For gamers who crave a truly immersive experience, roleplaying offers the perfect platform for creating and living alternate lives. MMO games provide players the opportunity to immerse themselves in a virtual world and interact with other players from around the globe.
For players who enjoy roleplaying, these games provide a platform to create and control a character and tell stories with other players in a shared virtual environment.
If you’re looking to escape into a world of adventure and fantasy, here are some of the best MMOs for roleplaying in 2024:
11. World of Warcraft
- Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
- Release Date: November 23, 2004
- Platforms: PC
- For fans of Theme Park MMOs
Being one of the biggest MMOs of all time, World of Warcraft has a large and dedicated roleplaying community. There are several RP servers made primarily for players who want to roleplay.
Players can create their own characters, complete quests, and interact with other players in various ways.
The game’s rich history and lore provide a backdrop for players to create their own stories and characters.
10. Guild Wars 2
- Developer: ArenaNet
- Release Date: August 28, 2012
- Platforms: PC, Mac
- For fans of Fantasy MMOs
Guild Wars 2 is an MMORPG with a vibrant and detailed world. The game has various character classes and races to choose from.
Guild Wars 2 also has a dedicated roleplaying community that uses the game’s rich world and storytelling to create their own characters and stories.
9. EVE Online
- Developer: CCP Games
- Release Date: May 6, 2003
- Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
- For fans of Sci-Fi MMOs
This game features a player-driven economy and a vast, open-world sandbox environment. Players can choose to specialize in a variety of roles, such as mining, trading, or combat, and the game’s politics and player-driven alliances offer plenty of opportunities for roleplaying and storytelling.
8. Lord of the Rings Online
- Developer: Turbine, Standing Stone Games
- Release Date: April 24, 2007
- Platforms: PC, Mac
- For fans of The Lord of the Rings
This game, based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s books, offers players the chance to explore Middle-earth and interact with characters from the books.
The game’s deep immersion in the source material and rich world makes it an excellent choice for players who enjoy roleplaying in a fantasy setting.
7. Project: Gorgon
- Developer: Elder Game, LLC
- Release Date: March 13, 2018
- Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux
- For fans of Sandbox MMOs
Project: Gorgon combines Roleplaying and sandbox elements uniquely. Players can choose from several skills and races, but they also have access to unique abilities such as shape-shifting and mind control. The game has an emphasis on skill-based progression rather than levels.
With a deep skill system, an open-world sandbox environment, and a player-driven economy, Project: Gorgon offers a wide variety of opportunities for roleplaying and storytelling.
6. Final Fantasy XIV
- Developer: Square Enix
- Release Date: September 30, 2010
- Platforms: PC, Mac, and Playstation
- For fans of Anime MMOs
FFXIV boasts a huge world, memorable characters, and a rich story. The immersive world of Eorzea offers players a wide variety of character classes to choose from and a deeply integrated player-driven economy.
FFXIV also supports a sizeable roleplaying community, allowing players to explore and develop their characters in an environment with other like-minded players.
5. Star Wars Galaxies
- Developer: Daybreak Game Company
- Release Date: June 25, 2003
- Platforms: PC
- For fans of Sandbox MMOs
This game was once a popular MMORPG set in the Star Wars universe but was closed in 2011. Before it was shut down, it was a favorite among roleplayers due to its deep character customization options, player-run economies and politics, and diverse player-created communities.
Thankfully, the game returned in the form of several private servers, the main one being the SWG: Legends server.
4. Star Wars: The Old Republic
- Developer: BioWare
- Release Date: December 20, 2011
- Platforms: PC
- For fans of Sci-Fi MMOs
Another Star Wars MMORPG, like the previous entry, has a rich story set in the Star Wars universe and diverse player-driven communities that are great for roleplaying. With the game’s focus on player choice and decision-making, players can create their own stories and characters within the game’s rich and detailed world.
Roleplay as a Jedi, Sith, Bounty Hunter, or Smuggler and explore the ancient war between light and dark.
3. Star Trek Online
- Developer: Cryptic Studios
- Release Date: February 2, 2010
- Platforms: PC, Mac, Playstation, Xbox
- For fans of Sci-Fi MMOs
If you are more of a Trekkie, don’t worry! The Star Trek universe has one of the most dedicated fanbases in the world, so it’s no surprise that Star Trek Online is an excellent MMO for roleplay.
Based on the Star Trek universe, this game offers players the chance to create their own characters and explore the galaxy. With a wide range of character customization options and a rich storyline, Star Trek Online is a great choice for players who enjoy roleplaying in a science fiction setting.
2. Ultima Online
- Developer: Origin Systems
- Release Date: September 24, 1997
- Platforms: PC
- For fans of Old School MMOs
This game, first released in 1997, is considered one of the pioneers of the MMO genre. Its open-world sandbox design allows players to explore, create, and interact with the game world in a variety of ways.
Ultima Online has a dedicated roleplaying community and encourages players to create their own stories and characters.
In addition to the official servers, Ultima Online has several private servers that focus on roleplay, like UO Roleplay.
1. Neverwinter Nights Arelith
- Developer: BioWare
- Release Date: June 18, 2002
- Platforms: PC
- For fans of Dungeons and Dragons
Arelith is a persistent server for the roleplaying game Neverwinter Nights. It is one of the oldest and most popular Persistent Worlds, meaning it is a community-run server that uses the game’s tools and resources to create a unique and long-lasting game world for players.
Arelith allows players to create their own characters and stories in a highly detailed, lore-rich setting. Arelith features a diverse player-driven economy, player-run politics, and an active player community, offering various roleplaying and storytelling opportunities.
There are a lot of rules on Arelith to make it a safe and welcoming environment for roleplayers, so be sure to read them before you dive in.
In conclusion, these MMOs provide a platform for players to explore and create their own stories and characters in a variety of worlds.
Whether you’re looking to roleplay in a fantasy, science fiction, or another setting, there’s something on this list for everyone. These games have dedicated communities and offer players the tools and resources to create their own stories and characters, making them some of the best MMOs for roleplaying.
What MMO will you roleplay in? Let us know in the comments!
Starfish
Wednesday 17th of January 2024
As a long time player and one of the staff of Arelith I think it's really neat that we got mentioned in place #1. It means a lot.
We will continue to strive toward better content on our platform, no matter what.
The other games mentioned are also top quality and worth checking out. I also would like to give a shout out to some of the other Neverwinter Nights RP servers; Ravenloft: Prisoners of the Mist and Starwars: Legends of the Old Republic. There are many many more servers out there aside from the above as well. One I'm particularly looking forward to is the Dark Sun project.
Coronal
Wednesday 17th of January 2024
Arelith is a DM clubhouse. Avoid it like the plague. Arbitrary decision making, an obscene amount of rules that will make your head spin, and it has gone so far from D&D that it no longer resembles it at all. It's a pseudo-MMO in Neverwinter Nights with a light d20 system full of clique RPers and DMs picked from within the player base, so there is a plethora of ongoing instances where they punish other players they don't like as DMs and favor one another. It's pathetic.
Alli-ope
Wednesday 17th of January 2024
@Coronal, >they punish other players they don’t like as DMs
One of their policies, for better or worse, is that they're not transparent in the punishments of players from reports. So how do you know this? Like so many other complaints, it's almost all rumours with little factual evidence to back it up.
Regnant
Wednesday 17th of January 2024
@Coronal,
"DMs picked from within the player base" I meaaaaan, where else are you going to get them?
Regnant
Wednesday 17th of January 2024
Awesome to see Arelith mentioned! I hope some people that have never heard of us come and check us out. It's a great roleplaying community (despite the occasional bits of community drama) that's ran by a very dedicated staff of volunteer developers and dungeon masters.
Cthuletta
Wednesday 17th of January 2024
WOW, I never expected Arelith to be known enough to even be considered! How cool! Come play with uuusss!
LOL
Wednesday 17th of January 2024
@Cthuletta,
It’s not. Irongron paid for this ad. This article is AI generated.
Ulric
Tuesday 16th of January 2024
Wow no mention of City of Heroes Homecoming who recently obtained a license from NCSoft for their server. That's one of the best roleplay communities I've ever played in.