Singularity 6 is a new-ish startup that's worth keeping an eye on, as it's creating some kind of multiplayer/MMO game with a focus that's not, as it usually is, on player vs. player or player vs. environment or guild vs. guild competition. Specifically:
Singularity 6 was founded in 2018 by Aidan Karabaich and Anthony Leung, former leads at Riot Games, the company behind “League of Legends.” The company hasn’t spelled out exactly what it’s working on but says its first game will be a community-simulation environment that emphasizes multiplayer and virtual community building in a “stylized, high-fantasy world.”
Karabaich told Variety last fall that the Singularity 6 simulation is influenced by games including “Animal Crossing,” “Stardew Valley” and “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.”
“We started Singularity 6 because we knew that games are significant on a personal level, they are more than mere entertainment, but rather a path to community, friendships and a real sense of belonging,” Leung, who serves as Singularity 6’s CEO, said in a statement.
Judging by the games they mention as inspirations, they're working on a title with more focus on cultivation, resource management, and exploration, than raw conflict. Which would be a wonderful relief. Then again, I'm a touch skeptical based on their background:
After spending a large part of the year formalizing our vision and building a stellar team of industry vets from Riot, Zynga and Activision Blizzard, we're finally ready to share our ideas.
Riot, Zynga and Activision Blizzard have made many great games, but none of them have a great reputation for building great community experiences within them. (Great real world communities who are mutual fans of these games, sure.) But I'm happy to be proven wrong, and can't wait to see what they're creating. Follow them on Twitter here.
Hat tip: Reddit's /MMORPG virtual community, which has a good thread on the topic.
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