Massively Overthinking: What will be your three most played MMOs in 2025?

    
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So here we are at the top of another year, looking ahead at what we think we’re going to play. Consider this week’s Massively Overthinking a personal predictions, a follow-up to the Overthinking we just did on the three MMOs we played the most last year. This isn’t about anticipating so much as knowing yourself: What three MMOs are you actually likely to sink a lot of time into this year? What will be your three most played MMOs in 2025? Bonus points at the end of the year if you actually get it right!

Andy McAdams: Who knows? I’m back in WoW trying out The War Within because of the housing teaser. It got me more excited than it probably should. Other than this (however long it lasts), Guild Wars 2, and… I dunno. We really need some fresh faces around these parts.

Brianna Royce (@nbrianna.bsky.social, blog): I’m going to be realistic here; I don’t think there are any big MMORPGs coming out in 2025 that I will be sinking a ton of time into, which means I’m expecting to spend the bulk of my time in older MMOs. But I’m OK with that.

Guild Wars 2 – It’s a given that I’ll be spending time in Guild Wars 2 again, largely because I really like the expansion arc this time and feel as if I finally “get” the modern spin on the game after a long time just missing the old GW2. Any time there are more maps coming, you know I’ll be mapping again.

Lord of the Rings Online – While I played a lot of LOTRO last year, it wasn’t as much as I meant to play. I’m going to rectify that in 2025. In fact, my guildies have been making noise at having a go at it as a group again – even before the server change-up was announced, we were toying with it- and if that happens, it’ll rocket to the top of my list. I just need to get us all back on the same server again, and SSG is giving us the perfect opportunity to do it.

Star Wars Galaxies Legends – Finally, I’m adding SWGL back into my list here because it didn’t actually make my top three played last year, believe it or not. Other games just pushed it out. But I think I’m due for a renaissance. I’ve already been having fun in there again.

Can I have four? I’d like to get back into Project Gorgon this year. It owned me in 2023 and the very start of 2024, and I need another run! Aspirational, though.

Chris Neal (@wolfyseyes.bsky.social, blog): Monster Hunter Wilds. Like, seriously, that game is going to devour me, and not only am I going to let it, I’ll pour some high-quality barbecue sauce to make sure I’m more delicious.

But I suppose as far as “real” MMORPGs go, I’m pretty much a shoo-in to stay with Final Fantasy XIV, but I would like a third game to visit now and again to be part of that. Maybe Elder Scrolls Online since it’s been put very firmly in the foreground recently. I would like a sandbox to romp around in, but none of the ones out there has landed for me yet.

Colin Henry (@ChaosConstant): Guild Wars 2 will doubtless be on top. Janthir Wilds has thus far appealed to me much more than Secrets of the Obscure, and I’m loving some of my spear builds.

I have also been enjoying The Lord of the Rings Online’s Angmar server this year and really clicking with my Mariner, although I wouldn’t be surprised if that server’s population dies down after Isengard and I end up moving back to my “live” server characters on the new 64 bit servers.

The third slot is always a bit of a wildcard, but I have been eyeing Star Wars: The Old Republic for a return. I love Star Wars, and after several years away, I know there is a lot of content I haven’t seen yet.

Justin Olivetti (@Sypster, blog): The safest of safe bets, looking at my 2024 history, is a whole lot of LOTRO, WoW Retail, and WoW Classic. Although I’m perfectly open and willing to have other games woo me and sweep me off my feet, especially any new ones!

Sam Kash (@samkash@mastodon.social): I just don’t think I will return to any previously played MMO for a substantial amount of time this year – so my plan and expectation is to be in all new stuff.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Throne and Liberty will be in my top three played MMOs of the year. I truly do believe it. Now, that might simply end up being that I play it for a week and nothing else more than that, but I think it’ll be greater than that. Secondly, I’ll be in Myth of Empires. Not necessarily because it’ll be great it anything of that nature, but I absolutely must have a legit Persian abode. I refuse to quit until I have accomplished that much.

The last one will be tricky. I wanted to go with ArcheAge Chronicles, but it’s been delayed again, so it is unlikely to make it out this year. It’s a bit more of a wild card play, but when it does actually launch, I’ll be in there.

Tyler Edwards (blog): I imagine 2025 will look much like 2024: a mix of New World and World of Warcraft with occasional brief forays into The Secret World classic.

Every week, join the Massively OP staff for Massively Overthinking column, a multi-writer roundtable in which we discuss the MMO industry topics du jour – and then invite you to join the fray in the comments. Overthinking it is literally the whole point. Your turn!
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