Category: Subscription

Dragon Quest X

Dragon Quest X is a subscription-based MMORPG that takes the colorful, anime-flavored identity of the Dragon Quest series and reshapes it into an online adventure. It blends familiar MMO exploration and party play with a JRPG-leaning combat rhythm, then wraps everything in a long-form storyline focused on stopping Nelgel, the Lord of Hell.

Publisher: Square Enix
Playerbase: Medium
Type: 3D MMORPG
Release Date: August 2, 2012
Pros: +Playable non-human races add variety. +One character can swap jobs (classes) whenever you return to town. +Supports cross-platform play. +Includes a free-to-play option up to level 20.
Cons: -Areas can feel compact compared to larger MMOs. -Not very friendly for English-only players. -Requires an upfront purchase plus a monthly subscription.

Darkfall: Rise of Agon

Darkfall: Rise of Agon is a subscription fantasy MMORPG built around a ruthless sandbox, real-time first and third-person combat, and constant player conflict. It leans heavily into full loot open PvP, so every roam, dungeon run, and trade route can turn into a fight, and large-scale clan warfare, sieges, and naval battles are central to the experience.

Publisher: Big Picture Games
Playerbase: Low
Type: Fantasy MMORPG
Release Date: May 5, 2017
Pros: +Multiple playable races with different flavor. +Combat supports first and third person views. +Progression is driven by skills and use.
Cons: -Subscription required. -Steep learning curve. -Hardcore ruleset is not for everyone.

Final Fantasy XI

Final Fantasy XI is a subscription MMORPG that drops players into Vana’diel, a classic fantasy world built around long quest arcs, party-based combat, and the kind of narrative focus the Final Fantasy name is known for. Even today, its defining hook is the flexible Job system, where your character can learn and swap between dozens of roles over time rather than being locked into a single class forever.

Publisher: Square Enix
Playerbase: Low
Type: MMORPG
Release Date: May 16, 2002
Pros: +Narrative-heavy MMO with a strong sense of adventure. +Flexible Job system encourages experimentation. +Party-focused design is cohesive and satisfying.
Cons: -Requires a monthly subscription. -PlayStation 2 and Xbox servers are no longer available. -Visuals show their age. -Can be intimidating for new players.

Shores of Hazeron

Shores of Hazeron is a sandbox MMO focused on building an interstellar civilization from the ground up. You design an alien species, establish a government, construct cities and starships, and then push your influence across a simulated galaxy where players can cooperate, compete, or attempt outright conquest.

Publisher: Software Engineering, Inc.
Playerbase: Low
Type: MMO Empire Simulation
Release Date: February 16, 2015
Pros: +Unusual blend of genres that few MMOs attempt. +Deep, flexible race and character customization. +Strong sense of ownership and control over your faction.
Cons: –Outdated visuals. -No female characters. -Steep learning curve that can overwhelm new players. -Little to no traditional character progression.

Ultima Online

Ultima Online is a classic fantasy MMORPG built around a living, persistent world where players create their own stories through exploration, trade, crafting, and conflict. Often cited as one of the genre’s defining early successes, it still stands out for its unusually flexible skill-based character growth, meaningful risk in PvP, and the simple satisfaction of carving out a home and a reputation in Britannia, whether as a dungeon delver, merchant, sailor, or outlaw.

Publisher: Broadsword (Electronic Arts)
Playerbase: Low
Type: Fantasy MMORPG
Release Date: September 24, 1997
Pros: +Flexible, action-driven skill progression. +Player housing and ownership. +Huge persistent world with real freedom.
Cons: -Aging visuals. -Old-fashioned, awkward UI. -Time-intensive grinding across most activities.

Wurm Online

Wurm Online is a medieval sandbox MMO built around player agency rather than scripted theme park content. It drops you into a massive, persistent world and asks you to make your own goals, whether that means gathering and crafting for trade, mastering a long list of skills, founding a village with friends, or claiming a quiet stretch of wilderness and shaping it into a home. The core appeal is simple: almost everything that feels “civilized” in Wurm exists because a player made it happen.

Publisher: Code Club AB
Playerbase: Low
Type: MMO Sandbox
Release Date: December 12, 2012
Pros: +A truly persistent world shaped by players. +Welcoming, knowledgeable community. +Deep skill and profession progression.
Cons: -Steep, menu-heavy interface. -Outdated visuals. -Slow-burn pace that demands real time investment.

Dark Age of Camelot

Dark Age of Camelot is a medieval fantasy MMORPG set in the turbulent years after King Arthur’s death, when his legacy fractures into three competing realms. You pick a side, then build a character from 21 races and 45 classes, quest through a myth-inspired world of dungeons and monsters, and eventually join Realm versus Realm warfare where territory and keeps are always up for grabs.

Publisher: Electronic Arts
Playerbase: Low
Type: Subscription MMORPG
Release Date: October 10, 2001
PvP: Realm v. Realm
Pros: +Massive variety of races and classes. +A lot of zones, dungeons, and systems to dig into. +Iconic three-realm RvR that helped define MMO PvP.
Cons: -Interface feels dated and awkward. -Tough onboarding for newcomers. -Older visuals can be a hurdle. -Occasional balance frustrations.

Second Life

Second Life is an unusual kind of MMO, less of a quest-driven game and more of an online hangout where the “content” is largely built by the people living in it. Residents create the avatars, outfits, animations, homes, vehicles, and even the small interactive experiences you stumble into while exploring, which makes the world feel more like a constantly evolving community project than a theme park.

Publisher: Linden Lab
Playerbase: Medium
Type: MMO Virtual Universe
Release Date: June 23, 2003
Pros: +Resident-made gear and creations. +Extremely deep avatar personalization. +A huge variety of unique sims to visit. +Linden Dollars can be exchanged for real money. +Active, diverse social community.
Cons: -Tough for beginners to learn. -Interface feels busy and dated. -Texture/asset streaming can be sluggish.

EverQuest

EverQuest is a classic 3D fantasy MMORPG set in the vast realm of Norrath, and it remains one of the longest-running online worlds still officially operating. With sixteen races and sixteen classes to pick from, it leans heavily into old-school adventuring, long dungeon crawls, and raid nights that reward planning and teamwork. The sheer scale is still its calling card, with hundreds of zones spread across decades of expansions and a style of progression that expects patience.

Publisher: Daybreak Game Company
Playerbase: Low
Type: MMORPG
Release Date: March 16, 1999
PvP: Server Specific/Duels/Open World
Pros: +An enormous backlog of adventures and zones. +A dedicated community with deep game knowledge. +Regular expansions over the years.
Cons: -Visually dated compared to modern MMOs. -Interface and systems can feel dense at first. -Steep onboarding and a demanding learning curve.

Elder Scrolls Online

Elder Scrolls Online is a fantasy MMORPG that drops you into Tamriel during a turbulent era, with three alliances battling for dominance and plenty of room to play your character your way. You pick from multiple races and four base classes, then build out your approach through weapon lines, armor choices, and a flexible skill system that feels closer to a traditional Elder Scrolls toolkit than a rigid MMO role. Whether you spend your nights clearing delves, pushing objectives in large-scale faction warfare, or living as a wanted criminal in town, ESO is designed around freedom, consequences, and constant activities.

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Playerbase: High
Type: MMORPG
Release Date: April 4, 2014
PvP: Alliance Wars (Faction Wars)
Pros: +Quest decisions can alter local outcomes. +Action-oriented combat that rewards timing. +Crime play is supported with stealing and murder systems. +Cyrodiil offers broad, objective-driven PvP.
Cons: -Persistent bugs and oddities. -Very large download and storage footprint.