While everyone else is sipping eggnog and watching old Christmas movies for the millionth time (and no, Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie!), gamers around the world will be logging into their favorite MMO to slay all sorts of beasts and collect fantastic rewards. While some developers remain on the naughty list for another year, some of our favorite MMOs made the nice list by adding tons of new quests, challenges, and presents.
Although our list isn’t quite as long as Santa’s, we’re sure you’ll find plenty of cheer in your holiday gaming. And just in case your favorite MMO isn’t on our list, we’ll be checking throughout the next few weeks to make sure we add in any late announcements.
Aion Classic - Winter Holiday Celebration
Get a 100% drop chance for Irkala’s Illusion Weapons when winning the Empyrean Lord’s Agent Battle and a Winter Instance 100% drop boost through December 19th.
Aion Retail - Winter Holiday Festival
The Winter Holiday Festival Part 1 runs through December 19th. Any character level 80+ can complete in-game surveys to earn rewards, like a Daevanien Skill Selection Box, Warm Cookie Doll Mask, and the Warm Snowman Doll Mask (once per account). Also running through December 19th is Shugo Emperor’s Vault. Once per day, characters level 80+ can help defend Shugo Emperor’s Vault once per day to earn Rusted Vault Keys.
Albion Online - Yuletide Challenge
For the entire month of December, earn challenge points by completing open-world activities for daily bonuses, a weekly unlockable chest, and the Snow Husky mount and Avatar Ring.
Black Desert Online - Calpheon Ball 2023
This year’s Calpheon Ball will be held on December 15th at 10pm PST. The ball will be live-streamed on the official Black Desert Twitch and YouTube channels.
Champions Online - Winter Event
The Toymaker has hidden presents all around the Champions Universe. Gather Winter Charms and use them to purchase weekly rewards. There will also be a live-streamed costume contest on December 15th at 3:30pm PT.
Closers - Winter Present Camp
From December 13th through January 10th, you can enter the Winter Present Camp to earn a 24-hour Tree of Love Buff and enter the daily Winter Snowman Sabotage Operation. There will also be a Christmas Daily Accumulative Login Event December 23-25, and be sure to pick up your Christmas Pagage any time between December 23rd and December 27th.
DC Universe Online - Season’s Greedings 2023
Seasons Greedings is back for another year. Once again, Larfleeze has stolen all of the gifts in Gotham City and Metropolis, and it's up to you to get them back. Look for “Yuletide Fear (Villains) or “Winter Plunderland (Heroes) in your Mission Journal to get started. Up for grabs this holiday season are three new Feats: The Iceman Cometh, From the Land of Ice and Snow, and Eat the House and Home.
Destiny 2: The Dawning 2023
The Season of the Wish may be getting all the attention right now, but Destiny 2’s holiday event, The Dawning, is underway and available to everyone. Running from December 12th through January 2nd, this year’s event has a new ornament set, a new Dawning weapon to collect, and plenty of cookies to bake and snowballs to throw.
Diablo 4 - Midwinter Blight
Running from December 12th through January 2nd, Diablo 4’s Midwinter Blight gives anyone on the Seasonal Realm in World Tier 1 or above a chance to decorate the Midwinter Square and slay Blightfiends in the Fractured Peaks. Then trade in the Blighted Fragments, Lost Heirlooms, and other Blight resources at the Collections Table in Midwinter Square for a variety of rewards, such as a mount trophy, class-specific back trophies, weapon cosmetics, and more.
Dungeons & Dragons Online - Festivult
The Jester of the Festivult has arrived in Stormreach, and coin drops will remain in-game through January 7th. Collect the copper, silver, and gold coins from every treasure chest you open, then trade them into the Jester of the Festivult for some sweet goodies.
Elder Scrolls Online - New Life Festival
There hasn’t been any official announcement of the start date for this year’s New Life Festival, but it has started mid-December in prior years. You can also check out this NLF guide on ESO-Hub (3rd party site, not affiliated with ESO in any way) to get an idea of what to expect from the event. We will update this as soon as we get official word.
EVE Online - Winter Nexus
Running from December 5th through January 4th, the Winter Nexus kicks things off with daily login rewards. Yoiul Festival challenges can be found in Hi, Mid, and Lowsec sectors that are affected by icy storms. Complete the hacking, mining, and combat challenges to earn lucrative rewards and loot drops.
Everquest - Frostfell
Although the first stage of Frostfell is almost over (December 15th), the second stage will run from December 16th through December 30th. You’ll get a chance to help Santug Claugg with his lists and gifts. Then, from December 24th through December 26th, stage three is your chance to get your own gifts from Santug. Finally, stage four runs from December 31st through January 7th.
Everquest II - Frostfell
EQ 2 has its very own version of Frostfell that runs through January 9th. The Live servers have a new quest this year, A Scary Little Frostfell, while Santa Glug and all of the other holiday NPCs are ready to treat you to new items, as well as some they have brought out of retirement.
Fallout 76 - Holiday Scorched
Fallout 76’s holiday event hasn’t officially been announced, but we’ll let you know about any updates to the annual extravaganza as soon as we hear about them.
Final Fantasy XI - Starlight Celebration
The Starlight Festival returns to FFXI on December 15th. Gather presents, play mini-games, and enjoy the rest of the festive activities until the celebration ends on December 31st.
Final Fantasy XIV - Starlight Celebration
FFXIV seasonal events can be hit or miss, but Square Enix has announced that the Starlight Celebration will run from December 15-31. Any character level 15 or higher can talk to the Bearded Lady in Old Gridania to get started on the quest chain. Up for grabs this year is the Unorthodox Saint’s armor set and Illuminated Topiary Chocobo outdoor furnishing.
Fortnite - Winterfest
Although we’ve seen some leaked Winterfest rewards lists, we haven’t heard any official word on when Winterfest will begin.
Guild Wars 2 - Wintersday 2023
Wintersday is live in Guild Wars 2. Wintersday is always full of activities and rewards, and this year, all of the festivities begin in Divinity’s Reach. Join fellow Tyrians to help the Bell Choir Ensemble recreate GW2 songs, prepare gifts to give to the orphans of Divinity’s Reach in Donation Drive, and head to the track for Mount Racing, just to name a few of the activities that await.
Lord of the Rings Online - Yule Festival
Every Hobbit’s favorite festival is back and runs until January 3rd. With so many activities planned, I wonder how a Hobbit will find the time to eat. Yeah, right.
Lost Ark - Freja Island
A new continent has been added to Lost Ark, and with it comes a new holiday event. Freja Island is the home to the Naughty or Nice Maze, where you can earn some nice rewards. You can also earn tokens from Chaos Dungeons and Guardian Raids.
Neverwinter - The Winter Festival of Simril
Get ready for the Winter Festival of Simril, running from December 15 through January 4th. Kick things off with a nighttime sled race in Twilight Run, or take things a little slower with Ice Fishing to earn all four vanity pets. Once you are warmed up, ready your weapons and help save the citizens of Twilight Tor from The Monsters on Ice event to earn awesome rewards.
New World - Winter Convergence Festival
The Winter Convergence Festival has once again arrived in Aeternum. Running December 12th through January 9th, this year's festival has all-new rewards. To speed up your gift-gathering efforts, each gift pile will have four presents per player, and each gift sack will yield three presents. The open-world boss, Winter Warrior, is also back and ready to challenge groups of adventurers. And be sure to check out the new holiday rewards like the Swinging Snowball or pick up skins and emotes that you missed during last year’s event.
Old School Runescape - Christmas 2023
The 2023 Christmas event is live, so head over to Lumbridge and talk to Jack Frost to join in on the fun.
Palia - Winterlights Celebration
As if the Nintendo Switch release wasn’t enough of a Christmas gift, Palia added 10 new Winterlights decor items in its latest patch.
Pirate 101 and Wizaard 101- 12 Days of the Spiral
Running December 8-19, you can get a free gift each day of the event. And everyone gets a free membership throughout the event!
Planetside 2 - Auraximas
Pick up some great rewards for completing the Auraximas Directive Event, and enjoy two double XP weekends - December 22-25 and December 29 - January 2. Along with the ‘Knitted Scarf’ helmet and ice-themed ‘Cold Fusion’ NS-66 Punisher, you can pick up select previous bundles at 40% off.
Runes of Magic
Runes of Magic has a bag full of winter events planned this year, including free presents and XP boosts.
Runescape - A Very Merry Christmas
It looks like Runescape has revamped its Christmas event to bring a new experience to Gielinor, starting with a brand new seasonal hub - Christmas Village. You’ll find new activities to enjoy, including a new seasonal quest, It’s Snow Bother, a chance to get the new Black Partyhat, and much more.
Ryzom - Atysmas
Atysmas will run from December 18th through January 7th. Activities include an advent calendar, Atysmas Jigsaw Puzzles, and much more.
Star Citizen - Luminalia 293
Celebrate Luminalia through Star Citizen’s referral promo that offers rewards for the referrer and the new player. And from December 11th through the 22nd, all citizens will receive one gift per day. And, of course, it wouldn’t be Star Citizen if we didn’t mention that there are Starter Packs, Access Pass, and Holiday paint upgrade discounts.
Star Trek Online - Q’s Winter Wonderland
Q is back with wintery fun and games. Through January 4th, captains can enjoy the Fastest Game on Ice, Klingon Ice Fishing, Tides of Ice, The Fast and the Flurrious, Cones of Conduct, and The Kramp’lhri to earn credit each day, with the grand prize being a Tamarian Deep Space Cruiser (T6). There are plenty of other items available as well.
Star Wars: The Old Republic - Life Day
We wouldn’t want to break canon by calling it Christmas, so Life Day it will have to be. Life Day runs December 12th through January 9th, and is available to anyone level 10 or higher. Enjoy limited-time season missions, and throw snowballs to earn great rewards, both new and old.
Trove - Snowfest
Running through December 26th, Snowfest is full of snowball fights and plumed Chests full of great goodies.
Warframe - Tennobaum and Snowday Showdown
Help support the Shine Foundation by sharing gifts with other Tennos. In doing so, you will unlock rewards for the entire Warframe community and increase Digital Extermes’ donation to the Shine Foundation.
Throughout the month of December, you can also participate in the Snowday Showdown. Put away your weapons and pick up some snowballs for some friendly competition.
World of Tanks - Holiday Ops
During Holiday Ops, a festive village replaces your normal garage. Decorate your village, gather resources, and receive special gifts by raising your Festive Atmosphere Level.
World of Warships - Santa City
Work your way through 20 levels to earn special rewards, including two level 7 ships.
World of Warcraft - Feast of Winter Veil
Running from December 16th through January 2nd, Winter Veil is one of the oldest Christmas events you’ll find. With so many quests and rewards available, I will just refer you to WoWhead for all of the details.
