Star Wars: The Old Republic
Genre: MMORPG | Developer: Bioware | Platform: PC | Release Date: December 20, 2011 | Model: Free2Play
What kind of game is this? SWTOR is an innovative MMORPG set in a very well-known universe. It places a strong emphasis on story and offers moral choices that can draw you toward the light or dark side of the Force.
While the game adopts classic tab-targeting, it attempts to implement this in a more modern and dynamic way. Besides the story, the MMORPG also impresses with a good companion system, exciting raids in the endgame, and fun PvP content like the Huttball.
Even more than 11 years after its release, the game constantly expands:
- In July 2020, SWTOR was released on Steam and was able to attract several new players.
- In 2022, the latest expansion Legacy of the Sith was released. This is still being supplemented with updates, including a raid and new story content.
Why is it so well-suited for role-playing? In SWTOR, there are many beautiful locations that invite role-playing. If you want to learn everything about the Jedi, you can go to the Order’s library and study there. If you want to experience something, you go to the cantina and get drunk.
Although SWTOR takes place many years before the first “Star Wars” films, many iconic places like the city-planet Coruscant or the Sith-planet Korriban are present in the game for you to visit and explore.
You will mostly meet role-players in the Jedi Temple on Tython or in the capitals of Coruscant and Dromund Kaas. It’s best to look for a role-playing guild that will take you on their adventures.
Minecraft
Genre: Survival | Developer: Mojang | Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS | Release Date: May 17, 2009 | Model: Buy2Play
What kind of game is this? Minecraft is a huge sandbox where you explore procedurally generated worlds, mine resources, build structures, fight monsters, and generally enjoy a lot of freedom. Building is particularly prominent in Minecraft and is a lot of fun.
Although Minecraft is a complex game with many possibilities, it does not play complicatedly. The controls can be learned quickly, and the gameplay itself is easy to understand. Minecraft is a typical game designed for the motto “easier to learn, but hard to master.”
You quickly get into the game, but discover more and more possibilities over time.
Why is it so well-suited for role-playing? In Minecraft, you have total freedom and can shape the world according to your wishes. This is the perfect environment for role-players. Although interaction with other players in-game is somewhat limited, many help each other out using voice chats to fully enjoy the experience.
Moreover, the role-playing community in Minecraft is impressive, and there are many different RP servers you can join to live out your story, such as Massivecraft:
Black Desert
Genre: MMORPG | Developer: Pearl Abyss | Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | Release Date: March 3, 2016 | Model: Buy2Play
What kind of game is this? In Black Desert you find a sandbox MMORPG that offers you many freedoms. In return, quests and story play a minor role.
Instead, you can endlessly level up, learn and improve 11 life skills, furnish your own house, or build a ship to sail the world. Highlights of the game include the versatile character editor, beautiful graphics, and action-packed combat.
Why is it so well-suited for role-playing? Similar to Minecraft, Black Desert benefits from many freedoms in role-playing. While the world cannot be altered, there are many possibilities in the life skills and the completely open game world.
You can create huge production chains using NPCs, deliver goods from place to place, and even earn good money by fishing in-game. Moreover, the realistic graphics and musical instruments help you immerse yourself in a cohesive world.
You will mainly meet role-players on Calpheon 2, the unofficial RP server.
World of Warcraft
Genre: MMORPG | Developer: Blizzard Entertainment | Platform: PC | Release Date: November 23, 2004| Model: Pay2Play
What kind of game is this? World of Warcraft is the most well-known MMORPG in the West. It caters to solo players who want to experience the story, as well as fans of dungeons and raids, which the game is regularly expanded.
WoW uses comic-style graphics that have been enhanced slightly over expansions. However, in some areas, its age is still visible, after all, WoW celebrated its 18th birthday. The combat system relies on classic tab-targeting.
Currently, WoW offers you two versions:
- The current expansion is called Dragonflight and was released in November 2022. This is the “normal” WoW, also known as “Retail WoW”.
- WoW Classic is a remake of the original game and was released in August 2019. There is now also a version for WOTLK Classic.
Why is it so well-suited for role-playing? WoW is one of the largest MMORPGs, which also comes with a large community that is interested in role-playing. Almost every player knows about the “RP in Goldshire” as it gets a little rougher there.
Due to many years of development and the prior history of Warcraft, there is a vast backdrop you can draw from. Additionally, specific addons have been developed to help the role-playing community tell their character stories.
For those wanting to start role-playing in WoW, here is an interesting English video by YouTuber Wes about it:
Of course, other MMORPGs also provide a good basis for role-playing, such as ESO or Guild Wars 2. Besides that, there are still survival games like Rust and Ark where there are also role-players. However, the largest communities, in our experience, have gathered in the titles mentioned here.
If you are looking for generally good MMOs, you will find them in this list:
- 1
- 2
