After ten years of development, a new contender in the fantasy MMO space has emerged. Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen comes from some of the talent behind EverQuest, and it pivots on that particular brand of old school gameplay, but with some modern sheen. It’s early days, but so far, players seem happy.
The story of Pantheon goes back to 2014, when a Kickstarter campaign for the MMORPG began in January of that year. Spearheaded by Brad McQuaid, the founder of Visionary Realms, funding fell short, but through a combination of selling early perks to keen players and outside investment, eventually the fantasy game got off the ground.
Over the years, more people were added and the new game gradually started to expand and come together. McQuaid sadly died in 2019, but was succeeded by Chris Perkins, who’s overseen launch. After a period of alpha and beta testing, the open-world game became playable to the public on December 13, 2024.
Since then, it’s peaked at 4,860 players, stabilizing at around 2,800. That’s a steady amount for a fledgling IP in an ambitious genre. Reviews on Steam are positive too, so those logging in are liking what they’re seeing.
People who know EverQuest, RuneScape, or World of Warcraft will find a lot of similarities. You pick a class, such as Tank or Healer, taking on a variety of dungeons and quests to gather resources and feel out the enormous world. The questlines vary from solo to group, and there are larger raids for some immediacy co-operation.
One of the more impressive aspects of the co-op game is the streamlined world. Loading screens only happen for teleporting or moving into particular dungeons, and you find missions through exploring and talking to people rather than in hubs. Less menus, more immersion, and time will tell how successful that works out overall – for now, it’s going well.
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen is on Steam Early Access now. Don your best suit of armor for our lists of the best dragon games and best RPGs if you’d like similar escapades.
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