Ghostcrawler, renowned for his work on World of Warcraft and League of Legends, has launched his own studio, Fantastic Pixel Castle, after leaving Riot Games. He is developing a new MMORPG, codenamed “Ghost,” featuring community-driven development and three distinct zones: a social hub, procedurally generated areas for exploration, and handcrafted public spaces. Early community reactions are mixed, with some appreciating the progress while others express concerns about the game’s direction. The project is still in its early stages and will take years to complete.
Ghostcrawler’s New MMORPG Journey
If you’ve ever immersed yourself in the worlds of World of Warcraft or League of Legends, the name Ghostcrawler is likely familiar to you. After a tenure at Riot Games working on an MMORPG that is still in development, this renowned developer has embarked on an exciting new adventure by founding his own studio. For the past year, he has been diligently crafting his first title, an MMORPG, and has recently unveiled some tantalizing early images and videos. These sneak peeks not only showcase the studio’s progress but also set the stage for what the gaming community can anticipate.
A Community-Centric Development Approach
Last year, Greg “Ghostcrawler” Street made the decision to leave Riot Games for personal reasons and subsequently established Fantastic Pixel Castle. Right from its inception, the studio began working on an MMO, and after just a year, the initial visual content is now available. Ghostcrawler emphasizes the importance of community involvement throughout the development process. The primary objective is to gather early feedback on various concepts, ideas, and content, allowing players to contribute to the game’s evolution from its early stages and ensuring the team stays on the right track.
In a recent video, Ghostcrawler introduced a fantasy MMO codenamed “Ghost.” Players will explore three distinct zones as they progress, influenced by the central narrative and game conclusion:
- The Central City: This area acts as a social hub, faction base, public sanctuary, shopping area, and venue for seasonal events, with players actively participating in its development.
- Blue Zones: These are procedurally generated areas designed for exploration, offering a sandbox experience that is private to each player or group, significantly impacting the game’s world.
- Red Zones: Handcrafted public spaces that provide a wealth of traditional MMORPG content.
The central city is depicted as the final stronghold of civilization, suspended in the air amidst the remnants of a recently devastated world. Players will need to aid in the city’s reconstruction following a catastrophic event, with the sky filled with ruins and large rock formations waiting to be explored.
Players can be seen venturing through the various zones, with blue zones specifically tailored for small parties that frequently change. This unpredictability keeps players guessing about the enemies they may face and the terrain layout, making exploration a vital aspect of gameplay. Missions can be approached in multiple ways, including combat, interacting with NPCs, gathering resources, or constructing structures to achieve area-specific objectives.
The developer further elaborates on the red zones, which resemble more traditional MMORPG environments. These areas are not private, meaning players might encounter others during their adventures. Despite being handcrafted, they will incorporate dynamic elements, such as shifting quest objectives and NPC locations, encouraging players to navigate between different zones regularly.
As expected, the community has quickly shared their reactions to this initial reveal. While some are impressed by the rapid progress made in just one year, others express concerns that Ghost may not align with their preferences.
- “If this is their first year of development, it seems that things are moving very quickly and that there is a very clear vision of what they want to do.” — Yashimasta
- “A lot of things look cool, and I’m glad they are sharing and testing early, but as soon as they showed the concept art for the classes, I lost all interest.” — Fawz
- “I admit that the notion of zones is probably not for me. I fear that the game will resemble more a theme park than a coherent world. I am eager to see how the studio addresses this issue.” — sooooober
- “Based on my 19 years of experience with MMORPGs, I can confidently say that the ideas presented here resemble a game that will be dead on arrival.” — Adartaer
As Greg Street wisely notes, it will still take several years before the final product is launched, underscoring the immense work that lies ahead for the development team.
In other news, after beloved animated classics like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Snow White, fans can anticipate yet another cherished princess making her debut in a live-action film!