MMOs have the potential to transport players into rich and lush worlds. MMO players can become literally anyone (or thing) they want for however long they desire when slaying mobs. Trekking new lands for long, enjoyable periods of time is an integral part of the MMO experience too.
The idea of becoming lost and spending tons of time in medieval societies, alternate galaxies, and even anime-inspired fields can provide endless amounts of entertainment (though, as with any genre, MMOs and MMORPGs aren't always hits). Staying in these worlds for long periods of time can get pretty expensive, though, so finding a great MMO without a monthly subscription fee will keep your wallet as bountiful as your guild bank.
10 Guild Wars 2: Hunt For Elder Dragons
Guild Wars 2, developed by ArenaNet, is one of the first triple-a MMOs to embrace a full free-to-play system. Since the game launched in 2014, it has allowed players to explore the vast world of Tyria, where they can carve out their own adventure.
The game's action-oriented combat serves as a departure from traditional turn-based battle systems that are widely used by other MMOs. By also featuring Instanced Combat, Dynamic Events, Competitive play, and even a personal story to explore, players must be prepared to spend lots of time killing mobs and grinding. Free of charge, too.
9 RuneScape: Slay Mobs In A Web Browser
Residing within the hearts of all MMO fans, RuneScape has been around since 2001, which marks it as one of the longest-running MMOs available. With the latest iteration often called modern RuneScape, or RuneScape 3, players can enjoy contemporary graphics with tried and true MMO mechanics that will help any fan of the genre find a home.
Due to how long the game has been around, millions of players have called the land of Gielinor their home. RuneScape is perhaps the most popular free-to-play MMO. Pick up a sword and enter the gates of Gielinor; no (monthly) toll needed!
8 Star Wars: The Old Republic: Choose Between The Light Or Dark Side
On a game server within a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars: The Old Republic allows you to choose between many of the character types found within the Star Wars universe.
Franchise fans were delighted to see that The Old Republic lets players choose to become a master of the force by playing as a Jedi, jetpack over their enemies as a notorious Bounty Hunter, or even walk down the path of the Dark Side as a Sith (with all the Force Lightning shenanigans that entails). Stepping into The Old Republic, players can expect to live within this almost infinite universe (though perhaps not as big as some open-world titles) for a grand total of 0 credits.
7 Black Desert: A Versatile Sandbox
Produced by Korean game developer Pearl Abyss, Black Desert Online is a sandbox MMO where players are given freedom of choice to help strengthen the game’s community through active contribution. The more active players contribute to the realm, the better the game becomes for everyone.
Xbox One and Playstation 4 players can also join in on the PvP-oriented raiding with friends across the lush lands of Balenos or Serendia. The playerbase has grown to over 3.4 million players since Black Desert Online's release in December 2014. Although cross-play between console and PC players is still pending, Black Desert fans can scratch that itch with Black Desert Mobile on the go.
6 TERA: An Epic Fantasy World To Explore
If real-time action is what matters the most, then TERA online will not disappoint. This multiplayer treat was developed by Bluehole Studio, the same creative minds who crafted the addicting Battle Royale game PUBG. TERA has a densely inhabited landscape, where players can engage in PvE and PvP elements within its sandbox.
With over 13 different classes featuring Berserker, Brawler, Ninja, and Reaper, gameplay customization can be almost endless when factoring in all seven races players can choose from. Console players can rejoice as the game also features control pad support; here, well-timed attacks and dodging can help any player gain an edge in battle.
5 Genshin Impact: An Impactful Thrust Forward
Fans of The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild's gameplay and its vastly wide-ranging open world have many reasons to try Genshin Impact. If the anime-inspired visuals don’t hook you, the endless loot-collecting and intuitive co-op gameplay will.
Although a large part of the game is considered a single-player experience, players can wrangle up to 4 of their pals to tackle dungeons and bosses and explore more of Teyvat, the land of Genshin Impact. Although the game is a free-to-play, single-player experience, players have the option of diving into the game’s gacha mechanics by purchasing Primogems, which helps unlock more characters to play and enjoy when linking up with the game's millions of registered players (the multiplayer can be tricky to grasp at first, though).
4 Aion Online: A PvPvE Battlefield
Aion Online features a mashup between PVP and PVE combat styles, which the creators have dubbed PvPvE. In addition to the single-player, traditional MMO leveling experience, Aion’s Abyss and Blaurea mode is where the PvPvE model truly shines.
Players can join Legions (guilds) in a battle for domination against opposing factions and NPCs (at the same time). Aion has been online since 2008, with the game fully transitioned to a free-to-play experience in February 2012. Fans of traditional MMOs will find a special home in Aion, due to the game’s classical real-time and combo-based mechanics.
3 DC Universe Online: Fighting Alongside Or Against the Justice League
Superman and Batman await new recruits in DC Universe Online, where players can create their own hero (or villain) to explore treacherous cityscapes like Gotham City, Downtown Metropolis, and many more. The game features a main storyline that allows you to fight against the evil genius Brainiac and foil his attempt to dominate Earth.
If end-game content is more up your alley, players can participate in Operation Zones: multi-instance 8-player group Instances (think of more close-knit dungeon raids from other MMOs). Fans of this title also have the benefit of crossplay functionality. Players on PC, PS4, and Xbox One can walk the streets of the same Gotham City.
2 Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis: A Universe Worth Charting
Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis features a robust community of players from all sorts of devices, including Xbox Series X, Steam, and Epic Game Store. The visuals in New Genesis can be compared to the beautiful art style found in Xenoblade Chronicles 2, which helps provide an aesthetic that will please fans of an anime-styled game.
Combat here lets players chain together standard attacks as combos; these attacks can then be linked into Photon Arts, which consume PP (Photon Points) and allows players to unleash an array of visually stunning attacks. New Genesis' aesthetics, along with scheduled content and in-game events, provide a stellar realm for MMO fans.
1 EVE Online: To Infinity And Beyond
Considered the definitive space MMO by many fans, EVE Online is a free-to-play sandbox MMO that is slightly different from other traditional genre titless. Combat in EVE is largely between ships (of a variety of different factions) that fire against each other whilst navigating space.
Fans of EVE love the game's dizzying sense of scale. With nearly 8,000 star systems accessible to players, the amount of time you can spend in EVE can be virtually endless. Thankfully, you won’t have to shell out any dough to traverse this expansive universe.