Project Powder
Project Powder was a 3D snowboarding MMO with fast paced gameplay. Project Powder allowed up to eight players to race against each other in three different game modes.
Publisher: Outspark Type: MMO Sports Release Date: May 11, 2009 Closure Date: February 7, 2013 Pros: +Three different game modes. +Unique genre. +Decent mix of maps. Cons: -Limited appearance customization. -Player base was always low. |
Project Powder Overview
Unique among free to play racing MMOs, Project Powder allowed up to eight players to race down steep slopes on snowboards. The game rewarded stylish gameplay by granting a speed boost for successfully pulling off tricks such as flips. Completing races awarded experience points which were required to purchase access to new tricks, each of which required a license test before unlocking. Project Powder was shut down when its publisher Outspark closed down, but had long been neglected by both its developer and publisher before then. The game suffered from a chronically low playerbase, and a lack of updates or even bug fixes for years before its demise.
Game Modes:
Race Mode - A traditional race to see who finishes first.
Battle Mode - This mode contains items. Less skill based, but more of an arcade feel.
Coin Mode - Players must collect coins of varying point value as they race down the map.
Project Powder Screenshots
Project Powder Featured Video
Project Powder Music & Soundtrack
Project Powder Additional Information
Developer: Studio BlueCat
Closed Beta Date: June 25, 2008
Open Beta Date: August 7, 2008
Release Date: May 11, 2009
Closure Date: February 7, 2013
Development History / Background:
The South Korea based developer of Project Powder went bankrupt, but the game was maintained for years by publishers NHN in Korea and Outspark in America. With the closure of Outspark, the American version of the game was also shut down. The game also had a European publisher and was known as SnowBound Online. The European version enjoyed a more dedicated staff and even employed several developers from the former Studio Bluecat.
The game's ittedly sparse story places the events of the game in the year 2146 AD following a major global warming event that melted the Earth's polar ice caps. This motivated snowboarding fans to build a Warp Gate and travel across the galaxy in search of planets with pristine snow cover.