The year 2009 has just ended. Even though we are still in our infancy, we at OMG have decided to hand out a number of Awards to honour the most worthy titles of the year. We have taken a broad approach in order to truly reward all aspects and all excellence of the MMORPG world. Although the past year has not been very positive for MMORPGs, surely it could have been worse. Contrasting the failure of Warhammer, Aion, Champions Online and Darkfall with critics and public are the excellent results of Free Realms and Runes of Magic, besides the great promise of Love. Best Graphic Love Even if only the pay-to- play Alpha has been published, this game affirms itself as one of the most revolutionary visual experiences across the videogaming panorama. Mini Fighter From Korea, this beat’em up has proven already in the Closed Beta to be a game with a solid gameplay derived from years of enhancements and updates on the Korean version, which has been open for several years. Its launch has confirmed the wide variety that makes it an excellent title for both the casual and the hardcore player. Best COAG Haven and Hearth Seatribe is only composed of two guys, java programmers, graphic artists, audio technicians, community managers and engineers. Their Haven and Hearth is an example of how a ‘dream’, combined to a lot of passion and dedication can be enough to create something fun and playable by everyone. Best Indie MMO Aion NCSoft hit hard with the marketing campaign and the hype for this game. As expected, it has met with much success in Italy and elsewhere. Best Marketing Free Realms A devastating success for Free Realms this year: millions of children and adults have shared some fun in a safe and colourful context, perfect in every aspect for the younger ones. Best Kid-Oriented MMO League of Legends Riot Games had the difficult task of having to compete with a F2P product against a free game (DotA), while remaining more affordable than a B2P (Heroes of Newerth, soon to be released). It did so with a very original, balanced and competitive item shop. Best Business Model Warhammer Online They had it all: a fanbase, a huge licence, the largest budget for the development of an MMO in the West, advertising everywhere, an expert team. The launch was not exceptional, but it was the launch of the free expansion which gave the game the coup de grace. A game that could have blown everyone away, now struggles to move forward. Best Massive suicide Best Improvement Runes of Magic Since it was released, thistitle has had an impressive volume of updates. New dungeons, 2 new classes, the tower defence game and many new equip in a relatively short time span make up for structuraldefects with quantity. Eskil Steenberg Love, his One-Man MMO is in Alpha and the genius of this bizarre character has revealed itself. Raph Koster was not awarded the prize for abandoning the MetaPlace project, which had been promising but not profitable. Best MMO Developer Hello Kitty Online A phenomenal licence, a good implementation and a great care for detail make this the best social MMO of the year, although it will probably give its best in the near future. Best Social MMO Best MMO Journalist Richard Aioshi His column on Mmorpg. com each week draws tens of thousands of readers thanks to opinions and analysis primarily on the world of the F2P. Free Realms Success with critics, success with public, success with media (at least in America), perfect marketing and a definitely sustained pace of improvement make this one of the very few AAA games released this year that can confidently say they are doing well. Best MMORPG
1. Best GraphicBest MarketingLoveAionEven if only the
pay-to-The year 2009 has justNCSoft hit hard withplay Alpha has
been ended. Even though we are the marketing published, this game
campaign and the still in our infancy, we at OMG affirms itself as
one of hype for this game. As the most revolutionary have decided
to hand out aexpected, it has met visual experiences across the
videogamingnumber of Awards to honour with much success in Italy
and elsewhere. panorama.the most worthy titles of the Best
Kid-Oriented MMO Best COAG year. We have taken a broadFree Realms
Mini Fighter approach in order to trulyA devastating success From
Korea, thisreward all aspects and allfor Free Realms this beatem up
has year: millions of proven already in theexcellence of the
MMORPGchildren and adults Closed Beta to be a world. Although the
past yearhave shared some fun game with a solid has not been very
positive for in a safe and colourful context, perfect in every
gameplay derived from years of enhancements and updates on the
Korean version, which has MMORPGs, surely it could aspect for the
younger ones. been open for several years. Its launch has have been
worse. Contrasting Best Massive suicide confirmed the wide variety
that makes it an the failure of Warhammer,Warhammer Online
excellent title for both the casual and the Aion, Champions Online
and They had it all: a hardcore player.fanbase, a huge Darkfall
with critics and publiclicence, the largest Best Business Model are
the excellent results of budget for theLeague of LegendsFree Realms
and Runes of development of anRiot Games had theMMO in the West,
advertising everywhere, andifficult task of having Magic, besides
the greatexpert team. The launch was not exceptional,to compete
with a F2P promise of Love.but it was the launch of the free
expansionproduct against a free which gave the game the coup de
grace. Agame (DotA), while game that could have blown everyone
away, remaining more affordable than a B2P (HeroesBest Indie MMO
now struggles to move forward. of Newerth, soon to be released). It
did so with Haven and Hearth a very original, balanced and
competitive item Seatribe is only Best Social MMO shop.composed of
two Hello Kitty Onlineguys, javaA phenomenal Best Improvement
programmers, graphiclicence, a good Runes of Magic artists,
audioimplementation and a Since it was released,technicians,
community managers andgreat care for detail thistitle has had
anengineers. Their Haven and Hearth is anmake this the best
impressive volume ofexample of how a dream, combined to a lot
social MMO of the year, although it will updates. Newof passion and
dedication can be enough toprobably give its best in the near
future. dungeons, 2 new create something fun and playable by
classes, the tower defence game and manyeveryone. Best MMORPG new
equip in a relatively short time span make Best MMO Developer Free
Realms up for structuraldefects with quantity.Success with
critics,Eskil Steenberg Best MMO Journalistsuccess with
public,Love, his One-Mansuccess with mediaRichard AioshiMMO is in
Alpha and(at least in America),His column on the genius of
thisperfect marketing andMmorpg. com eachbizarre character hasa
definitely sustainedweek draws tens ofrevealed itself. Raph pace of
improvement make this one of thethousands of readers Koster was not
awarded the prize forthanks to opinions very few AAA games released
this year that abandoning the MetaPlace project, which and analysis
primarily on the world of the F2P. had been promising but not
profitable.can confidently say they are doing well.