Looking to sink hundreds of hours into a deep multiplayer RPG? If so, our list of the best free MMORPG games will give you plenty of recommendations for titles to try out. From high-fantasy brawlers to tactical sci-fi simulators, our picks run the entire gamut of MMOs on the market. Even better, none of them will cost you a penny to play, so you can try as many as you like to decide which one you'll stick with.
In this list, we'll run through the best free MMORPGs that you can download right now. Whether it's intense combat-focused MMOs or tactical world-builders you're after, we're certain you'll spot something that takes your interest. They're all still immensely popular to this day, so you'll never struggle to find others to play with.
The Best Free MMORPG Games
- Drakensang
- Dark Orbit
- Neverwinter
- Star Trek Online
- Entropia Universe
- Conqueror's Blade
- Crowfall
- Eve Online
- Lost Ark
- DC Universe Online
Drakensang
First on our list is Drakensang, an MMO that launched way back in 2011 but is still going strong. Set in the fantasy world of Dracania, you create a character from one of four classes, each having its own combat speciality. You can focus on magic or hand-to-hand combat, letting you progress through the extensive skill tree by picking perks suited to your approach.
In terms of gameplay, Drakensang is an isometric RPG that has been favourably compared to the Diablo series in the past. You'll run through dungeons sprawling with enemies, either solo or with other players in a team. Even better, you can have four different user-generated characters on the go in your save, so if a mission requires an archer, for example, you can swap out very easily. It's an approachable and comfortably familiar MMO for those used to fantasy dungeon-crawlers, making Drakensang worth a try.
Dark Orbit
Dark Orbit is the longest-running game on this list, having launched way back in 2006 and still going strong to this day. An isometric sci-fi shooter, you control and customise your very own starship in sprawling PvP and PvE battles, making your mark on the intergalactic battlefield. Better yet, you can play it in your browser without a download, which makes things very easy for newcomers.
As a game that's been around for over 15 years, you won't be surprised to learn that Dark Orbit has an incredible amount of content on offer. You can join clans with friends, letting you dive into their fights mid-battle, providing a crucial boost if things are getting difficult. Alongside plenty of special events such as the football-inspired Spaceball mode and an annual Birthdaygate celebration, it's never too late to try your hand at high-stakes intergalactic combat in Dark Orbit.
Neverwinter
Neverwinter is slightly different from the other games on our list because it's primarily found on consoles. As a spin-off from Dungeons & Dragons, it already has a very impressive playerbase, and its availability on consoles makes that even more substantial. You play as one of eight D&D classes, combining magical attacks and spells to defeat AI enemies in massive dungeons.
Unlike some of the other free MMORPG games on this list, Neverwinter focuses a lot more on its story. That narrative seems to be at an end now, as the most recent addition arrived back in 2019. As such, if you and a group of friends dive into Neverwinter now, you can experience the full story on top of enjoying some tricky action. D&D fans looking to jump into a video game will find plenty to love in Neverwinter, bridging the gap between table-top campaigns.
Star Trek Online
Next is Star Trek Online, an MMO available on PC and modern consoles. You play as the captain of your very own starship and crew, recruiting new members and diving into missions on new planets and in space. Yes, you can not only develop and customise your own ship to use in space battles and traversal but also warp onto the surface of planets to partake in third-person action sequences.
What may entice players to Star Trek Online is the fact that the different campaigns tie directly into the expansive canon of the TV shows and movies. Set several decades after the Nemesis film and the J.J. Abrams trilogy, it shows a new side of the galaxy gradually rebuilding after conflict - and you can be a major part of that. Duelling alongside friends and forming your own fleet of interplanetary starships is not to be missed.
Entropia Universe
Entropia Universe is very different to the other games on this list, functioning more as a city-builder crossed with an MMO than a combat-focused title. In a futuristic setting, your job is not only to survive but to build up your own fleet of equipment, weapons, and skills. The key here is that each item in Entropia Universe costs real money to purchase, meaning it has a more evolved and expansive in-game economy than most other games on the market.
That may put some players off, but it means that the current playerbase is quite dedicated to the game. It's constantly updated by the developer Mindark as well, with new graphics and HUD settings incoming to give the title a next-gen sheen. It won't be for everyone due to its focus on microtransactions, but Entropia Universe goes much deeper than your average MMORPG.
Conqueror's Blade
Conqueror's Blade keeps up with the fantasy setting and magical focus of Drakensang but hones in more on the strategic side of big-scale military battles. It's a turn-based military sim crossed with an MMO, as you battle alongside other commanders to move units, decide the best attacks, and try to overwhelm enemies in huge skirmishes. There are twelve individual classes available in each army, so striking the right balance of each one - and knowing when to use them - is all part of the fun.
There are five game modes in Conqueror's Blade, ranging from regular standard battles, which are more streamlined, to Territory Wars, where you team up with other players' forces in guilds to battle together. For the more competitive-minded players, there's a Ranked mode as well to test your military nous against other players worldwide. If you've ever wanted to live out your medieval war fantasies, Conqueror's Blade will do the trick.
Crowfall
Crowfall is similar in visual design to Conqueror's Blade, but totally different when it comes to gameplay. This third-person action RPG is a lot more involved when it comes to combat, as you battle in real-time against fantasy enemies and murky threats. What makes it so exciting is that each world in Crowfall is procedurally generated, so you're always bound to have a fresh experience each time you enter a new world.
There's plenty of content in here too, with five campaigns each having its own trajectory, choices, and narrative. What makes Crowfall stand out, however, is how each world ages and decays over time. Just like real life, worlds go through the four seasons, with each campaign starting in spring and ending in a murky winter. When winter ends, the world dies and you start in a new biome - meaning the adventure always continues, even once your world withers away.
Eve Online
Next is Eve Online, renowned as one of the most expansive sci-fi MMORPGs on the market. It's best known for just how dedicated its players are, holding records for the longest-running and largest PvP battles in all of gaming. You can choose to be any of a range of professions, from an intergalactic smuggler to a soldier, teaming up with hundreds of other players to complete missions and organise in-depth attacks.
The game has such an extensive group of players, who pour their all into developing their spaceships and harnessing the in-game economy for their benefit. Some of the game's ships are worth thousands of real-life dollars, and groups of opportunist players have previously hijacked the economy through bear raids. If it sounds more complex than anything you've seen in a game before, then that's maybe because it is.
Lost Ark
For a more traditional MMO, you can't go wrong with Lost Ark. The second release from Amazon Studios, Lost Ark follows a familiar structure and design, making it far easier to dive into than some of the more complicated games on this list. The gameplay focus is firmly on PvE dungeon-crawling, so you can team up with friends to form a clan that covers all bases. That combat will also feel familiar to hardened MMO players with a mix of melee and magic abilities to master.
Due to its high-profile association with Amazon, Lost Ark is pretty much guaranteed support for the foreseeable future. From Prime Gaming loot drops to regular new classes and content, it's a game that's only going to grow as time ticks by. Given how it simplifies the MMORPG formula, Lost Ark could be the perfect antidote for those somewhat jaded by more demanding MMOs.
DC Universe Online
Last on our list for now is DC Universe Online, an MMO based on the comic series of the same name. As such, all your favourite heroes like Batman and Superman feature, though you don't exactly play as them. Instead, you play as a new superpowered hero or villain, totally customising their powers. As hinted at, you decide the moral trajectory of your character, determining whether to play as a benevolent hero or a maniacal villain.
Despite releasing in 2011, expansions for DC Universe Online are still coming thick and fast. There tends to be between two and three a year, with the most recent ones focusing on the development of the Legion of Doom and exploration of a multiverse. It features all the most iconic DC characters as quest givers and NPCs, making it a must-play if you love superheroes.
That's it for our look at the best free MMORPG games! With ten choices on offer, we're sure that you'll find a deep multiplayer hit in no time. While you're here, feel free to also check out our list of the best free strategy games if you're ready to give your brain a test.
On top of that, check out our list of the best free RPG games if you fancy a break from online play but still want an in-depth world to explore. We've also got the best free shooting games and the best free war games if you want to test your mettle on the battlefield.