About MMO Loop

MMO Loop emerged as a response to a pressing need felt by two MMORPG enthusiasts. Over time, we observed a trend where the true essence of MMORPGs was getting diluted as developers sought to capitalize on the term "MMORPG" as a buzzword to generate interest, even when their games lacked the fundamental qualities of a true MMO. Consequently, the phrase "MMORPG" gradually lost its significance, as the general public began to believe that any online multiplayer game could be classified as an MMORPG.

Numerous websites, considered among the most popular in the world, focus exclusively on MMORPGs and boast extensive lists featuring thousands of so-called MMOs. One well-known site, for instance, claims to have a compilation of 3,890 games, all categorized as MMOs. However, for this claim to hold true, a new MMO would have had to be launched every 2.3 days for the past 25 years.

Needless to say, the actual number of authentic MMOs is considerably lower. The exact figure remains a topic of debate due to differing opinions. Therefore, we have reestablished the criteria for what qualifies as an MMORPG, and subsequently outline our standards for listing games accordingly.

MMOLoop.com We'll keep you in the loop.

What is an MMORPG?

MMORPG stands for Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game. Although the phrase MMO is sometimes referred to as a similar game but without the RPG element, it is mostly often used as a form of short-hand and that is also true for this site.

An MMORPG is a type of video game where a large number of players can interact with each other in a virtual world. In an MMORPG, players create and control a character, often known as an avatar, and embark on various quests, adventures, and activities within the game world.

An MMO has the capacity to accommodate thousands of players on a single server, often surpassing that number. In contrast, a "multiplayer" game by itself may only support a limited number of players, say around 20. Although there isn't a fixed threshold in terms of player count, the crucial distinction lies in the fact that an MMO is capable of accommodating massive numbers of players simultaneously within the same virtual world, in real-time, and within a shared environment.

A defining feature of MMORPGs is the persistent online nature of the game, which means that the game world continues to exist and evolve even when players are not actively playing. This allows players to engage in a dynamic and immersive experience, interacting with other players from around the world.

MMORPGs typically feature a rich fantasy or science fiction setting, within an expansive and detailed game world, a variety of non-player characters (NPCs) to interact with, and a common range of activities such as combat, exploration, crafting, skill-building, and socializing. Players can form groups or guilds, participate in player-versus-environment (PvE) or player-versus-player (PvP) battles, and undertake cooperative or competitive gameplay.

Examples of popular MMORPGs include World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV, Guild Wars 2, The Elder Scrolls Online, and EVE Online. These games often have a subscription model or offer in-game purchases to support ongoing development and maintenance of the game servers.

MMO Loop Listing Policy

Our primary goal is to compile a comprehensive and pure list of all known MMORPGs, providing a centralized location for anyone seeking a new MMO. However, we have listing standards that may exclude some MMOs from appearing on our list. While we strive for inclusivity, there are criteria that must be met in order for an MMO to be included in our listings.

GENERAL POLICY
We exclusively feature traditional MMORPGs as per the defined criteria above, and we have removed any games that have been mistakenly labeled as MMORPGs on other websites.

NO BROWSER MMOs
While it is true that there are browser-based MMOs available, we have chosen not to include them on this site because they represent a distinct genre that differs significantly from application-based MMORPGs. Moreover, there are already dedicated websites that cater specifically to browser MMOs.

NO MUDs
While we acknowledge that Multi-User Dungeons (MUDs), the precursors to MMOs, can sometimes be classified as text-based MMOs, they do not align strictly with our definition of a modern graphical MMO. Furthermore, there are existing websites that specifically focus on listing MUDs, and we see no need to duplicate their efforts on our site.

NO PAY TO WIN
As we do not endorse the pay-to-win (P2W) model, we will not knowingly promote any MMOs that follow such practices. We make a clear distinction between pay-to-play, pay-for-convenience, and pay-to-win models, and we explicitly exclude pay-to-win MMOs from our listings. Our focus is on promoting fair and balanced gameplay experiences for our users.

NO WEB 3 GAMES
There are multiple reasons why we omit NFT-based MMOs in our listings: 1) Blockchain MMOs often prioritize financial aspects over gameplay, blurring the line between games and financial instruments. 2) A significant majority (97%) of these projects suffer from various issues, such as misguided development, malicious intentions, or inherent flaws. 3) Web 3 games associated with NFTs typically target individuals interested in cryptocurrency rather than gamers. 4) NFT games frequently employ a pay-to-win model, potentially creating an imbalanced gameplay experience.

Given these factors, we have made the decision to exclude NFT-based MMOs from our listings.

NO 'HUB' OR SHARED-WORLD 'LOBBY' GAMES
Hub or Lobby games, also known as "shared-world" games or "MMO-lite" games, do not fall under the category of true MMOs. MMOs are characterized by open world environments where all players can coexist simultaneously. While MMOs may include instanced elements like raid dungeons and housing, shared-world games take the opposite approach. In shared-world games, the majority of the world is instanced for small groups, often just 1-6 players, with only a waiting area serving as a space where all players can gather for the purpose of forming groups. Due to this distinction and the fact that these games do not meet the criteria of MMOs, we do not feature them on our site.

NO RETIRED MMOs
While several websites list retired MMOs, we do not. However, we make exceptions in cases where a retired MMO remains playable through third-party fan-based emulators, provided that the game is able to retain its MMORPG nature. If the game solely emulates a single-player version and lacks the massively multiplayer aspect, we won't include it in our listings.

INTERNATIONAL & WESTERN AUDIENCE MMOs
Since this site is in English, you can expect MMORPGs listed here to include versions published for an international or western audience. This means that there will always be a handful of Eastern exclusive games that don't make our list.

HONEST SCREENSHOTS AND VIDEOS
In accordance with our listing policy, we take great care to showcase screenshots and videos that accurately represent the game. We are committed to providing an authentic visual experience to our users. Therefore, we do not knowingly present edited screenshots, except for watermarks and necessary cropping. Additionally, we refrain from displaying concept art, or cinematics that do not realistically depict actual gameplay footage. Our aim is to provide users with a genuine preview of the game's visuals and gameplay.

FEATURED MMOs
We have various reasons for featuring an MMO on our platform. 1) Personal preference. We may choose to feature a game simply because we enjoy it ourselves. 2) Recognizing potential. We may believe that a particular game deserves more attention, even if it doesn't align with our personal gameplay preferences. We aim to highlight promising MMOs that we feel deserve recognition. 3) Partnership or compensation. On some occasions, a publisher or developer may offer us some form of compensation, which can influence our decision to feature an MMO.

You can identify featured MMOs on our site by the presence of a colored border around their listing, distinguishing them from those with the standard black border.

ABSENTEE MMOs
If you believe there is an MMO that is missing from our list and it meets our listing policy criteria, feel free to contact us through the provided contact page. Similarly, if you believe that we have included an MMO that does not belong on our platform, we kindly request that you inform us so that we can address any discrepancies promptly. Your valued feedback is important to us in maintaining the quality and relevance of our content.