What fascinates me about MMORPGs after over 20 years

Since 1997, MeinMMO author Andreas Bertits has been playing MMORPGs. After 23 years, he still hasn’t had enough of the genre. He reveals what fascinates him about online role-playing games.

My first experiences with MMORPGs went like this: I played my first MMORPG almost exactly 23 years ago. Ultima Online was released on September 24, 1997, and I was there at launch. As a fan of the single-player Ultima series, I hoped to share a similar gaming experience with friends. While that expectation wasn’t really met, I was introduced to something quite different that fascinated me at least as much as the solo games in the Ultima universe before.

Instead of experiencing a story like in the other Ultima games, I found myself in a sandbox world. There were no quests, and at the beginning, I didn’t really know what I was supposed to do. Only gradually did this fascinating online world open up to me, where I had all the freedom I could wish for.

I met fellow players – some of them became friends, while others taught me to “hate” PvP. Together, we experienced many adventures, fought dragons in dungeons, hunted orcs out of their forts in the forests, or searched for valuable resources so that the blacksmith in the group could craft us better equipment. For a while, I supplied other players with fresh fish that I, of course, had caught myself.

With World of Warcraft, I was introduced in 2004 to a completely different type of online role-playing game. Quests and stories were at the forefront.

With friends, I experienced exciting stories, learned more about the background of the world of Azeroth, and together we became powerful heroes facing ever-greater challenges.

Today things are different, but one thing remains the same

Through my work as a game editor and my experiences in the MMORPG genre, I was assigned to it by my then employer. I essentially got access to almost every online role-playing game that was released between 2004 and 2009. Accordingly, I was able to try out a lot of MMORPGs.

Not every one of them appealed to me.

Due to my negative experiences with player killing in the MMORPG Ultima Online, I couldn’t really get into PvP later on. Therefore, I spent less time in online role-playing games that placed a high value on PvP.

Today, 23 years after my first steps in the genre, I still spend my time with MMORPGs.

I primarily play The Elder Scrolls Online – continuously, with larger and smaller interruptions – as well as occasionally Neverwinter. I watch new games in the genre that I would like to give a chance. Additionally, I am fascinated to see how MMOs change and evolve over time.

Due to my full-time job and family, I don’t have as much time for gaming as I used to. When I can manage to carve out a few hours on a weekend or during vacation, I often plan to treat myself to quicker achievements in a single-player game, but still often end up in an MMO. Thus, I have remained loyal to the MMORPG genre despite all circumstances until today.

MMORPGs and the time I spend with games have changed. What has remained, however, is my fascination and passion for the genre.

What fascinates me about MMORPGs

MMORPGs are extremely versatile games that allow me to do whatever I feel like doing.

• If I want to experience a small story, I do a quest line
• If I want to improve my character, I fight some enemies
• If I’m looking for better gear, I gather resources and craft something nice
• If I just want to hang out with friends online, that’s possible too
• If I have time for a raid, I still enjoy that very much – even though it rarely happens…
• I can simply learn more about lore or explore the world
• I can improve my character and feel like I can achieve more in the game world

I no longer have a guild, but I still play with friends

The social aspect of MMORPGs is still important to me in 2020, but the way I experience it has changed with my life.

I am no longer in a guild. This is simply not possible due to time constraints. I could never commit to a schedule for a raid or a guild meeting or take on any administrative tasks. But that’s not a problem for me. Because I still meet my friends online. Usually by coincidence, because they are online at the same time, or we arrange a meeting. That’s often postponed several times, but it eventually works out.

And that’s another reason why I still play MMORPGs after all these years: the social aspects.

Even if I don’t run into friends, there’s always someone online. Maybe that person has time and wants to embark on a little adventure together or just have a quick chat. Particularly during the times of Corona, social interactions in the real world have become scarce.

I’m very grateful to be able to meet someone online.

In MMORPGs, I am part of another world

In an MMORPG, I feel as though I belong to this other world. When I turn off the PC, it continues to turn. Events happen without me, just like in the real world. However, I can participate if I want to.

Sometimes I escape the daily grind this way when real life annoys me. I become a hero involved in sieges, helping my friends out of tough situations or saving a village from a monster. This clears my head and allows me to see things in the real world in a different light. I’m no longer annoyed and approach everything with fresh motivation.

So even after more than 20 years, MMORPGs still hold that fascination for me that I felt back in 1997 with Ultima Online. And I hope that will remain for a very long time.

Do you want to know what the first MMORPG actually was? The answer is not as simple as you might think.