is transferrable.

Evi said on 1:01PM 1-20-2009

I'm looking forward to WoD more than any other game. EVE holds no appeal to me whatsoever. I'm a fan of sci-fi, but I don't have any interest in space combat.

Man, I can't wait for WoD! I sure hope it launches closer to Q1 2010 than Q4...

aliasisudonomo said on 4:25PM 1-20-2009

Just keep in mind, it's more likely to be based off the current World of Darkness (Requiem, Forsaken, Awakening) than the old (Masquerade, Apocalypse, Ascension).

This isn't necessarily a bad thing, since the nWoD is far more unified than the old while still preserving many of the same themes.

Nocte said on 10:11PM 1-20-2009

This is relevant to my interests.

Also, nWoD>oWoD. Though I haven't had the chance to check out the new Hunter. Is there a new Demon yet?

Ada said on 5:47PM 1-22-2009

I know nothing of the world, but an MMO that is set in an alternative fantasy world (as someone above termed it) would be amazing, especially done by a creative company. I'm really not a fan of gory/chainsaw horror at all, but vampires and werewolves and various other creatures of the night, that I would be a part of wholeheartedly.