The gaming year 2024 is slowly but surely coming to an end, and the MeinMMO editorial team summarizes the highlights that all fans of MMORPGs can look forward to – and which online role-playing games will not be coming until 2026 or later.
Even though there are some funerals (for example, ArcheAge), delays (for ArcheAge Chronicles for example), and even release cancellations (Blue Protocol) this year 2024, MMORPG fans look back on exciting months.
First, because all major online role-playing games have been equipped with an expansion in 2024. Second, two new MMORPGs, Tarisland and Throne and Liberty, have been launched. And third, some exciting projects started in early access, such as Pax Dei, Corepunk, and Brighter Shores.
But what does the roadmap for the coming year 2025 look like? Can genre fans look forward to one or another release again? What has been officially announced? What is being speculated? MeinMMO summarizes what is known so far.
These major MMORPGs are expected to be released in 2025
Chrono Odyssey
In the last quarterly report by publisher Kakao Games from November 2024, there was once again confirmation: The MMORPG Chrono Odyssey is set to be released in the fourth quarter of 2025 for Steam, the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series.
The project was announced at the end of 2020. About 120 developers are working on the game. The core features of the action MMORPG are as follows:
- The world of Setera is to be not only large, seamless, diverse, and open, but also in constant flux – not just through seasons and weather events.
- The change will also be triggered by time travel, allowing you to shift between the past, present, and future. The transition is intended to happen seamlessly in the game world – similar to the travel between the two worlds in Lords of the Fallen from 2023.
- In Chrono Odyssey, you have the choice between six combat classes: Paladin, Swordsman, Berserker, Assassin, Ranger, and Sorceress.
- Each class is to have multiple weapon types available that you can freely swap in combat.
- In combat, you can – regardless of your class choice – manipulate space and time with the so-called Chronoprotector.
- Thanks to the numerous customization options of the character builder, player characters and NPCs should look as individual and unique as possible.
- The developers promise dungeon and raid challenges. There should also be PvP content.
- There will be gathering and crafting activities. You can take on tasks such as harvesting, chopping wood, mining, and skinning. The resources can be processed into equipment and consumables.
Whether the planned closed beta for late 2024 will still take place is currently unclear. The latest update from the developers is from August (via Steam).
Aion 2
Also in November 2024, the NCSoft team confirmed that the global launch of Aion 2 is planned for the second half of 2025. Like the successor of ArcheAge, the continuation of the MMORPG from 2008 is expected to target an international audience and thus offer more PvE content.
Aion 2 is being developed by about 300 employees in Unreal Engine 5. A large-scale marketing campaign is set to start in early 2025. The publisher promises a larger world than in the first Aion and a payment model similar to Throne and Liberty (Free2Play, in-game shop, battle pass).
Corepunk
If you want, you can already play Corepunk in the early access version, which started on November 26, 2024. The feedback from players shows that the old-school experience of the “top-down MMORPG” can be fun even in this unfinished form. However, you have to live with some peculiarities that are usually not found in modern online role-playing games.
For example, characters do not regenerate health outside of battles. They must use consumable items or sit by a campfire. Additionally, NPCs are not marked as quest givers. You have to talk to them to see if they have a quest for you.
According to the developers, early access is expected to last until the end of 2025 at the latest. The MMORPG by Artificial Core is being developed in Unity Engine for PC and runs on its own launcher. You cannot download and install Corepunk via Steam or the Epic Games Store. There is also no console version.
Pax Dei
Since the start of Pax Dei in early access in June 2024, a lot has happened on the servers of the sandbox MMORPG with a buy2play payment model. Updates for crafting, the economy, the combat system, and many other areas of the online role-playing game are released regularly. According to Steam, the early access is expected to last until at least June 2025.
Pax Dei is a social sandbox MMORPG with a strong focus on gathering resources, crafting items and buildings, and trading goods. Entire villages, towns, and fortresses can emerge from individual plots of land.
In addition, there are dungeons that groups with tanks, healers, and damage dealers can explore, but also areas where PvP is activated around the clock. It’s up to you which aspect of the game you want to focus on.
Brighter Shores
The new MMORPG by RuneScape creator Andrew Gower has established itself “largely positively” on Steam since its mixed early access launch on November 6, 2024. Thanks to free2play access, anyone interested can easily check it out. Early access is expected to last about six months until missing key features such as PvP are implemented.
In Brighter Shores, you can expect an MMORPG with a fantasy setting, a nostalgic isometric look, and point-and-click controls. There are three playable classes (Cryoknight, Hammermage, and Guardian), a large number of professions such as Fisherman, Chef, Miner, Lumberjack, Alchemist, Blacksmith, or Merchant, and you can even become a Detective.
The story of the game is told in episodes. Each new episode is not only supposed to bring quests but also new professions and regions into the game. At a certain point, a paid premium pass is needed to progress further in the story.
Eternal Tombs
Eternal Tomb (formerly War of Dragnorox) calls itself an “Old School Sandbox” MMORPG, with a clear focus on PvE. At launch, there will be an open world with 30 areas, dangerous monsters, and 19 different raids. Good endgame content is particularly important to the developers.
One special highlight are the Dungeon Masters, who are part of the development team and are allowed to intervene in the MMORPG. Therefore, no day should feel like the previous one. Aside from the Dungeon Masters, the MMORPG will rely on traditional values. There will be seven different classes.
Furthermore, the game wants to completely avoid a shop and instead rely on a buy2play model with an optional subscription. According to the official FAQ, the release is still “early in 2025” on the horizon. Thanks to playtests on Steam and regular updates from the developers, we are optimistic that the launch will succeed in the coming year. More about this here: New MMORPG War of Dragnorox focuses on Game Masters that constantly change the game – Coming in Unreal Engine 5.
