Massive multiplayer games to get even bigger

Beyond orcs
In addition to the tried and true formulas, some developers are hoping to expand their audiences by going for nontraditional concepts and formats.

"Huxley":  The first-person shooter has long been a staple of online gaming. "Huxley" will move these fast-action player vs. player battles into a persistent world where gamers will fight for control of the land. A variety of weapons and vehicles will be available to players as they try to secure energy sources and wipe out the enemy.

This concept has been tried before with Sony Online Entertainment's "Planetside," but "Huxley" will be available on PCs and the Xbox 360. Because the PC's mouse and keyboard is inherently faster than the Xbox controls, designers say, the game will try to level the playing field. Webzen says "Huxley" will be released sometime in 2007.

"Project Wiki":  Geared toward younger audiences, Wiki is billed as a casual role-playing game based on a fairy-tale world. Gameplay will encourage cooperative interaction, the developers say.

Webzen Players battle against a “boss mob” in a screenshot from “Project Wiki.”

The graphics are definitely more cutesy than any other title in the genre, resembling a pre-schooler’s cartoon more than a computer game. The game makers hope this will attract the female and pre-teen audience. The developers say they are looking into adding safety features to help protect against online predators. Developer Webzen says the game is still in the test-marketing phase and did not have a projected release date.

"Test Drive Unlimited": Massively multiplayer online driving? Yes it's true. Atari will combine the ubiquitous car racing game with a persistent online world. In addition to buying and customizing cars and motorcycles, players will also be able to customize the character behind the wheel.

Atari Motorcycles and sports cars race through the streets of Oahu in "Test Drive Unlimited."

Set on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, drivers will be able to navigate city and rural streets (and even go off the roads), shop for vehicles and clothes, and challenge other players to races. Gamers will also be able to create their own courses and upload them to other players. Atari says additional content will be available for download in the future. The game will be available for the Xbox 360, Playstation2, PSP and PC this fall.

Not quite as massive
Not every upcoming multiplayer game will be set in a large persistent world. Several online-only titles will focus on battle-by-battle gameplay.

"America’s Army: Special Forces (Overmatch)":  The first-person shooter game developed by the U.S. Army will get an overhaul this summer. The new content will feature missions and weapons based on current events.

When the game was first developed, it was made by non-veterans, said Major Jason Amerine. "But now, all the subject matter experts are people who have rotated back from Afghanistan or Iraq," he said. Amerine, who was in Afghanistan as part of the initial U.S. invasion, is one of several soldiers who will be featured in the game as part of the "Real Heroes" program. Many of the new weapons in the game will be based on actual simulators used by the military. The new content is set for release by the end of summer.

"Enemy Territory: Quake Wars":  For the first time in the ten-year history of the "Quake" series, gamers will be able to play the alien enemy in objective-based 24-player battles. Unlike most first-person shooters, the two sides won't be clones of each other. Each race will have unique classes and powers, Id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead said. "Quake Wars" is expected to be released this fall.

"Battlefield 2142": The hand-to-hand combat of the "Battlefield" series jumps into the future with the latest installment. Gamers will have access to new sci-fi weapons and scenarios in 64-player matches. Characters will level up, much like in persistent world games, as stats follow the players from game to game. "Battlefield 2142" is scheduled to hit store shelves at the end of the year.

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