An MMO might seem like a huge risk for a brand new studio’s first ever game, but with Citadel Studio’s pedigree, it makes perfect sense. Founded by Ultima Online, Dark Age of Camelot and Warhammer Online devs, it would be stranger if Citadel wasn’t jumping head first into the realm of MMOs.
The inaugural title from this new studio, Shards, takes inspiration from Ultima Online, building on that stalwart foundation to create an online sandbox, where players can customise their experience. Citadel’s goal? “To change the face of player collaboration forever.” Ambitious, then.
“We left our soul-crushing, corporate jobs to make the games we’d actually play,” said Derek Brinkmann, founder and CEO of Citadel Studios. “As we started our first project and experimented with concepts, we discovered ways we could share our passion for creating living worlds with gamers themselves. Ultimately the community will dictate what Shards becomes, because we’re not just providing a game but also a platform for players to express their creativity.”
Citadel Studios wants to eschew the nickle and diming that it believes has become indicative of modern online games, providing a rich universe with deep lore and empowering players without asking them to constantly dip into their wallets.
Shards promises an expanding universe to play in with dynamic environments, but what really seems to set it apart from most of its contemporaries is the modding potential. “Connect servers, create and run your own MMO, set your own rules, and play how you want to play,” Citadel proposes.
While it’s still early days, you can sign up on the Shards website for a chance to get early access while it’s still in development.