Simply two weeks on from the whole shutdown of Turtle WoW, the fan-run non-public server community for World of Warcraft, its creators have decided about what’s subsequent – and it is a huge one. “This is not the top of our journey collectively, however slightly the start of a brand new one,” the group of builders confirms. They’re forging a brand new studio collectively, Moonwhisper Video games, which can be constructing a brand new MMORPG of its very personal. Whereas that is inherently a really scary prospect, the group says it is “underneath no phantasm” concerning the challenges that lie forward.
“Over the previous few weeks, a lot of you have got been asking what comes subsequent for us after the closure of our realms. As we speak, we’re lastly able to share the reply,” Developer ‘Jamey’ writes within the group’s Discord server. The entire Turtle WoW servers have been shut down on Friday Might 15, a month after the group reached a settlement with Blizzard in a protracted authorized dispute round its use of the World of Warcraft IP. Now, the group confirms that its plan is to begin utterly contemporary, and it stays dedicated to the MMO system.
“We can be constructing one thing from the bottom up: our personal story, our personal world, and our personal IP. For a very long time, we debated what sort of sport we needed to make… What was real looking, and what wasn’t. However after seeing the farewell you gave to our realms, it grew to become clear to us what sort of sport we actually needed to create: a world the place we may sooner or later see all of you collectively once more. A sport we ourselves would need to play, and a sport we might get pleasure from creating whatever the time, dangers, and prices concerned.”
Naturally, there can be loads of skepticism – of all of the genres, MMOs are a notoriously troublesome house to interrupt into. The newly fashioned Moonwhisper Video games is nicely conscious of this. “We all know this is a gigantic endeavor. MMOs are among the many most formidable and demanding tasks in sport growth, and we’re underneath no phantasm that that is one thing that may be constructed shortly or simply.
“On the similar time, we’re not ranging from scratch utterly,” it continues. “We’ve spent years constructing MMO experiences, managing communities, creating content material, and studying each the strengths and shortcomings of the style. We all know how difficult this highway can be, however we additionally know it is a problem price taking up.”
Moonwhisper says, “Proper now, our focus is on laying the foundations: constructing the world, creating its lore and historical past, defining the core gameplay pillars, and creating the groundwork upon which every part else can be constructed. Whereas there’s nonetheless an incredible quantity of labor forward of us, we’re excited to share that journey with you and hope you will assist us alongside the way in which.” It directs anybody to a brand new X account.
The group provides that it’s at present stripping “all non-public server emulation-related content material” out of its Discord server, which can change into the house for Moonwhisper Video games shifting ahead. “We would additionally prefer it to stay a spot the place individuals can merely get pleasure from video games collectively, uncover new ones, and hold the friendships that have been fashioned right here through the years,” it concludes. “We’ve tales to inform, and you will be listening to way more from us as growth strikes ahead. Thanks.”