While many other MMORPGs suffer from declining player numbers after the launch hype, an online role-playing game from Germany is celebrating its growing community and fresh records – and that in its eighth year.
Which game is it? On July 17, 2025, Albion Online turned 8 years old. The developers from Sandbox Interactive in Berlin celebrate the milestone with a look back at the past 12 months. They reflect not only on the recently released updates but also on notable achievements:
- At the end of 2024, they received two awards at the annual mmorpg.com awards for “Best Mobile MMO” and “Best Indie MMO” (for the second consecutive year)
- With the Epic Games Store, Albion Online celebrated its release in a new store, and there was finally an EU server
- In 2024, they achieved “the highest player numbers of all time” in the game’s history
In the anniversary post on albiononline.com, the developers express their pride and gratitude for the support of the community:
Phew – after eight years, Albion is bigger, bolder, and more vibrant than ever before – and we couldn’t have done it without you! From the veterans who have seen it all to the new players just starting their journeys, your passion continues to shape the world. From all of us: thank you for being part of Albion’s story, and here’s to the adventures yet to come!
With this trailer, the developers announced the new EU server for Albion Online:
Success Story from Germany
Why is this success something special? In the past decade, countless small teams have tried to carve out a niche with their MMO, often relying on sandbox and/or PvP mechanics and frequently depending on financial support from players (keyword: crowdfunding), and ultimately failed.
Many of these failed projects are discussed here: 24 Kickstarter MMOs that wanted money from you – A financial statement after 13 years with a frustrating balance
How difficult it is to maintain player numbers at a healthy level after launch has also been demonstrated by many renowned and large MMORPGs in the past – most recently, for instance, New World, Lost Ark, and Throne and Liberty, which have all struggled with a steadily shrinking community.
Albion Online is one of the very few success stories from this period. Since its launch in 2017, it has been able to grow steadily, and not only in terms of player numbers. The small indie team from Berlin has now become an international studio with more than 80 employees.
And the developers are not resting on their success. Just on June 30, 2025, a new update titled “Abyssal Depths” was released, which aims to attract many more MMORPG enthusiasts to the world of Albion Online: Popular MMORPG from Germany wants to engage new players, completely reshaping the entire start
