The world of massively multiplayer online role-playing games is always buzzing with announcements of exciting new projects. Yet, for every successful launch, there are titles that enter the spotlight with trailers and promises, only to fade into relative silence. As of May 2025, we’re taking a look at several “upcoming” MMORPGs that have seen little public activity lately. Will they still arrive? We certainly hope so!
Developing an MMO is a monumental task, and periods of quiet are expected. However, some of these games had progressed significantly, even announcing business models (free-to-play or subscription) or hinting at release windows that have since passed. While not every silent project is necessarily canceled, the lack of updates can certainly fuel speculation.
For this list, we’re focusing on games that seemed closer to release or had already generated significant hype, perhaps even undergoing testing, before going dark. We’re excluding projects like the Riot Games MMO or Ghostcrawler’s new venture, as those were announced very early in development and maintain some level of community interaction, even if major news is scarce.
Here are a few games that have us wondering about their current status:
Perfect New World
Remember the days when Perfect World International was a major force in the free-to-play MMO market? Following the legacy of that game and its spin-offs, an “action” MMO titled Perfect New World was announced a few years ago. Despite a potentially confusing name given Amazon’s New World, curiosity was high regarding this revival of the classic IP.
Billed as an action-oriented experience allowing mastery of all class skills and creature taming alongside PvP and PvE content, the game held tests in late 2023. However, reports from these tests were reportedly not overwhelmingly positive. Since then, public updates have been scarce. The game’s Steam page hasn’t seen meaningful news in roughly seven or eight months. The official website hasn’t been updated since recapping the November 2023 test (about 1.5 years ago), the Facebook page’s last post was about a year ago (February 2024), and the most recent video on its YouTube channel is roughly two years old (October 2023).
Adding to the uncertainty, Perfect World as a company faced financial challenges in 2024, including significant layoffs and project cancellations. While some reports suggested Perfect New World was still in development, unofficial communications hinted at cancellation. Curiously, the game’s Steam page did receive a minor backend update around late 2024, indicating someone is still doing something with the project internally, but public progress remains a mystery.
Chrono Odyssey
Chrono Odyssey, from Kakao Games, is a peculiar case. Technically, it maintains a presence on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and its official website, with occasional “updates.” However, these recent posts, including one as recent as April or May 2025, often merely recap past events like the February 2025 test or vaguely state that the team is working on improvements.
This game first appeared with a flashy trailer back in 2020 – a trailer that will celebrate its fifth anniversary later this year. While it’s possible the game was simply announced far too early, five years is a substantial development period. Discussions about monetization (initially planned as a box price) and Steam wishlisting occurred roughly 1.5 to 2 years ago, but concrete details or even hints of a release date have remained elusive.
While Chrono Odyssey still frequently appears on “upcoming MMO” lists, information remains sparse, despite its slightly more active social media presence compared to others on this list. We might see it someday, but its launch timeline is anyone’s guess.
ArcheAge Chronicles
The lineage of ArcheAge Chronicles is a bit convoluted. Initially known as ArcheAge 2 and announced back in 2020 (five years ago), the series creator, Jake Song, expressed high expectations and suggested a “relatively soon” release in 2022.
Since those statements, developments have been notable. Jake Song stepped down as CEO to focus on the game, and later departed the company entirely for a blockchain venture. Meanwhile, ArcheAge 2 was delayed, eventually reappearing at a Sony State of Play showcase (presumably in 2024) with a new name: ArcheAge Chronicles. This version was stated to be shifting focus away from the original’s heavy PvP emphasis towards a more PvE-centric experience and was also confirmed for consoles.
Despite being showcased relatively recently (within the last year) and a claim at the time of a 2025 release window, public updates have again slowed significantly. The game’s YouTube channel and website haven’t seen updates in roughly a year (since around May 2024), and the X account primarily shares asset art rather than substantive news. There’s still no clear release date mentioned, even on its Steam page. It’s worth noting this is the second game on this list involving Kakao Games as a publisher that has seen periods of significant public silence.
Ashfall
First unveiled in September 2022, Ashfall was presented as a post-apocalyptic shooter MMORPG blending creature designs from Chinese folklore with a ruined world, aiming for a Fallout-like MMO feel. It was planned as a free-to-play title with a mobile version. The initial reveal, however, was met with skepticism online, with many calling out rough visuals and comparing it unfavorably to mobile games.
Closed betas were held starting in July 2023, but alongside the recap of these tests (around late 2023), the team announced a delay to Summer 2024. A promise was made for another test in late 2023 or early 2024, but this never materialized.
That announcement from late 2023 or early 2024 is effectively the last public communication from the development team. The game’s YouTube channel hasn’t had new videos since October 2023, and its official website and X account share similar stagnant “last updated” dates. Among the games on this list, Ashfall seems the most likely to have been quietly discontinued, as the complete lack of communication for well over a year suggests development may have ceased.
The Lord of the Rings (Amazon Games)
Including Amazon Games’ second attempt at a Lord of the Rings MMO might be slightly premature, given they emphasized it was very early in development when announced in May 2023. This project followed the cancellation of their first LotR MMO attempt due to disagreements with Tencent.
However, when Amazon’s CEO expresses a desire for it to be the “biggest MMO out there,” and updates remain virtually non-existent for extended periods, it raises questions. An update in August 2024 stating the project was “still early” was the last significant public comment. As of May 2025, that’s been over nine months of additional silence, meaning nearly two years have passed since the initial announcement with almost no tangible news or visuals shared. While you could argue it belongs in the same category as other early, quiet projects, the ambition stated and the lack of even minor updates for such a high-profile IP make its silence particularly noticeable. Consider this an honorable mention among the quiet crowd.
Are there other “upcoming” MMORPGs you’ve been watching that seem to have disappeared? The hope remains that these projects are simply deep in development and will eventually resurface with exciting news. Until then, the waiting game continues.
