For newcomers, the internet and its variety of terms are not an easy place. So many words need to be learned just to have the faintest idea of what others are talking about. MMOG, MMORPG, MMOFPS – Help, what does that mean?!
Many online games are called MMOs, and the clear classification into this category is not always straightforward, but there are four factors that are clear indicators for such a game:
1. The word “Massive” in the name – this means that many people can be active in one game at the same time, within a game world or a server. They must also be able to interact with each other in various areas of the game – whether in a city, through group searches, or in the open world. There is no set definition of when an MMO reaches a theoretical “massive” player count.
2. MMOGs usually have a persistent game world. This means that the virtual world continues to exist even when the individual player turns off their PC. Additionally, the environment changes even when the player is not logged into the game, whether it’s the automatic gathering of resources or the unfolding of a whole background story that occurs without the player’s action.
3. There must be some form of communication between human players, with the option to mutually influence the game events. This is given, for example, when one wants to face a great enemy together – or when one gives gifts to a teammate that help them progress in their adventure or simply bring them joy. Unlike games where the online mode is just an accessory, MMOs are designed for online gaming and the ability to play together with others. Group play (Multiplayer) should be a central component, whether through raids, dungeons, or PvP, complemented by a range of social features (guilds, chats, etc.).
4. “Games as a service” – characteristic of MMOs is that they are developed further by the operators over a long period, regularly maintained with expansions, patches, and other additional content.
In general, more and more games build on “MMO elements” and adopt the design ideas and social features of an MMO. This is one reason why conventional multiplayer online games are increasingly referred to as MMOs today, even though the number of possible players in a zone is very low. The different online genres show increasingly fluid transitions, which dilutes the MMO concept.
MMO Definition Today
Due to some changes that this term has gone through, we recently revisited the definition and created our own: What does MMO mean today, in 2019?
At Mein-MMO.de, we specifically address the subgenres MMORPG, MOBA and MMO-Shooters. You can find an MMO database in our MMO list sorted by the respective genre. There, you will find good examples of which games belong to the MMO genre.
One special feature is also the different business models in MMOs. Here you can find out what free-to-play, buy-to-play, and pay-to-play mean.
P.S. Why do we only read “MMO” instead of “MMOG”? There is probably no all-encompassing and clear explanation that uncovers this change. This change can best be explained by the fact that MMOG sounds longer than its “counterpart” and doesn’t sound quite as good.
