Much hype has been poured into the new MMO on the block, Defiance. Defiance the video game is an open world shooter MMO developed by Trion Worlds that will feature crossover elements with the TV show of the same name. Both forms of Defiance have already released, with the video game out for purchase and the TV show just starting. A lot of hope is being pinned on the possibilities of the crossover project by the people behind it. This article is looking to see how this will ultimately be a failed experiment.
5) No Subscription Fee
Without a subscription fee, the Defiance MMO won’t garner enough money to convince developers to stick with the game. The whole subscription mechanic, while a total hindrance to some gamers, is what makes World Of Warcraft so financially sound and why Square-Enix still want to put effort into FFXIV. The continuous stream of money not only makes the developers happy, but it will also inevitably go back into the game, allowing for more updates and patches to make the game better. Without this, the game doesn’t hold much hope of lasting.
4) Unknown Game Developer
Let’s face it, if Blizzard had been behind this Defiance MMO, it would have most likely been a massive success. Not just in terms of getting the MMO aspect right, but also in terms of pedigree. Blizzard has a ton of fans that will flock to its newest game, whatever it may be. Such a big name to back an ambitious title like Defiance would have probably worked wonders. Trion Worlds on the other hand, have only one real noteworthy game to their name, Rift. While that game was met with generally positive reviews, it is no where near the level of Blizzard games. For me, this has all the signs that Defiance the video game won’t last long.
3) Minimal Crossover
While much has been said of the potential of crossover between the video game and the TV show, where events in the video game will affect things in the TV show and vice-versa, it has been made clearer that such crossovers would be minimal in season 1 of Defiance. This seems like a pointless venture then. Sure, by season 2 there may be some huge crossover events, but this game needs to get off the ground with a bang. So does the TV show for that matter. It’s essentially a gamble now on the gamers part whether what happens in the Defiance video game world will ever have an impact in the TV show.
2) Defiance The Video Game Is Bad
Most damaging to the potential crossover is the fact that Defiance the MMO video game is just not that good a game. The quest structure and story in the game are bad by many accounts. For a game that wants to tie its story in with a TV show, that is a very big misstep. There’s not much of an MMO feel to it too. There isn’t a great social aspect to the game, making it almost pointless as a MMO. MMO’s thrive on that social connection, to push that to the side just diminishes the value of the game.
1) Too Expensive
Creating a proper crossover project between video games and TV shows is an expensive endeavor. Think about it, both sides would need to be on their toes and prepare for a number of variable outcomes instead of striving forward knowing full well what it is trying to set out and achieve. Plans can’t be finalized until an outcome is assured, and rushing to then finish those plans will undoubtedly cost more. Such a cost burden will ultimately lead to less support for a crossover.