MMORPGs Are About to Change and It's Because of This Emerging Technology (Opinion)

Over the past few years, I've prophesied that AI is set to revolutionize the MMORPG genre, and in many ways, it already has. Yet, this article isn't about AI. In fact, the emerging technology I'm about to discuss supersedes AI because it's not just adding to the games we play but fundamentally altering how we play them entirely. This technological shift promises novel gameplay experiences but could also further distance us from the traditional MMORPGs we've cherished for decades.

Several years ago, companies placed big bets on Virtual Reality (VR). As someone who has spent ample time exploring VR, I recognize its novelty, yet I also understand its limitations with current hardware. VR, while immersive, struggles with cumbersome setups, restrictive hardware, and limited sessions where comfort can directly impact enjoyment. Let's not even dive into the MMOs that have already come and gone with Zenith and OrbusVR, two distinctly prominent titles that just never found their footing. Or hardware like Apples VisionPro that hit the HMD scene with a bang only to falter, with rumors indicating they may halt production altogether. 

Interestingly, the most significant fundamental shift in gaming thus far wasn't VR, despite so many betting big on that medium. Instead, it was the smartphone revolution initiated by Apple's iPhone launch in 2007, and subsequently the Android operating system in 2008.

Initially dismissed by us MMORPG purists, smartphones have now undeniably transformed the gaming landscape for a multitude of games. Today, mobile MMOs saturate the market, and despite a deluge of forgettable titles in app stores (over 243,000 games and counting), standout hits like Albion Online and the recently launched Once Human illustrate the immense potential and profitability of mobile gaming. In fact, some of these games may not have survived had they stuck with their PC only ambitions.

During my conversation three years ago with Metaverse visionary and Playable Worlds CEO Raph Koster, he admitted many futurist predictions couldn't have predicted the smartphones' impact. Now, generations of gamers grow up gripping smartphones instead of controllers, with some people never having to have used a PC at all. 

We're now standing at another significant technological frontier with augmented reality (AR) glasses. I'm not referring to today's clunky, tethered headsets that barely manage basic functionality amidst a multitude of awkward peripherals. Instead, I'm highlighting the next generation of Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs)—sleek, glasses-like devices capable of displaying real-time information, analyzing your surroundings, and translating speech and text instantly. Industry giants like Meta and Apple are fiercely competing to get a consumer ready device to market, suggesting flagship AR glasses may soon be commercially available, potentially by year's end.

While we won't see a groundbreaking Smart Glasses MMORPG launch in 2025, the foundation is already in place. Smartphone-based AR games from companies like Niantic demonstrate the concept's viability by seamlessly blending virtual elements into our everyday environments. These games are precursors, waiting for advanced hardware to fully realize their potential. But what makes these HMDs so appealing is that we would no longer have to choose between a new AR game or our old standard. In-vision displays the size of an entire wall can park itself right in your line of sight, anywhere, anytime, with your favorite MMORPG at your fingertips. This is a fundamental shift in not only what we play but it gives us an abundance of alternatives to how we play.

Unlike VR's cumbersome immersion, AR glasses offer natural integration into daily life. Personally, even with my limited-use Meta Glasses, I've found enormous utility in capturing videos, accessing information instantly, and seamlessly integrating digital interaction into my real-world activities without needing to reach for my phone.

The imminent arrival of advanced models like Meta's Hypernova will further drive adoption. As wearable devices improve in functionality and decrease in price, we can expect a shift away from smartphones toward fully wearable communication technologies. Gaming, always quick to leverage new platforms, won't lag far behind, with some developers already building AR-specific MMOs.

This vision might feel futuristic, but it's closer than most realize. Early adopters might initially balk at premium pricing for cutting-edge devices, but as costs inevitably decrease and consumer adoption accelerates, we'll step into a new era of gaming we never anticipated and likely find outselved melding MMORPGs with our daily activities. Will it become the virtual worlds we always wanted? Maybe not, but it will certainly give us plenty of entertainment either way. 

How do you feel about AR MMOs? If a shift to head mounted devices becomes more common place, would you want to see more MMOs built for a mixed reality world?