Focusing solely on PvE isn’t so bad, though, considering it’s a freemium game, so there’s never really a reason to subscribe to get a leg up unless you want to skip the grind. Unlike previous titles in the list, this game doesn’t support PvP at all. Like Destiny 2, the game mixes sci-fi and fantasy elements, however, leaning more towards fantasy. Ryzom is a sci-fi/fantasy MMORPG developed by Nevrax and released in 2004. Players can indulge in several activities like mining, manufacturing, trading, etc. Honestly, this game feels like something out of Ridley Scott’s Alien minus the Alien part. Upon release, the game was praised for its expansive scale (thanks to its space-based setting) and complex mechanics. EVE OnlineĮVE Online is perhaps the most popular Sci-fi MMORPG, developed by CCP Games and released in 2003. In addition, I have tried to include games that aren’t extremely paid to win or unpolished however, I think we have to set our expectations a little low due to the nature of MMORPGs. Regardless of the reasons, I have compiled titles that are either MMO or MMORPGs that feature sci-fi as a core component for this list. Some of the better ones are a mix of Sci-fi and fantasy, featuring extensive plasma-based weaponry with spaceships, but the overarching narrative tends to gravitate towards fantasy cliches.Īgain this is most likely due to the relative easiness of writing a fantasy story versus a science fiction story because fantasy allows writers more freedom, but Sci-fi requires some basis in reality. Whatever the case may be, Sci-fi MMORPGs, especially quality ones, are a rarity. Instead, most MMORPGs dwell on fantasy settings, perhaps due to the popularity of Diablo or the lack of logic required to write a fantasy tale.īelieve me it’s far easier to explain every weird, even as magic, than attempting to explain it with science. Even though sci-fi has been ever popular in movies and video games, it lacks quality MMORPG titles.