Guide Note

MMORPG stands for massively multiplayer online role playing game. An MMORPG is a type of video game hosted on the Internet that allows thousands of people to play in a virtual world at the same time. Users can chat, battle against each other (PvP), and interact to achieve common goals. Once thought of as an environment for hard-core gamers only, MMORPGs now exist for almost every age group.

Fast Facts

1. Primary goal: Developing a character
2. 1996: Meridian 59 is first MMORPG
3. Most popular MMORPG: World of Warcraft

The precursor to MMORPGs were MUDs, short for "Multi-User Dungeons", which began in 1978. These were text-based games that allowed many users to simultaneously play, interact, and create pieces of their online environment. Graphical user environments came into being in the 1980s, but they were all on proprietary networks. In 1996, 3DO brought the first MMORPG, called Meridian 59, to the Internet. With a limit of 250 users at any time, it was not "massive" by today's standards, but was the largest game of its kind to date. The first successful MMORPG was Ultima Online, a fantasy game based on the Ultima series of role playing games.

1. World of Warcraft
2. Habbo Hotel
3. RuneScape
4. Club Penguin
5. Webkins
6. Guild Wars
7. City of Heroes
8. Neopets
9. Second Life
10. Warrior Epic