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Best MMORPG Games 2015

Here is a look at the best MMORPGs of 2015. Although having a top MMORPG 2015 list right now might seem to be a bit premature, at any given time there are quite a few gamers who are looking for a new game to play. Many also enjoy being the first to sign up for closed beta testing or open beta games. This post will give them a good starting point.

The main criterion the writers and editors of MMOify used to pick these particular games is that they are all the sort of fun, interesting releases that MMO players are likely to want to know more about.

All of these MMOs have that certain something that catches and holds the attention of gamers. Some are small, niche titles while others are big bestsellers. Enjoy!

Best MMORPG 2015

Currently, we have four categories (click on the link to go to that section or scroll down): Free to Play, Pay to Play, and Buy to Play (no subscription).

There is also a section on Upcoming MMO Games that are not available yet.


Free to Play

Drakensang Online

drakensangOne of those games that is a joy to play. No download or installation is needed because it can be played directly on your browser. Just click the “play” button and it’s game on!

Drakensang Online is a streamlined, fun MMO game that’s perfect for people on the go and those playing on laptops or older computers. It’s is a fantasy MMORPG with excellent 3D graphics, fast-paced action combat, exciting quests, dungeons, bosses, guilds, PvP, and so forth. By far the best browser MMORPG of 2015.

Link: Drakensang Online official website

Planet Calypso

planet calypsoA very interesting MMORPG whose popularity has startling implications. On the surface it’s a futuristic science fiction MMORPG set on a planet where players are colonists but there is also a meta-game that you can play – the game’s real cash economy.

The in-game currency (PED) is worth real money that can be withdrawn to your bank account. So activities such as hunting, mining, crafting, taming pets, trading items, buying estates, etc., all have real-world implications.

Great for those people who have thought “Hmmm, I have been playing this game for years! If only there was a way to earn an income from just playing.”

Link: Planet Calypso official website

Sparta: War of Empires

spartaA real-time strategy MMO game set in ancient Greece. The famous King Leonidas of Sparta guides the player in developing a city-state by building various structures, training troops, and gathering resources. Teaming up with other people to bring down nearby cities is both nerve-wracking and satisfying when you win. The goal is to build as big an empire as you can.

The link below leads to the sign up page with 200 free gold for new players.

Link: Sparta: War of Empires official website

Archlord 2

archlord 2MMORPG players are spoiled for choice in 2015 if they are looking for the best free fantasy MMORPG with big-budget, AAA production values. Our top pick is Archlord 2. The game just finished open beta less than one month ago.

What sets this game apart is the fast leveling, classless character system, massive battleground events, amazing graphics/aesthetic, fun combat, immersive sounds, epic soundtrack, solid controls and polish.

The game is fairly new so the developers are actively adding new content. This is a good choice if you want to play a new MMORPG.

Link: Archlord 2 official website

Closed Beta Sign Up: Echo of Soul

closed betaEcho of Soul (EoS) by Nvius Corporation will be launching its English language beta version in Spring 2015. Sign ups are now available.

The game was developed by some key members of the dev team of Lineage II. EoS will feature five classes, a massive open world, a soul-collection system, quests, solo/party dungeons, etc.

It looks like it’s worth a shot and if you want to play the closed beta test, you will have to sign up in advance using the link below.

Link: official Echo of Soul beta sign up page


Pay to Play

Welcome to the pay to play section, aka subscription MMORPGs. These games are those that require a monthly membership payment. In other words, you cannot play if you do not pay.

Wildstar

wildstarUnlike the other pay to play games listed here that are quite serious, Wildstar has cartoonish graphics, a lighthearted art style, and amusing dialogue. Convincing your friends to play it with you might be uphill battle because of the graphics but it’s worth it because the game is extremely entertaining.

If you want to play a game with a wicked sense of humor, great active combat, fantastic dungeons, and a friendly player base, then Wildstar is the game for you. Player housing is incredibly fun, with tons of customization options. One player even created a grand piano using 758 objects.

Buy it on Amazon.com: Wildstar [Online Game Code]

World of Warcraft

world of warcraftStill going strong after all these years, World of Warcraft (WoW) remains a fan favorite. Competition from new MMORPGs has somewhat eroded the player base but it still has around 7 million subscribers worldwide.

Gameplay is as good as ever, with classic RPG elements, raids, bosses, and so forth. In short, the game still has everything players love. It’s only due to its age that some players have become bored of it.

Note that buying the “standard game” on Amazon now includes the following expansions at no additional cost – Cataclysm, Wrath of the Lich King, The Burnings Crusade, and Mists of Pandaria.

The most recent expansion, Warlords of Draenor, has recieved good reviews from players. Buying it is a good idea for both new and returning players since it includes a Character Boost that lets you instantly boost your character to level 90. Instead of a newbie tutorial, there are integrated quests that help you to learn how to play.

Buy it on Amazon.com: World of Warcraft – PC/Mac

The Elder Scrolls Online

(review coming soon)

Buy it on Amazon.com: The Elder Scrolls Online – PC/Mac


Buy to Play

Buy to play MMORPGs are those that require an initial, upfront payment before playing. No subscription or membership payment is required. This means that buyers only need to pay for the game once.

Guild Wars 2

Honestly, if you are going to spend money on just one MMORPG in 2015, then you should buy Guild Wars 2 (GW2). It’s that good. (review in progress)

Buy it on Amazon.com: Guild Wars 2 [Online Game Code]

The Secret World

the secret worldAlmost criminally underrated, The Secret World (TSW) is the best MMORPG you have probably never heard of.

Set in the modern day world with recognizable locations such as London, New York, and Seoul, TSW is a dark, supernatural adventure filled with conspiracy theories, urban myths, creatures from folklore, Cthulhu styled characters, deep mysteries, and puzzles. Players can join one of three factions: the Illuminati, Templars, and Dragons.

Quests are very well written, with lots of fully voiced scenes. Combat is admittedly a bit lackluster but this is not a game you play for combat – the main reason to play it is the interesting storyline and setting. Immersion is one of the best in the MMORPG genre, with a beautiful graphics and atmospheric (creepy!) sounds.

Buy it on Amazon.com: The Secret World [Online Game Code]


Upcoming MMO Games

None of these upcoming MMOs are currently playable and in many cases there really isn’t that much information about them yet. This post will be updated whenever new info is released about MMORPGs that will be launched in 2015. (First published May 2014, edited December 2014)

warhammer mmorpg

Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade
Type: PvP MMORPG for the PC, PS4 and Xbox One
Release Date: 2015
Official website: http://www.eternalcrusade.com/

For the Emperor! If this game isn’t purely awesome when it comes out, all of the Warhammer 40,000 fans will be severely disappointed. The information revealed so far indicates that the game will have four playable factions at launch: Space Marines, Chaos Space Marines, Eldar, and Orks.

Eternal Crusade will be available for free but free players will be limited to the Ork faction. Those who buy the box/download will have full access to content. In other words, this looks like it’s a mixture of free and buy to play.

theralon

Project: Theralon by Infernum Productions AG
Type: Browser-Based Sandbox MMORPG
Release Date: Unknown
Official Website: http://www.theralon.com/

According to Joystiq, Project: Theralon looks amazing for a browser-based MMORPG and is a sandbox game. Though details are scarce since it is still in development, so far it seems that players can build houses and other structures in the game. Crafting and trading will be encouraged, plus there will be no standard classes or quests.

shards online

Shards Online by Citadel Studios
Type: Player-run Sandbox MMORPG
Release Date: Unknown
Official Website: http://shardsonline.com/

An upcoming MMO that looks very promising, Shards Online will be a “player-run” MMO that will allow players to run their own servers and customize the game to their liking such as tweaking core settings such as experience/skill gain rate. Server administrators will be able to do a host of things such spawn monsters, create items, host events, etc. Players will even be allowed to modify the game code. With this type of freedom in place, Shards Online will have several differently-themed worlds (shards) like high fantasy, steampunk, a PvP world, and so forth. Polygon interviewed the CEO and has some details about the game.

city of titans

City of Titans aka The Phoenix Project by Missing Worlds Media
Type: Superhero-Themed MMORPG
Release Date: Target Date 2015
Official Website: http://cityoftitans.com/

This is a spiritual successor to the MMO City of Heroes that is being developed by “a group of volunteer developers left homeless by the closure of the game.” Basically, it’s going to be very similar to CoH. Thus, players can expect to play as either a superhero or supervillain with its own unique powers, costume, and name. In CoH players teamed up (like the X-Men or Avengers) to complete missions so this is the type of gameplay CoT will also have.

survarium

Survarium by Vostok Games
Type: Futuristic MMO First-Person Shooter
Release Date: 2014 open and closed beta, launch TBA
Monetization: Confirmed, free to play
Official Website: http://survarium.com/en

A first-person shooter MMO (MMOFPS), Survarium has been testing the shooter part of the game and its development timeline states that the aim is to have an open beta of freeplay mode by the fourth quarter of 2014 so it’s likely that the launch will be on 2015 at the earliest. What it is about: “After the cancellation of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, former GSC Game World developers formed Vostok Games and quickly announced Survarium, a free to play online shooter set in a post-apocalyptic world that retains many core elements found in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games.” (source)

camelot unchained

Camelot Unchained by City State Entertainment
Type: Realm vs Realm MMORPG
Release Date: December 2015
Monetization: Confirmed, subscription (pay to play)
Official Website: http://camelotunchained.com/en/

A crowdfunded MMORPG that is being developed based on three fundamental gameplay elements: Realm-vs-Realm (RvR), crafting, and housing. Leveling will be done through RvR, not killing mobs or completing quests. The game economy will be dominated by crafters and there will be no auction house, just player shops and bazaars. It’s not just houses that can be built but includes giant or useful structures such as mines, huts, inns, etc.

dragon nest 2

Dragon Nest 2 by Shanda Games
Type: Large-Scale MMORPG
Release Date: TBA
Monetization: Uknown
Official Website: None

The upcoming sequel to the hit MMO Dragon Nest, Dragon Nest 2 has been announced to be under development. In 2013 the CEO of Shanda Games said they were “looking into at least 2 years of development” (source) so if 2013 is counted as the first year then 2014 is the earliest it could be launched. DN2 will have fast, responsive action combat and will be a large-scale MMORPG, according to the news article from MMOCulture.

reroll

ReRoll by PIXYUL
Type: Online Open World Survival Action RPG
Release Date: TBA
Monetization: Pay
Official Website: http://rerollgame.com/

A futuristic online open world survival game, ReRoll will be a sandbox game that focuses on exploration, fighting, and crafting. At the moment it is not considered and MMO but could be made into one “some day” according to the developer’s FAQ and the gameplay is going to be “very MMO-esque.” The target date for the first playable part of the world is mid-2015. Also, the game is being created by drone-sourcing the real world. Drone-sourcing involves using cameras attacjed to flying drones to scan the Earth’s surface to model the world in 3D.

That is the end of the list so far. If you enjoyed this post then please like, share, tweet, pin, +1, or otherwise spread it through your social network of choice. Feel free to leave a comment below though all comments are moderated so they do not get published immediately.

Sydney Bennett

5 Comments

  1. Then, it’s going to be awfully hard to play one of those more traditional MMOs
    ever again, isn’t it. Where is it set — science fiction world, fantasy world, futuristic world.
    Chances are once you start playing and getting used to all the fun and time-saving innovations, you’ll end up spoiled.

    • Agree, I don’t like “Pay to win” so I’m skeptical of EQ Next. A challenge is a must. Progression like in “Planes of Power” was awesome (end game). I don’t see anything like that coming down the line 🙁

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