Are you wondering if 2023 will be a good year for MMO games? Only one way to find out. By taking a look at the available info regarding new releases and updates.
In the name of tidiness, we have organized our 2023 MMO calendar into three sections: MMOs with a confirmed release date or window, updates and expansions for existing MMORPGs, and new MMO games that will enter early access or might come out this year.
MMOs That Have a Planned 2023 Release Date
As always, take the release date with a grain of salt. Sadly, we have grown accustomed to delays.
Gloria Victis
Release Date: February 7th.
After six years of early access, Gloria Victis is ready to change the prefix. The medieval MMORPG spots non-target action combat, a community-driven economy, and an open world designed for PvP.
Gloria Victis doesn’t have traditional classes. It lets players be what they want to be based on the equipment they wear.
Throne and Liberty
Release Date: Q4 2023.
Formerly known as Project TL, this mouth-watering graphics MMORPG from NCSoft is another much-awaited title.
The game features fast-paced action combat and versatile classes that are not limited to only one type of weapon.
The dynamic environment changes before players’ eyes creating new opportunities for amazing adventures.
Throne and Liberty will arrive on both PC and consoles. A PlayStation 5 version was teased.
The Day Before
Release Date: March 1st.
This visually impressive zombie MMO is one of the most wish-listed Steam titles. The Day Before is an open-world survival game set in the aftermath of a terrible pandemic.
Team up against the infected and beware of your fellow survivors as well. Scavenge, kill, and do everything in your power to make it through the day.
Ethyrial: Echoes of Yore
Release Date: April 2023.
Ethyrial brands itself as a hardcore MMORPG. Adventures are set in Irumesa, a land at war. Notable game features include loss of items and XP upon dying, a complex character system with meaningful skill and stat choices, emphasis on teamwork, a bounty system for PvP ganking, and unique items that come in a limited supply.
War of Dragnorox
Release Date: September 1st (Open Beta).
As of January 2023, War of Dragnorox is 72% complete, so it might just hit the planned release date. This is a sandbox fantasy MMORPG with a focus on max-level content. More than 30 zones and 19 end-game raids are part of the launch day activities.
War of Dragnorox will have a classic business model with an initial purchase and monthly subscription that will include all future updates. The team is against cash shops, cosmetics, XP boosts, or other microtransactions.
Ashfall
Release Date: Q3 2023.
Ashfall is a Terminator/Fallout-flavored shooter MMORPG. AI rises to power and goes berserk on humans. In the aftermath of the nuclear destruction, one leaves the Vault in search of the Core of Creation, humanity’s last hope.
Soundtrack from industry-established veterans such as Hans Zimmer, Steve Mazzaro, and Inon Zur promises a unique post-apocalyptic atmosphere.
Odin: Valhalla Rising
Release Date: Q4 2023.
Kakao Games plans to bring this open-world MMO to Europe and North America in late 2023. Odin: Valhalla Rising features action combat and attractive graphics.
The game has been out in South Korea since June 2021. You can find plenty of gameplay videos to get a taste of this Norse-inspired MMORPG.
Inkbound
Release Date: 2023.
From the developers of Overwhelmingly Positive-rated Monster Train comes a roguelike MMO RPG. Players discover the mythical land of Atheneum and its living stories.
Inkbound borrows one of the most popular Monster Train features: class mixing. Shape your character and test its combat prowess in procedurally generated runs. See how many enemies you can defeat and how much loot you can acquire.
Blue Protocol
Release Date: 2023.
Developed by Bandai Namco, Blue Protocol is one of the most hyped 2023 MMOs. It’s an anime game featuring a seamless open world, a deep character system, and fast-paced action combat.
Blue Protocol will be free-to-play with premium cosmetics. It’s slated for a Japan release in early 2023 followed by a Western release later this year.
The Crew Motorfest
Release Date: 2023.
The third installment in The Crew racing series will arrive this year on PC and both generations of PlayStation and Xbox. The Crew 3 drives away from the familiar continental US setting. The new game takes us to the Hawaiian island of O’ahu. Players will race through the city of Honolulu and other iconic exotic landscapes.
Uncharted Waters Origin
Release Date: Q1 2023.
Less than a year after the South Korean release, Uncharted Waters Origin is going global. The naval action takes players back to the 16th century. More than 300 battlegrounds, 200 ports, historically accurate maps and vessels await us. Play the campaign, become a merchant sailing the seas looking to make a fortune, or choose the life of a pirate! Now in 4K.
Updates, Patches, and Expansions for Existing MMORPGs
Dungeons and Dragons Online reveals a Q2 expansion
DDO rolls into 2023 with the winter-themed Snowpeaks Festival and lays the ground for the 17th-anniversary celebration. This year’s festivities include free content. Non-paying users will have new Archetypes and a dungeon. The mini-expansion continues the fight against Vecna. Hardcore Season 8 should arrive in Q3. The last quarter will bring the next Hardcore Season and an Adventure pack.
Lord of the Rings Online confirms Q4 expansion and possibly River Hobbits
This year brings updates concerning landscapes, classes, crafting, and more. All lead to the Q4 expansion that will include a new level cap, a new class, a new raid, a new instance, and who knows what else.
The developers aren’t ready to share any details at this point. River Hobbits are not part of the plan, but Executive Producer Robert Ciccolini said that a 2023 release isn’t out of the question.
The next Black Desert Online is in development
Land of the Morning Light is BDO’s upcoming expansion. Rumor has it that it will first release in Korea in February. The global version will follow a few months later.
Land of the Morning Light is an incursion into Korean history. It is based on the Joseon Dynasty and features myths and legends from past eras.
Aion Classic is available in Europe
Classic Aion servers open up for the EU player base. These are permanent servers that implement the 2.0 update at launch.
The original level 55 PvE and PvP content with quality-of-life improvements and extra updates is available for free. Future updates will add the new dungeons and classes.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 comes to Steam
Starting on January 12th, Ubisoft’s 2019-MMO shooter RPG can be played through Steam. Will more people get into it now that the exclusivity period is over?
The Division 2 spots nice graphics, tactical gameplay, and plenty of content that doesn’t force player interaction.
AdventureQuest Worlds Unity releases this Spring
The AQW Unity update should go live on Steam in March. The remake of the classic AdventureQuest: Worlds features the original new content plus many new features.
Thirteen storylines, more than 100 classes, and events are part of the fun. It’s possible to log in with an existing AQW account and retain all your previously hard-earned stuff.
EverQuest gets a ton of updates including a new progression server and expansion
Devoted EQ players have nothing to worry about. The veteran MMO is not going into maintenance mode any time soon.
The 2023 plan includes new content for holiday events, Night of Shadows Tier 1-3 raids, a new UI engine, a new progression server in May, a DirectX 11 API port, and the 30th expansion in December.
The 20th EverQuest II expansion arrives in November
The 2023 EQII roadmap is teeming with updates. Each month comes with something new. The 20th expansion will be available for pre-order in October. According to the schedule, the release will happen in November.
We are eagerly waiting for details about it. We are also curious if the developers will keep up with the calendar.
The best of WoW Dragonflight is yet to come
The 2023 battle plan includes the new Trading Post feature in January, a sizeable Season 2 Patch featuring a new zone, raid, PvP season, and Mythic+ dungeon pool in the Spring.
Summer comes with a new mega-dungeon and more story content. Mythic+ and PvP Season 3 coupled with a new raid and zone is expected towards the end of the year.
WoW Wrath of the Lich King Classic continues the foray into the icy Northrend
The fan-favorite Ulduar raid, the Argent Tournament Grounds daily quest hub, the 6th Arena Season, the second Vault of Archavon boss, and the new Titan Rune dungeons are coming in January.
We expect all the WotLK content to be available by the end of the year.
More Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker content and hints of the new expansion
With Patch 6.3 releasing in January, we’d say that Endwalker is about two thirds done. There is still plenty of content to gorge ourselves on and a big chunk is yet to come. However, there comes a point within the lifespan of each expansion when the community starts looking to the future.
The post-Endwalker story will feature Krile Mayer Baldesion as a main character. Rumor has it that teasers will begin in Patch 6.5.
Elder Scrolls Online deploys a complete Chapter followed by a change of strategy in Q3
Both ESO developers and players have had enough of the year-long adventures. The first part of 2023 comes with the usual Q1 dungeon DLC and a Chapter in Q2.
The difference is that the Chapter will tell a complete story. Starting with Q3, we will be treated with quality-of-life updates and a new system in Q4.
Ragnarok Begins is coming to Steam
The new Ragnarok Online adventure will be available through Steam at a yet unrevealed 2023 date. The cross-platform MMORPG has the iconic Ragnarok art style, side-scrolling combat, and a plethora of PvE and PvP content.
If you cannot wait for the Steam release, Ragnarok Begins on PC is available from the official website. The mobile version is restricted to the USA and Canadian users.
RuneScape teases new content and a new skill
The 2001-MMORPG lays out the 2023 master plan. Details are scarce at this point. We know that a new combat event and reduced death costs are coming first.
Fort Forinthry introduces a new storyline, followed by a new training method, more new quests and challenges, and Necromancy as the new RuneScape skill.
Old School RuneScape reveals new features and activities
Things are looking pretty lively on the old-school front. The new year kicks off with the Secrets of the North master quest.
The Official Account Builds feature is next in line. Bounty Hunter, Desert Treasure: The Fallen Empire, Forestry as a Woodcutting expansion, and a new skill are cooking in the OSRS oven.
Sword of Legends Online amps up the challenge with more dungeons and raids
The Wuxia-based action MMO, Sword of Legends Online, has several new raids and dungeons on the way. Three raids will arrive in July followed by Hard and Extreme modes in August. September brings more new raids, dungeons, and PvP.
Brand New MMO Games Going into Early Access in 2023
Don’t get your hopes up for too many fully-fledged 2023 releases. Early access is the best-case scenario for the majority of these games.
Dune Awakening
With Funcom at the helm, the Dune franchise is getting the MMO treatment. The game features an open world, third-person shooter action combat, and survival mechanics.
Wayfinder
Become a Wayfinder in this new MMORPG from the makers of Darksiders Genesis. Crafting, exploration, and player housing are part of the gameplay.
Past Fate
It seems that open world has become the norm for new MMORPGs. Past Fate is a medieval fantasy game with player freedom, naval combat, and faction wars.
ARK 2
The sequel to Ark: Survival Evolved updates all the original systems. A new story featuring Santiago, improved modding support, challenging melee combat, dynamic events, and a new take on prehistoric creatures await us.
Starkeepers
Starkeepers is all about explosive action combat. Players take the role of heroes with distinct combat skills. Intriguing features include clan fortresses and a dynamic questing system.
CarX Street
CarX Street is a racing MMO that allows players to build and customize racing vehicles. From urban streets bursting with activity to picturesque mountain tracks, you can test your wheels in a multitude of environments.
Fractured Veil
The zombie apocalypse takes over Hawaiian paradise. This survival MMO has RPG character progression, base building, PvE and PvP content, and 64 square km of open world filled with mutants and other nasty creatures.
BattleBit Remastered
Size does matter in BattleBit Remastered, a low poly MMO FPS with maps that support up to 127 players…per side. Class specializations and multiple weapons allow players to serve as soldiers with distinct roles.
Ilysia
Ilysia is a VR MMORPG that offers an intricate class system, crating, player housing, PvE raids, optional PvP, caravan exploration, fast travel, pet battles, and more. Don’t you guys have virtual reality headsets?
Into the Echo
A time-traveling MMO set on the planet Raava allows players to become crafters, fighters, or code-breakers (whatever the last-mentioned means, we have no idea). While the release date is nowhere in sight, the development team is planning for pre-alpha tests in 2023.
The Adventurer’s Domain Online
The Adventurer’s Domain Online features a classless character system. Players choose which skills to hone as they acquire XP. Naval gameplay allows adventurers to sail the seas. In addition to PvE and PvP, TADO has chill activities such as fishing and crafting.
Grace Online
Grace Online is another 2023 MMORPG that sheds the traditional class system in favor of skill-based character development. In this fantasy world, NPCs are more than just vendors, trainers, and quest givers. Grace Online allows players to run their own shops and create quests.