The MMORPG year 2025 will probably never go down in history as a highlight in the history of video games. The 9 online role-playing games released so far unfortunately underline this with their underwhelming quality.
More than half of the gaming year 2025 is over, and MeinMMO looks back at all the MMORPGs released between January and August to draw a kind of interim conclusion: Which new releases disappoint? Could new online role-playing games excite? Is there a hidden gem?
We are not only looking at final releases but also at early access launches, which often want your money despite their unfinished state.
Since there has been a lack of outstanding (or even just good) quality this year, we are turning the tables and presenting you in the “Ranking of Shame” first the best (but unfortunately only conditionally recommendable) new release, and then we will work our way down into the depths of the sin bin.
You can jump to the sections that interest you via our table of contents:
Rank 9: Crystal of Atlan
Developer: Skystone Games | Platform: PC, PS5 & Mobile | Release date: May 28, 2025 | Payment model: Free2Play | Status: Officially released
The “magicpunk MMO action RPG” relies on a colorful anime style, action-packed combat with aerial combos like in Devil May Cry, and a quick leveling phase that propels you into the endgame after a relatively short time. There, dungeons and raid challenges as well as PvP arenas await you.
While the free-to-play title receives only a restrained 3.2 out of 5 stars from nearly 6,000 PS5 players (Source: playstation.com), it fares significantly better on Google Play with over 1 million downloads and 4.7 out of 5 stars. A release on Steam is planned.
The differing ratings show once again that mobile-specific features such as limited access to content on platforms like PC and console are not well received. However, anyone looking for a solid action MMORPG for their smartphone or tablet can have fun with Crystal of Atlan. You can learn more about the game here: A new MMO for the PS5 offers you 8 different classes and battles like in Genshin Impact
