The 16 Best MMOs To Play Solo in 2024

A lineup of five fantasy characters in elaborate costumes. From left to right: a red-haired warrior with a horned shoulder guard, a lion-headed figure with a dagger, a hooded figure with glowing hands, a bearded dwarf in heavy armor, and an armored man with white hair.

Playing an MMORPG alone is like being in a room with a bunch of people and everyone is having a good time minding their business.

MMOs (massively multiplayer online games) can be a lot of fun to play with friends, but what if you don’t have any friends available to game with? Or maybe you just want to take a break from the social aspect of MMOs and play by yourself for a while.

Playing an MMORPG alone is like being in a room with a bunch of people and everyone is having a good time minding their business. There are plenty of great MMOs that can be enjoyed solo.

One of the best things about MMOs is that there are usually a ton of different things to do. From questing and raiding to simply exploring the world, there’s usually something for everyone in an MMO. And while playing with friends can definitely make MMOs more enjoyable, it’s not necessary in order to have fun.

While some may argue that a single-player MMO experience is a contradiction, it all comes down to options. There’s a time for interaction and a time for being on your own. And we just love MMOs that provide a variety of play styles.

In fact, playing MMOs solo can actually be a great way to experience everything the game has to offer, without having to worry about coordinating with other people. Plus, it’s a great way to learn all the ins and outs of the game before jumping into group content.

These are the Best MMOs to Play Solo, whether you like to complete activities alone or real-life commitments prevent you from being a dependable teammate.

16. Destiny 2

  • Developer: Bungie
  • Release Date: August 28, 2017
  • Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox
  • For fans of Shooter MMOs
The 16 Best MMOs To Play Solo in 2024 1
Destiny 2 is a space shooter that can be played solo.

The Destiny 2 Solo Enabler is a player-made script that turns the MMO into a single-player game. It blocks the game’s communication with the servers by using firewall rules. The script does not alter the game or interfere with it in any way.

If you are wondering on which side of the TOS the script is, the good news is that Bungie is aware of this practice and allowing it for now.

Without the script, there are still plenty of things to do as a solo player, but remember that you will compete with others for loot.

15. Neverwinter

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Explore the Sword Coast alone or with friends.

The Dungeons & Dragons MMO doesn’t punish players for wanting to play alone. Sure, you won’t be able to obtain all the BIS items on your own, but you can get good enough gear and pre-BIS equipment without grouping.

The amount of solo content will keep you going for days, in playtime hours that is. All the campaigns are playable alone. Just take it easy, follow the story, and you are guaranteed to have a good time.

The solo challenge also comes from the class choice. Some classes have an easier time fighting alone.

14. Blade and Soul

  • Developer: NCSoft
  • Release Date: June 30, 2012
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Martial Arts MMOs
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Blade and Soul has a good amount of solo content

If you’re content with just leveling and admiring the scenery, B&S works great as a single-player MMORPG.

Since 2012, Blade and Soul has amassed a great deal of story content that you can do on your own. If you’re looking for a casual free-to-play PvE experience, there are plenty of quests to hold your attention. Should you decide to amp up the challenge, the game provides solo dungeons.

The combat is fun and fast-paced. You can get decent gear from solo play. Seasonal events present nice distractions from the usual activities.

13. Fallout 76

  • Developer: Bethesda Softworks
  • Release Date: October 23, 2018
  • Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox
  • For fans of Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Shooter MMOs
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Fallout 76 can be enjoyed solo or with a group of friends.

It’s funny to think that one of the games that were so keen on promoting social interaction ended up as one of the most solo-friendly MMOs.

Fallout 76 didn’t have any NPCs in the beginning. Players weren’t too happy about that, so the developers took action. In fact, they took many actions to make the coveted Fallout MMO into a good game.

You can do the main missions and side quests alone. Some events require a team effort, but with a proper build and know-how, you can emerge victorious on your own.

Just don’t forget to put Pacifist mode on to spare yourself of the PvP grief.

12. World of Warcraft

  • Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
  • Release Date: November 23, 2004
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Warcraft, Blizzard
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World of Warcraft has more content than most MMOs, and a lot can be done solo.

WoW is designed from the ground up for player interaction. However, we are going to do the exact opposite and have fun while at it. Single-player WoW can be both casually relaxing and hardcore challenging.

The quests tell so many Warcraft stories that it’s a pity not to read them. Over the years, it has become easier to single-handedly farm for pets & mounts, transmogs, and other vanity items. The Insane title is one of the many glorious WoW time sinks.

New content such as Torghast and the Mage Tower provide challenging solo activities.

11. Secret World Legends

  • Developer: Funcom
  • Release Date: July 3, 2012
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Horror MMOs, Lovecraft
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Secret World can now be enjoyed fully solo.

Secret World Legends is pretty much The Secret World experience minus the MMO stuff. The 2017 overhaul made the game into a single-player shared-world RPG.

Story-driven missions and quests have been redesigned for solo play. Almost any activity can be out-leveled or completed in story mode.

SWL is worth it for the story experience and unique atmosphere that blends horror, fantasy, and supernatural elements.

The game universe features real locations, such as London and New York, and mythical places. You even travel in time and go to Hell at some point in the story.

10. New World

  • Developer: Amazon Games
  • Release Date: September 9, 2021
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Survival MMOs
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Leveling in New World is not 100% combat-based. Good XP also comes from fishing, hunting, woodcutting, and other honest works which you can do on your own.

Apart from a few group quests that are mandatory for story progression, you can hit the level cap by playing alone. Challenging areas can be completely avoided or out-leveled.

The game has gorgeous graphics that set the stage for an immersive ambiance. There’s a certain serenity in fishing at sunset or chopping trees at dawn, and that’s just perfect for the single-player vibe.

9. Star Trek Online

  • Developer: Cryptic Studios
  • Release Date: February 2, 2010
  • Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox
  • For fans of Sci-fi MMOs
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Take control of a spaceship and explore the Star Trek universe in STO.

The STO solo experience will quell that fire for a Star Trek adventure. Many STO players are lone wolves who enjoy immersing themselves in science fiction tales.

Missions and episodes follow the plots from the TV shows and feature the most popular Star Trek characters.

Some of the original actors, such as LeVar Burton (Geordi La Forge), Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar), Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine), and Leonard Nimoy (Spock), voice their STO counterparts.

Not one of the story-driven episodes is premium.

8. Lord of the Rings Online

  • Developer: Standing Stone Games
  • Release Date: April 24, 2007
  • Platform: PC, Mac
  • For fans of Classic Fantasy
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LOTRO is a lot more solo friendly than at launch back in 2007.

For lack of an all-inclusive single-player RPG LOTR experience, many turn to Lord of the Rings Online. And they aren’t disappointed in the slightest.

The people at Standing Stone Games know how to put Tolkien’s universe into quests. That’s one of the most important aspects of soloing LOTRO. Players simply love discovering and exploring the world at their own pace. The content transitioned to a more solo-friendly experience throughout the years.

The newly introduced Landscape Difficulty system adds an extra challenge for solo leveling.

7. Palia

  • Developer: Singularity 6
  • Release Date: 2023
  • Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch
  • For fans of Cozy games, Crafting
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Palia presents a refreshing twist on the MMO genre, integrating the charm of community simulation games with the expansive nature of MMORPGs. Palia is a cozy life simulator, offering an inviting atmosphere for players who prefer a more relaxed and collaborative gaming experience.

The game is especially conducive to solo players who enjoy crafting, building, and exploring without the pressure of high-stakes combat or competitive gameplay. Solo adventurers can spend hours customizing their homes, gardening, fishing, and exploring the vibrant, scenic environments.

6. Guild Wars 2

  • Developer: NCSoft
  • Release Date: August 23, 2012
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Free-to-Play MMOs
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Guild Wars 2 has tons to do, even if you have no friends.

Guild Wars 2 is another MMORPG that caters to one’s need for independence. The main quest plays in the form of a Personal Story. Players get to make decisions that alter – albeit, minimally – the evolution of their stories.

Map completion may be challenging at times without the help of others, but otherwise doable.

It should be noted that most of the PvE content doesn’t actually require being in a group. As long as nearby players are working towards the same objective, that counts as helping out.

5. RuneScape/OldSchool RuneScape Ironman

  • Developer: Jagex
  • Release Date: January 4, 2001
  • Platform: PC, Mobile
  • For fans of Old-School MMOs
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Runescape is the choice for an old-school MMO experience for soloers.

Do you really want to play alone? You got it! Ironman mode is just that and then some. Once you enable Ironman, most of the player interaction features, such as trading and grouping, are automatically disabled.

A certain level of game knowledge is needed to conquer the Ironman challenge, so RS newcomers should stick to the normal gameplay.

Choosing rather than being forced to play alone can also be fun. RuneScape is known for its engaging quests, charming NPCs, and skill-based character progression.

4. Star Wars: The Old Republic

  • Developer: BioWare
  • Release Date: December 20, 2011
  • Platform: PC
  • For fans of Sci-fi MMOs, Star Wars
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SWTOR feels like a great single-player RPG when following the story.

SW:TOR is one of those MMORPGs that emanate an attractive single-player RPG feeling. Of course, it has something to do with the game being based on one of the most popular franchises.

Fans will appreciate that the game gives their own part in the Star Wars story.

Each class comes with a unique campaign that you play entirely alone. Computer-controlled companions provide all the combat aid you’ll need for solo questing and leveling.

SW:TOR holds a 2012 Guinness World Record for having more than 200,000 lines of voice-acted quests. You cannot ask for a more immersive Star Wars experience than this. For free, at least.

3. Final Fantasy XIV

  • Developer: Square Enix
  • Release Date: September 30, 2010
  • Platform: PC, Playstation
  • For fans of Anime MMOs
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FFXIV has a fantastic solo storyline to follow while leveling.

Let’s cut straight to the chase. The entire FFXIV main scenario quest is one instanced experience. You are the Warrior of Light and no other Hydaelyn’s chosen will come between you and delivering salvation unto the world.

The Trust system allows adventurers to gather a party of NPCs for dungeons. Crafting, gathering, and player housing are massive parts of the game that don’t require interaction.

Dungeons, normal raids, and trials are designed in such a way that you don’t need to communicate with others. The Duty system is a convenient grouping tool that automatically places you in a party.

2. Black Desert Online

  • Developer: Pearl Abyss
  • Release Date: December 2014
  • Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox
  • For fans of Korean MMOs
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Black Desert Online has many roles that can be filled by the solo adventurer.

The sandbox system is what sets Black Desert Online apart from other MMOs. It’s also what makes BDO a worthy solo experience.

The game has a set of what is called life skills. We have farming, alchemy, hunting, fishing, sailing, and the like. Basically, the entire set of career opportunities for a medieval peasant living in a fantasy world. Working on these skills doesn’t require too much interaction and grouping with others.

Nothing is stopping you from becoming a peaceful farmer, a solitary shipbuilder, or a lonesome adventurer.

End-game content in BDO is based mostly around grinding, and most of the best grind spots can be done solo.

1. Elder Scrolls Online

  • Developer: ZeniMax
  • Release Date: April 4, 2014
  • Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox
  • For fans of Skyrim
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ESO has tons to offer the solo player.

The most single-player-friendly MMORPG, ESO has a lot to offer to those who like to pretend that other players are just wacky-behaving NPCs.

The questing system follows in the footsteps of the previous TES games which are all single-player RPGs. Solo arenas are activities designed for unaccompanied progress.

With the right skills, consumables, and a willingness to rinse and repeat, single players might even be able to clear group dungeons.

If you ever decide to see how deep the ESO crafting hole goes, you will discover another side of the game.

Do you play MMOs solo or do you prefer to group up with friends? Let us know what your favorite solo MMO is in the comments below!

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13 Comments

  1. If you think getting to max level in mmo is an accomplishment, you have no idea about mmo’s. None of those games are for solo players, there’s no way to get the best loot by soloing. There’s content for people who don’t care about end-game or loot, but there’s better single-player games to scratch that itch.

  2. Are you actually serious? Elder Scrolls Online? One of the ‘best single player MMO experiences’?

    On the matter of not being forced into group content, you would be correct—however having played it since beta for that allure, it’s abjectly false post 2016 when community managers and developers started to sell out to balancing the game around the holy spreadsheet.

    While, yes, you can get through group content on normal difficulty solo, they’ve made it increasingly much more difficult for people with accessibility issues. They tried to fix this by originally proposing to us Oakensoul, only for it to be nerfed into the ground and gaslighting it’s community saying that it was never intended to be such an item. Furthermore, you have Terri Lambert, Rich Lambert’s wife, commenting on Rich’s streams. While he doesn’t run those streams anymore, she’s wished someone’s wife to have an ‘autistic baby’ as well as promote conspiracy theories about COVID vaccines. Everyone was talking about her stunt in regards to PvP, mocking the playerbase, but to me the other two are far more impactful with how Rich conducts his work. If it was any other AAA company, he’d have been fired on the spot.

    Furthermore, let’s talk about it’s community—not only is it the most unfriendly, especially on the forums, it’s also the most scam happy. If you ever come across “Welcome to Daggertroit”, beware—as it’s GM is a scammer, a fraud, racist, transphobic, and a charismatic manipulator. It’s sad because they park in Daggerfall and try to seduce newbies, acting like a deviant harem and partaking in lewd activities that are most certainly against ToS in any capacity. Some have even had three-day suspensions and STILL do it. It sucks because this was where so many new players would integrate and mingle. Now it’s just a non-stop orgy most of the evening because of that guild.

    FFXIV has taken the top spot for me. Not only is there Duty Support (which doesn’t cover everything, but it covers most)—no one in Duty Finder cares if you’re bad. In regards to lewdness, it’s not on my Data Center/World (Aether) and is generally quiet. Not to say it doesn’t happen; I remember the Balmung billboard—however I’ve also seen SE take measures in policing their community.

    1. @you do, why DONT you care? Because you are a horrible person. I swear you can not shame the shameless. Sounds like you need to grow up and get off 4chan.

    2. @DoubleNugget, LOL It is rich to see “high horse” people like you come on this board, chastise someone for improper grammar, yet you misspell “mad” as “made.” Look in the mirror some time and reflect, you lost soul.

  3. Video games should be played to have fun. I have 3 MMO games I enjoy playing solo. I don’t really care what other people get out of it, I don’t care about accomplishments. I am interested in the story and the exploration and with SWTOR I enjoy the NPC’s. I have played SWTOR with others, and I just like playing solo.

    The 3 MMO games I play are FA76; The Elder Scrolls Online and Star Wars: The Old Republic.

    I do play single player games, 3 are probably why I play the 3 MMO’s I do. FA series; Elder Scroll Series and KOTOR will always be my #1 game. 3 out of 4 Borderlands, XCOM, Bioshock among others.

    If it’s interesting to me, I’ll play it, but I’ll probably play it alone.

    1. @Karen,

      Thanks for your input Karen. I’m like you, just looking for a few good solo games with a good story. I will consider the games that you play.

    2. @Karen, Yes, I love the depth of the stories in ESO. Thinking about GW2 for an add on change of pace.

  4. I don’t know why FFXIV keeps getting put into these ‘play-solo’. In order to progess through the main story.. YOU HAVE to group up in trails.. You can play the main story up to level 50 but after that YOU HAVE to group up at times if you want to continue with the main story.

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