MO2’s ‘Lord of the Flies’ Cult: Why the Last Survivors Are Killing the Game

[WeAreAllMortal]

The Cult-Like Rationalization of Mortal Online 2’s Population Decline

A strange and self-defeating mentality has taken root in the remaining Mortal Online 2 player base—a belief that the game’s dwindling population is not a sign of failure, but rather a natural purification process. According to this view, every departing player is simply too weak to handle the game, and those who remain are the true, strong survivors.

This logic is eerily similar to the “the strong will rule” mindset of Lord of the Flies, where an increasingly isolated and brutal group of individuals justifies their situation by doubling down on the very behaviors that drove others away.

The Self-Destructive Rationalization Cycle​

Instead of recognizing attrition as a problem, the remaining MO2 players often reframe it as proof of the game’s integrity:

✔ Playerbase shrinks → “Good! The weak are leaving! Only the strong remain!”
✔ Game struggles financially → “That’s because casuals don’t belong here!”
✔ Server population collapses → “Perfect! Now only the real players are left!”

At no point does it occur to them that:

1. A game reliant on growth cannot survive by constantly shedding players.
2. A dwindling population means the game is failing, not ‘refining’ itself.
3. The so-called "strong" players aren’t "winning"—they’re just the last ones standing in an empty world.

This isn’t a sign of success or strength—it’s a slow-motion collapse dressed up as a glorious survival story.

The “Lord of the Flies” Dynamic in MO2​

Much like the breakdown of civilization in Lord of the Flies, we’re watching a self-destructive social dynamic play out in real time:
✔ Any attempt at structure is rejected in favor of tribal dominance.
✔ The strong prey on the weak, reinforcing a "might makes right" mentality.
✔ Instead of fixing the system, survivors justify the chaos as "natural order."
✔ Those who don’t conform leave, until only the most fanatical remain.

As the game loses population, the remaining players consolidate into an increasingly insular, like-minded group that views their isolation as proof of their superiority rather than a warning sign of impending failure.

In reality, this isn’t a thriving, battle-hardened community—it’s a social death spiral where the last people standing mistake their endurance for success.

The Irony: They’re Not Making the Game Stronger, They’re Making It Weaker​

They claim the game isn’t for the weak, but in reality, they are making the game weak itself—because a game without players is weaker than any individual player could ever be.

A strong game is one that thrives, evolves, and sustains itself. Mortal Online 2 is doing the opposite—it is dwindling into obscurity, with only the most fervent holdouts convincing themselves that this somehow means they’ve “won.”

A game can’t survive on “the strong” alone—it needs a functional ecosystem of new, casual, mid-core, and veteran players. The moment a game becomes so insular that it’s hostile to all but the most hardened few, it ceases to be a game and becomes a graveyard for those too stubborn to leave.

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Final Thought: A Cult of Attrition Disguised as Strength​

MO2’s current state is not the result of “purging the weak.” It’s the result of driving out the majority and calling it a victory.

If the remaining players don’t wake up from this mindset, they will simply be the last survivors of an ecosystem they helped destroy—standing proudly atop the ruins, wondering why no one else is left.

 

[Mad Jugger]

You should really address the rampant RMT, Duping, and exploiting, that is killing the game as well

 

[WeAreAllMortal]

Absolutely, RMT, duping, and exploiting are serious issues that harm the game, and they definitely need addressing. However, those require dedicated detection and enforcement from SV, whereas a well-designed justice system would provide a permanent, player-facing framework to regulate criminal behavior, including exploiters. Both issues are important, but a working justice system would at least reduce the damage exploiters can do by limiting their ability to operate freely.

 

[Jackdstripper]

This “lord of the flies” culture isnt a fluke, its a deliberate direction that Henrik has always favoured. He was very forthcoming back in the MO1 days about his love for the early days of Ultima, specifically the rpk playstyle being his favourite. There is no surprise of the direction of sll his games. he loves to listen to the hard core RPK crowd, and time and time again has shaped this game to be a heaven for people that love that playstyle.

And please do not bring up the guard towers, and guards all over. This was but a late, afterthought, knee-jerk reaction by SV after hemorrhaging players since launch, and having abysmal new players retention rates. Henrik was forced to implement this stuff, but it was too late. The game had its reputation by then.

It is always the same. For a large mmo to thrive (as opposed to a battle arena) you need a lot of sheep to feed a few wolves. Predators are always less than pray in nature. when there are too many wolves, all the sheep disappear, and the wolves starve. Wolves dont like fighting other wolves. They get into clans and avoid eachother while hunting for sheep. Both MO1 and MO2 have always suffered from the too many wolves and not enough sheep scenario. And yet Henrik does not understand…

 

[WeAreAllMortal]

Jack, you make a solid argument about Henrik’s preference for the RPK playstyle, and there’s no doubt he has historically leaned that way. However, I think you overestimate how much he actually wants MO2 to be a “Lord of the Flies” simulator.

The reality is likely less intent and more incompetence. Henrik isn’t deliberately crafting a game where only the most hardened griefers remain—he’s just failing to create a structure that prevents it.

MO2’s population death spiral wasn’t planned, it was inevitable due to:
✔ A complete lack of foresight—SV didn’t anticipate the natural player dynamics of an open PvP sandbox, nor how much player mentality has changed since UO. Back then, RPK was largely despised by the majority of players, whereas today, it's not only tolerated but almost admired in some circles. What was once a niche and reviled playstyle has been normalized, which makes it even more dangerous to leave unchecked.
✔ Reactive, rather than proactive, development—Every “fix” (guard towers, reputation tweaks, etc.) was a panic response to losing players, not a well-thought-out feature.
✔ Listening to the loudest minority—The RPK crowd shouts the loudest, so Henrik assumes they represent the majority.

If Henrik truly wanted a world of only wolves, he wouldn’t have caved to pressure and added guard towers, safe zones, or even rudimentary anti-griefing measures. The fact that he did (however poorly implemented) shows that SV didn’t actually want Lord of the Flies—they just had no idea how to prevent it.

MO2 isn’t the result of a grand RPK master plan. It’s the result of rudderless development, driven by nostalgia, bad assumptions, and reactionary design.

 

[Jackdstripper]

Jack, you make a solid argument about Henrik’s preference for the RPK playstyle, and there’s no doubt he has historically leaned that way. However, I think you overestimate how much he actually wants MO2 to be a “Lord of the Flies” simulator.

The reality is likely less intent and more incompetence. Henrik isn’t deliberately crafting a game where only the most hardened griefers remain—he’s just failing to create a structure that prevents it.

MO2’s population death spiral wasn’t planned, it was inevitable due to:
✔ A complete lack of foresight—SV didn’t anticipate the natural player dynamics of an open PvP sandbox, nor how much player mentality has changed since UO. Back then, RPK was largely despised by the majority of players, whereas today, it's not only tolerated but almost admired in some circles. What was once a niche and reviled playstyle has been normalized, which makes it even more dangerous to leave unchecked.
✔ Reactive, rather than proactive, development—Every “fix” (guard towers, reputation tweaks, etc.) was a panic response to losing players, not a well-thought-out feature.
✔ Listening to the loudest minority—The RPK crowd shouts the loudest, so Henrik assumes they represent the majority.

If Henrik truly wanted a world of only wolves, he wouldn’t have caved to pressure and added guard towers, safe zones, or even rudimentary anti-griefing measures. The fact that he did (however poorly implemented) shows that SV didn’t actually want Lord of the Flies—they just had no idea how to prevent it.

MO2 isn’t the result of a grand RPK master plan. It’s the result of rudderless development, driven by nostalgia, bad assumptions, and reactionary design.

I wish I possessed your optimism in Henrik’s intention, and his just “being rudderless”, but i dont buy it. Ive been around since the launch of MO1, 15 years ago, and every single time Henrik has steered this ship in the same place. Against the same rocks. Every time he has encouraged the RPK crowd at the expense of everything else. Every time he has coddled the hard core pvpers. Every time he has chosen to try and make the game easier for gankers and greefers (only to see population crater and be forced to overcompensate the other way). Even the whole revamp of the flag system in MO2 was specifically designed to make it easier for murderers to enter towns. The only people that wanted that were the hard core RPK crowd.

This isnt an over site, a miscalculation, or an unfortunate development. This is 15 years of the same man, making the same decisions over and over and over. Its a pattern, a preference, an intent and predilection.

 

[WeAreAllMortal]

I wish I possessed your optimism in Henrik’s intention, and his just “being rudderless”, but i dont buy it. Ive been around since the launch of MO1, 15 years ago, and every single time Henrik has steered this ship in the same place. Against the same rocks. Every time he has encouraged the RPK crowd at the expense of everything else. Every time he has coddled the hard core pvpers. Every time he has chosen to try and make the game easier for gankers and greefers (only to see population crater and be forced to overcompensate the other way). Even the whole revamp of the flag system in MO2 was specifically designed to make it easier for murderers to enter towns. The only people that wanted that were the hard core RPK crowd.

This isnt an over site, a miscalculation, or an unfortunate development. This is 15 years of the same man, making the same decisions over and over and over. Its a pattern, a preference, an intent and predilection.

Jack, I completely understand where you’re coming from. Honestly, only the most wildly optimistic would outright disagree with your perspective. Every single decision SV has made over the years has reinforced the exact pattern you describe, and history suggests that they will do it again. But here’s the thing—history doesn’t have to repeat itself.

I think MO2 is just too good and too revolutionary to let it go down without a fight. If Henrik can be convinced to fix the single most egregious flaw—the justice system—then everything else will follow. Because in spite of the game’s issues, it isn’t just another run-of-the-mill open-world PvP game. It’s doing something that no other game is even attempting. Every single person I’ve shown it to, gamers and non-gamers alike, is instantly struck by the sheer realism and immersion it offers. That alone tells me that, despite their mistakes, SV has gotten something deeply, fundamentally right.

They built the foundation. Now, they need to finish the structure. A functioning justice system isn’t just a feature—it’s the missing keystone that holds everything together. If they can get that right, the game finally has a chance to become what it was always meant to be.

And until they do, I intend to keep hounding Henrik and SV at every opportunity, hammering the point home until they finally see the light. Because this game is worth saving, and I’m not about to give up on it just yet.

 

[Jackdstripper]

There is some magic, some flashes of genius, some nuggets if brilliance in this game for sure. Its why, for those that fall in love with it its so hard to give it up. So hard to find one other game that scratches that same itch. So hard to find the same thrill and visceral feeling in other mmos.

If only Henrik wasn’t so stubborn….