Filed under: Mythos

Mythos teaser and closed beta registration page emerges

by William Dobson Aug 15th 2009 at 10:00AM

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, New titles, News items, Mythos

Things are stirring behind the scenes in the world of Mythos, the little MMO that could. A newly launched site offers a very small teaser, but also, a closed beta registration form which is of far more interest. While Mythos was much-loved in its previous form, we don't doubt the followers of the Diablo-esque dungeon-crawler are keen to see if the magic is still there in HanbitSoft's re-envisioning.

If you're not up on the history of this title, now (at its new beginning) seems a good time for us to sum things up. It started out as a way for Flagship Studios to test their networking technology for the then-upcoming Hellgate: London, but soon grew into a popular game in its own right through a widespread closed beta test. It was all set to transition from experiment to fully-fledged title and move into open beta when the well-documented trouble at Flagship derailed the whole thing.

However, Flagship's Korean publisher HanbitSoft acquired the game's license and decided to make use of it. They reassured eager fans only a few months ago that Mythos would be re-born better than ever. Only time will tell if that's true, but with this new closed beta registration, it shouldn't be too long before a select group finds out for themselves. In the meantime, all of the old Mythos devs will be working away on Torchlight at Runic Games. Torchlight undoubtedly stands to be significant competition for Mythos in the future, but it won't be ready (in its MMO form at least) any time soon.

We're assured that Mythos is coming back

by Kyle Horner May 7th 2009 at 11:00AM

Filed under: New titles, News items, Mythos

Mythos seems to hold a cult fan status among those who were lucky enough to play the game before last year's Flagship kerfuffle unceremoniously halted the games' production -- and with good reason. The game was a lot of fun, as all those cult fans know. Which is why we're torn about this news.

It appears as though Hanbitsoft -- the Korean developer who picked up the rights to Mythos last year -- has come out and said they fully intend to bring the game back into the world. They've also said they realize the game is basically inspired fully by Diablo, and plan to, "-put in more content for more exciting multiplayer." That's great and all, but we worry that the beta that we played last year and this retooled Korean flavored version aren't going to elicit the same kind of excitement.

This is also compounded by the fact that, well, the original Mythos team has already formed Runic Games and will be presenting their spiritual successor to Mythos, entitled Torchlight, at E3 in just about a month. Now, while Torchlight is only a single player RPG for the time being, Runic has clearly stated their plans to build it into an MMO down the road. So for now, with one game the closer, we'll just decide to be excited for E3 come early June.

Flagship Studios' founder finally speaks

by Kyle Horner Aug 18th 2008 at 5:00PM

Filed under: Interviews, News items, Hellgate: London, Mythos

If you've been wondering just exactly what happened with Flagship Studios over the past year or so, then you should really give a listen to the thoughts of Bill Roper, founder of Flagship. The poor guy pretty much spills his guts to 1up.com's Jeff Green about everything that happened and is happening with the people and projects from Flagship. It's a surprisingly lengthy interview, clocking in at eight pages. It's totally worth the read if you want a gritty insight into just how much went into not only Hellgate: London and Mythos, but the team that put those titles together.

It's not often that we get such a wide and deep look into a developer. We're counting ourselves lucky that Bill seems to be such a open and forthcoming guy, otherwise we might have never known anything beyond rumors and speculation. If everyone previously involved with Flagship lands on their feet, it will be in no small part due to Bill Roper's efforts.

Mythos lives!

by James Egan Aug 3rd 2008 at 12:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, MMO industry, News items, Mythos, Rumors

These have been some turbulent times for both Mythos and Hellgate: London. Following the closing of Flagship Studios, recent news revealed Namco-Bandai Games as Hellgate: London's saviors, while the fate of Mythos remained uncertain, but grim. However just over a week later, the Hellgate: London page at Namco-Bandai has already disappeared.

In another turn of events, Gamasutra reports that Korea's T3 Entertainment, perhaps best-known for their online music game Audition, is seeking programmers for its new development studio in San Francisco: "T3 Entertainment is searching for creative minds to passionately continue development of Hellgate: London and Mythos, along with other new games, which are being published by HanbitSoft Inc." This may put to rest the dispute over IP which HanbitSoft was engaged in with Flagship Studios, as T3 Entertainment is HanbitSoft's largest stockholder. With any luck, the opening of a North American studio signifies a healthier future for both Mythos and Hellgate: London. We'll keep you posted, once more details become available.

The Daily Grind: Were you going to play Mythos?

by Kyle Horner Jul 23rd 2008 at 8:00AM

Filed under: Mythos, Free-to-play, The Daily Grind

We hope you knew what Mythos was -- or is, depending on how things play out -- because the game was a whole lot of fun even in beta. In fact it really seemed ready for prime time and that was several months ago. We really don't know what the future holds for the game, but right now it's on indefinite hiatus and that makes us wear our sad faces. So for today's The Daily Grind we're asking you: Did you plan on playing the game once it came out of beta?

As a free-to-play game, Mythos stood a chance to become a wonderful "instead" game. What we mean is that it was the perfect game to play instead of your regular evening or weekend getaway game. Don't feel like grinding through more dungeons in Lord of the Rings Online or World of Warcraft today? Play Mythos instead, it's easy-going hack n' slash fun! The examples are beyond several. Well, they were beyond several. We truly hope to see a rushed revival for those of you (us included) that were planning on playing the game once it launched.

Mythos is dead but its memory lives on

by Matt Warner Jul 21st 2008 at 7:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Culture, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play

The announcement blared last Friday. The Mythos beta would shutdown and placed on hiatus that very night. It didn't leave much time to say goodbye, the suddenness left many unable to attend but Massively was present in your stead.

"Farewell friends, farewell Mythos" echoed throughout the Stonehill Market. Players congregated and crowded the area to praise Mythos and say their goodbyes. "I don't know what game to play next," cried several others. It's the people behind the characters that matter, the emotions are real, honest, and believable. The death of any MMOG is always a disheartening experience but it also brings cause to celebrate and forge a lasting adventure into a lifetime memory.

Several appreciative and ever thankful Mythos developers were of course present. Lead Developer, Travis Baldree spawned a cataclysmic event for the players to partake in that lasted well into the night. Mythos players joked that it took a crashed server to defeat them as they settled in for the fireworks. Mythos CM, Tiggs made her presence felt by continually talking and laughing with the community. As the final seconds approached the world quaked, and before Mythos collapsed offline the lasting words ringed out: "You will be remembered." It was a very fitting tribute and gracious sentiment indeed. It was a good nine months, and we hope to see Mythos back again one day.

Gallery: Mythos beta ends

Max Schaefer thanks Mythos community

by Matt Warner Jul 19th 2008 at 9:00PM

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, in-game, Forums, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play

It wasn't long ago that Max Schaefer, a Flagship Studios cofounder and operations chief, admitted to mistakes that the company encountered with Hellgate: London. Now, in a strange twist of irony the players are learning firsthand the lessons of Flagship's failures. The Mythos beta ended as it was placed on hiatus last night, possibly being the last time players will grace the world of Uld. Not long after that the Mythos beta forums went dark but before they did Max Schaefer left a wonderful message to the community.

"They say it's not so much the destination as it is the journey that's important. We're really hoping that's the case around here these days. I can't really believe I'm writing a post like this, but here we are faced with the unpleasant task of taking a hiatus from this crazy project. Unlike most games, Mythos has been running with our testing community for almost its whole life. I really feel like we've all done this together. And despite this bump in the road, I think we've succeeded wildly. This is undoubtedly the best game community I've ever seen. This is the best game development team in the world, in both Seattle and San Francisco. The things we've learned here, and with you all, will be with us forever.

Mythos beta is shutting down tonight

by Matt Warner Jul 18th 2008 at 6:15PM

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Events, real-world, Events, in-game, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Mythos, Free-to-play

The woes continue at Flagship Studios. It was just announced that the Mythos beta will shutdown tonight. The official time slotted for its cease of operations is at July 18th, 2008 at 11:59 CST. Community manager Tiggs left the message on the forums which are also due to close at the same time.

"We, the ancient elders of Uld are issuing this warning to all citizens and travelers. Hurry! The great darkness that once plagued Uld is returning. Everyone is ordered to close down their shops and prepare. We predict the when night is at its peak the darkness will arrive. The ancient elders of Uld will be leaving immediately in order to preserve the lore of this wonderful world. Citizens please prepare thyself and know that the elders will be back from their travels some day."

Flagship Studios claims that the Mythos beta is going on a hiatus. That's pretty vague term associated with the closure of a beta that stems from a financial and legal crisis at a development studio. It does signal a possible return later, and we do hope Mythos continues development in the near feature and sees a well-deserved release. Lead developer on Mythos, Travis Baldree recently posted on the forums expressing his thanks and gratitude along with his uncertainty for how long the Mythos beta would remain operational. Now we know, and so soon.

HanbitSoft barbs Flagship Studios

by Matt Warner Jul 18th 2008 at 5:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, MMO industry, News items, Hellgate: London, Mythos, Legal

A few days ago, Bill Roper exclaimed Flagship Studios still has a pulse, but only the founders and core management remain employed. There was no official word on what role the company will encompass now but a focus on casual games is rumored. The statement also noted that Flagship Studios owns the rights to all its technology and intellectual properties, including Hellgate: London and Mythos. HanbitSoft doesn't think so, and the verbal spar is heating up.

In the latest war of words taking place on the Korean gaming site ThisIsGame, translation by Hellgate Guru. HanbitSoft is making it known that they are preparing for a legal battle. A lawsuit against Bill Roper and the founding directors of Flagship Studios is already underway. HanbitSoft will also be visiting Comerica bank next week in order to secure to the Global intellectual property rights to Hellgate: London. HanbitSoft also stated, "Flagship not only lacked effort, but were only looking for personal gain. Firing all of the Flagship employees in order to protect the personal interests of its founding members only shows how selfish and irresponsible they are." HanbitSoft owns a 9.5% stake in Flagship Studios and went on record to state they tried to bailout Flagship Studios numerous times.

Mythos, Hellgate forums scheduled to die tonight

by Samuel Axon Jul 18th 2008 at 11:00AM

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Forums, News items, Hellgate: London, Mythos

Flagship Studios rep Tiggs announced last night on the official Mythos and Hellgate London forums that both forums will be shutting down effective midnight tonight. The message was very brief, and didn't give any specific clues as to when, if ever, the forums will be back. Tiggs simply said: "We would like to thank everyone for being a part of this wonderful community and we hope to see you all again soon."

This comes after Flagship was forced to lay off almost its entire staff. Presently, HanbitSoft is trying to get its hands on both projects, but both companies face legal hurdles that must be overcome before the plan can move forward. Lead Mythos developer Travis Baldree made a forum post earlier this week expressing his hope that the team will be able to get back together and resume work on its game. We hope so too!

[Via WarCry]

Future of Mythos beta uncertain

by Matt Warner Jul 16th 2008 at 8:30AM

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Forums, MMO industry, New titles, News items, Mythos

Mythos beta testers are experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions as they await official word on what will happen to Mythos. The bad news struck Friday, July 11th. It was confirmed that the ranks were culled as layoffs (over 30 confirmed at VE3D's count) occurred at Flagship Studios, developers of Hellgate: London and Mythos. Staff at PingO, an online services subsidiary felt the impact too. To help shed some new light there is a response from Travis Baldree, Lead developer on Mythos.

In a post entitled, "A Fond Farewell" Baldree espouses gratitude to the Mythos beta community, the close relationship between employees, and does not disclose any specific details on the future of Mythos. Baldree is also unsure of how long Mythos in its current beta form will remain operational, but claims he will inform the community when possible. While Baldree did hint at reopening beta testing in the future, the question regarding on who owns the intellectual property and rights is probably going to be decided in a legal battle. Other developers that worked on Mythos also posted their farewells and appreciation to the beta community in the same thread. (We have copied Baldree's post after the jump in case the forums shutdown.)

[Via Warcry]

HanbitSoft CEO claims ownership rights to Hellgate:London and Mythos

by Matt Warner Jul 14th 2008 at 9:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Sci-fi, Events, real-world, Interviews, MMO industry, News items, Mythos, Legal

We're still reeling over the news that Flagship Studios has met its demise. Seeing any hard working development studio with loads of potential go belly-up isn't easy considering all the real people affected from the fallout. Bill Roper hasn't made a public announcement yet, but the closure of Flagship Studios was confirmed. What will happen to Mythos and Hellgate:London is a question that remains on many minds. The HanbitSoft CEO, Kim Ki-young chips away at that answer in a response to an inquiry by TheGames.co.kr seeking clarification about the situation surrounding Hellgate:London and Mythos.

In a translation provided by Hellgate Guru, Kim Ki-young of HanbitSoft states: "If we can take intellectual property rights of relevant products from Flagship Studios, we have confidence to develop the games ourselves based on T3 Entertainment's advanced technology' and 'we believe we can service fresh and interesting games to online gamers by getting intellectual property rights and development. This crisis could be an opportunity for us."

One Shots: A Mythos memory

by Krystalle Voecks Jul 13th 2008 at 2:00PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Mythos, One Shots

The news coming out of Flagship Studios has been sad. We've heard that everyone was pinkslipped, and that a really good company full of designers has been let go. We've also heard that Hanbitsoft will be taking over on Mythos, which we're curious about. While Hellgate: London got some very poor reviews, Mythos has proven to be a great game, with lots of fun elements and an interesting setup. As our homage to our favorite game out of Flagship Studios, we bring you today's One Shot, which was taken in the first "city" you get to in Mythos. We only hope that wherever Flagship's games land, they continue to be developed for those still interested in playing them.

Do you have some screens from a MMOG-that-was? Even if the game is long gone, the screens can live on. Just send those to us here at oneshots AT massively.com along with a quick blurb on what we're seeing. We'll see that they're immortalized (well, as immortalized as anything on the Internet ever is, anyway) here in our One Shots feature for future MMO gaming generations.

Gallery: One Shots

Flagship Studios: It's worse than that; he's dead, Jim

by Akela Talamasca Jul 12th 2008 at 9:30PM

Filed under: Fantasy, Business models, MMO industry, News items, Hellgate: London, Mythos, Free-to-play

Although our previous coverage of Flagship Studios -- creators of Mythos and Hellgate: London -- mentioned that a large, undisclosed portion of the staff were laid off, it was only today that we discovered the true extent of the damage. Our mothership site Joystiq has posted the news that the entirety of the team has been fired with 30-day pensions.

So what's going to happen to Hellgate and Mythos? Despite their earlier denial, there is some truth to the Hanbitsoft rumor, except that they'll be receiving the IP rights to Mythos instead of Hellgate, as was previously said. Hellgate will go to Dallas-based Comerica, a financial services company. Hanbitsoft, being a Korean game company, and distributor of the Starcraft license in Korea, might choose to keep Mythos alive, but who knows what Comerica will do with Hellgate? As of this writing, neither title's official sites have posted any information about Flagship's closure. We'll bring you news on the fate of these two titles as soon as we know anything ourselves.

Flagship holds forth on lessons learned

by Adrian Bott Jul 7th 2008 at 1:00PM

Filed under: Interviews, MMO industry, Hellgate: London, Mythos

Max Schaefer, operations chief and co-founder of Flagship Studios, is forthright about the mistakes made on Hellgate: London. In a lengthy interview with eurogamer.net he explains how that game tried to be too many things to too many people, and ended up being rushed to market without being 'kept in the oven long enough.' They simply took too much on for a fledgling studio without any existing technologies to cope with.

Flagship is now working on a brand new MMO, the free-to-play microtransaction-driven Mythos, which is nothing like as 'hardcore' as Hellgate. Resemblances to the likes of Diablo or WoW are justified by Schaefer in terms of the relief they give players; the idea is to cultivate a sense of 'familiar novelty', in which the gameplay is comfortable enough to welcome a player in and get them settled, but innovative enough to excite and keep interest.