The World‘s First Online Multiplayer Game
The original pioneer of synchronous virtual worlds and multiplayer gaming as we know them today was Islands of Kesmai, first released commercially in 1984. Created by Kelton Flinn and John Taylor, Kesmai leveraged early commercial networks to achieve something groundbreaking – persistent real-time interaction between players in an expansive fantasy world.
Bringing Tabletop RPGs Online
Islands of Kesmai was inspired by Dungeons and Dragons and text-based single-player games popular at universities in the 1970s. Flinn‘s vision was to transform that experience into one shared simultaneously with other players in an evolving landscape shaped by their collective actions.
Technically, allowing 100+ remote users to interact online in 1984 was astonishing. Yet early demonstrations proved tremendously exciting, foreshadowing the social connections virtual worlds could foster.
Unprecedented Gameplay Depth
As the first commercial online RPG, Islands of Kesmai focused heavily on gameplay and social interaction. Key features that resonated with fans included:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Solo questing | Take on NPC monsters and opponents for experience and rewards |
| Group battles | Team up to take down powerful villains no player could face alone |
| Full-death mechanics | Loss of all possessions/stats on death increased risk vs reward |
| Classes and progression | Warrior, wizard, priest classes gained skills, spells and power as they leveled up |
| Player economy | In-game trade drove supply-and-demand market around key resources |
| Chat and messaging | Critical for collaborating with other players on adventures |
These provided unprecedented depth and replayability compared to any previous online game.
Pioneering the MMO Business Model
While innovative in design, Islands of Kesmai also established a lucrative commercial model for online games. Players were charged for connectivity time to CompuServe‘s network – providing revenue directly proportional to engagement.
Top players spent over $100 per month – expensive at the time, but perceived as highly worthwhile due to its gameplay and social connections.
This market viability established a template for future virtual worlds, MMOs and the current free-to-play model.
So while modern massive multiplayer games have far greater graphical fidelity and complexity today, their foundations – persistent worlds, real-time collaborative play, in-game economies and social dynamics – can largely be traced back to the pioneering Islands of Kesmai.
