Reader's Choice 2005: Run-Offs

Dark Age of Camelot did for PvP what EverQuest did for PvE. Mythic's hit title made PvP nearly obligatory for the success of any MMORPG with its innovative "Realm vs. Realm" (RvR) combat that pits players in distinct factions against each other in a large scale war. With the free "New Frontiers" expansion, Mythic showed that they still have what it takes as Hibernia, Albion and Midgard continue to battle an eternal war across the game's many servers.

Fans of EVE Online's PvP were not going to let this slip by. We received a lot of email and board posts that suggested EVE Online be included in this category. Based on this, we've created this run-off here today. EVE Online exists in one giant world and has areas that are open to space-combat. Given the setting, it is unlike anything else nominated in this category.

Some will argue it is not actually an MMORPG, but Guild Wars most definitely offers online PvP arena-based combat. This free-to-play game from NCSoft and ArenaNet had gained a loyal following of players who regularly duke it out online. It is not quite like a lot of other games in this genre, but it most definitely earned a nod in the PvP category.