Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies vet tells me the theme park 'assembly line' MMO just isn't viable anymore, especially as dev costs spike: 'We hit the wall'

The Assembly Line Model is Failing for Modern MMOs, Says Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies Veteran

Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies veteran Raph Koster has shared his thoughts on the current state of the MMO genre, particularly the challenges of the so-called "theme park" model. As development costs continue to rise, Koster believes the traditional assembly line approach—where static content is created in bulk and released in large chunks—is no longer sustainable. In fact, he says the industry has "hit the wall" when it comes to this model.

Koster, who worked on Ultima Online and served as the creative director for Star Wars Galaxies, is currently developing his own MMO, Stars Reach, which aims to break away from the theme park model and return to the more dynamic, player-driven world of sandbox-style games. He sees the current MMO landscape as being dominated by the "kill 10 rats" formula, a gameplay style that originated in 1991 with text-based MUDs.

The Legacy of Sandbox MMOs

Despite the dominance of the static, content-driven model, Koster argues that sandbox MMOs have had a far greater impact on the broader video game industry. He points out that many of the mechanics we take for granted today—like crafting, decorating houses, and raising pets—originated in sandbox MMOs.

Koster even jokes about the ubiquity of crafting mechanics, noting that it's now so common that it's hard to avoid. "I apologize for crafting," he says, "because now it's everywhere, and you can't avoid it, and it seems to be largely my fault."

The Cost Crisis in MMO Development

The issue, according to Koster, is that the assembly line model of creating static content is no longer viable. Studios are spending millions of dollars to create content that becomes obsolete in just a few months. This model, while profitable for some, leads to a situation where studios are creating more content than players can consume, and the returns on investment are diminishing.

Koster points out that the cost of game development has increased tenfold every decade, and this trend is not sustainable. He cites a few key examples to illustrate the point: Ultima Online in 1997 cost around $2 million, while Star Wars Galaxies in 2003 cost between $10 and $12 million. World of Warcraft in 2004, by contrast, cost over $63 million, and Star Wars: The Old Republic has reportedly exceeded $200 million in development costs.

With these staggering numbers, it's no wonder that fewer MMOs are being developed. The high costs and diminishing returns make the genre a risky investment for studios, especially when the market is saturated with similar games.

A Bored and Jaded Playerbase

Koster also believes that the MMO playerbase has grown bored and frustrated with the current state of the genre. Players feel like their hobby is no longer being supported by the industry, and many have grown jaded as a result.

He acknowledges that changing this perception is a tall order, but he hopes that Stars Reach can provide a fresh take on the genre. "People are still people, right, but they do react based on what they're offered and what's available," he says. "For a very long time, the scope of what's available has narrowed down."

With rising development costs and a playerbase that feels underserved, the future of the MMO genre is uncertain. But for Raph Koster, the goal is clear: to create a game that breaks away from the static, content-driven model and offers something truly new.