In this week's list, MMORPG.com contributor William Murphy writes this look at what he feels are the top five PvP MMOs from both the past and the present.

It occurred to me as we start 2010 that I’ve spent more time playing MMOs over the past 10 years than I spent reading, writing, drawing, watching TV, riding my bike, or any other one of my hobbies. I tried to think about why I would feel inclined to spend so much of my leisure time in imaginary worlds clubbing giant rats. After vowing to ride my bike more and actually read something other than quest text in 2010, I realized one of the main reasons I like to spend several hours a week in online space is the people... and sometimes more accurately: killing them. I love questing, but the competitive streak in me loves a good fight with human opponents. Keep in mind that this list is my own, and your mileage may vary, but here then are my top five PvP MMOs.

Read The Top Five PvP MMOs.

What about shadowbane, DAoC and AO:Notum Wars? 

Darkfall? Same rule set as EVE online and have more features now from EVE at launch. Still EVE is better than Darkfall after all those years of tweaking and polishing. Can't argue that.

Ohhh, and for instance lovers: 3 top have open world PvP :P

EDIT: Yeah, what about Shadowbane?

When I first read the list I couldn't believe you actually had the gall to include WoW as a PvP MMO. After thinking about it though, I do have many fond memories of fighting for hours and hours at TM. I kinda miss City raids too :)

I won't be a blind WoW hater, maybe WoW deserves to barely be on that list at #5, and maybe not.  But WAR?  /facepalm   You've got to be kidding me.  That MMO has some of the most bland PvP I have ever witnessed.  Replace it with something like Shadowbane.  I'm sorry but you have low ass standards if WAR is on your top 5 list of PvP MMOs.

now that's a great top !  Finally something usefull for those in search of PvP

No Darkfall? What a joke.

No Shadowbane?  The game didn't have much else to offer, but it did do pvp very well.

Good call on the DAoC. Best RvR/PvP I've found. It's what brings me back to that game over and over again.

I can see eve being number one as the entire game is open pvp in 0.4 space and lower.

The other games I barly played. 

Originally posted by WesKhan1

I won't be a blind WoW hater, maybe WoW deserves to barely be on that list at #5, and maybe not.  But WAR?  /facepalm   You've got to be kidding me.  That MMO has some of the most bland PvP I have ever witnessed.  Replace it with something like Shadowbane.  I'm sorry but you have low ass standards if WAR is on your top 5 list of PvP MMOs.

I totally agree. The fact that an incredibly bland game like WAR can appear on a top 5 pvp mmo list goes to show how lacking mmos are for decent pvp games. WoW isnt even a pvp game and it gets a place........and Ultima Online is 10 years old. Then again I knew the list was going to be terrible before I even clicked on the link.

This article simply proves that we need more pvp based mmos. Hopefully this will change in 2010

Originally posted by Murashu

When I first read the list I couldn't believe you actually had the gall to include WoW as a PvP MMO. After thinking about it though, I do have many fond memories of fighting for hours and hours at TM. I kinda miss City raids too :)

Brought the same memories to mind for me, as well. :)  It was really cool to be able to go back to TM when I was a higher level in order to hang around and defend the L20s that were questing and leveling in the area.

 good list, the only one i'd disagree with would be WAR to be honest. They didn't really do anything special in that game as far as pvp goes imo. WoW should be at least higher than WAR, but from the sounds of it you're basing all of the ranks on open pvp and considered arenas e-sport which I guess is pretty accurate. No doubt in my mind that warcraft arenas are the most competitive pvp aspect of any mmo to date and justly on the list. 

The list also brought up some good memories of DAOC :) I didn't play EVE long enough to fully enjoy the pvp, I tried the game for the first time about a month ago and just felt like I was way to behind other players that could of possibly been playing for 6 years. 

Originally posted by valun

What about shadowbane, DAoC and AO:Notum Wars? 

AO: Notum Wars isnt a good choice to be listed in here since its nothing but twink fights. There is no great challenge in there. The more creds you sink in your twink, the better it is. That is all.

I wonder if Planetside should be in the list.

WoW is on this list, but Darkfall isn't?   I don't think any serious MMO PvP player is going to take this seriously.  WoW is like the laughing stock of the PvP community.  Hell Warhammer is practically on life support and has more crowd control that any other game.   I'd rather see Lineage 2 or maybe even Aion over WAR.

True, mileage may vary...

DaoC is a given, as its realm fighting is some of the most fun things in existance that has never been copied.

EVE, absolutly. Amazing PvP even to the point of completly destroying whole guilds and stealing all their possesions. Nothing can compare to that freedom.

Ultima Online... also a given. The first true PvP centered game and also with amazing freedom in both character creation and character freedom.

But... But... a few games springs to mind...

Planetside?! ONLY PvP and all about PvP? And some amazing PvP with vehicles and ariplanes as well? No...? Really?

Wait... World War II Online?! All PvP, only PvP on a scale map of the whole of Europe?! Oh yes, with vehicles, airplanes and antivehicle and antiairforce equipment?  Complete and utter freedom? no...? not?

Or is this not about MMOs but about button skills instead of actual fighitng skills? Then I understand

And even if I disagree with WAR as Top anyhting PvP... I agree that Darkfall should be out. 5 fan bois not a right make.

I personally think this list is laughable and the very fact that you omit Darkfall from even being nominated reaffirms my belief that the people running this site are biased against it.

Darkfall is THE BEST PVP GAME, bar none.

It was THE BEST new game of 2009.

It was the most improved game of 2009.

Darkfall is offering one of the best MMORPG experiences currently. 

Edit:  The title should read, The Top 5 MMO's with Meaningless PvP, or Top 5 MMO's with Arena PvP.

Originally posted by Harafnir  ... I agree that Darkfall should be out. 5 fan bois not a right make.

 

I very respectfully disagree.   If you want to know what the top PvP MMORPGs of all time are, you should look at the games the top PvP guilds flock to for serious competition.  As someone who has played PvP MMOs and on PvP servers since the genre started, there are certain games that these guilds hold in high regards.

Ultima Online, Shadowbane, Dark Age of Camelot, Asheron's Call (Darktide), EVE Online, possibly Guild Wars or Lineage 2, and Darkfall.

I have played with and against some of the most prolific PvP guilds in the MMO genre, and believe me when I say Darkfall is a game where many of them have a presence for the last year.   Whether you like the game or thinks its a piece of crap, doesn't matter.   Whether the game has 11 million subscribers or 30,000 doesn't matter.  The list shouldn't be based on sub numbers because PvP and hardcore PvP is a very niche part of the genre.  Follow these guilds and you'll find the best PvP MMOs, and right now Darkfall is one of them.   No game requires more situational awareness and personal skill at the controls in the genre than this one does, despite whatever other flaws there may be.

Originally posted by Ruyn

Edit:  The title should read, The Top 5 MMO's with Meaningless PvP, or Top 5 MMO's with Arena PvP.

I have a question for you, did you bring enough of that DF Koolaid for everyone? You know I cannot comment on the PvP much in others games cause of this very quote, it was meaningless it seemed. EvE however being called Arena or Meaningless in it's PvP shows either a moron or someone that has never played EvE.

The PvP in Eve can go so far as to effect noob players at time in it's outcome. The entire game is PvP not just the combat but the economics as well.

And this is why I don't play Darkfall.  The whining and complaining constantly from them in every single thread remotely related directly represent the community of Darkfall.  Grow up or shut up.

Back on topic, interesting read and I mostly agree with the list. 

Vanilla WoW is a classic and the first 6 months after release was epic in regards to open world pvp for me since I rarely felt safe as a wee lil' troll.  

WAR is still quite fun to play every now and then as a freebie and offers insta pvp rather than most games requires mucho time invested to pvp with any substance.  I like this mode greatly.

Ultima online was a game that actually made me nervous walking around by myself.  Quite an achievement in and of itself.

DaoC is my number 1 pvp game, bar none. 

I never played Eve, although I can't disagree with the OP since I never actually gave it a shot.  I never had any interest in open space pvp or whatever it is.