For a generation of gamers, the pixelated landscapes and text-based adventures of early MMOs hold a special place in nostalgia. Studios like CipSoft were pioneers, carving a path for the online worlds we explore today. After a nearly three-decade hiatus from the genre, CipSoft – the minds behind the long-running fantasy MMO Tibia – has announced their return with a brand new title:Persist Online.
This time, however, CipSoft is trading in swords and sorcery for a more modern brand of mayhem. Persist Online takes players to a harrowing post-apocalyptic world overrun by the undead. Described as a “true, old-school MMORPG, ” Persist Online promises to recapture the essence of those early online experiences – but with a decidedly more macabre twist.
Gone are the days of casting spells and wielding magical weapons. Persist Online equips players with a grittier arsenal:firearms, baseball bats, and anything else they can scavenge to survive the relentless hordes. The focus, according to CipSoft, is on offering “the greatest possible freedom” within a persistent online world teeming with hundreds of players.
This emphasis on freedom hints at a return to the open-ended exploration that defined early MMOs. Players can likely expect to forge their own path in the desolate world of Persist Online, forging alliances, engaging in player-versus-player combat, or simply trying to stay alive in a world gone mad.
Details on specific gameplay mechanics and features remain scarce at this point. However, CipSoft has revealed that Persist Online began as a passion project by a small team within the studio. This grassroots development has now blossomed into a full-fledged project with a dedicated team of fourteen developers.
The announcement of Persist Online is sure to send shivers down the spines of veteran MMO players who fondly remember CipSoft’s pioneering efforts in the genre. Whether Persist Online can capture the magic of those early days while offering a compelling modern experience remains to be seen. One thing’s for certain:the return of CipSoft to the MMO scene marks a significant moment in online gaming history.
