Here in the West, World of Warcraft is considered the most profitable and successful MMORPG of all time. However, globally, there is a title called “Dungeon Fighter Online” from Nexon that is nearly as old as WoW and even more successful. The game from South Korea does not appear to be an MMORPG at all – at least not in our eyes.
What are the most successful MMORPGs in the world? It is difficult to get exact revenue figures in the world of MMORPGs. But there are always numbers that become known when a developer can boast about a new milestone. Additionally, there are plausible estimates.
- It is estimated that World of Warcraft generated about 1 billion US dollars in revenue per year for a long time. In 2017, WoW had generated 9.23 billion US dollars in revenue (via wiki). According to other sources, WoW is said to have reached 14 billion US dollars in revenue in 2022 (via headphonesaddict).
- The MMORPG “Dungeon Fighter Online” had achieved 20 billion US dollars in revenue by 2022 (via mmos.com). The publisher Nexon proudly announced this at the time.
Therefore, it can be said that Dungeon Fighter Online is indeed the most successful PC MMORPG in the world.
The most successful MMORPG in the world is a 2D side-scroller like Double Dragon
What seems so strange from a Western perspective? We have a clear image of MMORPGs shaped by games like Everquest or WoW: a 3D MMORPG with a top-down perspective.
Dungeon Fighter Online was released in 2005, a year after WoW. But the two games couldn’t be more different.
Dungeon Fighter Online is a “beat ’em up” action MMORPG that functions as a 2D side-scroller. So like a typical brawler game of the “Double Dragons” or “Golden Axe” variety.
This extremely unusual game for us has been on the market in South Korea since 2005 and reached Japan, China, and Taiwan in the following years, even having a worldwide release in 2015, although it never really took off in the West.
Dungeon Fighter Online receives the hardest raid yet
Is the game still being developed? Yes, of course. Even though it seems like a brawler game, Dungeon Fighter Online is regularly updated as an MMORPG. As the name suggests, there are frequently new dungeons to fight through.
A new patch has just been released, Season 7, Act 5, “The Cruel King of Dungeons”. The update promises the hardest raid in the 18-year history of the MMORPG. According to a Polish MMORPG website, the raid is intended for 12 heroes and includes not only the final boss Bakal but also three other monstrous bosses: the “Death Dragon Spirazzi, the Ice Dragon Skasa, and a Berserker Dragon, whatever that may be.
They promise that the bosses will use tactics and mechanics never seen before.
The most successful PC MMORPG in the world is getting what many WoW fans wish for
