If you’ve been gaming for a while, you may already know of the golden age of massively multiplayer online (MMO) games. It included legendary titles like Runescape, Everquest, and the ever-popular World of Warcraft. While the golden era has passed, and many MMOs have come and gone, the genre is far from over in 2023. Numerous high-profile MMO titles are available for players to immerse themselves in.
Whether you have a prebuilt gaming PC or a self-assembled high-end machine, discover the best MMOs you can play today.
Decide Whether You Want to Play a Paid or Free-to-Play Game
While massively multiplayer online experiences are available in many genres, they typically fall into two categories: classic pay-to-play titles and free-to-play (F2P) games.
Pay-to-play titles require an upfront purchase to participate and contain little or no in-game monetization features, such as microtransactions or ads. They may also offer a higher-quality or more polished experience.
Free-to-play games require no upfront investment, letting you try them without strings attached. Then, if you choose, you can spend money on in-game purchases to access unique content, exclusive cosmetics, or a more complete user experience.
MMOs Worth Playing in 2023
Below are some of the most popular and engaging MMOs available in 2023. These titles offer the most polished features and unique content for gamers looking for a premium experience.
Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XIV (FF14) has come a long way since its middling 2010 launch that critics panned. After a complete shutdown of the game in 2012, the current iteration of this MMO roleplaying game (MMORPG) launched in 2013 under the name of A Realm Reborn to critical acclaim.
FF14 offers a highly detailed world set in the intricate realm of Eorzea. Its story and expansive lore are an integral part of the experience, and players can freely switch between its 20 classes and jobs as long as they have the corresponding weapons.
As of 2023, FF14 shows no signs of stopping, with five successive story patches and four expansion packs released. The latest expansion pack, Endwalker, was released in December 2021, bringing the game to version 6.0. A fifth pack, Dawntrail, is scheduled for release in summer 2024.
Although Final Fantasy XIV is a pay-to-play title with a monthly subscription fee, you can try the game for free with a 30-day free trial period. You can level up your character to 60 during the free trial. Additionally, the game’s age makes it easy to run on nearly any gaming PC today, whether you have an older or newer-generation CPU, graphics card, and RAM.
Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 (GW2) is a 2012 MMORPG developed by ArenaNet and published by NCSoft. Although it appears to be a classic fantasy-themed world, GW2 distinguishes itself from other games with a range of unique features.
GW2 is known for its storyline that responds to player actions, reminiscent of the best single-player games in the same genre. It also features dynamic events, letting players approach problems from different angles, replacing the traditional questing system in other MMORPGs.
Although GW2 was initially released as a pay-to-play game, it became free-to-play with microtransactions in 2015. Four expansion packs have been released since, with the latest being End of Dragons in 2022 and Secrets of the Obscure in 2023. NCSoft announced they were working on a fifth expansion, scheduled for a 2024 release.
EVE Online
One of the oldest games of its kind, EVE Online is an MMO pioneer and one of the most comprehensive space sci-fi experiences on the market. Released in 2003, EVE features a single universe with over 7,000 explorable star systems. In 2019, EVE player Katia Sae made history and earned a Guinness World Record for being the first to visit every star system in the game, the culmination of a dangerous 9-year journey.
EVE Online is well-known for being almost entirely community-driven. A web of intricate, player-managed alliances controls all systems and in-game spaces. You can choose from a wide range of occupations in the EVE world, such as space mining, ship and weapon manufacturing, exploration, trading, delivery missions, or even piracy and large-scale combat.
As a 2003 game, EVE Online has low system requirements. All you need to play is to download the game. You can also purchase an optional monthly subscription that unlocks additional content and accelerates certain aspects of progression, such as training speed.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Released in 2011, Star Wars: The Old Republic (SWTOR) is an MMORPG set in the universe of Star Wars, 300 years after the critically acclaimed Knights of the Old Republic and 3,600 years before the events in the movies.
SWTOR is renowned for its faction and morality system. You can choose from eight different classes split between the two major factions, the Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic. As you progress and make decisions throughout the game, your character’s morality changes alongside which side of the Force you fall into: Light, Dark, or somewhere in between.
Initially pay-to-play with monthly subscriptions, SWTOR switched to a hybrid free-to-play model in 2013. Players can play for free with a character-level cap of 60 and some gameplay restrictions. A monthly subscription lets you remove the level cap and restrictions and enjoy the full experience.
World of Tanks
Developed and published by Wargaming in 2010, World of Tanks (WoT) is a unique MMO centered around tanks and armored vehicles of the early to mid-20th century. It is a free-to-play game with optional microtransactions featuring more than 600 different vehicles to choose from and unlock.
In WoT, battles take place between two large teams of players, each controlling the tank and equipment of their choice. Each map is modeled after a real-world locale and supports up to 30 players, 15 per team. WoT also supports voice chat natively, allowing you to use your gaming headset to communicate with your team and coordinate team tactics.
Combat is highly realistic, and vehicles are modeled with high precision, making WoT part multiplayer video game and part tank simulator. The game’s large selection of tanks is divided into 10 tiers — from the most recognizable tanks in history to one-off concepts and prototypes.
Find the Ideal MMO to Play Today
Massively multiplayer online video games are still here and thriving in 2023, with numerous F2P and paid experiences in all genres available for gamers. Whether you enjoy exploring fantasy worlds, battling overland in tanks, or participating in large-scale spaceship combat, there is an MMO for you.