MMO games have stayed at the top of the industry for some time. The next wave of them we are going to be seeing from companies is ones with anime influences. That’s right, the next wave in this genre is the Anime MMO. Today we are going to go over the evidence for that and what it means for the industry.
A Practical Example of the Anime MMO
Aura Kingdom is now in closed beta. It is the flagship Anime title for Aeria Games. For those who are unfamiliar with that company they do more games of this type than practically anyone. It is highly debatable whether they do them better though.
FF XIV is essentially an Anime MMO.
The Anime MMO in Other Games
For years the Final Fantasy series had a decidedly anime look, culminating in FF 14 being in this genre. Even Guild Wars 2 has a somewhat Anime-themed art style to it. The industry is slowly moving towards it.
What does the Anime MMO Trend Mean?
It means that coming up soon we will many of these coming out from multiple companies. We also would not be at all surprised if more of them get actual licenses. It will probably bring more mainstream fans into the games.
Many of these games are also moving away from gritty, realistic styles. While there will always be a place for things like that we won’t see it as much.
What the Trend Means for Developers
You may actually want to infuse it into your next project as well. It’s now a long time and accepted part of cultures all over and can give your game an extra draw. That is of course if it fits in your setting. It’s just something to think about if you are starved for ideas.
