When MMORPGs were first released in the era of low-resolution monitors, clicking and targeting enemies proved to be very annoying and developers started assigning keys to help players target the nearest enemies. TAB became the most-used key to target the nearest enemy, which led to the birth of the term “tab-targeting”. Even though technology has come a long way and it’s a lot easier to target enemies with a mouse click than it used to be, some players continue to favor tab-targeting to action combat. If you are a fan of tab-targeting combat, then here are our recommendations for the best Tab-Targeting MMORPGs to play in 2023.
World of Warcraft
This is the most obvious entry on the list. World of Warcraft was present in the tab-targeting era and the MMO juggernaut continues to be one of the most-played games in 2023. Even in the era of action combat, WoW continues to dominate and we have a large number of players hopping into the game in both Classic and Retail.
World of Warcraft has managed to retain player interest like no other and if you have never given the game a try, we recommend starting off with World of Warcraft: Classic if you want to experience what the early days of WoW truly felt like. If you want to experience what WoW feels like in 2023, go for the Retail version instead. It can be a little expensive to get into WoW as you need to buy expansions and also pay for a subscription so we recommend downloading the Starter version of the game and see if you like it.
Final Fantasy XIV
Final Fantasy XIV has had quite the journey. The game went live back in 2010 and it remained active despite the negativity surrounding it. But the developers decided to shut down the game until we received A Realm Reborn.
Under Naoki Yoshida’s leadership, Final Fantasy XIV made quite the comeback and it is one of the most popular MMORPGs of all time. The game features a subscription model and you need to pay for expansions if you want to give the game a try. However, there is a started edition available that gets you over 100 hours of content with no strings attached so you might want to give that a try first.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
Star Wars: The Old Republic was released over a decade ago and it is honestly showing signs of aging. But if you are a Star Wars fan, it is most definitely worth a shot for experiencing the story alone. The game is based in the Old Republic era and you can choose to join the Sith Empire of the Galactic Republic.
You get to experience a unique storyline with each faction and while I personally find the combat a little clunky, it is worth sticking with it because of the narrative. You can try out the game for free and choose to subscribe if you are interested in what the game offers.
The Lord of the Rings Online
The Lord of the Rings Online is home to many adventures and it is unabashedly a traditional MMORPG. While the game’s barrage of side quests can get on your nerves at times, the core storyline is excellent and will definitely keep you hooked if you are a Lord of the Rings fan.
Similar to many old-school MMORPGs, LOTRO also featured tab-targeting and it is fairly well-implemented. The free-to-play experience is decent and you can experience a fair bit of content without spending a dime.
Revelation Online
Revelation Online is a game that might not make it to everyone’s favorite MMORPG list but it still has its merits. The game did have its charm upon release and players were very excited about the combat system.
With classes like the Gunslinger requiring precise ability usage, tab-targeting simply made sense for the game. The combat can be fun and the beginner experience isn’t too shabby. It is worth giving it a try for the combat alone and with the admission price of “free”, feel free to download it and see if you like the flow of things.
Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 is known for its large-scale battles, and it is one of the most fun MMOs I have ever played. Tab-targeting in Guild Wars 2 is a bit different as the developers have implemented a hybrid approach towards combat. I personally prefer the Action Camera mode but you do have a Target Closest Enemy option to help you lock onto enemies and take them out.
The game has tons of content that you can try out for free and we recommend giving the core game a try. It is one of those few games that feel rewarding even if you have very little time in your day to commit to an MMO, and coming back to it is always fun. We have an in-depth look at whether Guild Wars 2 is worth your time if you want to know more about how new-player-friendly the game is.
RuneScape
Okay, this one might be a little confusing. RuneScape did not launch with tab-targeting, but the developers added a new Forward/Backward cycle targeting specifically for mobile users a few years ago. You will find it when you go to the Settings menu of the game and play around with the Targeting Mode option.
The feature that was originally introduced for mobile was also added to the PC version of the game. You can cycle targets fairly easily using the targeting system. And there is also a targeting hotkey that you can assign but the funny thing is you cannot actually use your TAB key for it. It might be cheating to put RuneScape on this list but at least it’s worth mentioning.
Unfortunately, there are quite a few tab-targeting MMORPGs that have shut down like Warhammer Online and WildStar. Most modern MMORPGs are action-combat-oriented games. It is unlikely that tab-targeting games will go away, but newer generations of players might favor action combat more. Each combat style has its advantages and it is ultimately up to the player to decide what they prefer.
What are your favorite tab-targeting MMOs? Let us know.
