4) World Of Warcraft
You couldn’t possibly talk about MMORPGs without mentioning what is arguably considered as the Godfather of the entire genre, World of Warcraft. Released in 2004, Blizzard’s seminal title was a smash hit, quickly earning its place as the most widely played MMORPG ever made, peaking at over 12 million active players in 2010 (6 years after its initial release!).
WoW’s influence has reached virtually every facet of pop-culture, referenced in television, film, and all corners of nerddom. And then there was Leeroy Jenkins. Regardless of whether you’ve dabbled in the world of Azeroth or not, you simply can’t overstate how ingrained WoW has become in video gaming legend, transforming our whole perception of the genre.
WoW’s player base is still huge, with around 5 million gamers still enjoying constant updates and new content. In fact, following the franchise recent debut on the big screen, player numbers briefly spiked to double that number. If you’re looking for an online world to become totally immersed in, rich with a library of detailed lore, look no further than this now 12-year-old title.