MMORPG stands for massively multiplayer online role-playing game. You control a character, usually in a fantasy or science-fiction world, alongside a huge number of other players, and that world is persistent: it keeps going and changing when you log off.
What you do in an MMORPG
- Level up your character and, at the level cap, chase endgame gear
- Complete quests, defeat monsters and collect loot
- Join raids with large groups, often of 20 players or more
- Join guilds or clans and take on roles such as tank or healer
- Fight other players in PvP
- Trade in economies run by the players themselves
How they make money
- Monthly subscription, once the most common model
- Free-to-play, with microtransactions or ads
- Freemium: free core content with paid extras
- Buy-to-play: a single purchase with no subscription, as in Guild Wars
Where they came from
MMORPGs descend from MUDs, text-based multiplayer games such as MUD1 (1978). Meridian 59 (1996) is generally seen as the start of MMORPGs as we know them, Ultima Online (1997) popularised the genre and EverQuest (1999) brought it to a mainstream Western audience. World of Warcraft became the dominant game, with over 10 million subscribers in November 2014. Other major titles include Final Fantasy XIV, Star Wars: The Old Republic, RuneScape and Lost Ark.
Frequently asked questions
What does MMORPG stand for?
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game.
Do I have to pay a subscription?
It depends on the game. Some use a monthly subscription, others are free-to-play or sold once with no subscription.
What was the first MMORPG?
Meridian 59 (1996) is generally considered the first modern MMORPG, and Ultima Online (1997) made the genre popular.
This article was written with AI assistance from the sources linked above.
