Massively Multiplayer Online Game
Game genre theme
Multiplayer games that are capable of supporting hundreds or thousands players simultaneously.
715
games
24platforms
Alternate names: MMO, MMOG, Persistent Online Game

WIN 2014-09-16

WIN 2007-11-20

WIN 2005-09

WWW 2008-06

WIN 1997-09-01

WIN 2003-05-19

WIN 2003

WIN 2013-10-23

WIN 2017-04-13

WIN 2007-01-16

WIN 2003

WIN 2004
Editor/usage note: In recent years (2012 onward, possibly even earlier), MMO has become a term used to refer to simply multiplayer games, thus its usage is often very misleading and vague.
The term "massively multiplayer online role-playing game" (MMORPG) was coined by Richard Garriott of Ultima fame. This style of game was formally called "graphical MUDs".
Mandatory traits:
* Persistent world - world continues to operate even when the player disconnects and is there when they reconnect the next day, changes made by the players are somewhat permanent.
* Hundreds of concurrent players on same server/shard where they can interact with each other. - not when they're separated into instances of 4-32 players each, even if on same server.
If either of the above is missing, then it's not an MMO.
Traits that indicate it is NOT an MMO: (not exclusive as MMOs may have extra modes where these are present, but they're really good indicators)
* Player lobby
* Matchmaking
* Persistent world - world continues to operate even when the player disconnects and is there when they reconnect the next day, changes made by the players are somewhat permanent.
* Hundreds of concurrent players on same server/shard where they can interact with each other. - not when they're separated into instances of 4-32 players each, even if on same server.
If either of the above is missing, then it's not an MMO.
Traits that indicate it is NOT an MMO: (not exclusive as MMOs may have extra modes where these are present, but they're really good indicators)
* Player lobby
* Matchmaking
The first Massively Multiplayer Online Game video game was released in 1987.
Sony Online Entertainment, Square Enix and Electronic Arts published most of these games.
Parent groups
Child groups
Platforms
By year
A | 1986 - First graphical MMO |