What made the best PC games stand out from console games in the early generations was the scale of games they could support. There are plenty of great multiplayer games on consoles, but the PC was at one time the only place you could play massively multiplayer games, aka MMORPS. Now, most of these are available on consoles as well, and even have cross-platform support, but still look and control best on a powerful rig. The MMO space used to only have a few major titles, but now there are dozens of games waiting to suck hundreds of hours of your life away. Most of us can only commit to one MMO at a time, so check out our list of the best ones you can play right now to make sure you pick a good one.
We included a mix of free and paid MMOs, but if you want a list of only the best free MMORPGs, we have you covered.
Lost Ark
73%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows)
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer
Tripod Studio
Publisher
Smilegate RPG, Amazon Game Studios, GameOn, My.com
Release
December 04, 2018
Lost Ark made a huge splash overseas before we in the West could finally get our hands on it, and we’ve been hooked ever since. This MMO is almost entirely focused on the PvE elements, though you can engage in PvP if you desire. What makes it such an addicting game isn’t just the grind, loot, and leveling loop but the fluid combat system that emphasizes combos. Chaining your attacks and skills is free flowing and satisfying to experiment with to find the best combos possible, and each new skill you unlock just adds another layer of depth to it.
Eve Online
78%
Platforms
Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Simulator, Strategy
Developer
CCP
Publisher
CCP, THQ, Simon & Schuster, Atari Europe, Crucial Entertainment
Release
May 06, 2003
We’ve all heard at least one crazy story that has come out of Eve Online. This massive space simulation game is almost completely player-driven at this point. All parts of space are controlled, defended, attacked, managed, and governed by different factions of players that have created economic and militaristic boundaries. All MMOs can be a lifestyle, but Eve Online demands it. If you really want to invest yourself into a world as though it were a second life, with all the good and bad that comes with that, then Eve Online can be that game for you.
The Elder Scrolls Online
72%
Platforms
Google Stadia, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
ZeniMax Online Studios
Publisher
Bethesda Softworks
Release
April 04, 2014
We’ll likely be waiting several more years before the release of Elder Scrolls 6, but ZeniMax Online Studios’ The Elder Scrolls Online continues to have a dedicated following of players invested in Tamriel and its inhabitants. Set years before the events of titles like Oblivion and Skyrim, The Elder Scrolls Online is free to explore territory not explored in the other games, and it has received several expansions that cater to longtime fans. The first, Morrowind, returns us to the setting of The Elder Scrolls III, while Summerset takes us to the setting of The Elder Scrolls: Arena. Free-to-play after the initial game and expansion purchases, there’s little to lose in giving the game a try, and players on PC and consoles can all join in.
Guild Wars 2
80%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
ArenaNet
Publisher
NCSOFT
Release
August 25, 2012
Despite being nearly 15 years old, Guild Wars 2 continues to be updated with new content through its “Living World” system, which encourages continued play with new quests, events, weapons, and more on a more regular basis than standard expansions can allow. Guild Wars 2 doesn’t feature as many races or classes — the game calls them professions — as other MMO titles like World of Warcraft, but it also doesn’t force players to take up a traditional trope-filled role, either. You can play as a Warrior or a Thief, but they can be augmented with specializations that make them unlike anything else in the MMO space. With competitive options, traditional instanced dungeons, raids, and dynamic events influenced by how you play, there’s something in Guild Wars 2 for just about everyone.
World of Warcraft
84%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher
Blizzard Entertainment
Release
November 23, 2004
The game has been divisive over the years, but Blizzard’s World of Warcraft has remained popular because it is constantly evolving with new gameplay experiences, new conflicts, and plenty of lore for dedicated Warcraft enthusiasts to eat up. If you’re not a fan of how the game has evolved, you can also dive into WoW Classic which rolls the game back to how it was for its first few expansions. Despite being over 20 years old now, new content is always being added through consistent updates, and it’s still one of the most popular and enduring MMOs on the market.
RuneScape
78%
Platforms
Web browser, Linux, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Mac
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Jagex Ltd. Games Studio
Publisher
Jagex Ltd. Games Studio
Release
January 04, 2001
The MMO many players enjoyed before graduating to more advanced games, RuneScape’s simplicity is much of its charm. The newest iteration, sometimes called RuneScape 3, is a creative and polished role-playing game with a visual style not unlike its contemporaries, yet it still uses the basic click-heavy gameplay mechanics of its predecessors and can still be played in your browser. Without set classes to choose from, you can customize your character to be exactly as you want it, and there’s even a “Legacy” combat style so you can play the game as you remember it from a decade ago. Old School RuneScape, meanwhile, is a playable love letter to classic fans, delivering an experience nearly identical to what RuneScape was over a decade ago. Player-versus-player combat is still enabled in the infamous Wilderness region, and there are still hundreds of different quests to complete, with a membership option giving you access to additional content if you don’t want to stay free-to-play. It’s also available on mobile devices with cross-platform support, and you can keep your progress across all systems.
Final Fantasy XIV Online
50%
Platforms
PlayStation 3, PC (Microsoft Windows)
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Square Enix Product Development Division 3
Publisher
Shanda Games, Square Enix
Release
September 30, 2010
Video games very rarely get second chances, but Final Fantasy XIV took the decaying corpse of the original online Final Fantasy XIV and managed to turn it into a game worth playing. Taking place after the events of the disastrous original game, the rebooted version is packed full of quests as well as “Full Active Time Events,” which are similar to the public events seen in Destiny 2. Some of them are even multi-part, with consequences for completing the previous step. Fans of the series will find a lot to love in FFXIV, and even newcomers will quickly fall for the world of Eorzea which has only gotten better and better with each massive expansion. It is the only game to be a true threat to WoW’s status as the absolute best MMORPG.
Ragnarok Online
77%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows)
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
GRAVITY
Publisher
GRAVITY
Release
August 31, 2002
Ditching the 3D character models traditionally seen in MMO games, Ragnarok Online’s flat hand-drawn aesthetic helps it to stand out from the pack — and it’s comparable to the gorgeous Octopath Traveler. The free-to-play game offers 32 different classes to choose from, and with new maps, dungeons, and player-versus-player content being added, it’s an extensive and deep role-playing experience despite its cutesy look. The economy system also offers a nice twist, with players able to set up their own merchant shops to sell goods to others, and Ragnarok Online is playable on machines only slightly more powerful than toasters, so you are very unlikely to have any problem running it.
Neverwinter
66%
Platforms
PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox One
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Cryptic Studios
Publisher
Perfect World Entertainment
Release
June 20, 2013
Set in the enormous universe of Dungeons & Dragons, Neverwinter features nine different character classes, each having multiple abilities that can come in handy when battling the terrifying threats you’ll face during the campaign. The Forgotten Realms made famous in the classic role-playing game is brought to life in the free-to-play MMORPG, and the game keeps the Dungeons & Dragons humor fully intact, just like you would if you were playing it with your friends gathered around the table. The game also features a deep character customization tool and transmutation system, so you can bring the exact character in your imagination into the digital world.
Black Desert
68%
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Xbox One
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer
Pearl Abyss
Publisher
Pearl Abyss
Release
December 17, 2014
If you live for the grind, then Black Desert might be a perfect fit. All that grinding is backed by a fast-paced combat system that rewards players for using combos, rather than spamming a single skill over and over. It also helps that Black Desert is one of the best-looking MMOs on the market, and you’ll be able to shape your character however you see fit. Of course, if you get bored of picking fights, you can spend the game honing your other survival skills—like fishing or cooking. The game runs on a buy-to-play model, but it does include some hefty microtransactions. Nonetheless, it’s one of the most popular MMORPGs on the market, and it’s easy to see why.
Albion Online
76%
Platforms
Linux, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Mac
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
Sandbox Interactive
Publisher
Sandbox Interactive
Release
July 17, 2017
Although Albion Online has been a bit of an outlier for MMORPGs, you shouldn’t discount it right off the bat. Its biggest selling point is a player-driven economy, where just about every single item in the game is created by players from resources gathered throughout the world. The title features a somewhat cartoonish art style and is played from a top-down, isometric viewpoint — a stark contrast from most of the games in the genre. With a community that only continues to grow, no entry fee to worry about, and plenty to explore, Albion Online might be worth checking out.
Warframe
75%
Platforms
Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Android, PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Genre
Shooter, Role-playing (RPG), Adventure
Developer
Digital Extremes
Publisher
Digital Extremes
Release
March 25, 2013
This one is a bit different from most others on the list, as its RPG elements are tightly wrapped around guns and futuristic artillery instead of swords and shields. But make no mistake, Warframe features some incredible character customization and enough stat management to rival the best MMOs. Most missions can only be tackled with up to three other players, but developer Digital Extremes has been consistently rolling out new content that allows users to gather in massive hub zones before breaking out into their usual groups. There’s still a lot of life left in the almost 15-year-old Warframe and there has never been a better time to jump into the space-ninja action.
Phantasy Star Online 2
71%
Platforms
PlayStation 4, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation Vita, Xbox One
Genre
Role-playing (RPG), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure
Developer
Online Entertainment R&D
Publisher
AsiaSoft, Sega
Release
July 04, 2012
It took several years to make its western debut, but it was certainly worth the wait. Phantasy Star Online 2 is a free-to-play experience in which players step into the role of an ARKS Operative — someone who is tasked with exploring dangerous planets and searching for “a dark corruption called the Falspawn.” You can choose from four different races and nine unique classes before jumping into the action-based combat system. Combat in PSO2 is one of its biggest draws, as it forces you to think on your feet and move around much more than your typical MMO. There’s no button mashing or standing in place waiting for cooldown timers — you’re going to have to do a bit more thinking than that. In fact, the best comparison is probably to the Monster Hunter franchise and its strategic, visceral battles. Anyone looking for an online game with a bit more punch to its combat will find much to love in Phantasy Star Online 2.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
76%
Platforms
PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac
Genre
Role-playing (RPG)
Developer
BioWare Austin
Publisher
Electronic Arts, LucasArts
Release
December 20, 2011
Believe it or not, The Old Republic has been alive and well through all these years. Its developer holds some type of in-game event every month, and it still boasts a healthy player population. However, things drastically improved when the game launched on Steam and received a new influx of users. Of course, it’s not as popular as the likes of Elder Scrolls Online or Final Fantasy XIV, but for Star Wars fans looking to scratch that RPG itch, there’s nothing else like it. The game was developed by BioWare, so you should already know what to expect — a deep role-playing experience packed with complex dialog options, and a winding narrative where nothing is as it first appears.
