If you enjoyed the tactical combat, engaging story, and gorgeous hand-drawn artwork of the Nordic epic that was, The Banner Saga trilogy, then you should be pleased to know that they have a new game in the works. What's surprising, is that it could be as epic as an MMO.
Stoic Studios has been posting job listings for a game that is said to be fast paced, but with a live service, and could launch within the next couple of years. Specifically, Stoic is looking for a combat designer. While "fast-paced" isn't typical MMO style, Stoic is looking for developers who have previous experience working with games that are live services, rather than standalone experiences. Like the single player-driven Banner Saga franchise, and even its multiplayer tactical combat spinoff.
The last game that Stoic released was the third Banner Saga game. It debuted in 2018 and concluded the epic tale of a travelling band of vikings and giant allies, as they tried to survive a variety of world-ending scourges. The story had its weaknesses, but the overall strength of the narrative, tactical combat, and beautiful artwork made it an indie darling that even had a satisfying conclusion. Since then, Stoic has been expanding and working on a large, new project.
That could well be an MMO, if these new job listings are anything to go by, as PCGamesN suggests. Stoic's experience in creating a deeply story-driven experience where choices you make really matter, could translate well to an MMO, though the space is crowded and very hard to break even in. It's been a long time since one came along that proved to be a strong earner over the long term.
What would you like to see out of a Stoic MMO?
