MMORPGs thrive on having high player numbers. We at MeinMMO have looked at which representatives of the genre are currently leading on Steam and have compiled a Top 10 for January 2023.
How was the list created? For the Top 10, we looked at the average player numbers of the MMORPGs over the last 30 days. These are the amounts of players logged in at the same time, on average.
The data comes from the site steamcharts, which provides the player numbers.
It is important to note: The numbers only include players who start the game via Steam. Many MMORPGs also have their own clients, the numbers of which we cannot see. Therefore, the exact numbers are likely higher.
These are spots 10 to 4
- Spot 10: RuneScape (3,732 players)
- Spot 9: EVE Online (3,784 players)
- Spot 8: Star Wars: The Old Republic (4,374 players)
- Spot 7: Albion (5,897 players)
- Spot 6: Fallout 76 (8,794 players)
- Spot 5: The Elder Scrolls Online (14,309 players)
- Spot 4: Black Desert (17,201 players)
Spot 3: Final Fantasy XIV
- Focus of the MMORPG: Story, Roleplay, and Instances
- Player count: average of 19,153 players online simultaneously in the last 30 days
- Player counts in trend: Remain about the same
- Business model: Base game Free2Play with limitations, Subscription and Buy2Play for expansions
- Developer: Square Enix
What kind of game is this? Final Fantasy XIV has been one of the most popular MMORPGs for years. It focuses on an engaging story and offers players the opportunity to purchase multiple DLCs to continue the story and level up their character. The current expansion, Endwalker, was released in 2021.
In addition, you can expect PvE content such as dungeons, boss battles, and raids – later also at higher difficulty levels. The combat system relies on tab-targeting, which initially feels somewhat sluggish, but becomes significantly more exciting as you unlock more skills.
Classes are called Jobs in FFXIV and you only need one character to level them all. Depending on which weapon you have equipped, your class changes.
Additionally, you can level various crafting and gathering classes, buy a house, and design your own island.
Meanwhile, you can play the game for free up to level 60 and experience the stories of A Realm Reborn and Heavensward. After that, you need to purchase an expansion and subscribe to continue playing. However, the free trial version is not available on Steam.
Who is it interesting for? FFXIV is aimed primarily at players who:
- Like story games and want to experience an emotional story
- Prefer tab-targeting
- Are looking for a challenge in PvE endgame
- Are looking for a friendly community
- Like a classic Holy Trinity (Tank, DPS, Healer)
- Want to try roleplay
The community is praised by players worldwide. The interactions are (mostly) friendly and considerate, which presents a stark contrast to other MMORPGs whose communities are often toxic.
Spot 2: New World
Focus of the MMORPG: Crafting, Exploration, and PvP
Player count: average of 39,149 players simultaneously in the last 30 days
Player count in trend: Significantly increased in November due to the restart servers, but are currently falling
Business model: Buy2Play
Developer: Amazon
What kind of game is this? New World takes place in the 17th century on the mysterious island of Aeternum. You explore a large open world and engage in mass battles in PvP. However, PvE with dungeons and bosses, as well as fantasy and horror elements, also play an important role in New World.
In combat, you must aim and dodge actively and only have access to three different skills. There are no classes, you change skills by equipping a different weapon.
It was released in September 2021 and managed to attract almost one million people to the MMORPG at release. After that, the player numbers decreased but increased significantly again in November 2022 when the restart servers went online. Amazon completely overhauled the first 25 levels and reduced the leveling time from level 35 to 55. Some of the old servers have been merged.
Unlike many other games on this list, New World was released exclusively through Steam. Therefore, the player numbers here are more accurate than those of the other representatives on the list.
Who is it interesting for? New World is aimed at players who:
- Love gathering and crafting
- Want an action-packed combat system that requires hands-on engagement
- Want to try various classes
- Love that you can upgrade and level everything
- Enjoy exciting PvP battles
However, if you prefer to follow a linear story and don’t find PvP engaging, then New World may only be of limited interest.
Spot 1: Lost Ark
- Focus of the MMORPG: Grinding, Instances, Exploration
- Player count: average of 272,129 simultaneous players in the last 30 days
- Player count in trend: Increasing
- Business model: Free2Play
- Developer: Amazon and Smilegate
What kind of game is this? Lost Ark is an action MMORPG that started in February 2022. You choose from 6 base classes with a total of 23 specializations and create your character. You then explore the world of Arkesia from an isometric perspective.
First, you immerse yourself in the story, which features many dialogues and cutscenes. After the prologue, you reach level 10, obtain your first mount, and level up through the story to level 50. The story revolves around finding an ark on various continents and bringing it to Trixion, where the NPC Beatrice awaits to receive it.
At level 50, you reach the endgame of Lost Ark – This is where the real game begins. Every day, you complete dungeons and raids to farm materials and upgrade your gear. As you reach higher item levels, you unlock more content, allowing the story to continue. The deeper you dive into the endgame, the more challenging the content becomes.
Additionally, from around level 40, you can sail and explore numerous islands, farm them, and participate in events.
Who is it interesting for? Lost Ark is aimed at players who …
- Enjoy grinding and want to battle many enemies simultaneously, as in Chaos Dungeons
- Appreciate complex mechanics and are not afraid to read guides before battle
- Want to explore an open world both on land and at sea
- Love collectibles
- Can remain patient even if they fail at a raid multiple times
Special Case – MIR4
MIR4 is an MMORPG focused on cryptocurrency. According to Steamcharts, it has an average of nearly 33,500 players simultaneously per month. Therefore, it would actually be in third place. However, we assume that many bots are active and therefore do not include the MMORPG in our regular ranking.
In MIR4, players can earn a “cryptocurrency” called DRACO. You only get the currency by connecting the game to Facebook, Google, or Apple. Many features run via autoplay, and you can tell the game was designed for mobile.
What do you think of our ranking? Which MMORPGs are you currently playing? Feel free to let us know in the comments here on MeinMMO!
Where do the 55 largest MMORPGs currently stand? The Tier List 2023
