Summary
The acronym MMORPG stands for Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Game. The term is typically used to reference a type of online game where players assume the role of characters within a virtual world.
MMORPGs are most commonly played on personal computers or video game consoles, however in recent years, it is available on console and mobile. Typical MMORPG features include player versus player combat, quests, level progression, and other RPGs elements.
A MMORPG typically has one of the 3 business models.
A Subscription fee or per-trial payment plan, and may offer a free trial period to motivate players to try the game.
A Buy to Play Business Model where you buy to own the game
A Free to Play Model where there is an in game cash shop that will sell either convenience items or cosmetics.
MMORPG History
In 1997 one of the earliest MMORPGs was released. It was called “Ultima Online” but it would be many years before it became the extremely popular game that it is today. The success of “Ultima Online” lead to several other games being released in the mid 90’s, including “The Realm Online”. The success of these games led to a new era for video games, with more and more companies developing MMORPGs. World of Warcraft was one of the biggest breakthroughs in MMORPG and is one of the most known MMORPG games in both the gaming community and non-gamers.
In the past, MMORPGs had minimal graphics, many were even text-based, however, with the technology advancements, MMORPGs nowadays are absolutely gorgeous. Just take a look at Black Desert Online. That was one of the turning points in MMORPG graphics in 2016, yet 5 years later, no MMORPG has topped this yet.
MMORPG Platforms
MMORPGs in the past were considered a PC only genre. The success of MMORPGs on the PC has motivated the development of mobile versions. MMORPG for mobile are usually inspired by the PC counterparts and at times ported over from PC games, however in recent years, new mobile focused MMORPGs have been developed. Despite this, Mobile MMORPGs are still typically much simpler than their PC counterparts, with less complex gameplay and UI modifications made for touchscreens. Some games can be played entirely on a touchscreen with no physical buttons being used.
How Do MMORPG Make Money
Most MMORPGs make the majority of their money through optional subscriptions or in-game cosmetics. Some games may also offer a cash shop with items for sale. These items are typically cosmetics or items that provide convenience, such as a potion that are exceedingly better than the ones you can receive in game. Other forms of making money include in game advertisements and micropayments for content or cosmetic improvements.
Recent years have seen more MMORPGs follow the Free to Play model, with businesses relying on microtransactions to generate revenue. This is due to the sheer number of MMORPGs games that have been released in recent years, and their popularity. This resulted in many companies trying to create games that were able to be monetized through the use of microtransactions often causing a backlash from the gaming community due to Pay2Win microtransactions
MMORPG Fayiette Covers
- Aion Online
- Albion Online
- Black Desert Online
- Blade & Soul
- Bless Franchise
- Elder Scrolls Online
- Elyon Online
- Kurtzpel
- Maplestory
- New World
- Phantasy Star Online
- Star Wars The Old Republic
- Swords of Legends
- Tera Online
- World of Warcraft
