41 new MMOs, MMORPGs, coop shooters, and MOBAs are planned for 2017 and 2018. Rarely have so many online games been waiting for release. You can find out which new releases you can look forward to this year and next in our release list of “upcoming MMOs”.
Online gaming is the future – with games that are developed and sold over the years, big money can be made. The last few years have proven this, with “Games as a service” titles like Destiny, The Division, or GTA Online V topping the revenue lists.
And so the release lists of the major publishers are filled with online games. Over 30 games, from classic online role-playing games to action MMOs, online shooters, and MOBAs, are waiting for their release date and curious players. Many indie studios are also pushing hard in the concert of the big players. It is especially noticeable that many games from the MMORPG genre are appearing, often promising a return to old sandbox virtues. For example, Legends of Aria (formerly known as Shards Online), which is reminiscent of Ultima Online, or the PvP sandboxes Camelot Unchained and Crowfall.
Another trend is towards action MMOs. Here, especially Asian top titles like Mu Legend, Lineage Eternal, or Lost Ark stand out. Upcoming mobile MMOs like ArcheAge Begins and Lineage 2 Revolution, which are particularly popular in Asia and are also highly anticipated in the West, also exhibit similar gameplay.
Bless, Pantheon, Destiny 2 – These new MMOs are coming in 2017 and 2018
Note: Many MMORPGs are being developed today as “indie” titles by small teams in constant communication with the community, without the support of large studios. These games do NOT rely on a classic “release model” but follow a “launch in stages” approach with alpha and beta phases. We have also included these titles in our release list. This is not about a “specific release date”, but rather the question: When is it reasonable to play in an early version?
The following list shows the online games that are expected to be released this year or next year.
MMO Releases 2017 / 2018: The new highlights
Among these games are a few titles that are particularly interesting. You should definitely keep an eye on the following games this year and next year.
Star Citizen
When exactly Chris Roberts’ space epic Star Citizen will be released is completely unclear. The first version contains, according to Roberts, only the basics without many of the stretch goals. But even without the extras, there should be plenty to do in Star Citizen, allowing players to fight, trade, smuggle, explore, and research as a space pilot in a vast universe. Currently, Star Citizen is running as an alpha build.
Crowfall
Lineage Eternal
ArcheAge Begins
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
The online shooter PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds revolves around one game mode: Battle Royale! Ideally, 100 players land on a deserted island, gather weapons, and kill each other. To prevent players from camping for too long, the play area steadily shrinks due to a deadly energy wall. Alternatively, you can play PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds in duo mode or in teams of four, which radically changes the gameplay experience. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is currently available on PC in early access. The full launch is expected at the end of 2017, at which point the Xbox version and later the PS4 version will also be released.
Note: The article was originally published in May 2017. It was updated in July 2017 with new information.
Also interesting: The 7 most promising MMOs of 2017
