WoW has changed the MMORPG market. But which game was already a success before? Which MMORPG was the best before Night Elves took over the internet?
Nowadays, when one falls into discussions about MMORPGs and evaluates newcomers, it often revolves around the long-standing genre leader World of Warcraft – whether in its “Classic” or Retail version. With its many years as the dominant title and its extremely long lifespan, WoW has become a firm staple against which every other game must measure itself.
However, that wasn’t always the case. Even before the release of World of Warcraft, there were MMORPGs. Although they didn’t always make it into the gaming mainstream, the games were popular and laid many foundations. Whether gameplay rules about loot, group play, and PvP, or external mechanics like the subscription model as payment methods.
Which MMORPGs were popular before World of Warcraft?
Today we take a brief look at the most significant MMORPGs before World of Warcraft and want to know: Which was actually the best?
Star Wars Galaxies
For many fans of the “Star Wars” franchise, a dream came true. In “SWG,” one could finally immerse themselves in a world long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away. Planets could be settled, and especially the crafting system was repeatedly praised by players.
Star Wars Galaxies was shut down shortly after the release of Star Wars: The Old Republic, in 2011.
Shadowbane
Even among MMORPGs, Shadowbane was considered an oddity, as the MMORPG did not offer quests for players. Instead, there was an extensive PvP system, which was also the heart of the game. Players could conquer and reshape cities, destroy enemy towns, and adjust the landscape so that their own NPC troops could patrol specific routes. Shadowbane was considered a pioneer in PvP, and many still fondly remember the ruthless battles.
However, in July 2009, it was over; Shadowbane shut down its servers.
Dark Age of Camelot
Dark Age of Camelot is likely still known to many WoW fans, as many players transitioned from there. In DAOC, large RvR battles were on the agenda, and in general, the game was regarded as “sandbox” heavy with a lot of PvP. Due to three different factions, battles for dominance over certain areas occurred repeatedly. Particularly interesting: whoever controlled an area also had access to special dungeons. A concept that WoW later adopted many years later with “Wintergrasp.”
Dark Age of Camelot is one of the few games that is still alive today. It can still be played.
Ultima Online
In terms of graphics, Ultima Online was very simple. This MMORPG consisted more of a 2D world and did not yet have proper 3D graphics. However, this did not harm the game at all, as players could lose themselves in the game world for weeks and years. The PvP system here was particularly notorious, as players could not only kill each other but also loot. This earned Ultima Online the reputation of being a particularly harsh and relentless MMORPG, where rivalries could last a long time.
Even today, Ultima Online still has a vibrant community.
EverQuest
No MMORPG list would be complete without the original EverQuest, as many WoW developers were players of EverQuest back then. As one of the pioneers with a nice 3D graphic, many playable races, and character customization, where you could even distribute attribute points, EverQuest is still fondly remembered by many fans today. While the game is extremely grind-heavy, that very nature led to extreme satisfaction upon achieving a goal after long work.
EverQuest is still around today, and small updates are continuously introduced into the game.
Final Fantasy XI
Long before Warcraft, Final Fantasy XI took the plunge into the world of MMORPGs. The game was released in 2002 for PlayStation 2, but was also released for PC and Xbox 360. FFXI was considered a pioneer especially because it was the first game to allow crossplay between PlayStation and PC – a topic still hotly debated today and not taken for granted. FFXI already utilized a job system, letting players switch roles if they wanted to – something also adopted in FFXIV.
Although Final Fantasy XI is no longer playable in German, the game still runs in English.
Ragnarok Online
Fans of anime and manga likely found their fulfillment in Ragnarok Online back then. The 2D comic graphics were quite popular and provided Ragnarok Online with a loyal community and long lifespan. Although the game started with 13 classes, patches and expansions added more and more content, leading to over 50 classes in the end, providing enough for every player to do. The rather “cute” graphics are still popular today, and some more current games have borrowed from this style to attract the same audience.
While Ragnarok Online is still being played, the successor Ragnarok Online 2 has already died.
Lineage
As early as 1998, players could conquer castles and demand taxes from adjacent houses – because that was possible in Lineage. The game was particularly successful in Asia and is still considered one of the most successful MMOs in that region today.
What was particularly cool was that players could bond with blood oaths to then eliminate other groups. This constant warfare makes Lineage a perennial favorite, still interesting to many players today.
Meridian59
Meridian59 started in 1995 and particularly attracted PvP lovers. The game not only had cool PvP fights, but also a justice system managed by players, enforcing punishments for “player killers.” The “level system” in M59 was also unusual, as there were no different classes. Instead, players could improve skills and attributes individually. For example, one could increase their health points by defeating particularly tough enemies or increase their mana pool by finding mana remnants all around the world.
The special thing about Meridian59 is that the source code of the game was released around 2000, and to this day, there are many free servers where it is still played. The game is also back on Steam.
Which MMORPG was the best before WoW?
But now it’s time for you to vote and decide which MMORPG was the best before World of Warcraft. Remember that you only have one vote.
Below you will find a survey. If you do not see it, simply follow this direct link to the Apster survey.
Do you have any personal memories of these MMORPGs? Or did you play any other, smaller MMORPGs before World of Warcraft established itself? Let us know in the comments!
