MMO timeline 2008 to 2026: dated events of seven archive games
This MMO timeline puts 30 dated events on one line, from a Korean launch in January 2008 to a Steam relaunch in January 2026. Each entry names the source that gave the date.
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Four turning points on the MMO timeline
- 30Oct2008
Atlantica Online's North American servers go live.
RPGFan - 7Dec2011
Rosh Online is reported live in the West.
MMOBomb - 13Apr2012
Karos Online's global servers are due to close.
Engadget, 6 April 2012 - 12Jan2026
WonderKing returns on Steam.
Steam store page
2008 to 2010: before Ignited Games
Atlantica Online, WonderKing and Karos Online reach the West under other publishers, and the company is formed.
Atlantica Online launches commercially in Korea under NDOORS.
Source: GamingNexus, 3 September 2008Atlantica OnlineNexon Japan is set to publish the Japanese version under an agreement with NDOORS.
Source: GamingNexus, 3 September 2008Atlantica OnlineGamania is signed as the Taiwan publisher of Atlantica Online.
Source: GamingNexus, 21 October 2008Atlantica OnlineAtlantica Online's North American servers are up and running.
Source: RPGFanAtlantica OnlineWonderKing launches commercially in North America under Ndoors Interactive.
Source: Gaming NexusWonderKingKaros Online launches on ijji.com, hosted by NHN USA.
Source: Gaming NexusKaros OnlineIgnited Games Inc. is formed in El Segundo, California.
Source: Games Press, 8 November 2011
2011: the Ignited Games year
Betas and launches, a closure and a change of publisher for Atlantica Online, all inside twelve months.
Nexon takes over publishing and servicing of Atlantica Online in North America.
Source: Engadget, 9 March 2011Atlantica OnlineKaros Online opens a beta in Japan through OG Entertainment.
Source: 4Gamer.netKaros OnlineIgnited Games recruits testers for the WindSlayer 2 North American closed beta.
Source: Gaming NexusWindSlayer 2The WindSlayer 2 closed beta goes live.
Source: DSOGamingWindSlayer 2The WindSlayer 2 open beta goes live, free to play.
Source: MMOBombWindSlayer 2The DarkEden North American closed beta run by Ignited Games is live.
Source: GameBansheeDarkEdenIgnited Games announces Rosh Online: The Return of Karos and opens closed-beta sign-ups.
Source: MMOHuts; EngadgetRosh OnlineThe WonderKing Item Mall due to close, per Ignited Games' notice of a temporary shutdown.
Source: msupdate blog, 17 December 2011WonderKingRosh Online is reported live in the West.
Source: MMOBombRosh OnlineEngadget reports the US launch of DarkEden as a free-to-play title.
Source: EngadgetDarkEdenThe WonderKing game servers are due to go offline, with user data kept.
Source: msupdate blog, 17 December 2011WonderKing
2012: closures and moves
Karos Online due to close in the West and its players are moved to Rosh Online. SevenCore starts its Western betas.
Engadget reports that Karos Online will close on 13 April, with its team urging players to move to Rosh Online.
Source: Engadget, 6 April 2012Karos OnlineIgnited Games moves Karos players on the global servers to Rosh Online.
Source: Ignited Games release, reposted by N4GRosh OnlineThe Western global servers of Karos Online are due to close.
Source: Engadget, 6 April 2012Karos OnlineThe gPotato closed beta of SevenCore begins.
Source: Ten Ton HammerSevenCoreThe SevenCore open beta begins.
Source: MMOBombSevenCore
2013 to 2026: later listings and afterlives
What happens once the Ignited Games window is over: later listings by the company, then Steam releases from other publishers.
Ignited Games lists a Spanish version of SevenCore.
Source: SevenCoreA Karos version returns on Steam, run by GameXP.com.
Source: Steam store pageKaros OnlineSOFTON releases Dark Eden on Steam; the page is later marked unavailable.
Source: Steam store pageDarkEdenDark Eden Origin is released on Steam, free to play.
Source: Steam store pageDarkEdenAtlantica Global appears on Steam, published by VALOFE.
Source: Steam store pageAtlantica OnlineAtlantica Europe follows on Steam from VALOFE.
Source: Steam store pageAtlantica OnlineA WonderKing relaunch by wondersoft is released on Steam.
Source: Steam store pageWonderKing
How to read the dates
Each date on the MMO timeline is the date the source gives, not the date the page was written. Where a date is an announced plan, such as the Karos Online closure reported on 6 April 2012 for 13 April, the entry says so. Dates without a day, such as January 2008, are given as the source states them.
The Ignited Games window is 2011 to early 2014, but the MMO timeline starts in 2008 because two games had Western launches before the company existed, and it runs to 2026 because four of the seven have a running official release today. The MMO timeline grows only when a dated report supports a new entry. The game pages hold the longer story behind each row, and the games hub shows them side by side.
Timeline questions
Why does the timeline start in 2008 and not 2011?
Atlantica Online had North American servers up and running from 30 October 2008, years before Ignited Games ran any of its games. The MMO timeline starts there so the later changes of publisher make sense.
Where do the dates come from?
From press reports such as Engadget, Gaming Nexus, GameBanshee and MMOBomb, from the msupdate community blog, and from Steam store pages. Each entry names its source.
Is the timeline complete for these games?
No. It lists only the events that dated reports support. Other events stay out until one does.
Which events are plans and not outcomes?
The WonderKing closure notice was posted on 17 December 2011 and carries no issue date of its own, so the date shown is the posting, not the announcement. The Karos Online closure was reported on 6 April 2012 for 13 April. Both entries give the source date.
Do the 2011 dates agree across sources?
The WindSlayer 2 closed beta date of 20 October 2011 comes from DSOGaming. Engadget's introduction of the game is dated 7 October 2011, and the page for the game lists both.