Atlas, A Pirate Themed Sandbox MMO Is Coming On December 13th
Studio Wildcard, best known for the survival game ARK: Survival Evolved had a surprise announcement at this year's The Game Awards. Atlas, a pirate-themed sandbox MMO with a game world 1200x bigger than an ARK server map, is coming to Steam Early Access on December 13 for $30. Atlas is being developed by a new sister studio of Wildcard called Grapeshot Games.
Atlas is a widely ambitious project, promising just 2 servers per region, one for PvP and and for PvE. This means thousands of players will be able to interact with one another across a vast game world that is 1,200 times the size of the original ARK map. The developers themselves hope the PvP server in particular attracts large numbers of player-run guilds that battle for political control over swathes of the dynamic game world. Players, either working in small groups or in large alliances, will be able to claim land, establish governments, build ships, and erect outposts.
Atlas hopes to combine the best aspects of the original Ark with the team play of Sea of Thieves and the persistent sandbox elements of EVE Online. Most shockingly, the game is set to enter a playable Early Access a mere week after its first reveal. For those of us weary of following multiple MMO projects for years before even a hint of gameplay, Studio Wildcard's strategy is a breath of fresh air!
Atlas is also scheduled for a console release next year via the Xbox Game Preview program.
Further Reading: PC Gamer Interview, Steam Page
