Every day I patrol the internet for MMO news and additional filler to my constant craving for all that is online computer gaming and RPGs.  I enjoy the up-to-date news and articles, the rumor mill, contests, and much of the other content all the developers and publishers have to offer.  As I said, I love MMOs in general.  I've played nearly every released MMORPG since 1999, and was a MUD (Multi-User Dungeon) addict prior to that.  As a matter of fact, Diku MUD's were my first ambition in programming.  But there is one thing I just can't take anymore...  The unrelenting flood of Asian grind-fest clone games that sickeningly penetrates our market.

I know there are some people who enjoy games with a more Asian style and design.  There are even people who will play the game because they adore everything Asian.  Then you have people that find a sort of comfort in the "grind" factor.  These people enjoy mindlessly plugging away at 10,000 floating eyeballs in a field for hours on end to attain their goal.  While I don't fit into this category, I can see that some do find enjoyment in it.  But how many games of this type need to exist to fill that need?  On many (if not most) MMO sites, there are dozens of this Asian grind-style game clogging up the game list.  If I had my druthers, they would be wiped away as the worthless clutter they represent.  So, you can understand why we don't support them here.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?

There are perhaps a couple games which deserve their place as legitimate members of the MMO genre, despite their thematically Asian nature.  I have to give credit mostly to games like Lineage 2, Aion, and perhaps even Archlord.  I consider these games set apart from my previously described garbage heaps because they have many more features, content, and overall depth.  So, before anyone decides do crucify me for my MMO-racist views, I don't hate ALL of them.

I believe that these games exist solely because they appeal mostly to immature kiddies who can't afford to pay for a "real" MMORPG, and couldn't convince mommy and daddy to let them use their credit card.  Then you have the kids who, while they can't pay for a subscription, can still occasionally weasel enough money out of their parents for the cash shop so they can buy their way to the top instead of earning it through gameplay or skill.  Lastly, you get the "adults" who don't have the maturity, patience, or ability to play a game and earn their way up the player ladder.  So they find it simpler to pay $100 and become the "uber elite dood" who can gank all the newbs he wants without having to actually accomplish anything.  Without said people, these games wouldn't be capable of obtaining a $10 purchase price, let alone any sort of subscription or fees.

For new players, or those new to the genre, this becomes even more of an annoyance and hinderance to finding the right game.  Having to look through lists of dozens and dozens of MMO's can be frustrating and time-consuming.  Take into account that a multitude of them are this copycat 4-class, no customization, grind-heavy, gankfest and it can start to turn people away from the genre entirely.  These cheaply-produced copycat games only serve to lure people in with their claims of "free play", while really trying to milk the players out of as much quick money as possible up front.  Those games rarely offer updates, and have become infamous for their rock-bottom customer service.  It's more of a scam than a game.

Another questions is, "Where are they getting the resources to develop these games, and are they all using the same two or three engines?"  It really looks as if they all somehow got together and decided to "share" their game engine (and graphic artists for that matter).  Because not only do the games often play similar to each other, they usually look almost EXACTLY alike as well.  I would be interested in seeing the development pipelines on these Korean game developers who belong to the "Free-To-Play Mafia" of cloned MMO's.  Yes, I'm being dramatic, and it's quite intentional.  Adding a little drama or controversy always helps liven up a discussion.

So, my fellow online gamers, what do you think of these new residents of the MMO neighborhood (I say new as most of them have sprung up in the last 2-3 years)?  Can you come up with some justification as to why these games should be considered legitimate MMORPG's?  Is the only qualification for the genre "a game that can support a large number of simultaneous users" the ONLY important measure?  Will the market eventually reach a saturation point with these games, or can an endless flow continue to flow in like a broken sewer main?  I guess only time will give the real answer.