Thoughlive-service gameshave become a normal part of the games industry nowadays, they’re still a divisive topic. There are some unique pros and cons to them that regular full-priced one-time-purchase games don’t have, and those can really sour or sweeten the concept for you.
One major con is the unpredictability: the live servers will inevitably have to shut downsomeday, but you never know when. Some of these types of games haven’t even made it a year before shutting down, after all. But that’s not the case with the games here. They’re some of the longest-running live service games out there.
Pricing Model
Free-to-play with paid upgrades
Most of the other games on this list lean towards a realistic style, but MapleStory’s art style is more on the anime side. The cute characters and environments are a breath of fresh air compared to the darker settings of most other MMORPGs. Also, most MMORPGs have a top-down or back-camera view, but MapleStory is a 2D side-scroller.
you’re able to make multiple characters in the same world, allowing you to try out the different classes and jobs without much fuss. The game was a hit when it first launched in 2003, but its developer, Wizet, was absorbed into Nexon, whomade the Reboot serverand now updates MapleStory frequently. Many players dislike Nexon’s handling of the game, but the player count is still pretty strong considering how old MapleStory is.
Paid monthly subscription
When you think of aFinal FantasyMMORPG, your mind probably goes to the critically acclaimedFinal Fantasy 14. But the series has another MMORPG,Final Fantasy 11, that’s still kicking today. Though there are some PvP elements, the game focuses more on player cooperation.
You have much better chances of surviving battles if you find a party, and a fair amount of endgame content necessitates being in alliances with other players to defeat monsters. Interestingly, as old as it is, and though it has Final Fantasy 14 to compete with, Final Fantasy 11 has never removed or even lessened its monthly subscription price since its launch.
RuneScapeis one of the few MMORPGs that you have probably at least heard of, even if you’re not a fan of MMORPGs at all. One of its main draws is that it doesn’t have a main plot you have to go through to get to the other stuff. In that sense, you can do what you want and make up your own storyline if you want to.
There are two main versions of the game: regular and Old School RuneScape, with both being updated consistently. Regular RuneScape is the result of modernization and core updates, while the Old School version is for you if you’re nostalgic for the old RuneScape days (or simply curious about what the game used to be like).
EverQuest isn’t just an ancient MMORPG, it’s also somewhat revolutionary in its launch and subsequent success. It did much better than the developers had expected, and that’s probably part of how it’s still standing today. You have 16 races and classes to choose from, and there’s a mechanic called Alternate Abilities that lets your character expand their horizons skill-wise, regardless of their class.
That, along with all the locations available to play in — both alone and with others — and the expansions released so far, makes EverQuest the kind of MMORPG you won’t get tired of quickly. The game used to be purely subscription-based, but it’s now free-to-play.
Instead of one big world,Ultima Onlineis a game set in its own universe made up of different worlds. They’ve all got a dark atmosphere to them, but they range from space-based to having literal dinosaurs in them. Pick your favorite and build your own house in it. You can also craft your own equipment, and keeping it up to date is wise, as other players can fight you at almost any time.
The game’s developers wanted Ultima Online to have its own identity, and the fact that the game is still online and being updated means they’ve succeeded in that.
Another long-running MMORPG, Tibia came out a year after Meridian 59. Unlike Meridian, though, Tibia features more simple 2D sprite graphics. You have four classes to choose from, and besides the usual PvE, PvP, and contributing to your guild, you can buy and personalize your own house, and even go fishing.
The game has been going consistently since its launch in 1997 and is still being updated to this day. Though the number of players isn’t huge, they’re still there, and you can interact with, befriend, and fight them.
Free
Meridian 59 is the first 3D MMORPG. Yes,it’sthatold. You’d think that might make it borderline unplayable today, but it’s actually a treat to play because of its simplicity. The game has what you’d expect from an MMORPG: character creation, classes, and spells. But what makes it a little unique is that its main focus is PvP instead of PvE.
However, that doesn’t mean that players are nastily competitive. In fact, the community is quite close-knit and helpful, to the point where even your opponents are willing to give you advice to improve. Meridian 59 was technically shut down in 2000 for two years, but it’s been up and running again since 2002. It used to have a paid monthly subscription, but it’s now open-source.
