The Death of Myst Online: An Interview with GameTap
The announcement that GameTap was going to discontinue Myst Online: Uru Live came as a sad surprise to many gamers, industry press, and developers. Myst Online was one of the only "alternative" MMORPGs on the market, and its removal will leave an indelible empty space in the MMOG market. However, Myst Online's discontinuation also raises questions about the future of GameTap in the MMOG marketplace, and Ten Ton Hammer sat down with Ricardo Sanchez, Creative Director and VP of Content for GameTap, who answered all of our questions regarding Myst Online and MMOGs.
Quote:
We thought the game would fit in well at GameTap in part because we have such a wide age range in our userbase. There are a lot of 35+ people who use GameTap, who were fans of the Myst franchise, as well as being fans of some of our older content. On the flip side, the devoted Uru fans were likely to be familiar with some of our brands like Pac-Man and we thought the two products would complement each other. Cyan and Turner have also had a long relationship so there was an already established level of cooperation and trust there that we could build upon.
[quote=Ten Ton Hammer sat down with Ricardo Sanchez, Creative Director and VP of Content for GameTap, who answered all of our questions regarding Myst Online and MMOGs.
What are your thoughts on the Myst Online discontinuation? What sort of repercussion does this have on the rest of the market? Let us know![/QUOTE]
GameTap is being a little less than honest when Ricardo says that they felt the game would fit, due in part to the 35+ year old subscribers. How many 35 year plus gamers sit and watch Cartoon Channel on Saturday mornings? That was the kind of advertising and promotion that they did. Other than that, they seemd to rely more on word of mouth and press releases to venues where, again, the demographic that would have the leading interest in UrU, were not to be found.
Flash type MMO's, "give me a break!" and Ricardo, asking fans of UrU to stay with GameTap because you give us Sam and Max. Give your head a shake. That is like saying " I am taking away your caviar but please stay for dinner, I'm serving a week old dead fish that I found." Cheaply rendered cartoon games about a rabbit and a dog just don't measure. They are barely one step up from the old CGA games that Sierra used to give us, like Space Quest or Leisure Suit Larry.
I do, however, understand that your responsibility is to the "Bean Counters" and I can accept that. Thanks for the year. Unfortunately you have absolutely zip to offer me for my subscription. I already own any title you have that might interest me. I will support the creative genius of Cyan as much as I can ( as long as they don't bend to your idea of what an MMO should be ). In the meantime, I have some major geography to cover in Guild Wars. I bought it with my next years subscription money to GameTap.
Although I’m saddened to see Uru Live close once again, I’d like to thank GameTap for giving it a second chance. In this industry, second chances just don’t happen.
Uru has been an exciting and inspiring experience the entire time since D’ni Guild and the DRC site teased us with the first glimpses in 2001. I still remember the first time I saw another person in the Cavern. And the Bahro Glyph tours. And the time I watched Sharper and a group of friends tear into the Pub. And trying to figure out the puzzle that took a half-dozen people to solve. And arguing with Sharper about reading his journal. And listening to Phil. And exploring Ages with my brother. And hearing from friends about the latest Relto page to find. So many friends and memories here.
Uru was a story, a community, and an experience, which makes it unlike any game or MMO. I wonder what Cyan will do to follow it. I’d love to see the story of Uru continue, perhaps in an episodic cooperative game. Although Cyan might move on to other projects, there will always be a special place in my imagination for the story of Uru.
Cheers,
- Deg -
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Ten Ton Hammer - Web Developer & Graphic Designer Abstract Penguin
I don't mean to sound aloof, but I've only heard of Myst Online once before when I saw a news article that they were doing... soemthing. i can't even remember what it was, free trials or something.
But for such a big game name it passed complteely under my radar, so I'd have to say I'm more surprised that there was a Myst Online more than that it's been binned.
Really? I never played MOUL, but how was the episodic content dissimilar from the patches we get in games like WoW or EQ?
Thats simple. Before the episodic content, you could come online every day to find something new, suddenly a new age, new accessible area. And it was without offical announcement. That's what made exploring the big city very interesting. On WoW you can also play every day, doing quests, doing raids, or something.
But then, they went "episodic": there's a week of story, a week of content, played "live" by Cyan-Staff as NPCs, and after that week it's done. The new ages ( if there were any ) are solved in 2-3 days usually, so you have absolutely nothing to do the rest of the month, so no need to get into the game the rest of the month. So new players login, and find themselve in an MMO with 6 players online, but you need eight to solve two of the new ages...So thats frustrating....
Thats totally dumb for an MMO, sorry GT, but that was a very bad move, and I say it makes 50% of the death of MOUL.
Last edited by Spellbreaker; 02-08-2008 at 08:27 PM.
The Death of Myst Online: An Interview with GameTap
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