Where do the 57 largest MMORPGs for PC stand currently? The Tier List 2023

If you are looking for a new MMORPG in 2023, you currently have the choice of dozens of games. But which ones are truly worth it and which should you ignore? MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch presents his personal tier list.

What kind of list is this? This list aims to provide you with a ranking of the biggest MMORPGs at a glance. Further down, you’ll also find some explanations and justifications for the list.

The idea came from a video by TheLazyPeon, but the list is based on my own opinion and the experiences I’ve gathered over the past years.

Who is speaking here? I’m Alex, the MMORPG expert here at MeinMMO. My MMO career began with the games Guild Wars 1, Ragnarok Online, Aion, and RIFT. Most recently, I have mostly been active in Guild Wars 2, New World, ESO, Lost Ark, and WoW.

From this list, I’ve played each MMORPG for at least 5 hours, most for more than 10 hours, and some for over 1,000 hours.

Tier List of MMORPGs

Explanations and Examples for the Different Tiers

Games from the S-Tier I would generally recommend to all my friends:

• At the top is Guild Wars 2 for me because it has the best combat system, the best mounts, and one of the fairest gear systems out there.
• WoW and FFXIV are the strongest MMORPGs with tab-targeting and have the best dungeons and raids. If you prefer a Japanese setting, you should go for Final Fantasy, and if you like the comic look, go for WoW.

Games from the A-Tier I would recommend to people who have a specific player type:

• Albion Online, for example, is one of the best PvP MMORPGs on the market, but not everyone likes that focus.
• Black Desert has the most fun combat system and interesting economic systems, but it requires endless grinding and luck for gear.
• ESO has, in my opinion, the best voice acting, excellent stories, and is well suited for beginners. The action combat system is fun but has some gaps in terms of impact. Moreover, the content in 2022 was not that strong. In 2023, it has the potential to return to the S-Tier.
• EVE Online has very specialized gameplay and is simply not meant for every player type. However, regarding SciFi MMORPGs, it is currently the best title.
• Lost Ark offers interesting dungeons and raids and has unbelievably much to do. Additionally, the PvP is very fairly designed and emphasizes skill. It is by far the best MMORPG in the iso perspective, but exactly that and the grind are understandable criticisms.
• New World has improved incredibly in 2022 and 2023 and now even offers raids. Still, it is far from the level of S-Tier titles.
• Old School RuneScape is incredibly rewarding to play, which hardly any other MMORPG offers. Moreover, it relies heavily on nostalgia. However, the graphics have aged quite a bit, which means it definitely does not reach S-Tier status.

The games in the B-Tier are generally not bad, but all have a catch or are too specific in their target audience:

• Aion Classic is definitely the better version of Aion, even if there are discussions about the payment model.
• Blade & Soul is a fun MMORPG, but has a lot of grind and real money helps reduce that.
• Broken Ranks targets a complete niche with its graphics and combat system, but it is really strong there.
• The Lord of the Rings Online has a strong IP behind it, but graphically and in terms of gameplay, it has also aged considerably.
• Guild Wars 1 and Rift are among my absolute favorite MMORPGs, but neither receive any new content anymore, preventing them from jumping to A-Tier. Therefore, one could also move them to C-Tier, but compared to other games there, they are simply better.
• Mortal Online 2 is a hardcore PvP MMORPG that does not hold your hand. That can be cool, but is uninteresting or frustrating for most.
• Phantasy Star Online 2: New Genesis is fun in terms of gameplay, but currently offers too little content to reach A-Tier.
• SWTOR has a cool story and is a must for Star Wars fans, but from a gameplay perspective, it feels outdated. Unfortunately, the latest expansion was also disappointing. Nevertheless, the class stories at the beginning of the game are among the best the genre has to offer.
• Trove is an MMORPG with fun dungeons and building features. It doesn’t have very deep gameplay, but is one of the more casual games.
• Zenith is currently the strongest VR MMORPG, however it lags behind traditional PC games in terms of content and is not graphically as strong. Additionally, VR games are generally a niche.

Games in the C-Tier have a bigger catch than those in the B-Tier:

• ArcheAge is one of the best sandbox MMORPGs overall in terms of gameplay and has the potential for B or even A-Tier. However, it struggles again and again with exploits, pay-to-win issues, a lot of randomness, and balance problems, even under the new publisher Kakao Games.
• Age of Conan is a playable MMORPG but receives little new content and feels somewhat dated.
• Shroud of the Avatar felt outdated even at release and has a very weak tutorial.
• Vindictus has an incredibly fun combat system but is very grindy, unbalanced, and has pay-to-win content.

Games in the D-Tier had some good concepts but are more or less dead:

• Aura Kingdom 2 has fewer players than its predecessor.
• Legends of Aria also has hardly any players left, and the successor Aria 2 is already in development.

I actively advise against games in the E-Tier:

• Fiesta Online is a poorly optimized game that feels devoid of any love. Every player should save themselves the download.
• League of Angels is an autoplay MMORPG that essentially has no gameplay but offers dozens of ways to spend your money.
• Revelation Online is a loveless Asia MMORPG that is also equipped with performance issues and pay-to-win elements.
• Perfect World is also heavily pay-to-win, but at least has the cool flying battles that made the MMORPG interesting.

The Most Exciting MMORPGs in Development

Which MMORPGs will be coming in 2023 and beyond? In the coming months and years, additional MMORPGs will be released, which will undoubtedly find their place in the tier list.

The three most exciting titles are Ashes of Creation, Throne and Liberty from NCSoft, which is set to release in 2023, and the MMORPG based on League of Legends. They all have the potential to be among the best games, provided they are executed well and adequately supported by the developer and publisher.

Additionally, there will be several new indie games, including Corepunk, Profane, and Fractured. They have potential but still need to prove themselves. We will keep the tier list up to date accordingly.

Everything about new MMORPGs in 2023:

6 new MMORPGs that are definitely set to release in 2023