Random Dialogue: Mythica Mourned
Dialogue, 2004-02-16

Mythica was...

Microsoft announced plans for a new massively multiplayer game in April of last year. At that point (it was revealed) the game had already been in development for almost a year. Mythica was to be a first foray into an untouched area of the fantasy genre, Norse Mythology. The images that the faq summoned up, of mighty fur-clad heroes striding across a winter wasteland, of the great serpent wrapped around the world-tree, resonated with the battle-cry of Mythica: "Let players be gods". Players would have taken on the roles of several distinct classes that complimented each other quite naturally. All the standard roles from other fantasy massively multiplayer games were to be present, but with an even greater emphasis on team-cohesion than even Everquest maintains. Technology was also to play an interesting role in the game as well, as Microsoft promised a game built heavily on instancing. Private realms, instances, of zones would have permitted adventuring parties free reign of a small story-heavy section of the Mythica world. With no other players to compete with for mobs and plot points, players would have been free to take on the zone at their leisure and enjoy every moment available. Public social and hunting areas would have provided the more traditional bartering and lfg opportunities that most mmog players are used to. Beyond the game itself were the programmers and community that surrounded it. As is the case with many mmogs in development, a group of people latched onto the game as a new place to call home. The programmers, from what I understand a remarkably social group for mmog developers, fed the imaginations of a very dedicated following. All that, of course, ended last Thursday when the proverbial other shoe dropped.

Forensic Analysis

So why did Microsoft kill Mythica? I say take your pick, because there is a large number of options to choose from. Microsoft itself stated that it made this decision "based on a careful evaluation of the competitive MMORPG landscape". IE: There are too many games already, we don't think there is a market for our game. Besides Mythica, Microsoft also has an entire gaming platform to support. Perhaps you've heard of the Xbox? The Xbox arm of Microsoft Game Studios has perpetually been hemorrhaging money, despite the excellent sales of the platform and the games sold for it. Above and beyond the Xbox, MGS also has *at least* two other Massively Multiplayer games in development right now. True Fantasy Online, the anime-esque MMOG for the Xbox console, and an unannounced game currently in development by McQuaid and Butler's Sigil Games. Finally, despite the protestations of Microsoft's PR department, it should be mentioned that Mythic studios had a lawsuit pending against MS because of their perceived copyright/consumer confusion issue with the name of Microsoft's game. In all likelihood all of these reasons, and more besides that we have no way of knowing, resulted in Mythica's cancellation. Two years and something like 20 million dollars are not something easily thrown away, even by the likes of Microsoft.

Mythica seemed like it was shaping up to be an interesting and technology enhancing member of the MMOG community. The fan following will certainly be dispersed as a result of this action, and the programmers will go on to different projects. Six months to a year from now, Mythica will be all but forgotten. I can't help but feel sad about that, and wonder a little bit about what that means for massively multiplayer projects in general. Considering the investment of self and money necessary to bring a MMOG to market...on some levels, is it worth it?

Next Week As I said *last* week, next week I'm going to be discussing persistent and non-persistent Virtual Worlds. Sound interesting? Sound boring? Let me know. Before I stop babbling, I'm going to selfishly use this opportunity at the end of my editorial to announce some less somber news. This past Saturday my lovely and talented girlfriend accepted my proposal for her hand in marriage. What else can a gamer say to that but, w00t! ? Katie is an EQ and Sims kind of girl, but you can bet I'll get her into WoW when it comes out. ;) Until next week, friendly gamer!