Auto Assault

Lore & Background

The game takes place in the 23rd century, after a sterilization attempt left Earth in ruins. Players play as either a new generation of Mutants, a BioMek, or one of the newly emerging Humans. Players fight in their race's area of control against non-playable characters (NPCs) and eventually reach Ground Zero (GZ). There, they can fight either against NPCs or players in two different 'layers' known as instances: a PvP layer where players can fight opposing races, and a non-PvP layer controlled by the player's faction where quests are completed. All NPC enemies are present in both layers. The game centers on third-person vehicular combat using state-of-the-art weapons.

Reader's Guide

Auto Assault is notable as a niche MMOG that attempted to blend vehicular combat with traditional role-playing mechanics in a post-apocalyptic setting. Its development by NetDevil and publication by NCSOFT placed it among early attempts to diversify the massively multiplayer genre beyond fantasy and science-fiction tropes. The game's three factions—Humans, Mutants, and Biomeks—offered distinct narrative perspectives, and its lack of a death penalty was an unusual design choice for the time. Despite receiving average reviews on Metacritic and earning a nomination for Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year at the 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the game failed to sustain a sufficient subscriber base. The servers were shut down on August 31, 2007, after an agreement to buy out the IP rights was not reached. Offers to continue running servers by various parties were denied, though parting gifts were sent via email offering opportunities in other NCSOFT products such as Tabula Rasa and City of Heroes. Auto Assault remains a reference point for vehicular combat MMOGs and the challenges of sustaining niche online games.

Did You Know?

• Auto Assault took inspiration, in part, from the Mad Max series of films.
• The game did not have a death penalty; players could die without consequence.
• The servers were shut down on August 31, 2007, after an agreement to buy out the IP rights was not reached.
• The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Auto Assault for Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year at the 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards.

A Wrecked World Born from War

Auto Assault dropped players into a devastated 23rd-century Earth, a planet scarred by a catastrophic sterilization event that left civilization in ruins. The game drew clear creative influence from the Mad Max film series, channeling that same post-apocalyptic vehicular warfare aesthetic into an MMOG framework. In this shattered future, three factions—Humans, Mutants, and Biomeks—had waged years of widespread open war against one another. By the time the player arrives, the large-scale global conflict has largely settled, though smaller skirmishes between armored cars, trucks, motorcycles, semis, and tanks continue to flare up. The player belongs to one of these three groups and operates within their faction's controlled territory. The setting blends the gritty, survivalist tone of Mad Max with the persistent online world structure of a traditional MMORPG, creating a unique hybrid where the primary weapon of choice is a heavily modified vehicle rather than a sword or staff.

Two Worlds, One Wheel

The core loop of Auto Assault split the experience into two distinct environments: towns and the open world. In towns, players moved as on-foot characters, browsing shops for upgrades and vehicles, chatting with NPCs and other players, and interacting with environmental objects. Stepping outside the city boundaries thrust the player into the vast exterior terrain, where all combat unfolded from behind the wheel of a customized vehicle. The combat system operated as a real-time third-person shooter, with movement, aiming, and firing all handled through keyboard and mouse. Players could also activate special character skills for additional abilities. A notable design choice set Auto Assault apart from typical MMORPGs: there was no death penalty. A player could be destroyed in battle and face no lasting consequence, keeping the focus on the thrill of the fight rather than the fear of loss. The game supported a wide vehicle roster, from motorcycles and cars to semis and tanks, each capable of carrying advanced weaponry.

Factions, Ground Zero, and the Dual Layer

Players selected one of three fictional factions—Humans, Mutants, or Biomeks—along with a class that shaped their character's abilities. Each faction controlled its own territory in the post-apocalyptic world, and players began by battling non-playable characters within their race's zone. The progression path led players toward a central hub called Ground Zero, or GZ, which served as the primary quest and combat destination. GZ operated on two separate layers, or instances. One layer was dedicated to player-versus-player combat, where opponents from rival factions clashed in real time. The other layer was faction-controlled, hosting only members of the player's own group; here, PvP was disabled and players focused on completing quests. NPC enemies appeared in both layers, ensuring that even the peaceful faction zone remained a place of active engagement. This dual-instance structure let players toggle between cooperative faction work and competitive cross-faction warfare without leaving the same physical location.

The Final Shutdown

Auto Assault's commercial life was short. At launch, the game earned average reviews on Metacritic, and despite a nomination for Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year at the 10th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, subscriber numbers never sustained the title. On July 2, 2007, NetDevil announced on its public forums that the servers would go dark on August 31, giving players roughly a month's notice. The company cited a failed agreement with publisher NCSOFT to buy out the intellectual property rights as a key factor in the shutdown. Offers from outside parties to keep the servers running were turned down. In a final gesture, NetDevil sent Parting Gifts via email, offering subscribers opportunities to try other products, including Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa and City of Heroes. Accounts were reconciled, billing stopped, and the post-apocalyptic world of Auto Assault went silent.