Past Fate is the first real MMORPG of 2026, but instead of old-school charm, there has been trouble with the fans.
What kind of MMORPG is this? Past Fate is the first MMORPG of the year released on January 7, 2026. The MMORPG was funded on Kickstarter in 2021 and aimed to present a contrast to modern MMORPGs with their bright menus through old-school charm and hardcore gameplay.
The theme park MMORPG is set in a medieval fantasy world full of undead, orcs, skeletons, and other typical representatives. The player’s task is to progress from a clumsy peasant to a noble knight.
In the endgame, dungeons for 5 players, as well as world bosses and raids with up to 25 players, await the noble knights. In the combat system, the weapon determines the class, but the right equipment is needed for the correct character stats to turn an archer into a necromancer.
Here you can see the trailer for Past Fate:
Trouble at Launch
How did the release go? Although the developers repeatedly emphasized that Past Fate is being released in an early alpha version, there has been a flood of criticism from players. One day after the release, the MMORPG has only 22% positive ratings on Steam.
Player numbers are also not particularly good, with a peak of 142 according to SteamDB.
What is the criticism about? Reviews from players often mention complaints about the game’s technology. Some players reportedly could not even get onto the servers, while others had lost their previously earned equipment after a restart.
Others complained that on the PvP servers, there is already open PvP in the first town of the starting area, resulting in being ganked and killed, which makes progression in the MMORPG difficult.
For players, it is clear: Past Fate is still too unfinished in its current state to captivate them. As Steam user Khaled writes: “I’ve been playing MMOs since 2005 and this is the worst MMO I’ve played in my 20 years as an MMO gamer. Nothing works in this game (it’s that simple).”
However, there are also a few positive voices who were aware when purchasing that the MMORPG would still be in a very early alpha version. One of them is Steam user Doctor Kannon, who writes:
“Thumbs up. This is not a polished AAA title. It is an indie game in EA. It is a bit rough and bumpy, but it ran well. I got kicked from the server a couple of times but was able to rejoin quickly, no problem. From a technical standpoint, the user interface needs reworking, quests could be tidied up and made clearer, and the combat mechanics could be better communicated.”
Whether the developers will manage to improve Past Fate enough to really impress players with old-school charm remains to be seen. However, the first release of an MMORPG for 2026 has already gone off track. Another MMORPG is meanwhile trying to implement player feedback: The head of the toughest MMORPG of 2026 reveals the current state of development, stating that even with a 10-year-old graphics card, one should be able to play
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