MMOs don’t need ’to be 200 hours of unique content’ at launch, says industry vet
Veteran MMO designer Jack Emmert, who recently returned to Cryptic Studios, challenges the conventional wisdom that modern MMOs require extensive amounts of content at launch to succeed. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Emmert, known for his work on major titles including City of Heroes, Neverwinter, Champions Online, and Star Trek: Online, argues that the industry’s obsession with content scope is fundamentally misguided. Rather than pursuing an endless stream of new dungeons and systems, Emmert contends that developers should focus on maximizing the potential of existing mechanics and content already in their games. His perspective highlights a critical distinction between quantity of content and quality of design, suggesting a more sustainable development approach for MMOs. This viewpoint is particularly relevant for studios without the advantage of decades of expansions and established playerbase retention mechanisms. The comments underscore an ongoing debate within the gaming industry about balancing content creation, player retention, and development resources in live-service MMO titles, challenging assumptions about what’s necessary for MMO success.