The 20 Best PvP MMOs In 2023

As Conan said, crushing your enemies is one of the best things in life. The other one is finding the Best PvP MMOs that allow you to do that.

If you’re looking for a PvP MMO, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the best PvP MMOs currently available.

We’ll cover everything from MMORPGs to shooters, so there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re a hardcore PvP player or just looking for a little bit of excitement in your MMO experience, we have the game for you!

MMO games implement PvP in different ways so you have plenty of choices. Whether it’s arenas, open-world, battlegrounds, or large-scale PvP wars, you will never run out of options to establish dominance over other players.

20. Crowfall

• Developer: ArtCraft
• Released: 2021
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of Darkfall, Dark Age of Camelot

Crowfall is an MMO with a unique PvP focus, which has you participating in PvP campaigns that last for weeks. Crowfall is harsh on solo players and most of the endgame PvP is best enjoyed with a guild.

Crowfall is often described as a “throne war simulator” and features large scale siege wars that player can participate in.

19. Conqueror’s Blade

• Developer: Booming Games
• Released: 2019
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of Strategy Games, Total War

Conqueror’s Blade PvP is similar to Blade and Soul in the sense that it’s great and entirely optional.

What’s good about this system is that it has something to satisfy all PvP tastes. Open-field battles, duels, deathmatch, capture points, siege battles, free battles, and more are available. PvP quests allow players to boost their gains.

Territory Wars are considered the end-game PvP content. Houses and alliances fight to claim land that can ultimately be upgraded. Territory Wars take place twice a week.

18. Camelot Unchained

• Developer: City State Entertainment
• Released: NA Currently in Development
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of Dark Age of Camelot

Another PvP-focused MMO, Camelot Unchained is currently in development by City State Entertainment. Camelot Unchained will be the spiritual successor to Dark Age of Camelot and is being designed by Mark Jacobs, the creator of Dark Age of Camelot, so you know it’s going to be good!

The game features three unique realms that are at war with one another. Players can participate in open world PvP, sieges, and large-scale battles.

The reason Camelot Unchained isn’t higher on our list is because it isn’t released yet, and one day it might be closer to the top!

17. Star Wars: The Old Republic

• Developer: BioWare
• Released: 2011
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of Star Wars

Star Wars: The Old Republic is an MMORPG set in the Star Wars universe. SWTOR is a story-driven MMO which in many ways plays like a single-player RPG.

SWTOR does also feature some pretty good PvP gameplay, and has several PvP game modes including 8v8 Warzones and 4v4 arenas.

16. Old School Runescape

• Developer: Jagex
• Released: 2001
• Platform: PC, Android, iOS
• For Fans of Old-school MMOs

You know it’s hardcore if it starts with old-school. OSRS is an MMORPG that’s not missing intense PvP action. Also known as PK (player killing), the act of ganking fellow players takes place on dedicated servers.

Those looking for a challenge are invited to try the Deadman mode. The death penalty in Deadman includes losing half of the total XP and the most valuable items in your bank.

Last Man Standing is a seasonal tournament hosted on a PvP server. Unique rules are in place during the competition.

15. Lost Ark

• Developer: Smilegate
• Released: 2022
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of ARPGs, Diablo, Path of Exile

Lost Ark is an action MMORPG with a focus on PvE combat, but the game has some very engaging PvP content as well.

The game features arenas which pits teams of three players against each other in various PvP battles, including deathmatches and team elimination.

Lost Ark also has a unique class system that allows you to mix and match classes to create your perfect build.

14. Black Desert Online

• Developer: Peal Abyss
• Released: 2014
• Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox, Android, iOS
• For Fans of Korean MMOs

Open-world PvP in the popular Korean MMORPG Black Desert Online is WoW’s war mode with a twist. Players can flag themselves for PvP and gank each other to their hearts’ content.

The twist is that they can attack those who aren’t flagged as well. This is where the karma system comes into play as there are penalties for those who engage in PvP with unflagged players.

There are also open-world arenas where players can gather and attack anyone who is not a member of their party.

For large-scale PvP, BDO offers guild versus guild wars and castle sieges where one guild assaults the other’s headquarters.

13. Gloria Victis

• Developer: Black Eye Games
• Released: 2016
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of Mount and Blade, Life is Feudal

Gloria Victis is built from the ground up to be a PvP MMO. The PvP system is centered on a three-nation conflict. Midlanders, Ismirs, and the Sangmar Empire compete for territories and resources.

All these battles are fought in the open world. Gloria Victis PvP is the most rewarding when players cooperate. Penalties for abusive PvPers create a fair environment for everyone.

New players start in safe areas where they can learn the game before discovering the ruthlessness of the three-nation war. Other PvP modes include tournaments and duels.

12. ArcheAge

• Developer: XLGames
• Released: 2013
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of Korean MMOs

ArcheAge features a unique sandbox style of gameplay that gives players a lot of freedom to do what they want.

In ArcheAge, open-world PvP changes depending on what type of zone you are in. There are Same Faction Peaceful Zones and Same Faction War Zones along with Open PvP Zones, which all offers different styles of gameplay.

ArcheAge also has Arena PvP for solo players or teams up to five.

11. Planetside 2

• Developer: Daybreak Games
• Released: 2012
• Platform: PC, Playstation
• For Fans of FPS Games

Planetside 2 is a 2012 MMOFPS by Daybreak Games. It has a Guinness World Record for hosting the largest FPS battle with more than 1,100 players on a single battlefield.

It has Very Positive reviews on Steam and an active player base.

Planetside 2 has PvE but it’s the PvP content that keeps players engaged.

It has team-centered PvP that rewards players when working together to achieve objectives. It’s not all about personal achievements and scoring kills. The gameplay hides a deep level of strategy. The trick is to find a group of buddies and enjoy the game as a team.

Planetside 2 is available on PC and Playstation.

10. New World

• Developer: Amazon Games
• Released: 2021
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of Survival Games

New World had a rough start after it released back in 2021 and lost a big part of the player base due to bugs. Most of the bugs have now been fixed and New World is now actually a very good game.

Early in development, New World was going to be a hardcore PvP MMO but Amazon Games shifted the focus onto PvE before release. The PvP system is still very good though.

New Worlds open-world PvP pits players against each other in a fight for control of Aeternum, a lost island paradise.

9. World of Warcraft / World of Warcraft Classic

• Developer: Blizzard
• Released: 2004
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of Warcraft, Blizzard

Whether you are a retail or Classic player, WoW offers so much in terms of PvP.

If you prefer open-world PvP from early levels, take your chances on a WoW Classic PvP server. It’s a gank fest most of the time and it’s not always fair play but that’s part of the fun. Some high-level players delight in killing newbies that don’t stand a chance.

Retail PvP is more organized and structured with many battlegrounds that feature various scenarios. Arenas are popular as well.

With the introduction of war mode, PvP fans can once again take part in open-world PvP and receive rewards for defeating fellow players that made the mistake of joining the other faction.

8. Mortal Online 2

• Developer: Star Vault
• Released: 2021
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of Mortal Online 1, Hardcore Full-loot PvP

Mortal Online 2 is a full-loot hardcore PvP MMO, and might be the most brutal PvP game on our list.

Players can and should join up to have a chance at surviving in this harsh open world, which will of course result in some large scale battles between groups of players.

MO2 also have a lot of complex systems and survival game mechanics.

7. EVE Online

• Developer: CCP Games
• Released: 2003
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of Sci-fi Games

Ask 1,000 players about the space sim/sci-fi MMORPG EVE Online PvP and you’ll get 1,000 different answers. Some will say that it’s pointless, others will say that it’s unfair, and some might even call it fun.

Your EVE Online experience depends on the interactions with the other players. Solo PvP is unbalanced and it won’t get you far. Alliance PvP, on the other hand, is a different experience.

The game is known for its large-scale long-lasting PvP wars. Learning how to PvP in EVE Online takes time and a stable group of like-minded players that help each other.

6. Blade and Soul

• Developer: NCSoft
• Released: 2012
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of Anime Games, Martial Arts Games

Blade and Soul is the gem of free-to-play MMOs. While most free MMOs focus on either PvE or PvP, Blade and Soul do both.

The game has open-world PvP and arenas. Taking part in world PvP is just as easy as putting on your faction’s costume.

Open-world has no penalties so it’s a gank fest. Arenas support team-based PvP fights. PvP in Blade and Soul is fun because the game’s combat system is action-based and fast-paced.

High-ranking PvP players get exclusive rewards, including costumes, to show off their accomplishments.

5. Elder Scrolls Online

• Developer: ZeniMax
• Released: 2014
• Platform: PC, Playstation, Xbox
• For Fans of the Elder Scrolls, Skyrim

Elder Scrolls Online features a large PvP map and smaller-scale PvP battlegrounds.

The three-alliance war takes place in Cyrodiil, a zone that becomes available at level 10. Players that enter Cyrodiil before max level gain temporary attribute boosts.

The ESO PvP system features campaigns that players can join. Each campaign has different rules and rewards.

Battlegrounds arrived in Elder Scrolls Online in the Morrowind chapter but have been included in the base game so anyone can access them. Battlegrounds support 12 participants divided into three teams. Five scenarios, including deathmatch and domination, are available.

4. Dark Age of Camelot

• Developer: Mythic Entertainment
• Released: 2001
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of Old-School MMOs

Dark Age of Camelot has been around for over two decades and is considered one of the true classic MMOs when it comes to PvP and especially large scale realm vs. realm combat.

Dark Age of Camelot PvP in Camelot is intense and thrilling, with three warring factions vying for control of the land.

Players can participate in open world PvP, battlegrounds, sieges, and more. There’s also a robust PvE component for those who prefer to quest and explore.

DAOC is a true PvP MMO classic with a loyal and passionate community.

3. Albion Online

• Developer: Sandbox Interactive
• Released: 2017
• Platform: PC, Mac, Android, iOS
• For Fans of Runescape, Ultima Online

Several elements make Albion Online a unique MMORPG. It’s one of the few isometric games of this type. It has sandbox gameplay and it focuses on PvP. There are no classes, the economy is player-driven, and it features an open world.

The PvP system allows players to adventure into color-coded zones with different rules. The red and black zones are where the fun’s at as you can lose all of your stuff when you die.

In Albion Online, players drop loot just like mobs and others can take it. A penalty system is in place to punish those who abuse the PvP system.

2. Guild Wars 2

• Developer: Arena Net
• Released: 2012
• Platform: PC, Mac
• For Fans of Guild Wars, World of Warcraft

Hands down, Guild Wars 2 has one of the best – if not THE best – PvP MMO systems, with a fantastic tab-target / action combat hybrid system.

Unlike other MMORPGs that require players to unlock PvP content by completing PvE activities first, GW2 allows you to jump into the action early on. Players are automatically scaled to max level 80 and they have access to all of their class skills and abilities.

Experience and practice do matter but you get the chance to develop your PvP prowess as soon as you create a character.

On the matter of balance, some classes are more powerful than others but they don’t have unfair advantages.

1. Warhammer Online: Return of Reckoning

• Developer: Mythic Entertainment
• Released: 2008
• Platform: PC
• For Fans of World of Warcraft, Warhammer

Warhammer Online in 2021? Yes! Warhammer Online has shut down years ago but a handful of dedicated fans decided they won’t take no for an answer. And so, Warhammer Online: Return of Reckoning was born.

It’s a private server that has been running since 2014. It has an active player base of mostly Warhammer Online die-hards.

Considered one of the best PvP MMOs, Warhammer Online features large-scale realm versus realm PvP. It’s a complex system that includes battlefield objectives, siege weaponry, and keeps.

PvE content exists but RvR is the main reason why players are still interested in this MMO that’s more than 10 years old.

Are there any PvP games we missed on our list? Let us know what your favorite is in the comments!