MMORPGs need content to entertain players over the long term. This content often comes into play with addons.
We present to you the five best MMORPG expansions of all time according to Metacritic.
These are the rules: Per page, we introduce one of the top 5 addons. We have based our selection on the ratings from Metacritic: this reflects the range of reviews the addon received at release.
For each game, we present only one addon, specifically the one that received the highest rating— even if multiple expansions of the game landed among the top addons. Otherwise, WoW would totally dominate the list, as its expansions often scored around 90.
However, we will additionally list other well-rated expansions of the title.
World of Warcraft – Wrath of the Lich King
| Release | November 13, 2008 |
| Rating on Metacritic | 91 |
| Website | Website of World of Warcraft |
What is Wrath of the Lich King about? In the strategy game Warcraft 3, hero Arthas Menethil became the servant of the Lich King Ner’Zhul through the sword Frostmourne, eventually uniting with his soul to become the Lich King himself.
He poses a great threat to Azeroth with his army of undead, which is why players in World of Warcraft eventually set off for Northrend to destroy Arthas.
What did the expansion bring? The expansion to WoW introduced the continent of Northrend with many innovations.
- New regions, monsters, dungeons, and quests
- Level cap raised to level 80
- Introduction of new spells and talents
- The Death Knight as a “hero class” with special abilities
- The new profession “Inscription,” which allows the creation of items that can enhance spells and attacks
- Expanded PvP options with epic battles, siege weapons, and destructible buildings
- With the new feature “Phasing,” WoW was able to give players the feeling that a zone would genuinely change over the course of the story
Why was the addon so well received? For many players, Wrath of the Lich King is the pinnacle of WoW.
- Players loved the epic story, which finally provided a continuation of Arthas’s story from Warcraft 3
- Furthermore, Northrend offered a welcome change with its icy landscapes from the previous game world
- The quests offered much variety and challenges – many are legendary even today
- The new content basically matched exactly what players wanted
What are the other top addons of the game? Besides Wrath of the Lich King, these WoW expansions are also among the top addons of the MMORPG:
- The Burning Crusade (91 points)
- Cataclysm (90 points)
- Legion (88 points)
- Warlords of Draenor (87 points)
Ironically, Cataclysm and Warlords of Draenor are viewed critically by many WoW fans because they dropped off after the review phase.
Page 2 continues with rank 2. An addon from 2017 that’s quite impressive.

