Ahhh, MMORPGs. A beautiful diversion from the mundane daily life where you sink thousands of hours together with your friends and fight your way through hordes of beasts to conquer painstakingly difficult raids. It’s a new life where you can live in a fantasy world as a dark knight, a gunslinger in the wastelands, or an opportunistic merchant. If that idea sounds appealing to you, or you simply just want to jump ship from your usual game and you want to try something new, here are 7 MMORPGs you should try out now.
Final Fantasy XIV
Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 4, macOS, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Price: Free trial, $59.99 Complete Edition, $139.99 Complete Collector’s Edition, $12.99-$14.99/month Subscription fee
Can we really go wrong with adding Final Fantasy XIV in this list? This game definitely deserve its second wind with how much love its developers poured into it. It even has a captivating story that’s kinda rare from MMORPGs nowadays. From the regular updates to the constant collaborations it does with other IPs, it offers plenty of new things for newcomers and seasoned players alike. From NieR: AutomatA to even Monser Hunter: World, the fun never stops.
Oh, and the best part? You can play it free up to level 70 and with no restriction on playtime, and that also includes the Stormblood expansion. I just finished with the base game’s Main Story Quest, so there’s plenty more to explore and try out.
World of Warcraft
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X
Price: Free trial, $12.99-$14.99/month Subscription fee
I’m really surprised this one’s still alive and kicking. World of Warcraft over the years, apparently, has been a mainstay in the MMORPG space as it endures the test of time. I mean, sure, it has its ups and downs, but the rich lore and challenging dungeons can surely help you immerse in the game. You can play this game free up to level 20 if you’re still on the fence and you want to test the waters before you jump into paying a monthly subscription.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Platform: Windows
Price: Free-to-Play, $39.99 Join the Fight Bundle, $12.99-$14.99/month Premium Plans, $29.99 Non-recurring Premium Plan
Lightsabers, man. Need I say more? But yeah, if you need more to get sold on the idea of playing a Star Wars-based MMORPG, Star Wars: The Old Republic is a free-to-play title that offers a wealth of lore and engaging narrative throughout its content. The only thing you’ll likely hate in this game is the arduous registration process because I kid you not, I had plenty of issues doing that I almost gave up.
Warframe
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Price: Free-to-play, with in-game purchases
Look. I know. There’s a lot of people who won’t consider Warframe as an MMORPG, perhaps even laugh at the very idea, but then again the definition has been so diluted and loose now that it’s become an argument in semantics. But since its developer Digital Extremes, together with its massive player base, has poured immense love into the game, it’s hard not to include it in this list. It’s free-to-play, the narrative is engaging because of how rewarding it is whenever you get them, there’s plenty of lore to immerse yourself in, and you get space mom and space dad.
Oh, and you’re a ninja in cool armor slicing and dicing enemies. Does it get cooler than that? Oh, forgot to mention, the grind can get ridiculous at times, so if you’re iffy about those, Warframe may be a hard sell.
The Elder Scrolls Online
Platforms: Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Price: $19.99 Standard Edition, $59.99 Collection: Necrom, $14.99/month Plus Membership
Look, if you’ve already gotten tired of your countless playthroughs of Skyrim, then perhaps it’s probably time to try out an MMORPG in the same vein so you’ll still feel right at home. The Elder Scrolls Online has a healthy community, and of course you get to explore The Elder Scrolls universe. It’s buy-to-play, so there’s no expensive subscription you have to spend on monthly, and there’s also a premium membership that comes with certain privileges.
Fallout 76
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Windows
Price: $39.99 Base Game, Included in Game Pass, $59.99 The Pitt Deluxe, $12.99/month-$99.99/year Fallout 1st Subscription
Now, if you’re a fan of Fallout, Fallout 76 probably wasn’t a fun experience for you when it first came out. Thankfully, while it’s no A Realm Reborn comeback, it did manage to come back as a good MMORPG with huge improvements and fixes over its initial release. While the story takes a while to pick up, it does have a helpful and fantastic community that can make you feel welcomed in your stay.
Black Desert
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Microsoft Windows
Price: Free trial, $6.25 Traveler Edition, $31.25 Explorer Edition, $62.50 Conqueror Edition
Not gonna lie, there’s a reason Black Desert is in the list and I’m pretty sure that’s one of the reasons you’re playing it. Okay, so if you like an action-based MMORPG that has challenging PVE content and dynamic PVP battles, you can try this out for free. Or, you know, just create a character for the funsies.
We hope this list of seven MMORPGs to play can help you have a good time. And remember, while the challenges to conquer and enemies to defeat are endless, take a rest whenever you can.