I still think Mabinogi should be on the list. Also there are future releases coming. The Re-population and Salem to name two.

Originally posted by GeezerGamer

I still think Mabinogi should be on the list. Also there are future releases coming. The Re-population and Salem to name two.

I'm currently looking into Fallen Earth, Mabinogi and Wakfu.

As for coming games, I'm happy to list them when they're released. But I want this thread to list the games people can play now - and that excludes games that are still in development or in the design stage. 

Originally posted by BigHatLogan
EVE has a free client.

Double-checked this on the official site.

From http://support.eveonline.com/Pages/KB/Article.aspx?id=21: Creating a CD-less account and a subscription to EVE - Online (including 30 days of game time) = €19.95. Granted, it's not much more expensive than the 1-month subscription plan, still, you have to buy the game after your free trial.

Originally posted by Ozmodan

Originally posted by nilden

http://minecraft-server-list.com/

Every server type you could imagine under the sun. Play single player or create your own server. You can find servers with 400+ people. How this game is not listed on MMORPG.com when games like Diablo 3, League of Legends etc are is just mind boggling.

Minecraft is huge on youtube and the creations are endless.

Minecraft is not a sandbox, it has zero character development.  Cute game, but definitely NOT a sandbox.

Oh wow... Sorry buddy but now I know that you do not know what a Sandbox really is.

Updated the OP.

• Added Fallen Earth, Mabinogi and Wakfu to the list. Rather reluctantly in two cases. :)
• Added a setting information to each game.
• Added a disclaimer to the text.
• [Edit: added an explanation why I do not list games that aren't MMORPGs.]
• [Edit: added a game environment information (3d/isometric) to each game.]

Vanguard is such a large themepark with one of the biggest seamless open worlds that it may be considered a sandbox. The very first definition of a sandbox was a game that allowed the player to explore the maps without limits which is something that can be done in this game although you would have to avoid all the mobs in higher level areas if you are just starting out which can be said about almost any MMORPG but nonetheless you are allowed to explore anywhere and reach anything that you see in the distance other than what is in the sky. It has instance-free housing as well and allows players to decorate their homes more than most games. Monsters have different factions so you can kill friendly monsters until you are considered an ally to enemy monsters allowing you to pick up special quests from them. They also have a diplomacy game that builds factions, unlocks quests, and rewards special items. Every building can be entered (unlike many Sandbox games) and most things that you come across are a part of some quest whether it be crafting, adventuring, or diplomacy.

I think that its list-worthy. I was able to defeat some level 50 players occasionally using level 8-16 twinks but the same does not apply against monsters. It no longer has a PVP server but with all of its features I think that it is more of a sandbox than some of the games listed. Players may also build boats and sail the seas. It especially felt like a sandbox when there was no fast-travel (bindstones) and a PVP server but I still think it may qualify for this community. It has one of the biggest open worlds in existence and so many quest-chains that it doesn't really feel like running on a treadmill like other themeparks since you can give up on one and start on another in a totally different part of the world or even build faction with enemies to start an opposing quest-chain. Every character has 5 sections for gear (adventuring, crafting, harvesting, diplomacy, and mount). I was able to build a class that I felt was one-of-a-kind which is another thing that most Sandbox games lack.

Once reaching the endgame it loses its sandbox feel a lot but during the journey it definitely feels like one and in some ways it is more sandbox than other games listed here.

i found this website lately which focusses on sandbox MMOs:

http://sandboxer.org/

perhaps it helps.

as already mentioned above, Entropia is missing on the list. it is a sandbox, no doubt. even with a strange business model.

Originally posted by Sid_Vicious

Vanguard is such a large themepark with one of the biggest seamless open worlds that it may be considered a sandbox. ...

Sorry, Sid. I played Vanguard too, stopped 3 or 4 months ago or so - and I really do like Vanguard. It's a rich, deep game by now and I can certainly recommend it, but a sandbox it isn't.

Just looking at the feature list in my original post there are quite some sandboxy features that Vanguard doesn't have. For example:

• Player-driven in-game economy, not a loot-driven economy, no bind-on-equip or bind-on acquire items
• Character development that can be customised via skills and/or customisations of class roles, not a class system where every level 50 warrior has the exact same skills and attributes
• Non-linear character development where characters are not limited to developer-defined roles, for example: free skill trees or multi-classing of characters
• In-depth crafting system. A crafting system is considered in-depth if the majority of items in the game is player-made and when crafted items can be at least as good as dropped items
• In-depth resource system. A resource system is considered in-depth if items can be made from raw resources that influence the resulting item (either it's stats or it's appearance is okay)

Even though it's often considered little more than a social hub, Second Life definitely belongs on the list.  It's a true sandbox in every sense of the word.

Originally posted by Magnum2103

Even though it's often considered little more than a social hub, Second Life definitely belongs on the list.  It's a true sandbox in every sense of the word.

 

it depends how you divide the genre into subgenre. it is a sandbox, no doubt, but i would say Second Life is a Simulation not a MMORPG.

if the OP is just looking for sandboxes and not MMORPG in special, than we should also look for some MMOFPS and MMORTS. 

Originally posted by UsulDaNeriak

...

it depends how you divide the genre into subgenre. it is a sandbox, no doubt, but i would say Second Life is a Simulation not a MMORPG.

if the OP is just looking for sandboxes and not MMORPG in special, than we should also look for some MMOFPS and MMORTS. 

Well, the list is supposed to be about MMORPG sandboxes.

I'll have a look at Second Life, does it even have some sort of character development or so?

Linkrealms should definitely be on this list.

Originally posted by wrekognize

Linkrealms should definitely be on this list.

Link Realms isn't released, wrek, it's in closed beta. At least there's an "Apply for Beta" on their website. :)

Wanted to say this for a few days,

THANKS LARSA!

Updated the OP.

• Added Entropia Universe to the game list.
• Added a Client OS description to each game.

Originally posted by MMOExposed

Originally posted by Pale_Fire

You're missing Vanguard.  Unless, I'm blind, which is possible.

Of course, that would make my ability to type this message flawlessly quite remarkable.

vanguard is themepark. not sandbox

Vanguard is a hybrid,its inbetween sandbox and themepark,same goes for ArcheAge. and old shcool EQ.

People forget that EQ was also a skill based game and up until LDON it had no instances.

Originally posted by Larsa

Originally posted by wrekognize

Linkrealms should definitely be on this list.

Link Realms isn't released, wrek, it's in closed beta. At least there's an "Apply for Beta" on their website. :)

 Could the list have games currently in Beta or development like Linkrealms or  Repopulation?

Beta in Linkrealms is pretty easy to get into at this point. And the environment is pretty live.

Originally posted by wrekognize

...

 Could the list have games currently in Beta or development like Linkrealms or  Repopulation?

Beta in Linkrealms is pretty easy to get into at this point. And the environment is pretty live.

Wrek, I thought about listing games in beta or development before I started this list but decided against it.

1. It would be a bitch to correctly maintain the list. When to put a game onto the list? I'm sure there are dozens of games in "development" in various stages, starting from a few ideas on a napkin up to having a website with trailers and screenshots.
2. I'm also sure that it wouldn't take long and some fan (not meaning you!) came along asking to list game XYZ and all he has seen is a website with some art sketches and a rough feature list. It's practically guesswork whether the game ever releases and what the feature set might be at release.
3. For games in development and closed testing it's impossible to say whether it really qualifies as sandbox. All we have is what the studio/publisher claims and nobody knows whether the game will release with that feature list or not. Thus we'll have discussions with people claiming "It's a sandbox" but nobody can really check that claim because the game's still in development and not open to the public.

Thx alot for this list

Anyone here who has actually played Free Realms or Wizard 101?

I know, they're both aimed at kids, but from the feature list they might fit the description of a sandbox MMORPG. I have no experience with either of them.

BTW: I decided to exclude Second Live from the list. It's not an MMORPG, has no character development, no crafting and no resource system. Yes, I know one can make stuff in that game, but the stuff isn't made out of in-game resources but pure "Photoshop" work, they seem to have their own editor. The company running the world annex chat-room doesn't call it an MMORPG too.