I Don't Think The Cube Will Be An MMO

The Cube is an upcoming “MMOFPS” set in the Atomic Heart universe. Developer Mundfish announced their new game this past weekend, along with a slick trailer. It looks incredible, and I can’t wait to see more. But, The Cube isn’t an MMO — despite what Geoff Keighley said.

This game, from what we’ve seen, is no different than Warframe, The First Descendant, Dune: Awakening, and Destiny 2. You might say one or more of these titles are MMOs, but I disagree. The word “MMO” has lost all meaning today. What we’re looking for is large-scale, persistent worlds where at least hundreds of players can interact in real time. Always-online gameplay alone doesn’t cut it.

The Cube looks more like an extraction shooter or survival game, a la Escape from Tarkov. No one says that game is an MMO. And that’s not saying this particular genre is bad, but labeling it an MMO sets up the wrong expectations. When developers and publishers throw that word around loosely, it misleads the players who are genuinely looking for a deep, social, persistent experience.

So until we know more — specifically about player counts, world design, and how interaction works — I detest the currently MMO label the game has. I’m intrigued, and maybe you are too, but let’s keep our expectations in check. The Cube could be misbranded to take advantage of us starving fans of the genre.