RuneScape Creator Andrew Gower's New MMORPG Brighter Shores Lands In F2P Early Access Today

I've often said that it's exceptionally hard to make a game (much less an MMORPG) that is targeted at an audience served by a game in the past. It's even MORE challenging to launch a successful game that tries to capture nostalgia for games from the past...while that "game from the past" is still running.

Want to create a game based on Star Wars Galaxies and try to appeal to the audience that misses that game? Good luck. Want to create a game that appeals to RuneScape players of the past while RuneScape still exists? Then REALLY good luck to you.

That said, maybe things are a little different when the "new" game is actually made by the "old" game's original creator.

Today, we'll start to find out if Brighter Shores can start paving its own way to MMORPG players. Things are starting off pretty nicely for Andrew Gower and Fen Research Ltd.'s almost decade old project. Obviously just glancing at the video below, you're sure to get that kind of old school vibe. The most interesting part, though, will be to see what lessons Gower and team has learned while watching the genre evolve over the years.

If you'd like to check out Brighter Shores, you can hit up the F2P title on Steam right now and get started on your path to leveling a multitude of skills, learning spells as a particular class, and generally get grinding. While Brighter Shores is free-to-play, if you want access to all of the MMO's episodes, you will need to pick up the optional premium subscription.