We recently awarded our MMO of the year to Final Fantasy XIV, and for good reason. It’s been another banner year for Final Fantasy fans and their MMORPG, but it’s not the only MMO that had a solid 2017. Sure enough, there weren’t many great new games to play in 2017. But we’re taking a look at the games we played, in beta and fully launched, and picking our favorites.
In no particular order, here are our 10 Best MMOs of 2017. Note, not all of these are MMORPG’s, but rather prime examples of the changing landscape of persistent online games. Let’s get to it!
Warframe
Warframe, many would argue, is the best MMO that no one really talks about. Yet, 24 million plus have played it, and it’s amassed the kind of fanfare and following that few games ever do. Besides, no other game flat out lets you be a space ninja on this level. With 2017’s Plains of Eidolon expansion, Warframe and Digital Extremes set off on a brand new direction for one of the most ambitious projects in gaming.
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Destiny 2
Bungie keeps facing off against its share of hurdles (often created by itself), but there’s little denying that Destiny 2 has been largely well received by fans and press alike. Its arrival on PC was met with a lot of fanfare and hype, and while it’s hard trouble keeping that level of excitement going, if anyone can mount a comeback in 2018, it’s Bungie and Activision.
Fortnite and FN: Battle Royale
The next two games on our list are really one. Fortnite, the PVE co-op building and defending online RPG shooter, and Fortnite: Battle Royale, the 100-player free for all PVP experience, are two sides of the same coin. And just like the next game on our list, Fortnite has risen to become the game on PC, consoles, and streams all over the globe. Like it or not, the Battle Royale game mode seems to be this year’s MMO/MOBA/Team Shooter.
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PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Does this one need an introduction? Born from a mode originally made to be played in then SOE’s H1Z1, Bluehole Studio’s PUBG is arguably the most influential game of the last several years. Its meteoric rise to success is unrivaled, and the Battle Royale game mode craze it started will likely show up in many games over the next 12-24 months and beyond.
Guild Wars 2
Now, we’re moving into more veteran games on our list, with Guild Wars 2’s Path of Fire giving ArenaNet’s flagship MMO one heck of a stellar 2017. Revitalized with a new direction, new map design, and new story, GW2 has never been better. Here’s hoping 2018 and the rest of the new season of Living World are just as good.
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Final Fantasy XIV
We’ve said it before, but FFXIV simply had a great 2017, and 2016... and 2015. You get the idea. Square Enix’s MMORPG is one of the best going right now, and it doesn’t show signs of slowing down. It’s a traditional take on the genre, with modern visuals, great story, and more content than most anyone will ever see. In short, it’s hard to beat.
Elder Scrolls Online
Morrowind made its return in 2017, and we saw Clockwork City realized for the first time since Tribunal. To say that ESO had a good year would be an understatement, crossing 10 million players to boot. 2018 shows no signs of the game slowing down with yet another chapter coming, and 3 more new DLC to enjoy. It’s good to be a Tamriel fan these days.
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Secret World Legends
Funcom took a big chance in 2017, not with Conan Exiles, which proved to be a bona fide hit, but with a revamp and re-release of The Secret World as Secret World Legends. Revamping the game proved to make it more fun, easier to pick up for newcomers, and it miraculously saw new life on Steam. Will it stick around and keep growing in 2018? We certainly hope so. The world can use more unique games like SWL, not less.
Path of Exile
The folks at Grinding Gear Games don’t know when to say enough... they just keep delivering expansions and content at a breakneck pace, launching the game on Xbox One, and making the entirety of the game bigger and better all the time. They’ve done for the ARPG what other larger companies could not. Just do me a favor, guys - bring POE to the Switch, soon?
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Black Desert Online
And finally, last but not least, Kakao and Pearl Abyss’ massive open world sandbox, Black Desert Online. While many may say it needs more PVE (dungeons, group content, etc), there’s no denying that BDO has continued to grow, get better, and expand. Will 2018 bring forth the content and features players are craving? That’s what we’ll be waiting to see.
So there you have it. Our best MMOs of 2017. What’d we miss?
