The Rise and Fall of Wildstar
In the ever-evolving landscape of MMOs, some titles shine brighter than others, only to be extinguished by the overwhelming force of giants like World of Warcraft. Among the many games that vanished, Carbine’s Wildstar stands out, both for its potential and its profound failure. Enter Tim Cain, a legendary figure in RPG design, who spent an impressive six years in Wildstar’s development—a staggering length compared to his previous projects.
Great Teams, Great Potential
Tim Cain recalls a time at Carbine where a small but talented team of around nine or ten individuals gathered, most of whom had impressive resumes filled with experience from World of Warcraft and other acclaimed games. “We had some really, really great people there,” Cain remembers fondly. He reflects on the challenge of fusing creativity into a successful MMO, even when surrounded by such prowess. Despite the rich pool of talent, capturing “lightning in a bottle” eluded them. Perhaps that’s the story of Wildstar—an ambitious game with ideas too grand for its execution.
A Long Development Journey
The road to Wildstar’s release was long and winding. Development kicked off way back in 2005, but the final product didn’t hit the market until 2014. By then, Cain had already departed the studio. This lengthy process raised many questions and sparked speculation about why it fell short. It seemed that even with a remarkable development duration, the game’s ultimate cancellation just four years after launch left many wondering: was Wildstar a case of mismanagement or merely a victim of timing and market saturation?
