How about going into a complete MMORPG directly from your browser without any installation or download, but still having your adventure available whenever you want? This is exactly what Ember Sword is telling, and it is creating a buzz not only as a new game but also as the story of a crew that stays on course, keeps thinking out of the box, and doesn’t give up, even if the odds are against them.
Earlier in 2018, the team at Ember Sword embarked on a grand vision: build an MMORPG that’s accessible, enjoyable, and community-centered. They encountered almost every roadblock under the sun along the journey: engine refactor, code rewrites, the FTX collapse, the SVB disaster, a merciless bear market, and even a worldwide pandemic. Most teams would have probably thrown their hands up, but not Ember Sword. As they say, they’ve “weathered every storm possible” and remain standing, still building, and still believing in their vision.
First of all, Ember Sword is a game that wants to keep the magic of MMORPGs alive, the very magic that makes friendships all over the world, lets you be exactly the person you want to be, and gives players a feeling of being part of a whole. The devs, who are as tough as nails when it comes to playing MMOs, wanted to revive the feeling of community and the thrill that only a very busy online world can give you.
The beta numbers are quite expressive. Ember Sword was played over 152,000 times and was given almost 41,000 hours of total playtime, which adds up to almost five years of gameplay. Day one retention was 43%, the Discord community increased to 75,000 with over 151,000 messages in the beta, and social media engagement exceeded 800,000 impressions. The game had nearly 370,000 pre-registrations before it was done.
Eagerly, one may ask, what is the main reason for such a craze? Ember Sword is not totally dependent on nostalgia. The tech related to cloud-based gaming leads not only to the elimination of lag resulting from cloud gaming but also to very smooth and quick gameplay without the need for big downloads or the use of specific hardware. So, the game of Thanabus can be reached even with a simple browser. This system makes gaming accessible to the whole world and those gamers who have been cold-shouldered by the industry in the past; thus, accessibility remains a key feature of the experience.
Only the Early Access phase represents the beginning of the road. The start that will take place on the servers in Singapore will allow players to reach level 30, introduce new weapons and skills like alchemy and woodcutting, offer cosmetics (NFTs that are optional), and provide the first look at the Solarwood country. The devs, while admitting that there is a bug and they are understaffed, are nevertheless committed to resolving issues swiftly and in-game release with player feedback.
The in-game economy is equally fascinating. The $EMBER token didn’t really have a great start. The market was barely moving, and most of the game tokens went down, but the crew’s morale is still high. They are all planning to use dual-token systems, staking programs, burn mechanics linked to in-game revenue, and the grind-to-upgrade-to-trade loop to create an economy that is both sustainable and engaging. New partners and advisers are not only helping to keep the system alive, but they are also guaranteeing that it is not just a flash in the pan.
Ember Sword is eventually looking to gradually unlock more areas, adding new features, and proving that a browser MMORPG can still be competitive with the big industry players. The team has had to downsize and work with limited resources, but their passion is still very strong, and the community is already playing a key role in the game’s future.
Ember Sword is not another MMORPG. It’s an experimentation in accessibility, technology, and community-created design playable anywhere, anytime. For anyone looking for the next great MMO, watch Thanabus. This underdog isn’t just making it through; it’s transforming what a browser-based MMO can do.