This is a selected list of massively multiplayer online games which are free to play in some form without ever requiring a subscription or other payment. These are commonly MMORPGs or MMOFPSs, but could be of any genre.
Free play[]
These MMOGs run on a non-profit basis, requiring no payment from the players.
Developer(s) | Release date | Required OS | Genre | Payment | Synopsis | Type | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Crossfire | n/a | 1992 | Multi-platform, including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and others. | Medieval fantasy MMORPG | Free to play, open source project | A cross between NetHack and Gauntlet. | 2D |
Gekkeiju Online | Created by Suvi Aalto Produced by Coolhouse | 2003 | Windows | Medieval fantasy MMORPG | Free to play | Players control an anime like character in a medieval fantasy world. Hard-to-seen features such as weather which affects gameplay. | 3D |
IVAO | Erwin Lion and Morten Hansen | December 16, 1998 | n/a | Flight simulation | Free to play | Uses existing flight simulation software with custom plug-ins, players may interact with the network as either pilots or air traffic controllers. | |
PlaneShift | Atomic Blue | February 10, 2002 | Windows, Mac OS X, Linux | Medieval fantasy MMORPG | Free play | The player starts out as a peasant in search for fame and becomes a hero. Roleplaying is enforced. | 3D |
SubSpace | Virgin Interactive/Fan-Community | November 30, 1997 | Windows | Action | Free to play | Players fly, fight, and play a variety of games with spaceships. | 2D |
Urban Dead | Kevan Davis | July, 2005 | Browser-based | Survival horror | Free to play | Play as a human or a zombie trying to survive in the undead-infested city of Malton. | Web |
Underlight | Lyra Studios | December 24, 2008 | Windows | Free play, public beta | 3D | ||
VATSIM | n/a | July, 2001 (replacing SATCO) | n/a | Flight simulation | Free to play | Uses existing flight simulation software with custom plug-ins, players may interact with the network as either pilots or air traffic controllers. |
Free play with advertising[]
These MMOGs are free to play. They are funded through advertising, either in-game or through pop-ups.
Developer(s) | Release date | Required OS | Genre | Payment | Synopsis | Type | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anarchy Online | Funcom | June, 2001 | Windows | MMORPG, Science-fiction | Normally subscription based, currently in free-play until Jan 2009 (where it may be extended again) but with advertisements | Two factions fight for control of the distant desert planet Rubi-Ka. | 3D |
Cal Ripken's Real Baseball | Netamin | 2004 | Windows | MMOSG, Sports, Baseball | Free, advertisements as billboards in stadiums. | Home and away teams try to pitch and outhit each other to win. | 3D |
Jennifer Government: NationStates | Max Barry | 2002 | Browser-based | Government simulation game | Advertising in the form of ad-bars the novel Jennifer Government. | Players build nations and run them according to their political ideals. | Web |
Shadowbane | Ubisoft | 2003 | Windows, Mac OS | Medieval fantasy MMORPG | Advertising when players exit the game or their characters die. | Player can do PvP matches, create a guild, and build a city to make an empire. | 3D |
Utopia | Mehul Patel | 1999 | Browser-based | Medieval fantasy strategy | Free play with advertisements on top and right side of browser. | Web |
Free play with micro-transactions[]
These MMOGs are free to play, but players may optionally purchase in-game items or currency with real money.
Developer(s) | Release date | Required OS | Genre | Payment | Synopsis | Type | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2Moons | GameHi | 2007 | Windows | MMORPG | Free-play, with Acclaim Coins purchases and in-game advertisement | ||
9Dragons | GameHi | 2007 | Windows | MMORPG | Free-play, with Acclaim Coins purchases and in-game advertisement | Player characters learn martial arts to survive in the harsh lands of China. | |
Angels Online | UserJoy Technology | 2006 | Windows, Playstation 3 | Medieval fantasy MMORPG | Free to play, optional item shop purchases | Players control an anime like character in a medieval fantasy world. | 2D |
ArchLord | NHN Corporation | October 3, 2006 | Windows | Medieval fantasy MMORPG | Free play, players may purchase in-game currency | ||
Ashen Empires | Iron Will Games | March 10, 2003 | Windows | Medieval fantasy MMORPG | Free play, but most parts of the game world have certain skills locked and experience points reduced unless a prepaid subscription is purchased. Expansion packs, items, and bonuses can also be purchased. | Players explore a world which includes various quests. Emphasis on trade system. | 2D |
Atlantica Online | NDOORS Interactive | October 30, 2008 | Windows | Fantasy MMORPG | Free to play with microtransactions. | Turn-based battles. Guild-controlled customizable cites. Certain features require guild membership. | 3D |
Audition Online | T3 Entertainment | 2005 | Windows | Casual game | Free to play, using a cash shop system that allows users to use real money to purchase in-game clothes, accessories, etc. to dress up their avatars. | Dance competition. Game style is similar to Stepmania and Dance Dance Revolution. | 3D |
Bang Howdy | Three Rings Design | December 1, 2006 | Windows, Mac OS, Linux | Wild west MMO | Free play with special items and privileges available for purchase with secondary in-game currency. Secondary currency may be traded between players for normal in-game currency, or purchased with real money; however, you cannot trade unless you have spent some real money. | A collection of wild-west themed games for 2-4 players. Guilds and guild competitions. | 3D |
BOTS | Acclaim | Windows | Robot fighting MMO | Free play with special items and privileges available for purchase with secondary in-game currency. Secondary currency may be traded between players for normal in-game currency, or purchased with real money. | 3D | ||
Cabal Online | ESTSoft | 2006 | Windows | Sci-fi MMORPG | Free to play with cash shop. | An MMORPG with a combo battle system. | 3D |
Combat Arms | Nexon | July 11, 2008 | Windows | First-person shooter | Free to play with non-permanent item purchases. | A military first-person shooter with character customization and weapon mods. | 3D |
Conquer Online | TQ Digital | 2003 | Windows | MMORPG | Free-play, with item purchases | Combat-focused play in mythical China. Players can earn fame and wealth. | 3D |
Cyber Nations | Kevin Beaks | January 6, 2006 | Browser-Based | Online Geopolitical Simulator | Free to play, with optional advertisements for bonus, and ability to donate for ingame cash and items. | Create and improve a nation. Focused on politics such as forging alliances. | Web |
DECO Online | Rocksoft | 2007 | Windows | MMORPG | Free-play, with item purchases | Combo based combat. Players can earn fame, enhance items, and change job. | 3D |
Drift City | NPLUTO | 2007 | Windows | Racing | Free to play with an item shop. | Players progress through a linear mission system with multiplayer races. | 3D |
EGO | Punch Entertainment, Inc. | September, 2008 | Browser based & mobile phones | Online Community, Casual Game, Virtual World | Players can purchase tokens which are used to buy items and clothing. Players also earn merits by playing various games which can also be used to purchase items and clothing. | Customize your super-avatar, meet people and play ego-specific games using your avatar. | 2D |
Entropia Universe | MindArk | January 30, 2003 | Windows | MMORPG, MMOFPS, Science-fiction | Virtual economy with in-game to real-life currency exchange | Massive virtual universe with a virtual economy. | 3D |
Eternal Lands | Open Source license | February, 2003 | Windows, Mac OS, Linux | MMORPG | Free to play with purchasable items on the homepage | A medieval fantasy genre MMOG with combat and trading. | 3D |
Exteel | NCsoft | December, 2007 | Windows | Third-person shooter | Free to play with in-game items and skills available for purchase | Customize and control giant mech. PvP and PvE. | 3D |
Fiesta Online | Ons On Soft | June, 2007 | Windows | Fantasy MMORPG | Free play with non-permanent item purchases | Explore fantasy environment with many quests. Players can [[PvP]. | 3D |
Forumwarz | Crotch Zombie Productions | February, 2008 | Browser based | Multiplayer browser game, Strategy | Free play with item purchases | RPG parodying internet culture | Web |
Gaia Online | - | February, 2003 | Forum-based | Fantasy, Online Community | Users may purchase special, month-specific items called Monthly Collectibles with real currency. | Constant update to Online Community with new items and contests. | Web |
Granado Espada | imc GAMES | 2007 | Windows | MMORPG | Free play with the ability to purchase gold for in-game items. | Control up to 3 characters at the same time. | 3D |
Gunbound | Softnyx | 2006 | Windows | Shooter, Action | Free to play with cash shop. | A turn-based game similar to Worms. | 2D |
Gunz: The Duel | MAIET Entertainment | Beta-2003 Official-2005 | Windows | Third-person shooter | Browser (Windows client available), free-play, no in-game advertisement, where players can buy "G coins" at a rate of 10 G coins=1 American Dollar | Player characters fight on different levels and kill each other to level up. | 3D |
Habbo | Sulake Ltd. | September, 2001 | Browser-based | Chat | Option to buy Credits which can be redeemed for 'furni' (items) and 'Habbo Club' subscription. | Customise your own character and create hotel rooms for you and other people to visit. | 2D |
Hattrick | Extralives | August, 1997 | Browser-based | Sports game | Optional "supporter service" and "mobile service" | Players manage simulated soccer teams to compete with others. | Web |
Kingdom of Loathing | Asymmetric Publications | February, 2003 | Browser-based | Comedy Fantasy MMORPG | Free to play with items available for purchase | Players follow a story to free King Ralph whilst interacting with others online. | Web |
Kart Rider | Nexon | 2007 | Windows | Racing | Free-play, with an item shop. | Racing game similar to Mario Kart. | 3D |
LaTale | Actoz Soft | September 18, 2008 | Windows | MMORPG | Free to play with items available for purchase. | Players take the role of adventurers in a mythological fantasy world. | 2D |
Lunia: Record of Lunia War | allm | February 18, 2008 | Windows | Action MMORPG | Free to play with cash shop | Action RPG with emphasis on combo, storytelling and PvP. | 3D |
Mabinogi | Nexon | June, 2004 | Windows | Fantasy | Free to play with special items and privileges available for purchase | Based on Welsh mythology, with an emphasis on life in fantasy world rather than hack and slash. | 3D |
MapleStory | Nexon | April 29, 2003 | Windows | Fantasy MMORPG | Free to play, with items and gameplay enhancements available for purchase on website | Action RPG elements, quests, party quests, and guild quests. | 2D |
Miniconomy | Trade Games International | January 1, 2001 | Browser-based | MMO Trade Game | Free to play, with additional options and gameplay enhancements available for purchase on website | Browser-based trading game where players all start equal, and have to sell to, and buy from, each other to become the richest within a given timeframe | Web |
Navy Field | SD Enternet | February 8, 2006 | Windows | MMORPG, Naval simulation | Free to play, with additional items and gameplay enhancements available for purchase on website | A naval combat MMOG set during World War II. | |
Nostale | Entwell | 2007 | Windows | Fantasy MMORPG | Free play with item purchases | Player starts as an adventurer to complete timestone missions and quests that follows with the game's story. | 2D |
PangYa | Ntreev Soft | Windows | Sports game | Free play with item purchases | Anime style, arcade golf game. | 3D | |
Perfect World | Beijing Perfect World | July, 2005 | Windows | MMORPG | Free play with item purchases | Players can fly game world based on Chinese mythology. | 3D |
PoxNora | Octopi, Inc. | August, 2006 | Windows | Real-time strategy, Fantasy | Free play with item purchases | ||
Puzzle Pirates | Three Rings Design | December 8, 2003 | Windows, Mac OS, Linux | Pirate-themed MMO based on puzzles. | Free play with special items and privileges available for purchase with secondary in-game currency. Secondary currency may be traded between players for normal in-game currency (eliminating any need to spend real money), or purchased with real money. | Players perform tasks as pirates by playing a number of puzzle-style mini games. | 2D |
Ragnarok Online | Gravity | 2003 | Windows | Fantasy MMORPG | Free to play server, Valkyrie. Optional paid servers. Has a cashshop. | Players choose from dozens of character classes to level. Endgame activities focus on acquiring better equipment, hunting boss monsters (MvPs), PvP, and large weekly guild vs. guild (War of Emperium) to capture castles. | 2D |
Rakion | softnyx | 2005 | Windows | Third-person shooter | Free play with in-game currency and improved status available for purchase. | A room based game. Players create rooms with different game types such as PvP or Team PvP. | |
Rappelz | nFlavor | 2006 | Windows | Fantasy | Free play with special items available for purchase | 3D | |
Regnum Online | NGD Studios | 2007 | Windows, Linux | Fantasy | Free play with premium item available for purchase | Players join a realm in a fight against 2 other realms. Other than PvP, players can capture forts and castles. | 3D |
Rising Force Online | Codemasters | 2006 | Windows | Sci-Fi, Fantasy | Free play with cash shop | Set in a distant planet where magic and technology co-exist, emphasizes a 3-way race vs. race vs. race PVP system | 3D |
ROSE Online | Triggersoft | 2005 | Windows | Fantasy MMORPG | Free play with item purchases | - | 3D |
Second Life | Linden Lab | 2003 | Windows, Mac OS X, Linux | Virtual world | Basic accounts are free, real world currency can be converted to in game currency. | Freeform with in-game build system. Players can sell their own virtual creations. | 3D |
Secret of the Solstice | DNC Entertainment | 2008 | Windows | Fantasy | Free play with non-permanent item purchases | Set in the world of Xen, players complete quests and customize characters using branching job trees. | 3D |
Shaiya | Sonovaslag Entertainment | Unavailable | Windows | Medieval fantasy MMORPG | Free to play, with premium items available to purchase. | Medieval combat and trading with PvP-centric gameplay. | 3D |
Shot Online | OnNet Co. Ltd. | 2004 | Windows | Sports | Free to play with cash shop. | A sports MMO that is revolved around the sport of golf. | 3D |
Silkroad Online | Joymax Co., Ltd | Windows | MMORPG | Free to play with cash shop. | A fantasy MMORPG set in the 7th century AD. | 3D | |
Starport: Galactic Empires | Playtechtonics | 2003 | Windows | Sci-Fi, Action | Free to play with an in-game shop | A strategic action space combat, trading and colonization game. | 2D |
Tales of Pirates | MOLI | Windows | Piracy | Free to play with item purchases | 3D | ||
There | There inc | 2003 | Windows | Virtual world | Basic accounts are free, Premium Membership is One-Time fee of $9.95 (Lifetime). real world currency can be converted to in game currency. | Freeform play / chat. Players can sell their own virtual creations. | 3D |
Travian | Travian Games GmbH | Browser-based | Historical strategy | Additional game tools are available for a fee. | Players interact in a virtual world set roughly in Classical antiquity at the time of the Roman Empire. | Web | |
Trickster Online | Ntreev Soft | April 2003 (Korea) | Windows | Fantasy MMORPG | Free to play, with items available for purchase | 2D | |
Voyage Century Online | Snail Game | December 22, 2006 | Windows | Historical nautical | Free play with items available for purchase | Set in the 17th century and features accurate historical representations of several coastal cities. | 3D |
Yulgang | IGG | 2005 | Windows | MMORPG | Free play with items available for purchase | Based on a Korean comic of the same name. | |
zOMG! | Gaia Online | 2008 | Windows, Mac OS, Linux | Virtual world MMORPG | Free play with items available for purchase | Anime-based with links to Gaia Online world. | Layered 2D |
Optional paid subscriptions[]
These MMOGs offer optional additional game content through paid subscription, but are otherwise free to play.
Developer(s) | Release date | Required OS | Genre | Payment | Synopsis | Type | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Club Penguin | Disney and Rocketsnail Games | August 28, 2005 | Internet | Chat | Free or premium (paid) accounts available, premium accounts allow purchasing items and customization for the avatar and the avatar's living quarters. | Players play mini games to earn coins to spend on things for their character or house | 2D |
Dofus | Ankama Games | September 2004 | Windows, Mac OS, Linux | Medieval fantasy MMORPG | Extra features available to subscribers | 2D | |
Dungeon Runners | NCSoft | 2007 | Windows | Fantasy MMORPG | Free to play, with an optional monthly subscription for extra content | Satirical Roguelike multiplayer RPG with randomly-generated, instanced dungeons. | 3D |
Furcadia | Dragon's Eye Productions | December 16, 1996 | Windows, Third party Mac support | 2D Isometric Chat and Socializing online game. | Free-play available but payment options such as purchasing "Digos". Digos include premium avatars, in-game wings of several types, and other cusomizable features. Players may purchase 'Silver Sponsorships', which provide a number of game-enhancing abilities and features | Community-centric chat and Fantasy Role-Play based Anthropomorphic game with user-created content. | 2D |
Horseland | Horseland LLC | 1998 | Internet | Chat | Free to play. Option to pay to own your own stables and other privileges. | An online community where you can raise horses and dogs. | |
Knight Online | MGame Corporation | 2004 | Windows | Medieval war | Some servers are free to play | 3D | |
OGame | Gameforge Productions | October 15, 2007 | Browser-based | Science-fiction strategy | The free-to-play version is advertising-based. Paid subscriptions and premium benefits are also available. | Build and maintain a galactic empire. | Web |
Pirates of the Caribbean Online | Disney | October 31 2007 | Windows, Mac OS | Piracy | Can play free, though paying option offers numerous more upgrades and features. | Players create their own pirate, do quests, interact with others, follow a similar storyline from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. | 3D |
Puzzle Pirates | Three Rings Design | December 8, 2003 | Windows, Mac OS, Linux | Piracy | Some servers require a monthly subscription to play on, while others are free but require microtransactions for some items. (Note that even the monthly subscription servers can be paid for via microtransactions, without direct cash payment.) | Players perform tasks as pirates by playing a number of puzzle-style mini games. | |
Runescape | Jagex | 2001 | Java (applet) | Medieval fantasy, MMORPG | Free play or paid accounts available, paid accounts have access to more skills, areas, weapons, and quests. | The game is based around getting stats to 99 as well as completing quests. | 3D |
Rubies of Eventide | Mnemosyne, LLC | 2003 | Windows | Medieval fantasy | Free play or paid accounts available, with server priority given to the latter | Players can join different servers according to their playstyle: RP, PvP or normal play. | 3D |
Tibia | CipSoft GmbH | 1997 | Windows, Linux | Fantasy | Free to play with restricted content. Can upgrade to a "Premium Account" for full content. | Character development based on killing monsters and (optionally) doing quests and fighting other players. | 2D |
Toontown Online | Walt Disney Internet Group | June 2, 2003 | Windows | Cartoon | No longer free to play. You can purchase membership to unlock items, clothing, neighbourhoods, etc. | Disney's Toon Town Online is a 3D child-friendly environment where you play as cartoon characters in a battle against 'The Evil Cogs'. Complete Toontasks to earn weapon upgrades such as cakes and water squirters. | 3D |
Wurm Online | Mojang Specifications OneTooFree AB Sunsplash Creations | 2006 | Browser-based | Medieval fantasy MMORPG | Free or premium (paid) accounts available | Community-centric fantasy MMORPG that strives to emulate real life in a medieval fantasy setting. | 3D |
Free play in open or closed beta[]
These MMOGs are free to play. They are still in beta, or development, stage.
Developer(s) | Release date | Required OS | Genre | Synopsis | Type | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Battlefield Heroes | EA Digital Illusions CE | Windows | Third-person shooter | Features cartoon-stlyle graphics. The player will be able to rank up and unlock new abilities and guns. | 3D | |
Wyvern | Cabochon Technologies | 2001 | Windows, Mac OS X, Linux | Fantasy MMORPG | A Crossfire and NetHack inspired game where players take on the mantle of adventurer and battle monsters in their quest to be welcomed into the Hall of Fame. | 2D |
Zu Online | ONWIND Digital | 2008 (Open Beta) | Windows | Fantasy MMORPG | Based on a Chinese novel. Cartoonish, cell-shaded graphics. Features flight, pets, guilds, quests, PvP, PvE, and daily events. | 3D |
See also[]
- List of MMOGs
- List of MMORPGs
- List of multiplayer browser games
References[]
This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at List of free massively multiplayer online games. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with MUD Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License 3.0 (Unported) (CC-BY-SA). |