The Best MMO RPGs to Play in 2024
Massively-online RPGs is much bigger than World of Warcraft! There are quite a few games that are worthy competition for the venerable king, and we'll try to introduce them. Here's a list of the best MMOs!
- Lost Ark
- Neverwinter Online
- EVE Online
- Old School RuneScape
- Albion Online
- Black Desert Online
- Guild Wars 2
- The Elder Scrolls Online
- World of Warcraft
- Final Fantasy XIV
Lost Ark
In 2021, I wrote that it was an extremely interesting year for the MMORPG genre, as it was then that we received several important productions, such as New World, Elyon18×16 svg, or Bless Unleashed. The year 2022 turned out to be much more significant. It was a time of verification, thanks to which we now know that none of the mentioned titles made it to the top of the genre. It will be best to completely ignore the year 2023. The first half of 2024 also doesn't seem to spoil the genre's fans. However, H2 of 2023 might have something to offer. This year, there will be Aion 2, Dune: Awakening and the highly promising Throne and Liberty.
2024 UPDATE
While waiting for the big premieres, we decided to review the entire text to ensure the information it contains is up to date. The update was done by Matt "Rassi" Lugowik.
Sir, but what should I play?!
You'd be surprised how often MMORPG players ask what games to play. In fact, the question of whether title X is better than Y and why it's worth spending time on game Z is a regular occurrence. The list below is the top of the genre, taking into account the popularity of a given MMORPG and the frequency of updates. You could say that you will find the biggest productions of this kind here, but these less popular titles are also worth attention. Nevertheless, some methodology had to be adopted in this case – remember about it when you start whining about the lack of your favorite production on our list.
Amazon Games
- Business model: free-to-play with microtransactions
- Platforms: PC
- Encyclopedia page: here
Lost Ark has been awaited for a really long time and many people had high hopes for it. Ultimately, the publisher failed again, not fully meeting the expectations – Amazon wasted the game's potential, and could have had a much greater impact on the item shop. Regardless, Lost Ark still offers a pleasant combination of MMO and action RPG, enough for long hours of grind separated with cut-scenes. If you're looking for a full-blooded hack'n'slash, you will certainly be disappointed, though.
Lost Ark stands at a crossroads of genres, offering a little bit from every table. The combat system is enjoyable, there are many side activities, and multi-player attractions are the biggest advantages of the game. Nevertheless, all of this comes at a cost of lots of grind, where people willing to pay real money simply have an easier time. This is not a game for casual gaming, but a full-fledged time-eater that requires lots of dedication. Provided, of course, you don't mind the style.
Who's this game for? For players looking for a combination of hack'n'slash with MMO, which is focused on multiplayer without neglecting activities for solo players.
Is it regularly supported? Yes, although updates could be a little quicker.
Similar games: Path of Exile, Diablo Immortal.
Is it pay-to-win? The small shop provides a significant advantage and many conveniences.
Or maybe Path of Exile?
Did you not like the graphics in Lost Ark Online? Consider choosing the proven Path of Exile, which admittedly has significantly fewer MMO elements, but is a full-fledged representative of the hack 'n' slash genre and still has no worthy competition. Diablo IV, while good, still leaves a lot to be desired. Only PoE can probably be beaten by... Path of Exile 2.
