Top 10 Best MMORPG Games of 2022

MMORPGs—or massively multiplayer online role-playing games—have been on the rise lately. With advancements in technology and game programming, lots of new MMORPGs have been popping up, aiming to deliver fresh experiences never before seen. Today, we’ll talk about the top 10 best MMORPG games of 2022!

The 10 Best MMORPGs

Though the MMORPG scene has always been kind of turbulent, many games that had a rough start have finally found their way, and now there are plenty of great MMORPGs to choose from nowadays.

Whether you’re looking for the next big MMORPG to sink your teeth into or try one out for the very first time, our top 10 best MMORPG games can you help you decide on your next grand adventure.

10. Secret World Legends

Available on: PC

Secret World Legends is probably the most unique MMORPG on this list. Rather than going with the tried and true fantasy theme of elves and orcs and the like, Secret World Legends opts for a modern-day setting with a Lovecraft twist.

Players are a part of one of three secret societies who are working behind the scenes to shape the world’s future as they see fit. Secret World Legends takes place on Earth, but all conspiracies and myths are true… so that means you’ll be encountering zombies, aliens, and even eldritch horrors from beyond the rift!

Initially launched in 2012 as simply Secret World, Secret World Legends is the free-to-play re-launch of the game. You can enjoy the full, immersive story for free, and you can party with random strangers or your friends as you delve into this mysterious world.

9. Phantasy Star Online 2

Available on: PC, Xbox One/Series X|S, PlayStation 4

Though Sega sure took their sweet time with bringing this one over to the west, it was worth the wait. Phantasy Star Online 2 is the sequel to one of Sega’s biggest hits back on the Sega Dreamcast.

Phantasy Star Online 2 is a sci-fi anime themed MMORPG. Players will travel across the vast expanse of space, with three main planets to explore: The eternal icy wasteland of Naverius, the scorching desert dunes of Lillipa, and the shattered volcanic landscape of Amduskia.

Players will choose from a variety of classes, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Brandish the elements as a Force, cut through your foes with energy weapons as a Hunter, or snipe enemies from afar as a Ranger. The choice is yours!

A few years after the release of Phantasy Star Online 2, a standalone expansion pack was released titled Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis. Though the expansion pack is considered to be a separate entity, some progression is stored between versions, so you can try both versions.

8. Destiny 2

Available on: PC, Xbox One/Series X|S, PlayStation 4/5

Although it’s a shooter and not strictly an RPG in the traditional sense, Destiny 2 has been making the rounds lately. There’s no doubt you’ve heard of Bungie’s MMOFPSRPG—that’s a mouthful—and for good reason, as it’s probably in its best shape ever.

Players take on the roles of Guardians, defenders of the last city of humanity. Explore the real-life solar system and seek out those who wish to bring about the fall of humanity, all the while creating your own legacy.

Destiny 2 features a plethora of content, and the base game is completely free, though there are paid expansion packs that introduce new zones and adventures. Bring up to two friends with you into challenging Strikes, or duke it out with other players in competitive matches.

Although there are only three classes to choose from, Destiny 2 has a wide array of customization options for your Guardian. Since the game’s initial launch in 2017, many new features have been added to the classes, including new subclasses that can completely change your combat approach.

7. New World

Available on: PC

You’ve probably noticed by now that the MMORPG genre is a bit volatile, where things can change at any given moment. We’ve listed some games here that had very rough starts, but eventually found their momentum.

New World is another game of this kind, as it’s had a long development journey since its initial announcement back in 2016. Its direction changed many times throughout development, but today, we can say it’s moving along in hopefully the right way.

New World is part MMORPG and part survival crafting game. The world is full of resources and players are expected to harvest as much as they can. Crafting and skill professions are usually a side activity in most MMORPGs, but here, it’s one of the main factors of the game.

The reason being is that a lot of New World is player-driven. Players can purchase their own houses, but they’ll have to pay tax, and they can also help out the economy by selling and purchasing crafting mats.

In addition to this, New World also features large-scale PvP battles where factions fight to claim territory across the land. You can also opt into open world PvP, in case you’re itching for a fight on the road.

New World requires no subscription fee, you just have to purchase the game, and you’re good to go. There is an in-game store that offers cosmetic stuff for those that care.

6. The Elder Scrolls Online

Available on: PC, Xbox One/Series X|S, PlayStation 4/5

Another MMORPG that had a somewhat rocky start, The Elder Scrolls Online is now better than ever in its latest version. The base game is a fantastic entry into the world of The Elder Scrolls, and hardcore fans of the series will enjoy getting to visit all the major locales, including the fan favorite Skyrim.

The Elder Scrolls Online plays very similar to other games in the series. Players will create their own character from a selection of different races, and select a class to determine their abilities.

The world of Tamriel is massive, and it’s yours to explore. Journey through a variety of environments, battle it out in real-time combat, and make new friends along the way… or enemies!

The Elder Scrolls Online has a low barrier of entry, as once you buy the game it’s yours to enjoy any time, no subscription required. The latest expansion, High Isle is also out now, so you’ve got lots of content to enjoy.

5. Star Wars: The Old Republic

Available on: PC

Star Wars: The Old Republic is BioWare’s first attempt at an MMORPG that fits into the Knights of the Old Republic storyline, and many agree that they did a fine job. If you’re a big Star Wars fan, this is the game for you!

The Old Republic plays like a traditional tab-targeting MMORPG, similar to World of Warcraft. The key different here is that there is a big emphasis on the plot and your own character’s storyline, as per tradition for BioWare games.

Will you wield the power of light and become a Jedi? Or will you leave destruction in your wake and become a Sith Lord? The choice is yours, and every character class has their own personal story to adventure through.

The best part is that Star Wars: The Old Republic is free to play with optional in-game microtransactions. The barrier of entry is low, and if you enjoy interesting stories in your RPGs, The Old Republic can definitely be played like a single-player story-driven RPG.

4. Guild Wars 2

Available on: PC

Guild Wars 2 is the sequel to the famous 2005 MMORPG. Back then, most MMORPGs had a monthly subscription fee that you had to pay on top of the initial purchase, but Guild Wars had no subscription, making it a big deal at the time.

Guild Wars 2 continued the trend by being a buy once, and it’s yours to enjoy forever deal. This changed a few years later when the base game went free-to-play, and now the game has three whole expansions to it.

Guild Wars 2 is somewhat of an oddball when looking at it as an MMORPG, but that’s why so many people like it. It’s got a huge world to explore, and there’s lots to do for the intrepid explorer, as the game has a slew of collectibles that you need to go out of your way to find.

On top of that, it’s also got a unique combat system that is sort of half action and half tab-targeting based. The MMORPG trinity of tank, healer, and DPS, is also missing, as all classes can do a bit of everything. This leads to some very interesting combat encounters.

If you’re looking for an MMORPG experience that’s a little different from the bunch, Guild Wars 2 is a great one to try. It just got its third expansion earlier this year, and it’s still going strong.

3. Lost Ark

Available on: PC

A joint effort between Amazon Games Studios and Korean developer Smilegate, Lost Ark is a top-down action MMORPG akin to games like Blizzard’s Diablo franchise.

Players will create a hero and journey into the world of Arkesia, where the Demon Legions are once again invading. In order to put a stop to the unholy forces, players will go on a journey to find the coveted seven Arks that saved the world in the past.

Lost Ark starts out as an enjoyable action MMORPG, where spells and combat abilities are a joy to fire off thanks to spectacular visual effects. You’ll be going up against huge hordes of enemies, and the main story quests even have some cool set pieces to fight through.

If you stick with it long enough, you’ll eventually be able to challenge the game’s hardest content: Legion Raids. These 8-player raids are structured like challenging boss fights from other popular MMORPGs, and they’ll put your team’s skills to the test.

Though its gear progression system focuses a bit too much on randomness, Lost Ark grew to one of the biggest games ever on Steam shortly after its launch. Despite its problems, it’s probably one of the hottest MMORPGs right now. It’s also free-to-play too!

2. World of Warcraft

Available on: PC

Love or hate it, you knew World of Warcraft was going to be on the list at some point. Blizzard’s foray into the MMORPG space changed everything we knew about the genre back in 2004, and although some argue that the game has lost its way, it’s still moving along.

Coming from classic MMORPGs like Everquest and Dark Age of Camelot, Blizzard sought to introduce the MMORPG genre to a new crowd. In order to do this, they made some changes to make the game more approachable.

How did that turn out? Well, the rest is history, as they say—World of Warcraft went on to become one of the biggest video games of all time, not just in the MMORPG genre. Many players were eager to jump into the world of Azeroth and explore with their friends.

The game is over a decade old, and it’s still going strong. Although its player base is nowhere near as large as it was back in the day, there are still many players who enjoy the game. It’s still popular enough that its latest expansion is actually about to come out in a few weeks!

World of Warcraft features an extended free trial option for players who have never played before, so go ahead and give the game a try if you’re curious.

1. Final Fantasy XIV

Available on: PC, Mac, PlayStation 4/5

Arguably the best traditional MMORPG experience on the market right now, Final Fantasy XIV has come a very, very long way since its original release back in 2010. If we’re talking about MMORPGs with rough starts, there is no greater example than Final Fantasy XIV.

Final Fantasy XIV is as standard as MMORPGs go—the combat is tab-targeting, the trinity of tank, healer, and DPS is in full effect, and there’s lots and lots of quests to work towards. However, the game is polished and has enough style to the point where it’s very enjoyable to work through the main story.

There are a variety of races players can choose to be, each with their own distinct body shapes and voices. The job selection features Final Fantasy staples, such as Dragoons, Black Mages, Warriors, and more.

One of the coolest features about Final Fantasy XIV is that you can do pretty much everything on one character. Your character’s job is determined by their currently equipped weapon, so equipping another job’s weapon will immediately switch you over. No need to worry about making alts—you’ve got everything you need on your main character.

While the characters and main story are relatively interesting, the biggest draw is the extensive amount of endgame raids Final Fantasy XIV has. Not only are these battles challenging, but they’re incredibly immersive and often have incredible soundtracks to really pump you up. These fights need to be seen to be believed.

Like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV features an expansive free trial. You can play the base game content for free, up to level 50, which is hours and hours of content to enjoy. After that, you can continue playing through the expansions by paying the subscription fee.

And with that, our list of the top 10 MMORPGs is done. What do you think? We know MMORPGs are a beast of a genre, and that’s why we ask you: What are some new MMORPGs you’ve enjoyed recently? Let us know in the comments below!