The MMORPG Metin2 was released in 2006 in Germany. Almost 20 years later, it still has a large community, with many players being German-speaking. This is due to several reasons that MeinMMO highlights during the MMORPG theme week.
What is Metin2? The team behind Metin2 describes the game as an “Oriental Action MMO.” The MMORPG started in 2004 in Korea but only came to us in 2006. Initially, it had a paid model, but after a year, it removed the monthly fees.
- You choose one of 5 classes and decide on a specialization. For shamans, for example, you can learn enhancement spells or healing spells.
- The MMORPG takes place in a fictional Far Eastern world that was once united by the Empire. Today, there are three kingdoms you must choose from. If you join one nation, you can battle the other two in PvP.
- Characteristic of the MMORPG are the meteorite stones of the same name, which fall randomly from the sky at a location on the map. They contain rare equipment.
Metin2 still relies on the graphics with which the MMORPG launched in 2004. Although the visuals are now quite outdated, the game can still keep afloat – and that without monthly fees. This is an impressive achievement, considering how many MMORPGs have had to shut down in recent decades.
The MMORPG is still popular among many fans today, especially in Turkey and Germany, as Gameforge confirmed to us upon request. We explain why in the following article.
Metin2 has managed to hold on for several decades, thanks to several reasons
Metin2 has an active community in Germany
In the statement from Gameforge, it is clear that the community is still very active, especially in Germany and Turkey. Because so many players still gather on the servers of Metin2, the game can be kept alive:
Even almost two decades after its release, Metin2 impresses with strong player numbers. The number of monthly active players is in the seven-digit range. For an online role-playing game with such a long lifespan, this is absolutely impressive. A large part of the players comes from Western regions. The German community is one of the most active and engaged alongside players from Turkey.
Gameforge, via E-Mail
Although the number of servers has significantly decreased in recent years, there are still so many players active that it likely remains profitable for Gameforge to operate. This is evident in part from the forum of Metin2: many threads are still discussed hourly today.
Furthermore, many users have helped create a wiki for Metin2’s content. This makes the game even more beginner-friendly for newcomers. There are also still regular updates, as evident from the plans for current events.
But the active community is not the only reason why Metin2 is still alive.
Metin2 made headlines in Germany
The MMORPG caused quite a stir in Germany during a theft case in 2009 (via Spiegel). The police from Bochum investigated a case where valuable items like Phoenix shoes and Siamese daggers were stolen.
The 45-year-old player stated that he had invested a total of 1,000 euros into the game and was understandably upset when he noticed that his equipment was gone. In fact, the police initially investigated whether it was a hacker or a malfunction.
The end of the story: It turned out that a 19-year-old acquaintance knew the login credentials of the victim and simply transferred the items to himself. Allegedly, the 45-year-old was aware of this (via web.archive.org).
The case drew attention primarily because, at that time, it was not common in Germany to file a criminal complaint for virtually lost items. Many laughed at the 45-year-old player back then. No wonder, then, that his case generated such a stir and helped bring more attention to Metin2 – and perhaps even more players.
A F2P game with German voiceover
At that time, there was hardly any competition for Metin2. It was one of the few MMORPGs that was free and had a German version available.
Metin2 financed itself through microtransactions in the in-game shop after removing the monthly subscription fees. These provided players with cosmetic items, but also advantages that allowed them to level up faster, although it was no longer mandatory to invest money in the game.
In this week, you can expect exciting articles every day on the topic of MMORPGs. Included: a journey through the history of online role-playing games, as well as nostalgic retrospectives, streaming nights, interviews, columns, and analyses.
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This likely attracted children and teenagers at the time, who did not want to or could not spend their pocket money on competitors like World of Warcraft. After all, for many, it’s a barrier to explain to mom and dad that monthly they put their money into a virtual troll or warrior.
At the same time, there were few games that were also available in German. One example would be RuneScape, which, however, was only available in German since 2007. This is one of the reasons why the German community remains so active even today.
Hard grinding that continues to this day
One characteristic that defines Metin2, is the hard grind. Similar to Black Desert Online, players must repetitively do things to get better. One example is leveling: It takes forever to level up after level 30 when playing solo.
When leveling, it can help to join a group and divide tasks: one pulls, one knocks out the mobs, and someone else handles the healing. Even better is if someone higher-ranked is in the group and quickly eliminates the mobs. Tools to level up faster are only available for real money.
While there are quests, they also end in grinding (“kill 50 rare mobs”) and reward very few experience points. Moreover, enhancing gear is based on luck. There is only a certain chance that the item will reach a higher level; otherwise, it may even downgrade.
This way, Metin2 not only retains players for a few weeks but also for years. Those who want to be the best on the server must invest a lot of time in the MMORPG – or money. And those who have already invested a lot will not easily give up their characters.
Metin2 manages to deliver new content for players every year. However, there are also MMORPGs that currently look anything but rosy. Our MMORPG expert Karsten Scholz reveals 5 games that might close in 2025: Which MMOs will die in 2025? I’m worried about 5 games
