Final Fantasy, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and the DC universe—there have been quite a few successful MMOs based on established franchises. However, there are many others that haven’t had this treatment. Here are a few franchises that could make for a great MMO experience.
Harry Potter
It’s been a long time since we’ve had a new Harry Potter game, and even with the last few, they haven’t been that spectacular and none have allowed you to create your own character and attend Hogwarts yourself. With this game idea, fans can live out their own Harry Potter story with multiple choice threads and deep customization through each student’s selection of classes. Is your character more knowledgeable in the Defense Against the Dark Arts or are they known for their knowledge of Magical Creatures? This could affect each character’s abilities. One problem that might arise will be due to a lack of combat, but the previous games in the series, especially the first three on the PS1 and PS2 found great ways to include that within the halls of Hogwarts. Have you been bothered by the masses of players hoarding a particular area and questioning why so many people are around? In Hogwarts, it makes more sense to have students, the players, congregate during special events, and ask for help from professors. It might still feel jarring, but Harry Potter fits the MMO format better than most other games because of this communal, dense atmosphere. In addition, your character’s house can be determined through questions that are asked by the Sorting Hat, and at the end of a specific time frame, each house gets scored through House Points. Perhaps, your character can live through the events of when Harry was at Hogwarts, and it could end with life or death at the Battle of Hogwarts. It would be a Harry Potter fan’s dream come true!
Pokémon
It’s true that everybody wants to be a master and catch ’em all. Just look at Pokémon Go. It has seen success in terms of usage that rivals social apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This generation has shown that the world can once again be hopelessly sucked into the world of Pokémon. This is where a Pokémon MMO comes in. Think Pokémon Go, but larger and in game form. Having a massive world that contains all the lands and Pokémon so far from Kanto to Alola would make this game so cool. Imagine being able to collect Pokémon around the world in specific areas, fighting other trainers, and experiencing a whole new story in the Pokémon world. Plus, if this game would be made for the NX, and if the console has mobile connectivity, why not incorporate Pokémon Go into the game design? Walking can hatch eggs from the game itself, you can catch Pokémon on the go, and you can fight friends and family in a Pokémon battle. There’s no need for Pokémon Stadium or anything like that anymore! This game would be next level. I don’t get how a Pokémon MMO isn’t a thing yet. It could be huge for Nintendo, and it would be a killer app for the NX.
Overwatch
Oh project Titan, how cool you could have been. Overwatch was the result of the development of the game after Titan’s cancellation, and resulted in the creation of a shooter, but an expansion of the world and characters Blizzard have created would be amazing. The game already has over 15 million players and has garnered much acclaim from its audience. It’s the start of another beloved franchise for Blizzard like Warcraft once was. World of Warcraft has declined in recent years due to the changes it’s received and the visual downgrade to games like Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn and Guild Wars 2. It’s time for something new. Something massive. An Overwatch MMO. What I could see is something like a game of Risk, PlanetSide 2, or XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Set across the entirety of the world, players must fight for domination for their side: Overwatch vs. the evil forces from around the world. A larger version of Kings Cross, Tibet, and many other locations around the world could be involved in the fight, just like the opening cutscene of Overwatch. It would be the next leap for PvP gaming with stakes taken to a worldwide level. We’ve seen that competitive nature between Team Mystic, Team Valor, and Team Instinct in Pokémon Go. Now let’s see that in the game form.
Marvel
While Marvel continues to be a powerhouse at the box office and has a huge backlog of comic books, the company has not yet released an MMO. There is Marvel Heroes, a Diablo-like title, and Marvel Contest of Champions, but nothing in terms of an MMORPG. With DC having their own with DC Universe Online, why not this “juggernaut” of a comic book company? I would love to soar the skies of New York, explore the areas from the movies or Netflix/ABC shows, and get completely new adventures in between the movies. It would be cool to go on raids to save New York like the team we know and love in The Avengers, taking on bounties around the Guardians of the Galaxy locations, and fighting major bosses like Ultron or Loki. Plus, there could be team-up moves like The Hulk and Thor working together in The Avengers against the Chitauri. Set it up like an action RPG and man, this can be loved by people on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Players assemble!
Rise of Kingdoms is another very interesting game that has become very popular among game enthusiasts. It is an astonishing adventure game where players have all the freedom that they want. They can choose the style they want to battle in the game. It keeps players glued with real warfares, 11 civilizations, and 34 heroes to choose from. It gives them the opportunity to build their civilization and conquer the world.
Kingdom Hearts
Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest have had a turn in having an MMO made; perhaps Kingdom Hearts could get that treatment too. Set in the time before the great Keyblade War and possibly Unchained X, this game can allow budding Keyblade wielders to explore the Disney worlds they love. The setup is perfect. You’re a new Keyblade wielder who was chosen and is learning how to use this new tool. On the way, you explore different worlds and resolve their issues, just like Sora in the original title. A Kingdom Hearts MMO would give players the opportunity to find lesser known worlds that are unlikely to be included in the main games. Picture a Meet The Robinsons or an Atlantis world. While not as expansive as No Man’s Sky, perhaps there could be further space travel with the gummi ship, and you could find hidden areas and stops. Plus, being able to go on quests in the Kingdom Hearts universe with your friends in a console quality game would be fun for the fans. However, if this is something that comes to fruition at Square Enix, I would hope that it would not distract the team from creating more single-player oriented titles for the series.
Which series would you like to see translated into an MMO? Let us know in the comments below!