In-Development Indie MMORPGs

[francisbaud]

Between 2010-2015 there was a MMO crowdfunding craze that led to what we've got today: ten independent MMORPG studios trying their best to 1) get funding for their game 2) build a community 3) finish the game they've pitched. The good news is that it's actually possible to release a MMO as an indie studio, for examples Albion Online which is a decent MMORPG, Elite: Dangerous (that one is barely a MMO though), Boundless and Legends of Arya. We'll see where the future leads us. Here are those 10 indie MMOs currently in development:

Dual Universe [Beta]
Setting: Science-Fiction || Focus: PvP || Budget: ~$25M* || Engine: Unigine 2

• Single shard persistent universe shared by all the players
• Voxel-based universe: player-made cities, stations and warships
• Space warfare: pirate ships, coordinated attacks, skirmishes
• Player-controlled global economy: mine, craft, build, optimize, barter and trade

Crowfall [Beta]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus: PvP || Budget: $38M || Engine: Unity 5

• Spiritual successor to Shadowbane
• Player-created worlds with parcels of terrain and pre-fab building pieces
• GvG/RvR campaigns that guilds or factions can win
• Deep crafting system inspired by Star Wars: Galaxies

Camelot Unchained [Beta]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus: RvR || Budget: ~$20M || Engine: Unchained

• Spiritual successor to Dark Age of Camelot
• Large-scale RvR battles and sieges with more than a thousand players
• Open world with islands that players can move to strategically reshape the world
• Block-by-block construction with server-side stability and destruction

Gloria Victis [Beta]
Setting: Medieval Realistic || Focus: PvP || Budget: ~$4M* || Engine: Unity 5

• Skill-based combat mechanics à la Mount and Blade
• Class-less system with diversified equipment
• Open world with housing, territory control and sieges
• Complex crafting system: leatherworking, armoursmithing, weapon forging

Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen [Pre-Alpha]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus: PvE || Budget: $? || Engine: Unity 5

• Spiritual successor to EverQuest
• Deeply social: dungeons require teamwork and group strategy
• Thrilling climbing system
• Perception system: the world reveals its secrets through the environment

Ashes of Creation [Alpha]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus: PvP || Budget: ~$30M* || Engine: Unreal 4

• Nodes system: player participation influences the type of content in the surrounding areas
• Open world housing: players have the ability to survey and develop land anywhere in the world
• Castle sieges with hundreds of players with many moving parts
• Harsh, unforgiving and stunning environment

Star Citizen [Alpha]
Setting: Science-Fiction || Focus: PvP || Budget: $348M || Engine: Lumberyard

• Spiritual successor to Freelancer
• Procedurally generated and handcrafted stunning worlds
• Open world PvP with high speed dog fights with multi-crew ships or intense FPS warfare
• Exploration: hidden outpost, abandoned ships and beautiful sunsets

Project Gorgon [Beta]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus: PvE || Budget: +$1M || Engine: Unity 5

• Exploration: many hidden secrets awaiting discovery
• Ambitious skill-based leveling system allowing the player to combine skills
• Old-school MMO with innovative ideas, such as morphing into animals
• 16 combat skills, 71 trade skills, 11 beasts skills

Mortal Online 2 [Beta]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus: PvP || Budget: $? || Engine: Unreal 4

• Open and realistic sandbox world
• True, real-time combat where outcomes are decided by skill rather than levels or gear
• Become a legendary crafter whose goods are traded across the globe or a famous warrior studying the art of combat
• Individual reputation is everything: people will recognize you by the impact you've made on the world

Rise Online [Alpha]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus PvP/PvE || Budget: $? || Engine: Unreal 4

• Spiritual successor to Knight Online
• Full PvP-based maps and events
• PvE content like missions, creatures and bosses that take several groups to defeat
• Two sides of this endless war between kingdoms: Protean and Lunaskar

Cross post. *Personal estimate, may be inaccurate
Feel free to suggest improvements to this post!