But console gaming has continued evolving. Welcome to the Skilled Channel. And today

we're talking about MMO games. Open world interaction has become an industry standard,

taking the ability to interact with others at any time from the MMO section of games.

And with titles such as Destiny pushing even more MMO aspects to the front, more gamers

than ever have has a taste of the MMO experience. It's more than just RPGs now. Here's the upcoming

MMO games in 2015 and 2016 worth keeping an eye on.

Black Desert � PC, PS4 / Final Release TBA Hailing from South Korea, Pearl Abyss' Black

Desert has made its way worldwide with a 2014 release in Korea and 2015 dates in Japan and

Russia. The game is built on the Black Desert game engine, specifically for large-scale

castle sieges and with a big world. Two nations, the Republic of Calpheon and the Kingdom of

Valencia, are in conflict in a fantasy world and you get to decide who you side with. You'll

be able to trade, craft, and siege your way to victory in this free to play MMO. Weather

and time of day will dramatically impact how the game plays at any time, and you'll be

able to parkour your way through and over different obstacles. You'll also be able to

take part in mounted combat. There will also be no loading screens while playing. Black

Desert is slated for 2016 release dates in both Europe and North America on PC, but the

developer is also engaging in ongoing discussions with Sony to potentially bring the game to

Playstation 4.

BattleCry � PC / TBA 2015 World war has had it's toll on the world,

and those who remained came together to ban gun powder. The result? Ranged weapon and

melee weapon innovation at it's finest, leading to more tension between factions that leads

to war yet again. BattleCry is a free game that plays as a third-person shooter, but

the camera leans in close to give you a feeling of being right there in the action. The game's

developers have said they want action to be fast paced like a first person shooter. Environmental

aspects, such as the sun and the sky, also change depending on how your team is doing.

For example, if you're getting destroyed, the sun may start crying blood. In this warzone

game that focuses on 32-player arena battles that fight like a shooter but without the

guns, BattleCry Studios may have brought something new to the MMO table. BattleCry will be available

on PCs in late 2015.

Star Citizen � PC / TBA 2016 When a game sets a Guinness World Record for

the most money ever raised through crowdsourcing, gamers tend to pay attention. After setting

a Kickstarter record for money raised in 2012 with over four million dollars, the developers

of Star Citizen set the world record two years later with nearly 40 million dollars raised.

In Star Citizen, you'll have the chance to play as a smuggler, bounty hunter, merchant,

and more in this most anticipated space simulation game of all time. Four different studios are

working on three separate game modes: Space dogfighting, a first-person shooter, and the

MMO universe. That means upon release, you'll be able to toggle between single player and

immersing yourself with everyone else. The Arena Commander alpha version was released

in 2014, allowing players the chance to engage in wave after wave of dogfighting against

enemy AI. The full release date was originally set for late 2015, but it looks like that

will be pushed back into possibly 2016 or even 2017 so the developers can get everything

polished. But with fundraising stretch goals such as Oculus Rift integration getting met,

there is plenty to keep an eye on as this MMO creeps closer to PCs everywhere.

The Division � PC, PS4, XB1 � March 2015 The Division is an all new Tom Clancy game

published by Ubisoft and takes a whole different approach to shooters. Players will assume

control over the "Strategic Homeland Division", which is also known as simply "The Division".

You will lead your team through a crisis hit New York in an attempt to shut down a virus

that is wreaking havoc throughout the city. Of course, enemy foes will be trying to stop

you at every turn. With a third person view, The Division will be as much a mini-RPG as

it will be all out action game, as gamers will be able to level up their team in a number

of ways. Characters can be customized and will carry a backpack that can be opened to

level up weapons, add skill points, and activate new gear.

The landscape will be semi-open and will feature time based night and day cycles, which will

actually play a role in how you complete tasks and missions. For example, during the day

you may be forced into more destructive ranged fire fights, while at night your stealth skills

and melee attacks can be employed more. The Division is scheduled for release in March

2016 on PC, PS4, and XB1.

Camelot Unchained � PC / June 2016 Set in a fantasy world but without any player-versus-environment

gameplay, Camelot Unchained promises to bring realm against realm battle to the frontlines

of MMO. Your character will have to team up with other players in your realm to forage

for supplies and take resources from other realms to build camps, cities, and more. In

other words, your world is going to be what you're able to make it at the expense of rivals.

The game will require a subscription fee to play. Camelot Unchained is currently set to

go live for Windows in June 2016.

Pathfinder Online � PC / Early 2016 In 2009, a tabletop game was created based

on modified rules of the third Dungeons and Dragons rule set. That game was Pathfinder.

Now, the tabletop game's universe comes alive with this sandbox-style MMORPG. You're put

into an open fantasy world and will have to fight your environment and other players to

earn the resources you need and build the game how you want it. But the game will emphasize

avoiding PvP battle unnecessarily, with reputation and the potential to be flagged for attack

if you just randomly try to pick fights. Leveling up will require time, as well. Instead of

spamming an action over and over, the more time you spend in the game, the more experience

points you earn to spend on your skill tree. Early Enrollment lets you play the game now,

but a more full version of the game is currently slated for early 2016.

Destiny: The Taken King � Sept 15, 2015 / PS4, PS3, XB1, Xbox 360

Destiny was one of the most divisive games of last year, but it was still a big announcement

at E3 when Sony announced the new The Taken King expansion. The content will be released

within the "Legendary Edition" and "Collector's Edition" of Destiny that will arrive later

this year.

This is the third expansion since the original game landed and it will focus on Oryx, who

is the father of Crota, as he controls The Taken to avenge the demise of his son. While

combat will remain the same as previous titles, The Taken King does bring plenty of new things

to the Destiny franchise.

New subclasses have been added, the Hunter class Nightstalker, the Titan class Sunbreaker,

and the Warlock class Stormcaller. Each of these subclasses will boast inventive new

weapons such as the Nightstalker Shadowshot that tethers enemies together with one bow.

New multiplayer elements have also been included. Rift is a new capture the flag style game

that is in Crucible mode and will be joined by Mayhem Clash, a new features that decreases

the cooldown for supers. And the biggest feature fans have been waiting for, an all new Raid.

The game launches Sept 15 on PS4, PS3, XB1, and Xbox 360.

Crowfall � PC / Dec 2016 If you've ever wanted to be an immortal god

in a fully-destructible setting, then Crowfall may be for you. You'll battle as one as you

travel between different worlds that fade over time. Each Campaign World may last one

month or three, but has four seasons and becomes more deadly as time goes on. Your objective

is to meet the win conditions set for different realms and earn the winnings for yourself

and your guild. Meanwhile, Eternal Kingdoms last for the entire season and are governed

by the players. There are no resources to earn, but players can build structures and

other items for use on the Campaign Worlds. Different campaigns will also have different

rules, allowing for guild-based battle or individual deathmatch. With Gordon Watson,

Executive Producer of previous MMOs such as Ultima Online and The Sims Online at the helm,

look for this pay-to-play offering to be available for PC in December of 2016.

City Of Titans � PC / TBA 2016 Titan City is sprawling with heroes working

for good or evil, and it's up to you to decide on which side you'll fall. NCSoft, creator

of the spiritual predecessor City of Heroes that ran from 2004 to 2012, began developing

the game as a sequel but stopped in 2013. Fans of an all-volunteer crew created Missing

Worlds Media, and continued working on the story and how they wanted this game to look

five years after release, then moved backwards towards the present day development. Players

will patrol the city's streets as superheroes with different powers and costumes, and interact

with the city to attain different objectives. If a lady has her cat stuck in a tree, you

can save it. Or, you could be working to overthrow a government's authority as you try to grow

your power. The current beta release date is for mid-to-late 2016 for Windows and Mac.

Life Is Feudal � PC / TBA 2016 This survival RPG focuses initially on building

up your fully-customizable housing and resources in this era of knights and kings. The entire

open world will be able to be terraformed in a method similar to that of Minecraft.

Looting is also present. The major calling card here is the non-target based combat system,

especially in melee combat. The damage you do will depend on the attack's direction,

type of attack, weapon speed, and weapon mass, causing real-time calculations that determine

damage. Combos, blocks, and other aspects of combat will also impact each conflict.

You'll have to buy the game to get started, but after it will be free to play and the

game will enable you to host a local server. Life is Feudal is available for early access

on Steam now, and the MMO beta is targeted for mid-2016 for PC.

World Of Speed � PC / TBA If it's cars you want, then World of Speed

is where you go. This free-to-play racing MMO from Slightly Mad Studio features street-based

racing events that allow you to team up with others. It's not always just about your time,

because your teammates' times and your ability to complete specific challenges during the

race will have the same impact on whether your team wins or loses. You'll be able to

join various Motor Clubs comprised of other players, and can stake your claim to a particular

circuit by earning a clubhouse. Other events include Destruction Derbies and Territory

Wars on four different track styles spanning Drift, Sprint, Circuit, and Drag racing. Customization

of cars and famous locations such as London add to the arcade feel of the game, but it

is geared for a multiplayer-only experience. World of Speed's beta was released at the

end of 2014, and will be out for PC in late 2015 with the potential to be moved to console

gaming in the future.

The Repopulation � PC / TBA Set in a futuristic universe, players will

have to learn their DNA advantages quickly to survive in Plymouth City. The city is a

new human settlement on a distant planet, but cloning and arguments over the science

of people have split the city into three factions. Of course, if you think you have enough of

a following, you can always create your own Rogue Nation. Players will have multi-level

mission to complete that change depending on how they've built their character. And

they will be able to own cities and set how each city views another faction. You'll be

able to specify which kind of missions you prefer receiving, as well. You can harvest,

work through diplomacy, or simply fight your way to more power. There are two ways to fight:

The traditional RPG mode presents your typical battle experience, but more skilled players

may drift towards Action Mode and it's first-person shooter feel. Pets, vehicles, and one-time

emergencies that pop up at random times promise to keep the game fresh. The Repopulation's

official site says there is no set release date, but mid-to-late 2015 is when the developers

expect to ship it out.

EQ Next � PC, PS4 / TBA Our last title is a continuation of the popular

EverQuest series. Daybreak, formerly known as Sony Entertainment Online, says EverQuest

Next is the biggest addition to the franchise in what they're claiming is the biggest sandbox

MMORPG ever. Over 10,000 years of history will be available for exploration or destruction

in the fully-destructible environment, and your decisions will bring permanent change

upon the world. Traditional classes can be mixed, so if you want something like a teleporting

barbarian than it might be possible. Choices on real-time events will impact the world

around you, such as saving a burning village. Built on the ForgeLight Engine, the same basis

for Planetside 2, motion blur and HDR lighting are just some of the graphical improvements

you can hope for. There's also a connection with LandMark, a sandbox that allows you to

build nearly anything you want and battle with it. Daybreak has hinted that some player-made

objects in the game may make their way into EverQuest Next, since it's built on the same

LandMark sandbox. It will be free to play on PCs and is currently in closed beta, and

has received additional developer support in recent months. Gamers are hoping for a

2016 release date.

Wrap Up Whether it's exploration, combat, deception,

diplomacy, or whatever else you want to try, the coming months look to provide a chance

for you to play it with thousands of other gamers. MMOs have a reputation for deep backgrounds

and rich environments that open your imagination, and it appears developers have become more

willing to try and stand out in what is a saturated market for PC gamers. We'll be watching

to see if any make their way to mainstream consoles, along with new crossover developments

like first-person combat and real-time simulation. One thing is for sure: Our imaginations will

be better off engaging with each new universe. What are your favorite upcoming MMOs? Let

us know in the comments and subscribe to the skilled channel for more cool upcoming games

previews.