For our Grindfest Theme Week 2026, video editor Anna looks at the current trends in the MMO genre and wonders: Is the golden age of MMORPGs finally over?
Classic MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, Tibia, or Ultima Online used to feel like real, second worlds. You knew other players, waited together for ships, looked for groups before dungeons, and experienced stories that were not written by quests, but by the community.
Today, many MMO games feel different: faster, more convenient, more strongly instanced, and often geared more towards dailies, battle passes, and quick rewards. But is it really just because we’ve gotten older and have less time? Or has the MMORPG genre fundamentally changed?
In this week, you can expect exciting articles every day about the topic of MMORPGs. Included are: nostalgic looks back, exciting analyses from prominent industry veterans, previews of upcoming online role-playing games, and lively streams.
Here’s the program for the big MMORPG theme week 2026 by MeinMMO
In our new video on the YouTube channel of MeinMMO, we take a look at why classic MMORPGs are hardly being created today, why MMO-lites like Destiny or Lost Ark have become so successful, and why this development could be exciting but perhaps also dangerous for hopefuls like Guild Wars 3.
“People today play next to each other, not with each other”
The MMO community discusses: Under the video on YouTube, some genre fans are already discussing the problems of many current MMOs and why they often had more fun with online role-playing games back then.
- Shisalya writes, for example: “Exactly, today you only play next to each other, not with each other.”
- Hansmundwurf feels the same: “Playing next to each other instead of with each other hits the nail on the head. Very good assessment.”
- Avator2010 holds part of the community accountable: “Much is the player’s fault as well. Selfish, toxic and fast, fast. And of course the world’s best DPS gamer.”
- Matteozero5814 is bothered by something else: “The PvP compulsion drove me away from the last MMOs. Played a lot of SW:TOR and WoW, but at some point it just got boring. For me, it definitely has to do with age and job, I want to have my peace in the evenings.”
What was your most significant MMO moment? Do you miss the old times or do you think modern MMORPGs are better today? Feel free to share your stories in the comments. If you want to take a nostalgic journey through the entire history of MMORPGs, feel free to check it out here: Over 60 years of MMORPGs: We look back at the beginnings, premieres, highlights, and failures
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