The 17 Best Sci-Fi MMOs to Play in 2024

Science fiction is one of the most popular genres in the world of entertainment, and it has spawned some amazing MMOs over the years.

Yay to aliens, nay to orcs? Do you prefer laser guns to swords and spaceships to dragons? In that case, we have a treat for you.

If you’re looking for an MMO that will take you on a journey through space, or one that will let you explore a new world full of fantastic creatures, then you’ll want to check out our list of the best sci-fi MMOs to play right now!

Most of the titles on this list are free so go ahead and give them a try!

In Development

First, let’s take a look at some sci-fi MMOs that are in development.

Once Human

• Developer: Starry Studio
• Released: 9 Jul, 2024
• Platform: PC, iOS, Android
• For fans of Survival MMOs

Once Human is an upcoming sci-fi MMO that plunges players into a post-apocalyptic world where humanity is on the brink of extinction. The game combines elements of survival and evolution in a unique way, challenging players to adapt and thrive in a drastically changed environment.

In Once Human, players will encounter a world overrun by monstrous mutations and environmental disasters. The game promises a dynamic ecosystem where your actions can significantly impact the world around you. Players must gather resources, build shelters, and craft weapons and tools to survive.

Project LLL

• Developer: NCSoft
• Released: TBA
• Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox
• For fans of Shooter MMOs

Project LLL is an ambitious upcoming sci-fi MMO from NCSoft, promising to deliver an expansive, futuristic world where technology and warfare collide on an epic scale.

Set in a dystopian future, players will find themselves navigating a world where massive corporations wield enormous power and battle for dominance using advanced technology and combat tactics.

Dune: Awakening

• Developer: Funcom
• Released: TBA
• Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox
• For fans of Survival MMOs

Dune: Awakening brings the rich and intricate universe of Frank Herbert’s iconic sci-fi saga, Dune, into the MMO genre. Developed by Funcom, this game is set to offer a blend of open-world survival mechanics with the deep lore and vast desert landscapes of Arrakis.

In Dune: Awakening, players find themselves thrust into the perilous world of Arrakis, where they must navigate the political intrigue and environmental challenges that define the Dune series. The game promises a seamless blend of large-scale multiplayer experiences and solo adventures, allowing players to explore the universe of Dune in at depth.

Corepunk

• Developer: Artificial Core
• Expected Release: TBA
• Platform: PC
• For fans of Isometric MMOs

Corepunk is an upcoming MMORPG developed by Artificial Core that promises a unique blend of top-down perspective and open-world exploration, set in a richly detailed, immersive sci-fi/fantasy universe. The game’s standout feature is its implementation of a fog-of-war system, which adds a layer of mystery and strategy rarely seen in MMOs.

Set in a world where modern, cyberpunk aesthetics meet traditional fantasy elements, Corepunk allows players to explore diverse environments, from bustling cyberpunk cities to eerie, mist-shrouded forests. The fog of war mechanic ensures that players must physically explore the world to uncover its secrets, as visibility is limited to their immediate surroundings unless they’ve already charted the area.

Available Now

17. Entropia Universe

• Developer: MindArk
• Released: 2003
• Platform: PC
• For fans of RMT

Entropia Universe is a sci-fi MMO virtual universe. This is not your typical MMO experience, it’s a virtual world where your avatar is an extension of your person.

The Entropia Universe includes six planets. Each planet has a different environment, theme, and activities.

One of the features that sets Entropia Universe apart from other MMO games is that players are not allowed to have alts.

Another particularity is that players can cash out their in-game money called PED. This has created lucrative opportunities for some players.

In-game activities include resource gathering, crafting, trading, and socializing.

Skyforge

• Developer: Allods Team
• Released: 2015
• Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• For fans of Action Combat MMOs

In Skyforge, you play as an immortal warrior who must defend the world from invading gods.

With its unique mix of Sci-Fi and fantasy, Skyforge is an interesting setting to explore.

Skyforge is free-to-play with optional microtransactions.

16. Anarchy Online

• Developer: Funcom
• Released: 2001
• Platform: PC
• For fans of Old-school MMOs

Have to be honest here, Anarchy Online is a sight that might make your eyes sore. However, the good reviews and the fact that the game has been running for 20 years compensate for the outdated graphics.

The adventures take place 30,000 years into the future. Anarchy Online has a generous share of PvE missions and PvP guild wars for territories and resources. Four races and 14 character classes allow players to become traders, soldiers, spies, and more.

Anarchy Online retains a loyal player base and it can be a fun experience should you get over the visuals.

14. Zenith: The Last City

• Developer: Ramen VR
• Released: 2021
• Platform: PC, Playstation
• For fans of VR MMOs

Zenith: The Last City is a virtual reality MMORPG developed by Ramen VR for Oculus Quest, Playstation VR and Steam VR.

The game is set in a futuristic sci-fi settings, and the gameplay include exploration in VR and action combat. Player can also climb, glide and fly around to explore the world around them.

Zenith also made our list of the best upcoming and playable VRMMOs.

13. Dual Universe

• Developer: Novaquark
• Released: 2022
• Platform: PC
• For fans of Sandbox MMOs

Dual Universe released back in 2022 without much notice. It was another successfully Kickstarted space sandbox MMO with millions of dollars in funding that failed to deliver.

Dual Universe is not a bad game, especially if you enjoy sandbox style games. As a player you can build almost anything you want, from buildings to space ships. The overly complex systems and bugs seems to have kept the players away though, and without much of a community to speak of, the game feels dead and abandoned.

Hopefully the developers can turn the ship around.

12. Phantasy Star Online 2 New Genesis

• Developer: Sega
• Released: 2020
• Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
• For fans of Anime games

If you’ve heard of Phantasy Star Online it’s only natural to wonder what’s the deal with the New Genesis appendage. PSO2 New Genesis is a gameplay remaster. It’s the old game made better.

This MMORPG features an open world. Six classes and several weapon specializations allow players to create personalized avatars.

The ability system includes new actions such as wall kicking (run on walls) and photon glide (fly) that make combat more fun.

Players will make use of their combat techniques to take down unique enemies known as DOLLS.

11. Star Citizen

• Developer: Cloud Imperium Games
• Released: NA
• Platform: PC
• For fans of Sandbox Games, Shooter MMOs

Star Citizen is a controversial game that might not even make it out of development hell. It’s been well over 10 years since the production started. The game is in alpha and playable in exchange for a one-time fee.

Judging by what the people who have tried the game have to say, Star Citizen is shaping up to become one of the best MMO space simulations.

The scope of the game is grand, to say the least. This FPS game gives players the chance to become space citizens. They pilot ships, fight, join wars, and explore on a level that no other game has reached before. Let’s hope it’s worth the wait.

10. Planetside 2

• Developer: Daybreak Games
• Released: 2012
• Platform: PC, Playstation
• For fans of Shooter MMOs

What’s better than scoring a Guinness World Record for the largest FPS multiplayer battle? Beating your first record and having a game with an active user base.

Players join one of the three warring factions and compete in various scenarios.

The character creation system offers several classes with unique skill trees. Weapons and vehicles count as character customization options.

Each faction has specific abilities and items.

Planetside 2 mostly appeals to PvPers, but recent updates have introduced more PvE content and daily tasks.

The game came out in 2012 but the graphics hold up to this day.

9. Wildstar

• Developer: Carbine Studios
• Released: 2014
• Platform: PC
• For fans of World of Warcraft, Ratchet and Clank

Despite gaining a decent following after its release in 2014, Wildstar was shut down four years later in 2018. So why is it on our list? Well, there are private servers in development that starting to emerge for Wildstar so you can still enjoy it in 2023.

WildStar is a Sci-Fi MMORPG set on the planet Nexus. In this game, you’ll choose from one of two factions, the Exiles or the Dominion, and fight to control the planet.

With its unique combat system and amazing visuals, WildStar was often said to be the sci-fi version of World of Warcraft.

8. Fallout 76

• Developer: Bethesda Softworks
• Released: 2018
• Platform: PC, Playstation, XBox
• For fans of Fallout, Post-apocalyptic settings

Fallout 76 is set in the post-apocalyptic world of the popular Fallout franchise

We asked for a Fallout MMO and all we’ve ever got was Fallout 76. In the beginning, the game was bad.

For some reason, Bethesda thought it was a really cool idea to make a game without NPCs. The gameplay wasn’t the best either, to put it mildly.

But the developers went to great lengths to redeem themselves and now Fallout 76 is a worthy game.

One would argue that the Fallout universe is not exactly sci-fi, a never-ending topic that – just like a nuclear blast – never fails to bring the heat to many Internet discussions among sci-fi aficionados.

7. Elite Dangerous

• Developer: Frontier Developments plc
• Released: 2014
• Platform: PC, Mac, Playstation, Xbox
• For fans of Sandbox Games

Elite Dangerous is not your casual space MMO where you merrily fly your ship to relax at the end of a long day. At least, not for a beginner. It’s hard to learn but eventually, it pays off.

Elite Dangerous provides a complex sci-fi adventure in an MMO world. The game universe retains some level of realism with star systems modeled from real astronomical data. There are also fictional planets.

PvE and PvP gameplay include exploration, resource gathering, trading, and fun stuff such as bounties and smuggling. Spaceship customization is an important game feature.

6. Star Wars: The Old Republic

• Developer: Bioware
• Released: 2011
• Platform: PC
• For fans of Star Wars, Story-driven RPGs

Star Wars: The Old Republic is set in the iconic Star Wars universe and features all of the elements that make the franchise so popular. From Jedi Knights to Sith Lords, there’s something for everyone in this MMO.

SWTOR is part of the 2011 MMORPG wave that was meant to crush WoW. Not even the power of the force and a Guinness World Record for the “Largest Entertainment Voice Over Project Ever” was enough to take down World of Warcraft, but Star Wars: The Old Republic turned out to be a great game nevertheless.

You can be a Jedi or a Sith Lord and you can equip a laser sword. The quests are engaging. In fact, many Star Wars fans have played the MMO just for the story.

5. Destiny 2

• Developer: Bungie
• Released: 2017
• Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox
• For fans of FPSMMOs

Destiny 2 is a sci-fi action MMOFPS that allows players to become explorers of the solar system. The game has a story-driven campaign and co-op missions.

Destiny 2 works great as a single-player experience because of its amazing graphics that allow players to lose themselves in this immersive sci-fi universe.

Multiplayer modes include popular scenarios such as team arena, free for all, and battlegrounds that mix PvE with PvP.

The character system features three class choices and millions of customization options. Players are free to try various gear and weapons combos. The trick is to find the one that is better for the job at hand.

4. Warframe

• Developer: Digital Extremes
• Released: 2013
• Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
• For fans of Shooter MMOs

Warframe is a free-to-play MMO lets you take control of a Tenno, a space ninja warrior, and do battle against the forces of the Grineer.

With its fast-paced combat and stunning visuals, Warframe is an amazing sci-fi game that you can enjoy on your own or with friends.

Warframe is available on most modern consoles including Playstation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch.

3. Star Trek Online

• Developer: Cryptic Studios
• Released: 2010
• Platform: PC, Mac, Playstation, Xbox
• For fans of Star Trek

There’s no secret that Star Trek-inspired titles are not exactly the best games. Luckily, the Star Trek Online apple falls far from the tree.

Star Trek Online is a sci-fi MMO that lets you live out your dreams of being a starship captain.

The game launched in 2010, but the graphics are holding up nicely.

The gameplay combines ground missions with space adventures. Obviously, the latter is more fun. For a trekkie, being able to play as a spaceship captain is a dream come true.

Most of the players are hardcore Star Trek fans and they are quite friendly and welcoming toward newbies.

Game content includes more than 160 episodes based on stories from all the Star Trek series.

2. Star Wars Galaxies

• Developer: Daybreak Games
• Released: 2003
• Platform: PC
• For fans of Sandbox Games, Star Wars

Star Wars Galaxies is the second Star Wars game on our list, and also the second game on our list that has been shut down, at least officially.

SWG was shut down when Star Wars: The Old Republic was released, but thankfully there are a bunch of great private servers out there.

Galaxies is often cited as being the greatest sandbox MMORPG that was ever made, and generally we tend to agree.

1. EVE Online

• Developer: CCP Games
• Released: 2003
• Platform: PC, Mac
• For fans of Sandbox Games

If you’re looking for an MMO that is truly out of this world, then EVE Online is the game for you. With its vast universe to explore and its complex political system, EVE Online is a truly unique MMO experience.

Many stories surround EVE Online, however, this is not a game you play for the quests. The most interesting game happenings feature real people and true events.

As you may have heard by now, EVE Online is a ruthless environment. Players deceive and betray each other because this is part of the game. They go to great lengths to get revenge or scam others just for fun. One player even faked suicide attempts for money. But not all EVE players are like that. Some are genuinely friendly and helpful. The trouble is that it’s hard to tell friends from foes.

So there you have it, our top sci-fi MMOs to play right now. What are you waiting for? Go out and explore the universe!

Do you have a favorite Sci-Fi MMO? Let us know in the comments below!