Is it wild to anyone else that Sword Art Online never got a legit, serious, massive MMORPG? I know we’ve had a bunch of SAO video games of different types, but I always thought it was crazy that no major company ever capitalized on making a true large-scale MMORPG. The possibilities for features and content they could’ve added with the theme were endless—and the genre has needed new life breathed into it for years anyway.
Everything now is super quick, flashy, and built around immediate gratification and microtransactions. But imagine a grind-, skill-, and trade-based MMORPG—something like old-school RuneScape, where cooking, smithing, fishing, and woodworking all mattered, where everything was earned and took time. Now add modern graphics, deeper lore, more complex missions and battles, and a tower-based progression system with multiple floors and levels—all fully SAO-themed. And that’s without even factoring in all the unique features you could implement.
Use a subscription-based model—say $15 a month—to avoid microtransaction shortcuts and focus purely on grind, time, and community. Keep microtransactions cosmetic only, and they’d still make a killing.
Then there are all the cool systems and features they could’ve tried—some that might work, some that might not—but all adding depth and flavor. Here’s just a sample of what could have been
- Perma-Death / Hardcore Mode Servers
Optional servers where death means starting over—emulating SAO’s life-or-death tension (or at least resulting in major penalties). Normal servers would use traditional respawn mechanics.
- Progressive World Structure (Layered Floors)
100 explorable floating floors, each with unique biomes, architecture, and ecosystems. Floors only unlock globally when players defeat that floor’s boss, encouraging true community cooperation. (Though admittedly, this one could be tough to balance.)
- Player-Driven Economy & Town Expansion
Players rebuild and expand towns on each floor—constructing housing, NPC shops, blacksmiths, etc. Crafting, cooking, smithing, and tailoring are all deep, viable professions. With no microtransactions offering shortcut gear, some players could literally choose to be blacksmiths, chefs, or traders rather than warriors.
- Guild Fortresses / Territory Control (Aincrad Tower Defense)
Guilds can build and defend outposts on various floors from monster invasions. PvE raid battles or PvP tournaments determine control over limited floor-specific resources.
- Reputation & Titles
Everything you do affects your reputation: dueling, crafting, helping NPCs, or even PKing. Earn dynamic titles like Famed Beast Slayer, Master Smith, Laughing Coffin Member, etc.—each unlocking cosmetic perks and unique NPC interactions.
- Romance & Friendship Systems
Bonding mechanics that grant combat bonuses when fighting alongside trusted allies. “Switch” attacks and synchronized skills become stronger the closer your bond.
- Real Weapon Decay & Repair
Weapons wear down over time—especially powerful ones. This keeps the economy relevant and gives blacksmiths real purpose. Even legendary gear can break if not maintained properly.
- Presence Level (Time-Based Activity Meter)
A hidden "Presence" meter rises with consistent activity (combat, crafting, socializing, etc.) and daily logins. The more connected you stay, the stronger your character feels—boosting XP gain, drop rates, and weapon skill precision.
Desync Penalties (for being away too long):
Reduced Sword Skill accuracy or cooldowns
Degrading player housing
NPCs forget you more quickly (reputation loss)
Pets or companions may become disobedient
- Marriage System – “Soul Bond”
Modeled after SAO’s emotional ties. Players can form formal, game-recognized unions after reaching max friendship, completing co-op quests, and playing together actively for at least two weeks.
Bonding Ceremony: Held in custom chapels or floor shrines with friends/guild invited. Special ring items are exchanged to mark the bond.
Perks:
State boosts when fighting in the same party
Unique partner skills
Teleport-to-partner ability with a cooldown
Shared housing and inventory
- Basic Attack Timing System – “Edge Flow”
Even basic attacks are rhythm-based. When you attack, a timing meter (like a rhythm bar) appears near your blade or HUD.
Hitting the “sweet spot” = clean hit, no stamina cost, smooth animation
Missing = whiff, stagger, or opening for enemies to counter
Each weapon type has a unique tempo to master (rapiers = fast bursts, greatswords = heavy pauses, etc.)
Chaining perfectly timed attacks builds a "Flow State" that boosts crit chance, skill charge speed, and parry windows
While VR could be included using current vr, I’d honestly lean away from it in favor of stronger in-world immersion through things like:
In-game proximity and party voice chat
Realistic animations and reactions etc.
Vr just isn't there yet.