Current Big Boys :

World of Warcraft : is an online role-playing experience set in the award-winning Warcraft universe. Players assume the roles of Warcraft heroes as they explore, adventure, and quest across a vast world. World of Warcraft is a “Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game” which allows thousands of players to interact within the same world. Whether adventuring together or fighting against each other in epic battles, players will form friendships, forge alliances, and compete with enemies for power and glory. This will work fairly well in Cedega.

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures : Age of Conan is a MMO based on the Conan fantasy license originally created by the famed author Robert E. Howard. Set in 10.000 BC in the world of Hyboria, the game will provide players a unique opportunity to live their virtual lives in a detailed world holding thousands of other players. In this brutal, lush and barbaric world they can embark on an amazing and action-filled journey in the footsteps of the worlds? greatest fantasy hero. Here you can meet Conan?s friend and foes, battle demons and monsters known from 70 year of Conan history, and step up to the ultimate challenge and even befriend the mighty king Conan himself. You can also engage in guild warfare and embark on challenging quests which all stay true to the original written works by Robert E. Howard

Vanguard – Saga of Heroes : A vast and ancient world of magic, intrigue and adventure. Facing the challenges of a war torn world, the diverse people here struggle to rebuild their once great civilizations. A fragile alliance has been struck, with the lands set upon by invading forces, the races must band together to survive. In the north, the sprawling green hills of Thestra are plagued by an unstoppable undead menace. To the south, the deserts of Qalia have been besieged by an elemental threat spawned from the depths of the earth and to the east; inhabitants of the tumultuous jungles of Kojan fiercely battle encroaching otherworldly fiends. Telon is in desperate need of heroes. Your journey begins now. Join a community of thousands of players online as you traverse a breathtaking landscape on the back of a dragon as you explore the grandeur of a world designed by the seminal fantasy artist Keith Parkinson. Create and customize your character from 19 races and 15 professions. Combat fierce opponents with a groundbreaking dynamic combat system that forces you to react to your opponents as you tie together devastating combinations of attacks. The challenge awaits the boldest of heroes.

Dungeon & Dragons Online : is a fun, action-packed, massively-multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) that allows thousands of players to participate in a story-driven D&D campaign. DDO features swashbuckling adventures, betrayal and intrigue, and lots and lots of deep, dark, dangerous, trap-riddled dungeons.

Everquest 2 : is the next generation of massively multiplayer gaming, a huge online world where thousands of players come together for adventure and community. Featuring breathtaking graphics and a vast, beautiful game world to explore, EverQuest II sets the standard for graphical realism as players are immersed in the game’s exciting locales and dangerous lands. EverQuest II brings players into its world with a powerful, epic storyline and gives them the power to be the hero or villain in their personal adventure. Players enter this world by creating their own unique character, choosing from 16 races and 24 classes. Players also have the option to engage in player vs. player combat, where they can earn items, titles, fame, and experience while engaged in combat with other online gamers around the globe. Players will encounter hundreds of creatures as they travel across majestic landscapes of rolling hills, barren deserts, dense forests, and bustling cities. Thousands of items, hundreds of spells, and unlimited adventure await all who enter the world of EverQuest II. Although not really a has been or a never were, it never lived up to the original as it tried to go head to head with World of Warcraft, and most people took to WoW a lot more.

Lord of the Rings Online : Shadows of Angmar puts you into the greatest fantasy of all time. For the first time, you can immerse yourself in the only authentic recreation of Middle-Earth to explore legendary lands, interact with famous characters like Gandalf and Aragorn, and create your own heroic story. The War of the Ring has commenced! As the Fellowship embarks on their quest to destroy the One Ring, you must defend the Free Peoples against Sauron’s evil minion, the Nazgul Witch-King. Adventure solo or forge fellowships, battle hideous monsters and rise to fame in the most epic MMO ever launched.

Warhammer Online : Age of Reckoning : War is everywhere in Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning (WAR), the new MMORPG from the creators of Dark Age of Camelot®. Based on Games Workshop’s popular Warhammer® fantasy war game, WAR features next generation Realm vs. Realm™ (RvR) game play that will immerse players in a world of perpetual conflict. Upon entering WAR, players must determine their allegiance and join an Army. Those inclined towards the side of good may fight for the Armies of Order as an obstinate Dwarf, noble High Elf, or loyal human soldier of the Empire. Those inclined towards darker deeds may side with the sinister Armies of Destruction as a savage Greenskin (Orc or Goblin), corrupt Dark Elf, or marauding human worshipper of Chaos.

Beta MMORPGs :
StarGate Worlds : Stargate Worlds is an MMO-RPG, based on the Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis TV series, with playable areas based on historical & fictional human time periods, alien environments, and outer space locations. Really looking forward to this as I have lost interest in both Conan and Warhammer now.

Free MMORPG’s

Archlord : Set in the world of Chantra, this game is an epic fantasy mix, featuring lush in game graphics and a soft sensual soundtrack brilliantly scored by the London Symphony Orchestra. ArchLord brings together all the elements that make MMOs so enjoyable but with a unique hook, the chance to rule the in game world and with it receive a range of benefits. The world of Chantra is designed around the five elements, fire, spirit, earth, water and air providing all the areas with very unique and distinctive looks. As you move through the world from the dark expanses of the Orc home world through to the bright, light marble of the human world you will find yourself constantly drawn into to this lush and vivid environment.

Project Entropia : What is the Entropia Universe? The Entropia Universe is more than a game. The Entropia Universe is for real. Real people, real activities and a Real Cash Economy in a massive online universe. Join people from around the globe who use the Entropia Universe currency, the PED, to develop their characters everyday on the untamed planet of Calypso. The unique and secure Real Cash Economy allows you to transfer your accumulated PED back into real world funds.

Regnum Online : is a MMORPG inviting you to PLAY FOR FREE with no level or time restrictions. All that is required is that you fight for your realm. – Regnum offers 3 realms to choose from. – 9 fully customizable player characters. – An ever expanding number of quests. – The ability to capture forts and castles. – Expansive lands to explore. – Glorious graphical environments in DirectX and OpenGL. – Support for Windows and Linux platforms. – Community driven development, meaning we develop the game based on players’ feedback. – Premium content is available for enhanced game play. There is also a Linux Client for this.

Second Life : is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its Residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by a total of 8,976,533 Residents from around the globe. Not my thing, but others might like it. There is also a Linux Client.

Older MMORPGs :

Everquest : a multi-player fantasy role-playing game capable of supporting more than 1,000 online players per server, allows players to enter an enormous virtual environment with its own diverse species, economic systems, alliances, and politics. Choose from a variety of races and classes and begin your quests from any number of cities or villages throughout several continents.

Asheron’s Call : Asheron’s Call is a MMORPG, where thousands of players inhabit a beautiful 3D fantasy world to make friends and seek out perilous adventure. Customize your alter ego with a unique appearance and balance of heroic skills, then enter a magical frontier of terrible monsters, breathtaking vistas, and fast alliances. With over 500 square miles that offer ever more wonders to explore, Asheron’s Call gives you a world of unparalleled scope and freedom, the richest setting yet for creating your personal saga or joining your friends in an epic campaign.

Be sure to visit our Monthly Events pages to get a glimpse of the ongoing storyline and ever-evolving world of Dereth.

Dark Age of Camelot : Dark Age of Camelot is a massively multi-player online role-playing game conceived and developed by Mythic Entertainment. Set in the Kingdom of Albion in the years immediately following the death of King Arthur, players of the game enter a world in chaos, where Arthur’s peace has been shattered and dark forces threaten the Kingdom. Unlike traditional role-playing games in which a player’s greatest challenge is fighting computer-controlled monsters, players in Camelot will come face-to-face with their greatest challenge yet, other players. In Camelot, players must choose to be members of one of the three Realms that are striving for mastery in this chaotic world: The Britons, the Celts, or the Norse. The Britons are the former kingdom of Albion, once ruled by the great King Arthur. The Celts are from the wild and magical western island of Hibernia. The Norse are the large barbarians from the lands to the north of Albion.

Shadowbane : is notable for emphasizing player-versus-player combat, implementing non-conventional races and specializing in siege warfare (players building cities and trying to raze enemy players’ cities) whereas a significant number of MMORPGs released since Ultima Online usually restrict player killing to certain areas of the game or special dedicated PvP servers.

Players are also allowed to own cities and capitals and most of the property and cities in Shadowbane are player owned. In effect, Shadowbane’s war status is decided by the players rather than the game company. Whether a guild city goes to war with another guild city is entirely up to the leaders. A government system is also implemented in the game. This ensures players are in total control of the Shadowbane world.

There are no quests in the game, which can turn many MMORPG players off. However, most players agree that Shadowbane’s PVP, Nation, and Siege Warfare system make up for this fault. To this day, Shadowbane is considered one of the best PVP MMORPG

Other MMORPGs :

A Tale in the Desert : is a multiplayer persistent online world set in ancient Egypt. The game focuses on crafting, production, exploration, and social activity. Cooperation with other players is vital to overcoming many of the game’s challenges, both on an individual and a group level.

Other aspects of the game rely on competition between players (but always of a non-violent sort). Cartouche, for one example, is our equivalent of Survivor, with alternate building and voting (you’re gone) rounds. It can be brutal. Don’t assume for a second that the lack of Thud and Blunder means that miscreants are untouchable. We have become rather adept at using inclusion/isolation to encourage/thwart behaviors.

Unlike most multiplayer online games, ATITD has a built-in goal, as well as a definite beginning and end. The people of Egypt are challenged to pass 49 tests and then, as a nation, build seven Great Monuments. The game ends after a certain amount of time has passed, whether or not Egypt has succeeded in its goal. Win or lose, after the end of the game the world is wiped and the game starts over from scratch.

Vendetta Online : is a 3D space combat MMORPG for Windows, Mac and Linux. This MMO permits thousands of players to interact as the pilots of spaceships in a vast universe. Users may build their characters in any direction they desire, becoming rich captains of industry, military heroes, or outlaws. A fast-paced, realtime “twitch” style combat model gives intense action, coupled with the backdrop of RPG gameplay in a massive online galaxy. Three major player factions form a delicate balance of power, with several NPC sub-factions creating situations of economic struggle, political intrigue and conflict. The completely persistent universe and detailed storyline add to the depth of immersion, resulting in a unique online experience.

Eve Online : is a massive multiplayer online game (MMOG) set in a science-fiction based, persistent world. Players take the role of spaceship pilots seeking fame, fortune, and adventure in a huge, complex, exciting, and sometimes hostile galaxy. EVE takes place in a cluster of stars far from mankind’s original habitat, planet Earth. How far away, and whether or not that cradle of civilization still exists, is a mystery. Humans arrived through a natural wormhole and, gazing up upon an alien sky they had never seen, were completely unable to determine where this new world was located. From the New Eden solar system, where the gate of EVE once led to the old world, humans expanded in all directions at a furious pace, exploring and colonizing rapidly. They are looking for Volunteers to help test the Mac and Linux Beta Clients.

Disclaimer :

These are some of the big boys in MMORPGs. I have loved many of them, and have fond memories of them. That being said, they all belong to their respective owners, and I make no claims to any of them. I just wanted to mention them all here as I have spent many hours in them.