Codemasters Online, who is set to release NetDevil’s new space based MMORPG Jumpgate Evolution (PC Only), has recently announced to gamesindustry.biz that they are set to publish two more MMOs for consoles. With this announcement it seems that the gaming industry is finally warming up to the idea of MMO’s on consoles, as of up until now there have only been a hand full of MMOs on all consoles combined.
SoE’s The Agency, Funcom’s Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventure are set to be released within a year. Then you have the untitled NCsoft PlayStation 3 project which might be released as early as Q4 2008. Along with these, there are also a hand full of other MMO’s that have been announced such as a new Final Fantasy MMO.
Indeed it seems as though the MMO has fully arrived on consoles. So what what was the hold up? David Solari, vice president and general manager of Codemasters Online Gaming, stated that one of the bid hurdles with console MMO’s was the business model.
“It’s got to be the right business model. It’s more difficult because the first-parties take a share of the revenue – and it’s quite significant share.”
Can you imagine WOW having to give a percentage of its revenue to Microsoft and Apple? Ouch!
With this next set of MMOs set to hit the consoles late this year, it will be interesting to see how things go when gamers have more than 1 or 2 MMOs to choose from. If we see some flops it just might scare away future MMOs from consoles and send them back to PCs where PC gamers will continue to have there pick of the litter.
A list of console MMO’s http://www.allthemisc.com/gaming/16714-list-console-mmos.html