MMO games
MMO or Massively Multiplayer Online genre games as the name suggests have a virtual map or an entire world fitting thousand or in some instances even millions of players in real-time space. Most MMOs have RPG or Role-Playing Game elements mixed in, thus creating a hybrid genre MMORPG.
Typically, games of this genre have either persistent or instance-based world wherein players interact with one another in real-time. Players in such games can create their distinct avatar, level it up, accomplish quests, join forces in guilds, fight various bosses as well as fight one another whenever an inner conflict within a game realm rises.
Xbox Live
Mog Station
Nowadays most modern games can be played online, however, only this particular genre offers a significantly broader experience, as it can bring in so many players simultaneously. Like in RPGs, in most MMOs camera angle is not fixed so a character can be seen from first- and third-person view, as well as directly from above. The definition of massively multiplayer online game is constantly expanding and hybrid genres like MMORPG and MOBA are brought into the market. Some key identifying features of the genre:
- Thousands of players constantly online.
- A stable internet connection.
- Either paid accounts or in-game purchases available.
- Ability to execute hundreds of activities to boost up your character.
- Forum based in-game chat.
Often these games (for example WoW, Guild Wars, Final Fantasy XIV) have common characteristics like raids, instances, or even a virtual economy. Such an economy is often player-driven, which means it can be manipulated to gain financial advantages. Things may sometimes seem tricky because all MMORPGs are MMOs, but not vice-versa. The key defining feature is that MMO can be set in a real life-like setting, whereas massively multiplayer online role-playing games are usually set in the fictional, fantasy-based setting.