Fifteen Best MMORPGs to Play in 2023
Few genres in gaming bring together large numbers of players like MMORPGs do, promising interesting lore, oodles of content across big worlds, and social interaction. Whether you’re looking for something light and easily accessible or a hardcore experience, here are the 15 best MMORPGs to play in 2023.
Everquest
Several years before World of Warcraft hit the market, there was Everquest, a high-fantasy universe where players inhabited Norrath. The success of future MMORPGs can be traced all the way back to Everquest, and yet it’s still going strong with nearly 30 expansions under its belt. However, Everquest isn’t for the faint of heart due to its steep learning curve and a massive world full of over 500 zones. Compared to the other entries on this list, Everquest is definitely the most “hardcore” of the bunch, as it never holds your hand through any of its gameplay elements. If you can look past its dated graphics and difficulty, Everquest is incredibly rewarding both in gameplay and lore.
Diablo IV
Look, the definition of ‘MMORPG’ has changed over time and encompasses a much larger umbrella these days. Given the way Diablo 4 is designed, it falls comfortably within the genre—just at a much smaller scale. Diablo 4 continues the tradition of always being online, only this time around you’ll see other players out in the open world and can freely interact with them or ignore entirely. You can clear dungeons, engage in PVP, gear up five unique classes, and even join others in defeating world bosses and world events for sweet loot. New content is also released at regular intervals called ‘seasons,’ which revolve around a theme like the Season of the Malignant.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Who would’ve thought that combining the easily approachable elements of World of Warcraft with the narrative excellence of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic would create something so compelling? Of course, it also helps that it’s set in the Star Wars universe. Star Wars: The Old Republic took popular characters from the Star Wars films and built classes around them, such as the dangerous bounty hunters and Force-wielding Jedi. What’s arguably the best part is that each class has its own story, with branching decisions, companions to recruit, and a dark and light alignment system.
Final Fantasy 14
Final Fantasy 14 has come a long way since its original release in 2010, a launch that did so poorly the game was killed off and relaunched a few years later. Gone was the poor performance, the gameplay was vastly better in every way, and a story that’s actually awesome and even incorporates the death of the original game into its storyline. Final Fantasy 14 is top-tier Final Fantasy, borrowing many features and class identities that the series has created over the years, like the iconic chocobos and Dragoons. There are 20 fantastic jobs to choose from (jobs are classes), but what differentiates FFXIV’s job system from other MMORPGs is that you can switch classes at any time you want, so you’re never stuck creating new characters over and over again.
Black Desert Online
If there’s one common thread between all MMORPGs, it is that they tend to rein in their graphics. Black Desert Online is not; it’s beautiful to look at and equally fun to play. There are over two dozen classes and ten life skills to try out, and each system is quite deep. You’ll find yourself spending just as much time empowering your character as you would fishing or farming. It also goes without saying, but Black Desert Online has one of the most extensive character customization options, right down to the length of your hair.
Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 strikes a great balance between engaging PVE and PVP content. It has a living world that changes over time. If PVP is your thing, Guild Wars 2 has large-scale battles that pit hundreds of players against one another. What sets Guild Wars 2 apart from other MMORPGs is its combat system, which isn’t your typical zone-out-and-auto-attack. You have to commit and play an active role in combat by dodging incoming attacks, using chain skills, and creating combos.