Many people have been waiting after them, they're (slowly) coming to fruition. The independent MMOs currently in development promise innovative mechanics (extremely large-scale battles, polymorphing, single shard servers, etc.) and also old-school features. 12 indie MMORPGs seem more promising / popular, and I've made a list with them, here it is:
Dual Universe [Beta]
Setting: Science-Fiction || Focus: PvP || Budget: ~$25M* || Engine: Unigine 2
- Single shard persistent universe shared by all the players
- Voxel-based universe: player-made cities, stations and warships
- Space warfare: pirate ships, coordinated attacks, skirmishes
- Player-controlled global economy: mine, craft, build, optimize, barter and trade
Gloria Victis [Beta]
Setting: Medieval Realistic || Focus: PvP || Budget: ~$4M* || Engine: Unity 5
- Skill-based combat mechanics à la Mount and Blade
- Class-less system with diversified equipment
- Open world with housing, territory control and sieges
- Complex crafting system: leatherworking, armorsmithing, weapon forging
Crowfall [Beta]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus: PvP || Budget: $38M || Engine: Unity 5
- Spiritual successor to Shadowbane
- Player-created worlds with parcels of terrain and pre-fab building pieces
- GvG/RvR campaigns that guilds or factions can win
- Deep crafting system inspired by Star Wars: Galaxies
Camelot Unchained [Beta]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus: RvR || Budget: ~$20M || Engine: Unchained
- Spiritual successor to Dark Age of Camelot
- Large-scale RvR battles and sieges with more than a thousand players
- Open world with islands that players can move to strategically reshape the world
- Block-by-block construction with server-side stability and destruction
Valiance Online [Beta]
Setting: Superhero || Focus: PvE/PvP || Budget: $? || Engine: Unity 5
- Spiritual successor to City of Heroes
- Players are heroes and villains who battle using superhuman powers and advanced technology
- An open world environment tied to character choices
- Players run stores and a decentralized market system
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen [Pre-Alpha]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus: PvE || Budget: $? || Engine: Unity 5
- Spiritual successor to EverQuest
- Deeply social: dungeons require teamwork and group strategy
- Thrilling climbing system
- Perception system: the world reveals its secrets through the environment
Ashes of Creation [Alpha]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus: PvP/PvE || Budget: ~$30M* || Engine: Unreal 4
- Nodes system: player participation influences the type of content in the surrounding areas
- Open world housing: players have the ability to survey and develop land anywhere in the world
- Castle sieges with hundreds of players with many moving parts
- Harsh, unforgiving and stunning environment
Star Citizen [Alpha]
Setting: Science-Fiction || Focus: PvP || Budget: $348M || Engine: Lumberyard
- Spiritual successor to Freelancer
- Procedurally generated and handcrafted stunning worlds
- Open world PvP with high speed dog fights with multi-crew ships or intense FPS warfare
- Exploration: hidden outpost, abandoned ships and beautiful sunsets
Project Gorgon [Beta]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus: PvE || Budget: +$1M || Engine: Unity 5
- Exploration: many hidden secrets awaiting discovery
- Ambitious skill-based leveling system allowing the player to combine skills
- Old-school MMO with innovative ideas, such as morphing into animals
- 16 combat skills, 71 trade skills, 11 beasts skills
Corepunk [Alpha]
Setting: Cyberpunk || Focus: PvE/PvP || Budget: $? || Unity 5
- Seamless open world with top-down view and fog of war
- Explore the world, participate in trading, complete dungeons, or engage in PvP battles
- Day / night cycles as well as weather conditions
- Flexible character customization with a wide variety of builds
Mortal Online 2 [Beta]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus: PvP || Budget: $? || Engine: Unreal 4
- Open and realistic sandbox world
- True, real-time combat where outcomes are decided by skill rather than levels or gear
- Legendary crafters trading across the globe, famous warriors studying the art of combat
- Individual reputation: people will recognize you by the impact you've made on the world
Rise Online [Alpha]
Setting: Medieval Fantasy || Focus PvP/PvE || Budget: $? || Engine: Unreal 4
- Spiritual successor to Knight Online
- Full PvP-based maps and events
- PvE content like missions, creatures and bosses that take several groups to defeat
- An endless war between two kingdoms
Cross post. *Personal estimate, may be inaccurate
Feel free to suggest improvements to this post!
