MMORPGs are massive in so many ways. Across hundreds of games, they bring in 10 billion dollars a year and have audiences that expand well into the tens of millions. In just World of Warcraft, players have collectively logged more time than our species has spent evolving on this planet—over 6 million years. The best MMORPGs share the beautiful ideal that anyone from anywhere can become anything within the confines of these virtual worlds (and grind out some epic loot in the process).
The PC game was originally released in September of 2010, but was. Omega Zodiac is a new MMORPG where you get to play as a knight, mage or archer.
We've come a long way from the text-based multi-user dungeons of yesteryear. So to celebrate that awesome lineage, we've rounded up the best MMOs that you can still play today. Whether you want to kick ass as some sort of human-cat hybrid or conquer the galaxy as a ruthless dictator, the MMOs on this list represent the best the genre has to offer. To make things easy, we've broken this list down into categories that really get at the heart of what makes each of these games exemplary.
The best MMORPG to play in 2019
Though we heartily recommend every entry in this list, if we had to choose just one MMO to recommend in 2019, it would be Final Fantasy 14. Few MMOs check every box, but FF14 comes close with its gorgeous graphics, captivating story, robust features, excellent dungeons, and consistent quality updates. What's more, now is an excellent time to start playing because Final Fantasy 14's third expansion, Shadowbringers, is due out this summer—which means even more to explore and do.
Of course, Final Fantasy 14 does have its problems. The endgame can be repetitive and not everyone gels with its World of Warcraft-style leveling and questing. If that's the case, we also recommend The Elder Scrolls Online as our second pick for the best 2019 MMO. Similar to FF14, ESO comes packed with features and things to do and also has a massive new update due out this summer. Plus it's free-to-play.
If neither of those tickle your fancy, though, have no fear. Here's the other great MMOs you can play, each sorted by category to help you find the right one for you.
A lesson in history
An incredible number of MMOs have played a critical role in shaping the genre, but many of them are much older and less populated than in their better days. For that reason, this list focuses on MMOs that still have a lot of life left in them, rather than those that are slowly winding down or have already run their course. If you want to read about the genre's past, check out our brief history of MMO games.
Table of contents
The best 'theme park' and sandbox MMOs (below): MMOs all about killing bosses and grinding gear, or embracing freedom and consequence.
The best story-focused MMOs: Worlds that have tales worth telling.
The best PVP-focused MMOs: For when you'd rather kill another player than another monster.
The best 'theme park' MMOs
In the world of MMOs, 'theme parks' are that movie you like to put on in the background—the one you've seen a thousand times but still love. They don't push you into deep waters like most sandbox MMOs do, instead wrapping you up in a comforting and familiar blanket. They are games that, just like their name implies, are all about having fun as you tour from one attraction to the next. Though they might rely on a time-worn formula, they can still conceal a surprise or two. These are often the most popular MMOs, and they've earned their reputations with every dungeon, every level, and every quest.
World of Warcraft
Release Date: November 23, 2004
Developer: Blizzard
Payment Model: Subscription with paid expansions
Developer: Blizzard
Payment Model: Subscription with paid expansions
No other MMO has had a greater impact on the genre and the entirety of videogames as a whole quite like World of Warcraft. For that reason, putting it anywhere but first on this list just doesn't feel right. Though it might be getting on in years, World of Warcraft continues to surprise with expansions. Battle for Azeroth, its latest, wasn't received as positively as previous expansions, but it's still worth exploring. Taking players on a high-seas adventure to two new islands, Battle for Azeroth introduces some interesting new gamemodes like procedurally-generated Island Expeditions and Warcraft 3-esque Warfronts.
Whether you love dungeons, raiding, player-versus-player battles, or just exploring a wonderfully charming world, World of Warcraft has you covered. In Battle for Azeroth, Blizzard really drives this home with weekly activities like PVP Brawls with whacky rulesets like no gravity, Timewalking events that let you revisit old expansion dungeons for cool loot, and World Quests that help you accomplish something meaningful even if you only have 20 minutes to play.
The biggest flaw with Battle for Azeroth currently is its endgame gear system, which Blizzard has committed to fix in the upcoming 8.2 patch. If you're a hardcore player, it's easy to feel the grind and frustration of a system that relies too heavily on RNG. That said, World of Warcraft's endgame is still very diverse and fun—even if it has frustrating flaws. The path to its throne is littered with the bones of would-be usurpers, but World of Warcraft's unparalleled zeal for bringing the world of Azeroth to life is a force to be reckoned with.
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Developer: Square Enix
Payment Model: Subscription with paid expansions
Developer: Square Enix
Payment Model: Subscription with paid expansions
Final Fantasy 14's journey has been a long road full of disappointment. Launching in 2010 to an overwhelmingly negative response, Square Enix refused to give up and rebuilt the whole game with a new team. The second iteration, A Realm Reborn, has done a better job of rekindling the love fans had for Final Fantasy better than any recent game in the series. It's at once unflinchingly dedicated to following in World of Warcraft's footsteps while also introducing a host of refreshing ideas—the best being the innovative class system.
Gone are the days of needing a new character for each class: Final Fantasy 14 let's you swap between them whenever you please and there's even room to borrow abilities between classes, just like in the classic Final Fantasy Job system. But Final Fantasy 14 isn't just about combat, either. Its story starts slow but builds into a grand epic spanning continents in both the Heavensward and Stormblood expansions, easily rivaling any of the classics like Final Fantasy 7 or 10. It's a journey worth taking, if you have the time, but one thing to keep in mind is that 14's endgame, while offering challenging and memorable boss fights, is scarce. Updates come at a steady pace, but you'll run the same dungeons and raids dozens of times.
Now is a great time to consider playing Final Fantasy 14, though. This summer, the new Shadowbringer expansion will release, bringing a variety of new areas, classes, and features.
Tera
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Developer: Bluehole Studio
Payment Model: Free-to-play
Developer: Bluehole Studio
Payment Model: Free-to-play
Where some MMOs cast wide nets to catch as many players as possible, Tera's vicious combat has always been its driving force. The overall structure of progression sticks close to the template that World of Warcraft popularized—that is until you step out into the field and try and take down one of Tera's 'Big-ass Monsters.' These brutes pack a serious punch, and the desperate dance as you dodge and attack set a new standard for action-based combat in MMOs. Even to this day, despite many that have tried to do it better, Tera is still king of the hill when it comes to killing stuff.
Transitioning to free-to-play wasn't always a smooth journey, but Tera's insistence on delivering great action gives it a singular focus that kept it moving forward when so many of its peers were floundering. It's microtransactions aren't egregious and you can buy most premium items with in-game currency if you have a nose for grinding, which is a welcome change. You might have to put up with playing a weird little girl with bunny ears, but those who can look past it will find one of the best—and most challenging—theme park MMOs.
Check out the next page for our favorite sandbox MMOs.
The best sandbox MMOs
While theme parks can be great, not everyone wants to be led by the hand everywhere they go. Some of us like to take our time and smell the roses, while others want to trample those roses as they build an empire with thousands of real players and become a space dictator. If you're the type of person who likes building a sand castle just to kick it down, sandbox MMOs are where it's at. The freedom and consequence they offer will turn away those looking for a more relaxing experience, but if you truly want to embrace the potential of what an online world can offer, there's never been another choice.
EVE Online
Release Date: May 6, 2003
Developer: CCP Games
Payment Model: Free-to-play with a premium subscription
Developer: CCP Games
Payment Model: Free-to-play with a premium subscription
When you think of modern sandbox MMOs, there's only one place to turn: EVE Online. The 16 years that EVE has been around could fill the pages of a textbook (actually, it kind of has)—but only if you're studying How to Lose Faith in Humanity 101. Its reputation for being a callous, uncaring universe was forged over a decade of war, betrayal, and scandal. But that same spartan culture has also given birth to the kind of camaraderie you'll never find anywhere else.
EVE Online is obtuse and complex as hell, and there will be times where you'll stare at the screen, clueless of what to do. CCP Games gone to great lengths to make EVE easier to understand, but your best teacher will always be the sting of failure. The good news is that a few years ago EVE Online started offering a free-to-play option, letting you dive into its sandbox with a limited set of ships and skills to use. They've since expanded the program, giving free players even more choices of what ships to fly.
Those who persevere will find a whole galaxy of possibilities at their fingertips—and really, that's always been EVE's greatest accomplishment. It's truly a living world where those with the will to rise to the top can find a way—even if that means using all those daggers in the back of the people who trusted them as a foothold.
Runescape
Release Date: January 4, 2001
Developer: Jagex
Payment Model: Free-to-play with premium subscription
Developer: Jagex
Payment Model: Free-to-play with premium subscription
As the oldest MMO on this list, Runescape should be like a crotchety old man, and yet here it is looking young and appealing as ever. That's because being original never gets old and, despite the rise and fall of popular MMOs, Runescape has never stopped being original. Though the fancy graphics and new additions are nice, Runescape still values freedom above all else. You're dropped into the world with little more than a few items and a general sense of direction. Where to go is for you to decide. That emphasis on choice gave birth to one of the more varied skill systems in the genre, as players can pursue anything from professional monster slaying to just being a lumberjack. That spirit of freedom is even extended to which version you want to play, giving players the choice between the current version or the 'old school' Runescape so many love.
Runescape has also come a long way from its early days of 2D sprites in 3D environments, but that 'ugly duckling syndrome' led to a focus on having a great personality over all the fanciest bells and whistles—and it doesn't hurt that just about anyone and their grandmother could play it through a browser. Over a decade later, that pursuit of substance over style makes Runescape one of the most endearing and unique MMOs available.
Black Desert Online
Release Date: March 3, 2016
Developer: Pearl Abyss
Payment Model: Buy-to-play
Developer: Pearl Abyss
Payment Model: Buy-to-play
Korean MMOs are often negatively viewed as brutal grindfests, and while Black Desert Online doesn't break that stereotype it does offer one of the most expansive crafting systems ever seen in the genre. While the active, combo-based combat is great fun, there's dozens of career paths to take your character down in this dynamic sandbox MMO. You can be a merchant, a fisherman, or invest all your time into building a massive production empire of beer.
This is all thanks to Black Desert Online's complex node system. Each region is divided up into nodes that provide various resources, while properties in cities can be purchased and converted into blacksmiths, fisheries, or storage depots. Instead of doing all the hard work yourself, you can hire automated workers who level up and have their own innate skills to do the heavy lifting. It's an intimidating system to learn when you're just starting out, but the freedom it provides is unparalleled, and it's unlike anything else in the genre. It can be just as rewarding to spend an evening tweaking your farms and leveling up your workers as it is taking down one of Black Desert Online's brutal world bosses. And if that doesn't suit your fancy, the node system is also the foundation for weekly guild wars, where guilds race to conquer various nodes for special bonuses—making BDO a great choice if you're into PVP as well.
Head back to our table of contents to check out other MMO genres.
Once rare like a legendary loot drop, new MMOs are now more common than ever. And as part of a genre built upon freedom and vast numbers of players coming together, they are among the most ambitious games around. Each one promises a sprawling world, a vibrant community, and enough content to make you blush and go all dizzy.
New MMORPGs are full of potential, but they’re also precariously close to failure – history is littered with MMOs that have had their moment in the spotlight or never garnered the attention they deserved.
In the interest of saving you hours spent in character creation for a game you might not even like, we have compiled a handy list of all the new MMOs that are worth your time. But we have also gone one step further: as the worlds of MMORPGs are ever-changing, we have included games with recent updates, new content drops, and the like, plus new massively multiplayer online games with RPG elements. So, from newly updated sword-and-sorcery classics to emerging action-RPGs, these are the new MMOs you should be paying attention to.
The best new MMOs are:
Play nowRift
Rift felt like a breath of fresh air in a stagnant genre back in 2011, and it has only got better since. For starters, it costs a lot less than it did: gradually, the base game and all of its expansions have gone free-to-play. Meanwhile, new updates work to keep Rift fresh. In the Rift Crucia’s Claw update, a new raid introduces ginormous bosses, while one of the cleverest class systems around continues to expand with magical archers and more.
Everything that helped Rift garner rave reviews at launch still holds true: this is a game that excels at pulling large groups of players together and throwing them at convincing threats. It handles quests and raids with practiced ease, and weaves spontaneous events into the mix too. Classical yet modern, Rift is a fantasy MMO for this decade.
Play nowArcheAge
ArcheAge is an ambitious MMO; a giant sandbox where you can fulfil your dreams of living like a fantasy pirate. Like so many MMOs, its world is ever-evolving through frequent updates, the latest of which is ArcheAge Legends Return.
In addition, you can now raise your own dragon mount in ArcheAge – allowing players to swashbuckle in the skies. What’s more, thanks to progression servers, it is now possible to experience the game as it was at launch and see newer features re-added piece by piece. That way, there’s no catching up to do.
play nowCrossout
Think Mad Max with even more vehicular combat and you have Crossout: a post-apocalyptic MMO based around building and customisation. There are a multitude of body parts, weapons, electrical gadgets, and cosmetic oddities with which to create your mobile death machine. Then join one of many weird and wonderful Crossout factions, each with their own distinct style and selection of vehicle parts, and make use of a robust marketplace where you can trade with other players.
The game’s economy ensures that you get drip-fed as you progress. There is also a limit to what can and can’t be welded to your car’s exterior, and managing this is just as important as clever manoeuvring and decent marksmanship. If you are looking for a trip into a nightmarish future full of crumbling cities and desolate barrens – and hey, who isn’t? – then jump behind the wheel. Just be sure to get your license first; that’s what our Crossout beginner’s guide is for.
play nowBlade & Soul
Blade & Soul is a new MMORPG for fans of high-wire martial arts and movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Every MMO can boast something distinct about its combat and Blade & Soul gets the bragging rights for its visually arresting battle scenes, replete with complex animations and devastating combo attacks.
This new MMO proved so popular in Asia that a 10,000 signature petition was signed to convince its publisher to release it in North America and Europe. Explore a fantasy world inspired Chinese mythology, choose one of the 11 distinct classes, and discover a tale of revenge so devilish it would make Hamlet blush. Be sure to check out our Blade & Soul guide for some tips and tricks for conquering this MMO.
Play nowGuild Wars 2
When it launched in 2012, Guild Wars 2 was almost certainly the strongest MMO since World of Warcraft, and six years on and it is showing no signs of failing. It’s latest expansion, Path of Fire, tasks players to kill Balthazar, the rogue god of war, before he brings Tyria to ruin, while the latest episode of the Guild Wars 2 Living World story introduces an open-world jungle. It is all very exciting, and continues to prove Arenanet’s storytelling chops.
Guild Wars 2’s expansive, beautiful world is its main pull – just check out the Guild Wars 2 concept art – but there is elegance in its systems, too. Dynamic events pull players – friends and strangers alike – together for mad dashes across its landscapes, while the combat feels pacey and dramatic despite being based on the traditions of hotbars and cooldowns. The core game is free, but you’ll need to buy the expansion packs, and best of all it’s refreshingly light on microtransactions.
Play nowMapleStory 2
MapleStory 2 is a new MMO from Korean developer Nexon, and it’s a sequel that shouldn’t escape your attention if you’re looking for a fresh massively-multiplayer timesink. Set in the eye-catching, voxel-based Maple World, you and your fellow Maplers must rid the world of evil with plenty of powerful weapons and fancy armour sets at your disposal.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t time for fun, too. Besides the deep dungeon crawls, devilish bosses, and tough public events to tackle with your anime-style mates, you can unwind with mini games and by decorating your own home – all of which you can learn more about through our MapleStory 2 guide. In this massive world that is just as sweet as its name suggests, there are activities for all tastes.
Final Fantasy XIV
The all-online iteration of Final Fantasy has been around for a while, but like all great MMOs, it’s still growing. Recently the game was updated with a new Rival Wings PvP MOBA-style mode, while most recent major content drop is Stormblood. This being a paid expansion, Square Enix aren’t being shy with how much content they’re pouring into the already sizeable MMO.
Stormblood has brought a new major quest in the land of Ala Mhigo, new jobs, including the Red Mage, as well as swimming and diving for the first time in the MMO. There’s also a level cap increase to 70 from 60, a new Primal, and additional dungeons, gear, raids and a fourth residential district.
Revelation Online
Revelation Online is one of many new MMORPGs making the journey from East to West, but it stands out amongst many of its competitors because of its stylish, free-flowing combat, ludicrously deep character creation and progression systems, and gorgeous open world. It also has plenty of content for players of every MMO denomination, whether you’re after a solid PvE grind packed with questlines and NPCs or just want to hunt down and kill your fellow virtual man in PvP duels and battles.
It’s also got one particularly neat trick up its sleeve: you can reset your character at any point. For free. If you’ve ever ploughed 60 hours into an MMORPG and realised you’d rather be a ranged build than melee then you’ll know how valuable such a feature is to the amount of free time you have.
If you’re also a fan of the MOBA genre then good news: the Revelation Online Mythical Combat update adds a separate game mode inspired by MOBA titans like League of Legends and Dota 2.
Riders of Icarus
Every new MMORPG nowadays has to have a unique selling point, and for Riders of Icarus that feature is mounts. Sure, plenty of MMOs have mounts, but as you might have guessed from the title, mounts are pretty central to character progression and questing in Riders of Icarus, which is just as well, because there are hundreds of potential pets to ride and battle with in this otherwise traditional MMO.
Wherever you travel to in Riders of Icarus, you are bound to encounter plenty of new and powerful creatures to capture and use for yourself, from adorable kangaroo-like woodland critters to ancient, fire-breathing dragons. Of course you will have to tame them before you can utilise their strengths, and Riders of Icarus makes this a game mechanic as important as dialogue or combat – check out our Riders of Icarus guide for help on this. It being an MMO and all, you will also get to show off your mount to friends. Sort of like Pokémon, except in a fantasy setting and with much, much more killing and bloodshed.
Like so many new MMOs, Riders of Icarus is also constantly being updated with major new features and fresh content, like the Rift of the Damned expansion, which brings floating islands and a suite of new dragon mounts to the game.
Mu Legend
Not many game franchises have been as successful as instilling a sense of immortal power in their players as Blizzard’s Diablo series has. Enter Mu Legend, a top-down, action-RPG that manages to make mowing down a horde of demons with a greatsword feel as great as it sounds. This new MMORPG boasts a diverse character creator, a range of levelled and endless dungeons, and PvP for you to sink their teeth into.
As the focus is predominantly on fast-paced and brutal combat, there is a lot less helping farmers bring in their crop and hunting down badgers in Mu Legend than in other MMOs. Mu Legend is also the follow-up to the immensely popular Mu Online, so expect more highly addictive loot drops and a level cap you could never, ever reach.
Eve Online
Finally, space piracy and corporate evil are now open to everyone as Eve Online goes free-to-play, ditching its paywall in favour of a stripped back (but still expansive) F2P experience. The Ascension update means you can live out your space trucker fantasies without having to commit to a subscription fee: whether you want to wage enormous galactic war on your foes or profit off all the bloodshed, it is totally up to you. The galaxy is constantly updated, too; recent content drops like Eve Online’s Into the Abyss expansion added a huge new region.
Related: Read our list of the best pirate games for more thievery.
Entering Eve Online as a free player only holds you back from the highest echelons of upgrades and abilities, so you’ll still be able to work your way up the ranks of whichever space trade you fancy the look of most. Fortunately, CCP Games have also reworked the game’s introduction to ensure that getting to know this famously complex space game is much easier.
The Elder Scrolls Online
Thanks to constant updates from Bethesda, The Elder Scrolls Online is now one of the biggest, grandest, and deepest MMOs around. If you are familiar with The Elder Scrolls franchise – and frankly, who isn’t? – then this is effectively a fresh fix of the same kind of fantasy RPG gameplay that made Skyrim and Oblivion such huge successes. Of course, there is an online element too that allows you to finally duel your friends and enter a dungeon with more than a clunky AI NPC by your side, but at its core this is classic Elder Scrolls through and through.
It is also still getting bigger, with frequent The Elder Scrolls Online expansions adding new regions to the game like Morrowind and the beautiful Summerset, while updates like Dragon Bones adding new dungeons and PvP Battlegrounds. This MMO is now exploring places the main games have only mentioned in passing like the Argonian homeland of Murkmire, so if you want to stay on top of the lore before the Elder Scrolls 6 release date then this is your best bet.
TERA
Not everyone can get enthused about traditional MMO combat, which is where TERA comes in. It is an action-focused game, with Devil May Cry-style flips, slices, and sword thrusts that are a far cry from the click-and-wait cooldown systems seen in pretty much every other MMO. Combine that combat with the flashy visuals you will see everywhere else in the game, and TERA is quite the sight to behold.
It is getting on a bit now, but the future holds as much for TERA as when it launched back in 2011. Regular events, such as Return to the Forsaken Island and the addition of the male Brawler, keep the world of Arborea a vibrant, busy place. And since TERA is also one of the best free MMORPGs, there is no reason not to dive in and see what is going on.
Related: Check out our list of the best free PC games
And that’s it for our all-encompassing look at the freshest massively multiplayer experiences you can get on PC. If you’re looking for quality over recency, our list of the best MMOs will serve you well, or if you’re ok with less than a world’s worth of players then why not check out our picks of the best multiplayer games? As you can see, playing together with friends and strangers is a pretty big deal these days. Don’t resist; leave your single-player games alone for a while and become one with the massively multiplayer machine.
- Read More
- FFXIV Shadowbringers release date
- FFXIV Blue Mage spells guide
- FFXIV leveling guide