AionGuard Could Have Been the Crimson Desert of 15 Years Ago
In the gaming world, sometimes even projects that were never released can be talked about again years later. AionGuard is exactly such a case. This project, which Avalanche Studios worked on years ago, has resurfaced today despite being canceled. Recent statements, in particular, suggest that the game was developed with an idea far ahead of its time.
AionGuard Was an Idea Far Ahead of Its Time
According to Christofer Sundberg, one of the founders of Avalanche Studios, AionGuard contained many ideas that we see in games like Crimson Desert today, years ago. The open-world structure, the freedom given to the player, and different gameplay options formed the cornerstones of the project. That is, the player could either engage in direct combat, proceed stealthily, or reach the objective by using environmental advantages.
The game’s world was quite ambitious. Set in a post-apocalyptic universe, it blended magic and medieval themes. Players, as members of a group called AionGuard, progressed region by region, capturing enemy strongholds and attempting to regain control of the world. This structure appears to be an early example of the open-world progression systems we frequently see today.
However, the project’s fate changed drastically. Despite securing a deal with a major publisher, the company changed direction, leading to the project’s cancellation. Furthermore, it’s emphasized that this decision was communicated to the development team quite abruptly and unexpectedly. This explains why the project is still considered one of the “unfulfilled” projects.
One of the most striking points is that even its announcement thwarted its progress. Despite the rights being reclaimed, publishers were unwilling to reinvest in the project, leading to AionGuard’s complete abandonment. Today, only a few visuals and described ideas remain. However, considering all this, it’s not hard to imagine that AionGuard could have truly been a project ahead of its time.
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