Steam’s annual Autumn Sale, essentially its Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sale, has returned to give deep discounts to a slew of games, which means plenty of us gamers are itching to get our hands on new titles.
Here at MMORPG, we love seeing players try a good variety of games, but there are some games that are just as good to just have as they are to constantly be playering. After all, MMORPGs are an evolving genre, as are the games in it, and it’s quite common to hop from one to the other, or to see how a game’s development is going along, whether it’s in Early Access or ten years after launch.
Most importantly, none of these games recommended below require a subscription, which means that once you wipe or blow off the figurative dust, it should hopefully be just as playable as when you got it (assuming the servers haven’t shut down).
These are some big multiplayer games that we think are important to have in your Library… you know, just in case.
Pax Dei — $29.99
Currently in Early Access, Pax Dei has been noted by both our staff and readers as a game to watch. Its release in June was noted as having a lot of potential, but it’s quite early in its journey. With a 25% discount or so, from $39.99 to $29.99, it may be a good pickup to have for later, when it’s far more fleshed out—but if you’re looking for a fresh survival and crafting game in a stunning setting, it’s not too bad right now. EDIT: This MAY require a subscription at full launch; but there's no full launch in the foreseeable future. Yet.
Guild Wars 2 Expansions — $7.49 to $19.99
Guild Wars 2 has persevered and continued to update as one of the best MMORPGs in the market, with a stunning fantasy world, solid story, and exciting gameplay. It’s technically free to play to a certain point, but for the Autumn Sale, its prior expansions are on sale, just in case you hit a wall on the free gameplay. While the current Janthir Wilds expansion isn’t discounted yet, as it only came out in August (and features its first raid in five years), the others are certainly a worthy consideration in the meantime.
Elder Scrolls Online (and full expansion collection) — $4.99 (or $19.79)
After over ten years, despite skepticism at launch, ESO has held up as one of the MMORPG greats, with eight expansions, including the latest, Gold Road, released earlier this year. With massive, beautiful worlds and tentpole Elder Scrolls skill system and quests, it’s definitely a must-have for anyone who’s a fan of the franchise. The eight expansions bundled together with the base game are a solid $19.79 right now, and since ESO is one of the biggest non-subscription MMORPGs with expansions that don’t need to be played in any particular order, you can take your time exploring the world of Tamriel.
[Elder Scrolls Online on Steam]
Fallout 76 — $9.99
The launch of Fallout 76 was much like its nuclear apocalypse: horrible all at once, and then slowly, it picked up intrigue in the aftermath. The result, also much like its population, is a shockingly lively ecosystem. Much like with its Zenimax-partnered online title ESO, Bethesda continues to update FO76 with new expansions—except all content updates are free for all players, giving its player base new reasons to return to the Wasteland again and again. At its current price point, if you were wondering whether you should dip your toes in the ashy sands, this might be a good time.
Elite Dangerous (and Odyssey) — $5.99 (and $9.74, or $9.99 for both)
The science fiction space simulation and action MMO game looks way more “dated” than it is. In fact, over the years and through its paid expansion, Elite Dangerous has seen a lot more love on a regular basis than a lot of the present MMORPG greats, with in-world news and battles evolving on a near-weekly basis. Plus, it’s beloved for its mix of on-land combat and spaceship action, as well as a fully-functioning economy, so every player’s presence can be felt. It’s a lot for only $9.99 (for the base + DLC).
Black Desert — $0.99
Ah, the classic Black Desert dirt-cheap sale has returned. Have you not picked it up yet, after the fifty other times it went this low? It’s most known now for its stellar action gameplay, letting players pick a variety of classes that fit their style, and it still sees occasional updates that add new classes to try. If nothing else, it’s a good 99-cent character creator that was the talk of the town at launch.
Nightingale — $17.99
So this isn’t technically an MMORPG, but Nightingale, much like its survival action game predecessors and relatives, is trying to get close to that mouthfeel. About a month ago or so, the team pointed back to its MMORPG roots and declared it was trying to bring back its major multiplayer hub—and we do cover it because it’s a notable game with in-depth multiplayer capacity. It had a very rocky start early in its Early Access run, but with constant updates and additions, its “Recent Reviews” put it at Very Positive; with it 40% off right now at $17.99, hopefully you can have it for if and when it gets even better.
Ark: Survival Evolved — $14.99
Hey, half of your random Steam friends from other games are playing Ark: Survival Evolved, so why not have the option, if you don’t already? Just that factor alone makes it the ultimate game to hoard and tell your friends you have, but maybe you’ll download it later. The 2017 multiplayer dinosaur action survival game has held up well, even if it’s one of the more difficult games to learn and tame. Plus, it still sees a new update with new content here and there. It’s certainly good to keep just in case your Steam sale trigger finger needs to pull at something. The Genesis Season Pass isn’t on sale, but the rest of the maps are generally free.
[Ark: Survival Evolved on Steam]
What are some other games on sale to tuck away into your Steam Library? Let us know!
