It has been quite some time since the MMO was one of the most popular genres in gaming. While World of Warcraft has managed to maintain a level of cultural relevance through consistent expansions like Shadowlands, other games like Destiny have elected to include MMO concepts without dedicating themselves to the formula. However, , one MMO stands poised ready to turn heads in the coming year
Hong Kong developer Leyou has released new information regarding Transformers Online, an MMO based on the popular Transformers brand by Hasbro. According to these documents, the game is still in active development after it was initially announced two years ago. The company is also projecting that Transformers Online will enter beta in October 2021, and is expected to leave beta around April 2022.
This information was disclosed following the recent announcement that Leyou was being acquired by Tencent. As part of the buyout, Leyou was legally required to publish several documents that detailed the company's current projects. Besides Transformers Online, these reports gave players an update on the Lord of the Rings MMO that is currently in development. According to the disclosure, the Tolkien-inspired multiplayer game is slated to release some time in 2022.
Rumors began circulating of Tencent's interest in acquiring Leyou as early as July of this year. While the company had reportedly received offers to be purchased by Sony, a statement from the developer's board confirmed that it was entering into an exclusivity agreement with Tencent for about $1.4 billion. It seems this price is more than worth it for the gaming conglomerate, as it adds game studios like Digital Extremes (Warframe) and Splash Damage (Gears Tactics) to its repertoire of acquisitions.
The idea for a Transformers MMO isn't exactly a new one. In 2014, RuneScape developer Jagex released Transformers Universe in open beta. The game featured customizable Transformers, multiple classes, and was primarily based on the fan-favorite animated TV show. Unfortunately, the game was shut down by Jagex and Hasbro in early 2015, with the developer having to issue refunds to players who purchased a Founders Pack.
While Transformers Universe met an early and abrupt end, it seems that fans of the Transformers franchise have just as much enthusiasm as they did in the '80s. And with Netflix continuing to generate excitement for the long-running series with its War for Cybertron program, it seems that the world will be sitting in anticipation for Transformers Online's beta in 2021.
Transformers Online is projected to release in October 2021.
Source: Leyou