MMOgames are undisputedly one of the most exciting genres. With the promise of a massive world, high player interaction, and endless content, there’s a reason so many players eagerly anticipate the next big attempt. While some of the core MMOs, likeFinal Fantasy XIV and World of Warcraftare still excelling in the genre, and as an MMO “killer” of the two seems increasingly more far-fetched, there’s certainly room within the genre to hold multiple compelling entries.
Coming in 2025 and beyond is a slew of new entries that could be promising contenders in the genre. While it’s often difficult for new MMOs to find their footing within a genre that demands immediate player retention, when done properly, MMOs can be one of the most fulfilling genres to engage with. From returning IPs, anticipated expansions, and completely fresh takes,there’s a lot to look forward to for the age-old genre.
10Corepunk
Hardcore Sci-Fi
Corepunk, a sci-fi, old-school-styled MMO, released into early access on August 03, 2025. With an isometric view and right click to move,Corepunkis a compelling blend of the MMO, ARPG, and Moba genres. The actual gameplay is slower paced, and like many games on this list, is more comparable to the early 2000s MMOs, with slow and immersive leveling experiences.
While the game has been released in a buy-to-play state,Corepunkis still a ways from its full release. A major design philosophy is the lack of quest markers and direction, an attempt at recreating the old-school style of MMOs, where players are essentially dropped into a new world with little to no tutorials.Corepunk, with its blending of old-school design and modern, genre-merging gameplay, is certainly trying something new, and is well worth keeping an eye on as it develops further in early access.
9Chrono Odyssey
Next-Gen Graphics & Gameplay
Despite being beset by delays and development complications,Chrono Odysseyis still being firmly developed, though now with a more ambiguous release date than its originally planned 2022 one. Being developed on Unreal Engine 5,Chrono Odysseyhas shown off its impressive graphics and fluid combat already, which is often enough to get fans excited for what comes next.
Beyond the next-generation look and feel ofChrono Odyssey, the exact details of the gameplay and style of the MMO are still a bit ambiguous. MMOs can often ride on those modern features during their initial release, and always seem to generate a level of excitement and engagement because of them. The difficulty, as with all MMO’s, will be with howChrono Odysseyretains its inevitable, initial hype. Certainly, Chrono Odysseylooks promising, but fans will have to wait and see what else it has in store for players.
8Amazon’s The Lord Of The Rings MMO
A Familiar Journey
Amazon Games has been working on a newTheLord of the RingsMMO after its first attempt at the genre,New World.This would be the secondLOTRMMO, with the first,The Lord of the Rings Online, launching in 2007 andstill receiving expansions.LOTROhas maintained a stable relevance since its release, with the game leaning into its story and leveling elements, which are substantially helped by the iconic IP it’s based upon.
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LOTROis certainly dated, with graphics and controls not looking a day fresher since their 2007 introduction. Despite continued updates and a loyal fanbase,a newLOTRMMO would surely generate a lot of excitement as a result of the beloved IP.LOTROremains a much-loved installment, but a fresh coat of paint and modernized features could go a long way in a new attempt at gamifying the massive world ofThe Lord of the Rings, a traditionally difficult endeavor, especially with the budget at Amazon Games' disposal.
7Soulframe
Next Release From Warframe Developers
Coming from Digital Extremes, the developer of the long-standing looter shooter,Warframe,Soulframeis set to expand the developers' genre horizons in an expected 2025 release. While that release will likely not be the full-game, based on the studio’s previous success and dedication toWarframe, which is now better than ever to jump into, players can hopefully expect the same amount of love going into this upcoming MMO.
Soulframeis still in its early stages, but has already pulled from many ofWarframe’ssystems.Combat appears to be melee-focused, with a slower and weightier-looking combat style. The fantasy setting ofSoulframecertainly differs from the sci-fi approach of its predecessor, with a large emphasis, thus far, on overgrown ruins and a generally nature-centric look. There’s not a huge amount to go off forSoulframe, but based on the studio’s previous work,Soulframecan certainly shape up to be a genre contender.
6Ashes Of Creation
An Immense Scale
Ashes of Creationhas already been playable, and has already hooked countless players into its old-school-feeling gameplay. While still in early technical tests, with a steep entry price to boot,Ashes of Creationhas shown immense promise in its nostalgic gameplay pillars. The upcoming MMO has placed a lot of focus on its sense of adventure, and the risk and reward gameplay that comes from it. Traveling takes time, with the scale of the world looking to be massive and full of secrets, and is bound to be full of exciting player and NPC dangers on the path to glory.
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The gameplay also appears to be quite a fluid take on the traditional tab-targeting combat systems. While it’s difficult to recommendAshes of Creationright now, with its expensive price tag and unfinished state, it is certainly a game that demands some close attention from fans of the genre, especially as more of its massive world is realized.
5Monsters & Memories
Old School-Inspired Adventure
Monster & Memoriesis slated for a January 2026 early access release, with a subscription-based payment model. The game is being independently made, and thus, doesn’t have the same budget as some of the other, more mainstream games on this list. Regardless,Monsters & Memorieslooks like a proper treat for fans of the old-school RPGs and MMOsof the early 2000s, such asWoW,Everquest, andRunescape.
LikeAshes of Creation,Monsters & Memoriesseems to place emphasis on the leveling and adventuring aspects of MMOs. Though this seems like a popular choice for upcoming games in the genre, it is important to note that this has been a largely absent concern for MMOs in recent years. The distinct art style seems to make up for its lower-fidelity graphics with a strong atmosphere, perfect for risky dungeon diving and adventuring. With its early access release a year out, fans of the games which inspired it should keep a close eye on its development.
4Dune: Awakening
Control The Spice
Dune: Awakening, coming off of the successes of the recentDunefilms, will be taking players to Arrakis. While there are quite a fewDunegames, such as the excellent strategy game,Dune Spice Wars,getting to see an Arrakis on an MMO scale is exciting on its own.The game will feature many survival game mechanics, fitting for the harsh planet the game will take place on.
While not a traditional MMO – it seems more server and instance-bound than some other games on this list – large conflicts between players are one of the selling points for the game, with players engaging in vehicular and land-based combat against other players to maintain control of spice. Additionally, like other survival games,Dune: Awakeningwill feature player base building, a not-so-common feature for MMOs. It seems thatDune: Awakeningis well on track with nailing the atmosphere of theDuneuniverse; it just needs to make sure to land the gameplay as well.
3FFXIV’s Next Expansion
Expected & Consistent
While it may be cheating to include an unannounced expansion, MMOs are a tricky genre where a game’s eventual release can never be taken for granted. LikeWoW,FFXIV, at the very least,does promise and deliver on a consistent slew of updates and releasesfor its consistent fan base.
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Dawntrail has added a lot of new content to Final Fantasy 14, including dailies, hunts, jobs, and new dungeons and raids for duty roulettes.
WhileDawntrailwas certainly met with a more mixed reception than is typical for the enshrined MMO, a newFFXIVexpansion, and its promise of a compelling story, new jobs, and expertly designed fights will inevitably keep attracting new and returning players. WIth the game’s initial story arc concluding inEndwalker,Dawntrailhas done the setup work in creating a new arc for the game to follow. While perhaps a rocky start in this endeavor,anticipation still hangs in the air about whereFFXIVwill take players in the future.
2Riot Games' MMO
An Already Expansive Setting
Perhaps the most anticipated MMO yet, Riot Games' untitled MMO project is still in development. Set to take place in Runeterra, the world of theLeague of LegendsIP, the project is already met with high expectations. Coming from a studio which typically creates masterclasses in established genres, thisMMO project will be its toughest project yet. MMOs are a notoriously difficult genre to enter into, but, if any studio is to do it properly, it is certainly Riot Games.
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As of now, there is little to no information on the project beyond its setting, and it’s more than likely that players are years away from getting their hands on the game. It’s unknown what sort of control scheme and pillars of content Riot will lean into, but of course, PvP seems like a logical choice for inclusion based upon its previous games.Runeterra has been consistently worked into a compelling setting, and will no doubt be a major selling point for the project.
1WoW: Midnight
The Second Part Of The Worldsoul Saga
WoW: Midnightis the second installment in the Worldsoul Saga, a new approach towardsWoWexpansions in which a story arc unfolds over multiple expansions. AfterDragonflightfundamentally modernizedWoW,The War Within, and likely the rest of the Worldsoul Saga will use this new, strong foundation.DragonflightandThe War Withinhave been successful expansions after an arguable low point for the MMO, and no doubtMidnightwill continue this trend.
WoW: Midnightwill see players returning to Quel’Thalas, the home of the elves, to continue dealing with the new void threat lead by Xalatath. InMidnight, players will very likely be seeing a few zones in the Eastern Kingdom revamped, including the beautiful,flimsily built Silvermoon City.
Player housing is also slated to be releasedinMidnight, a feature that players have been asking for since the early days ofWoW. It’s currently unknown how Blizzard will approach this foundational MMO feature, but it will undoubtedly shake up the game as a whole. Currently,Midnightis set to be properly revealed in Summer 2025, with Blizzard targeting a quicker release schedule for expansions. There is much to look forward to with these upcomingMMOs.Hopefully, these games will stick their landing and continue to develop the genre that is so beloved by fans worldwide.
