MMO games, or simply MMOs, make up the most popular genre of the modern era.
Learn what an MMO is, how they work, and what it’s crucial that you play them.
What Is an MMO Game?
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As the name suggests, MMO games are not designed to be played alone.
While it’s possible to play some such games offline, MMOs encourage cooperation and competition between players.
There are sports, racing, and fighting themed MMOs.
Microsoft
The History of MMO Games
Before MMOs, there were MUDs, or multi-user dungeons.
During the 1970s, these primitive, multiplayer, text-based games ran on early internet servers.
AnMMORPGis a massively multiplayer online role-playing game.
Microsoft
Of course, most MMOs include several of these features, which all derive from MUDs.
The MMO genre was exclusive to computer gaming until the mid-2000s, when consoles began to include Wi-Fi capabilities.
Players connect to the server nearest to them so that they can interact with other gamers in real time.
Jagex
Even when the player turns the game off, the game keeps running indefinitely.
Therefore, MMOs never “end,” although some feature story modes that can be completed.
Most MMOs also feature virtual economies in which players exchange in-game currency for items.
It’s often possible to exchange real-world money for virtual money.
Players can also usually trade items with each other.
MMOs are similar to multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs), which include games likeLeague of LegendsandDoTA2.
The major difference is that MOBAs lack a persistent world.
