There are many franchises and genres that are ripe for the picking when it comes to MMO creation. We give you our list for the top 10 MMO's we'd like to see.

Sometimes, game developers and their publishers miss a trick. There are plenty of franchises and genres ripe for turning into MMOs that never seem to get made. Our prayers were answered when the Warhammer and Star Trek games were announced, but these are a drop in the ocean compared to the others we're still waiting for. So, without further ado, I present to you:

The Top 10 MMOs We'd Like To See

10. A Discworld MMO
Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels have had a number of graphic adventures based on them, but never an MMO. The Discworld - a magical disc-shaped world carried on the back of a giant turtle - would translate well into such a game, as it comes complete with a huge variety of locations and characters. Pratchett's humour would also translate well into such a setting, as some MMOs still take themselves far too seriously. Existing concepts and rivalries from the books could be turned into quests, and with the novels topping the UK best-seller lists every time they're released, I can't be the only one interested in such a game.

9. Planetside 2
The original Planetside had a lot of potential, but didn't live up to its early hype. It simply didn't offer enough new features or gameplay mechanics over other first-person-shooters to make it worth a subscription fee. The horrendous patch delays early in the game's life didn't help, which may have contributed to the loss of early subscribers. However, there are plenty of FPS fans out there and precious few MMOs suited to them, so maybe the time's right for a sequel. If SOE can sort out the problems that plagued the first game and include some of the features dropped from it in the sequel, they could create something really special.

Planetside had a lot of potential.

8. Privateer
Ok, you've got me - Jumpgate Evolution could fill this hole when it's released in June, but there's not a lot out there for spaceflight junkies right now. Sure, the original Jumpgate is still going and there's EVE Online to consider, but JG's showing its age and EVE's a point-and-click game where you don't get to manually fly your ship. I loved Elite back in the 80s and playing the Privateer games only served to increase my desire for a spaceflight MMO. However, since a Privateer MMO looks unlikely - with EA dropping the series like a bad habit - JGE will have years of expectation to live up to when it launches later this year.

7. Grand Theft Auto
I've loved the GTA games since they debuted in 1997 and an online version would seem like a natural progression for the series. However, Rockstar Games apparently disagree, refusing to develop such an MMO in the face of popular opinion. Fortunately, as with my wish for a Privateer MMO, an alternative exists in the form of All Points Bulletin. APB comes from Crackdown developers Realtime Worlds, based just 60 miles up the road from Rockstar North. If APB turns out to be a hit, Rockstar will only have themselves to blame for missing this opportunity.

6. A Console MMO
Consoles have had precious few MMOs released for them, and those that have seen the light of day have been ports of their PC-based counterparts. As a result, I believe we've not had a true console MMO and it's about time that we did. GTA and Planetside seem ideally suited for the task, but with most console-specific titles being scrapped, will we ever see a true console MMO? Our best chance of getting one may be from NCsoft, which announced it would be developing for the PS3 back in 2007. The company has yet to give specific details of what they're working on, but since they're currently looking for a console programmer, there may still be hope.

5. Pokémon
Yes, I know, you've heard this one before. However, you've heard it before because it's a good idea. Not all MMOs need to be grown up (many these days aren't ) and Pokémon is still a hugely popular franchise around the world. I won't pretend there wouldn't be problems to overcome in turning Pokémon into an MMO, but the potential rewards for success would be enormous. The series has dabbled with the internet in recent years, allowing Pokémon to be traded and battle online, but no amount of this can make up for us missing out on a proper online game. Unfortunately, we'll probably never get one. Nintendo has been vocal about its disdain for online games in the past and the company's not exactly known for its PC games. In other words, while this is a game that we'll keep lusting after, we'll probably never get to play it.

Unofficial Pokémon MMOs exist, but how long will it be before they're shut down?

4. Wild West Steampunk
Remember the movie Wild Wild West? Well, pump that full of steroids and throw in a touch of Arcanum and you should have an idea of what I'm on about here. Both genres are under-represented in video games and even more so in MMOs, unless you count Japanese steampunk (which I don't). Imagine a Wild West setting including fantastical weaponry, stompy mech-suits and a train network for travelling long distances. Add in some environments not traditionally found in westerns, to stop things from getting boring, and you have a game that I'd pick up on day one.

3. A Racing MMO
Like the FPS, this is another genre of game that has been tried before but didn't really take off. There are already some dedicated online racing games out at the moment, but nothing that you'd describe as a triple-A title. Test Drive Unlimited might have contained a semi-persistent world, but it was more of a single / multi-player game with this element bolted on. Hopefully Need For Speed: World Online will be what racing fans are looking for, although we may have to wait a while as Asian gamers will get to play it first.

2. Resident Evil
Left 4 Dead proved how much fun you can have in a multi-player zombie game, so why not take it a step further? If the enemy types from Resident Evil were expanded and an MMO version of the game marketed towards adults, it could do very well for itself. Add in some stat development for characters, different strengths and types of weapon and you've got yourself a game. Adding enough environments to keep things varied wouldn't be an issue, as the RE series has a history of globetrotting. Different areas of the game world wouldn't have to be geographically next to each other (e.g. the different planets in SWG), with other locations being accessed via boats or helicopter.

Resident Evil already has co-op, so why not make an MMO?

1. Warhammer 40,000
Warhammer Online's success (if it can still be called that ) has proved one thing: it's possible to turn Games Workshop's creations into MMOs. Now that Warhammer itself is out of the way, let's hope that THQ turns its attention towards making the Warhammer 40,000 MMO that it has the rights to. For those who don't know, Warhammer 40,000 (or "40K") is set in the distant future, with Humans, Elves (in the form of the Eldar), Orks and various other races featuring heavily. Ground units in the 40K universe range from normal foot-troops to giant "Titan" mechs, over 40 meters tall, allowing for some truly intense battles. The prospect of including Titans - as well as the possibility of spaceflight - would make creating a 40K MMO a daunting prospect, but if it's done right then its potential could be massive. That is, unless Blizzard's already working on World of Starcraft...

The editorial you've just read contains views that are the opinion of the author and not necessarily the views of ZAM.com

Sam "azerian" Maxted
Editor
ZAM.com