Looking
at the sci-fi genre in MMOs, a growing number of games dot the
starry PvP skies. While only time will tell if any of them contain
enough of the right mystical components or technological gadgetry to
propel them into the stratosphere of success, there does seem to be a
string of strong efforts being made to steer things in that direction.
In his latest love letter to the universe disguised as a weekly sci-fi
column, Reuben "Sardu" Waters takes a look at upcoming titles href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/926"
target="_blank"> style="font-style: italic;">Global Agenda,
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/806"
target="_blank"> style="font-style: italic;">Earthrise
and href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/177"
target="_blank"> style="font-style: italic;">Fallen Earth,
examining ways in which they may very well shape the new face of sci-fi
MMOs thanks to a more lore-driven, factional approach to PvP.

Dropping the PvE
backdrop altogether has proven to be equally
disastrous in some cases, a tragic tale href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/97"
target="_blank"> style="font-style: italic;">Fury
could tell quite well. True, the title’s demise could easily
be attributed to any number of core gameplay considerations, but at the
end of the day it’s equally possible that beyond the
leaderboards, reward vendors and  transitory perks, a
lore-driven framework is necessary as a means to drive continual
conflict ever forward. After all, when the drums of war all sound the
same there’s no way to distinguish one side of a conflict
from the other.

• href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/66979" target="_blank">Click
  here to read the latest episode of style="font-style: italic;">MMOs, the Final Frontier!