What do ArenaNet's recruitment targets mean for the directions of the studio?

[Jin.8501]

On 3/18/2023 at 2:18 PM, LSD.4673 said:

The engine from early 2000s GW1. The one devs can't update anything without breaking something else. The one that devs don't even touch any older stuff, laden with bugs and issues, for fear of the aforementioned. The one that devs have enormous difficulty implementing even simple QoL changes to.

Really, really not a good MMO engine. 

Yet there isn't a single good Unreal mmorpg at the market and the ones there are have even worse performance issues than GW2. Maybe AoC proves us otherwise 

[Ashantara.8731]

On 3/18/2023 at 5:05 AM, TheQuickFox.3826 said:

It looks like ANet is looking for Unreal Engine 4/5 developers for an unannounced project. In the past, ArenaNet was looking for new devs with experience with major console systems. But this was before NCSOFT intervened at ArenaNet, cancelled unannounced projects and fired many people from the studio.

I think you got the timeline mixed up. The big layoff was years before they were recruting UE5-savvy developers.

And since the announced project is still a thing, it is save to assume that they are actively developing a new game. I only wish they wouldn't keep it such a secret -- if it is a new GW title, I surely hope it won't be a console-based game (I hate those controls), and it would also explain why GW2 is no longer going to receive big content updates. 

On 3/18/2023 at 7:36 PM, Luijtjuh.5964 said:

Given the fact they're looking for animation and narrative programmers, I believe you can rule out any GW3 development, as those roles would only be brought in a lot later in the project.

Didn't the job application ad mention a "reknowned IP"? What other game than one set in the GW universe could it be?

Edited March 21, 2023 by Ashantara.8731

[Ashen.2907]

9 minutes ago, Ashantara.8731 said:

Didn't the job application ad mention a "reknowned IP"? What other game than one set in the GW universe could it be?

Perhaps NCSoft purchased an IP and is having ANet develop a game for it. Narnia Online is on its way!

[Healix.5819]

57 minutes ago, Ashantara.8731 said:

The big layoff was years before they were recruting UE5-savvy developers.

It was UE4 back then. They weren't even trying to hide it back then, the job listing outright said it was a new online fantasy action RPG.

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

Realistically, they have to develop another game in order to keep the company around. In the long term this will likely result in this game receiving increased funding from the other game; this is an established platform and they're not going to abandon it and they've said they have no plans to abandon it as well.

 

This also means the other game likely isn't an MMO, as it would provide competition to themselves. If we're lucky, we'll get a single-player or multi-player game set in this universe. I also imagine that at this point ArenaNet is aiming to make something other than an MMO just so they have increased developer downtime, as genres like FPS, RTS, etc. are easier to develop and maintain long-term.

 

I'd say the most likely candidate would be a first-person adventure game set in Tyria, as they've hinted about wanting to develop this kind of thing before but not having the resources for it.

 

Let's just hope they've dropped the fascination with mobile platforms. It was a fad, everyone is over it and from what i've seen no one really plays mobile games anymore because they have horrible controls (touchscreens just aren't meant for gaming). They're only useful for wasting time for a while.

 

I also find a console game unlikely as consoles haven't been doing well for quite some time and the cheapest console to target is currently the Steam Deck which is basically a PC anyway.

Edited March 22, 2023 by SoftFootpaws.9134

[Gibson.4036]

1 hour ago, SoftFootpaws.9134 said:

Realistically, they have to develop another game in order to keep the company around. In the long term this will likely result in this game receiving increased funding from the other game; this is an established platform and they're not going to abandon it and they've said they have no plans to abandon it as well.

 

This also means the other game likely isn't an MMO, as it would provide competition to themselves. If we're lucky, we'll get a single-player or multi-player game set in this universe. I also imagine that at this point ArenaNet is aiming to make something other than an MMO just so they have increased developer downtime, as genres like FPS, RTS, etc. are easier to develop and maintain long-term.

 

I'd say the most likely candidate would be a first-person adventure game set in Tyria, as they've hinted about wanting to develop this kind of thing before but not having the resources for it.

 

Let's just hope they've dropped the fascination with mobile platforms. It was a fad, everyone is over it and from what i've seen no one really plays mobile games anymore because they have horrible controls (touchscreens just aren't meant for gaming). They're only useful for wasting time for a while.

 

I also find a console game unlikely as consoles haven't been doing well for quite some time and the cheapest console to target is currently the Steam Deck which is basically a PC anyway.

If they go with an RPG, I very much hope they make it multiplayer like D:OS.

[Astralporing.1957]

16 hours ago, Ashantara.8731 said:

Didn't the job application ad mention a "reknowned IP"? What other game than one set in the GW universe could it be?

There have been leaks about NCSoft having a deal with Sony about developing Horizon MMO for them, and there are suspicions among some that this job was given to Anet. That would definitely qualify for being a widely recognized IP. Notice, though, that any mentions of what the hirings might be for (apart from it being an "unannounced project"), from what i see are no longer present in job descriptions, and that the original suspicions were unproven and not based on anything more concrete.

[roederich.2716]

There where rumors in november about a new mmo in horizon universe made by sony&ncsoft. Could be ncsoft assigned anet to work on that.

[Ashantara.8731]

48 minutes ago, roederich.2716 said:

There where rumors in november about a new mmo in horizon universe made by sony&ncsoft. Could be ncsoft assigned anet to work on that.

Ah well, whatever the project, I hope it will be lucrative so that ANet can hire more devs for GW2 again. The current state is worrying.

[kharmin.7683]

1 hour ago, Ashantara.8731 said:

Ah well, whatever the project, I hope it will be lucrative so that ANet can hire more devs for GW2 again. The current state is worrying.

From a business perspective, it might be that any new project that becomes lucrative would be granted the most dev support over a 10 year old game which might be time to put on ice.  /shrug

[mythical.6315]

3 hours ago, Astralporing.1957 said:

There have been leaks about NCSoft having a deal with Sony about developing Horizon MMO for them, and there are suspicions among some that this job was given to Anet.

Because GW2 is doing so well… There are better options available. That would be like deciding to make a live action film of The Last Airbender and letting someone like M Night Shyamalan direct it. 

Edited March 22, 2023 by mythical.6315

[Ryuk.6840]

21 hours ago, Ashantara.8731 said:

Didn't the job application ad mention a "reknowned IP"? What other game than one set in the GW universe could it be?

Well if some companies have millions to spent , they can repeat the same model as "Defiance" (series + game) for the next 10 years. They can spent money "hiring" existing companies  , which are experienced to create single-player games to expand their universe .  Our own devs can benefit from three-four contracts .

And who knows ... maybe after 10 years the million-dollar-company can  see their craze in their IP and create an mmo , while the rest of the companies stagnate with ideas

The future looks like , very grimdark (lore/parody)

Edited March 22, 2023 by Ryuk.6840

[HotDelirium.7984]

9 hours ago, Astralporing.1957 said:

There have been leaks about NCSoft having a deal with Sony about developing Horizon MMO for them, and there are suspicions among some that this job was given to Anet. That would definitely qualify for being a widely recognized IP. Notice, though, that any mentions of what the hirings might be for (apart from it being an "unannounced project"), from what i see are no longer present in job descriptions, and that the original suspicions were unproven and not based on anything more concrete.

Not to poop on Anet but you expect them to make an MMO containing the Horizon IP that gives full fan service?! Have you played Guild Wars 2? lol They have enough problems with just servicing us Gw2! Talented people but managed horribly.

[HotDelirium.7984]

8 hours ago, kharmin.7683 said:

From a business perspective, it might be that any new project that becomes lucrative would be granted the most dev support over a 10 year old game which might be time to put on ice.  /shrug

You meant a 10year old game that's never been given the support it deserves which would make it a lucrative and competitive MMO but they just don't invest nor advertise it enough to take it to the levels it has the potential to go.

Edited March 22, 2023 by HotDelirium.7984

[Linken.6345]

7 hours ago, HotDelirium.7984 said:

You meant a 10year old game that's never been given the support it deserves which would make it a lucrative and competitive MMO but they just don't invest nor advertise it enough to take it to the levels it has the potential to go.

Well the failed esports try certainly did not help.

[Astralporing.1957]

13 hours ago, HotDelirium.7984 said:

Not to poop on Anet but you expect them to make an MMO containing the Horizon IP that gives full fan service?! Have you played Guild Wars 2? lol They have enough problems with just servicing us Gw2! Talented people but managed horribly.

I did mention that rumours that have been going around are not based on anything concrete beyond "NCSoft will be doing it" and "Anet belongs to NCSoft", didn't i. 

However, if they are indeed doing it, it would qualify for a "widely recognized IP". Not that it is the only opportunity for doing a game based on "widely recognized IP" without it having to be Guild Wars franchise. After all, noone said it was necessarily a widely recognized MMORPG IP. Could be anything, basically - even a Barbie game or a3d battle Tetris 😛

Edited March 23, 2023 by Astralporing.1957

[Bloodstealer.5978]

While that is certainly true for me as well.. Guild Wars has been a part of my gaming life for almost 20years now i guess, so to see it gone would be mean having to fill a big hole.

That said though if there were no other plans to push forward as a studio then where would that leave GW2 anyways.. I think we can all agree that putting a thumb to the air and hoping for a kind wind to keep blowing for an ageing product to keep riding is going to fail at some point so like the studio, we kinda have to hope that these new ideas do yield a stream of revenue to keep them and us suitably occupied for the foreseeable future.

As for a GW2 - - > GW3 expansion . I am pretty sure many of us thought there was nothing in the pipe then until we were all pleasantly suprised. I guess we just have to trust in fate 🙂

 

[Danikat.8537]

Just a reminder that while 10 years is a long time for a conventional video game to be supported the same logic doesn't apply to MMOs and there's no reason Anet has to give up on GW2 just because it's 'old'. Ultima Online is coming up on 26 years old and still getting updates. I think Everquest and Runescape are still going too, but I'm not sure of the specifics.

Of course many MMOs don't even last 10 years, but as far as I know none have shut down simply because the developers decided it's time to stop supporting it and move on to something else.

[Urud.4925]

Isn't it for the MMO of Horizon: Zero Dawn? That's an old news.