Revisiting the Golden Age – The Most Popular MMORPGs Before WoW

ByJames Dorn Last Update on

As a passionate MMORPG enthusiast and content creator, I often get asked – what were the most popular online RPGs before World of Warcraft dominated the scene?

As someone who lived through that period, allow me to take you on a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Join me as we revisit some monumental titles that paved the way and made online gaming what it is today.

Ultima Online – The Pioneer

Released in 1997, Ultima Online pioneered many mechanics and concepts that later became staples of the MMORPG genre as we know it. At its peak around 2003, UO boasted over 250,000 subscribers and was hailed as a truly genre-defining experience.

Ultima Online introduced many "firsts" – from a player-driven economy to open world PVP combat. It focused heavily on freedom and emergent gameplay. As a passionate old school gamer, I have fond memories of starting out in Britannia, joining guilds, going on adventures, and making lifelong friends.

EverQuest – Bringing MMORPGs Into the Mainstream

While Ultima Online created the foundation, 1999‘s EverQuest took the genre truly mainstream – even appearing on magazine covers as subscriptions rose over 450,000 by mid 2000.

EverQuest focused heavily on adventure, exploration and cooperation. Making progress often required groups and guilds to come together and take down challenging enemies like dragons or specific bosses. The game also featured cutting edge 3D visuals that were praised as "stunning" for the time.

With a thriving endgame, expansion releases and regular events, EverQuest set a new standard for maintaining a strong userbase. Game developers were paying attention – a young Blizzard executive called Rob Pardo even led an EverQuest guild before helping launch World of Warcraft.


EverQuest was often hailed as breathtaking especially for its era (source: http://narvii.com/)

Final Fantasy XI – Bringing An Iconic Franchise Online

In 2002, Square Enix surprised gamers by bringing its beloved franchise into the online world with Final Fantasy XI. It introduced many console gamers to MMORPGs for the first time and offered an immersive, storied Final Fantasy world packed with lore.

While perhaps more streamlined in terms of character roles and progression paths compared to Ultima Online and Everquest, FFXI offered stunning visuals and environments with engaging storylines woven throughout.

The game would become a massive success, retaining a strong subscriber base for almost a decade as it expanded with new events, jobs, and integrations with main-series Final Fantasy games.

Lineage – Dominating Asia

While the previous titles found success across North America and Europe, 1998‘s Lineage dominated the Asian market to the point it could not be ignored globally. Developed by NCSoft in South Korea (home to many pioneering MMO franchises) Lineage sparked a wave of gaming cafes as over 3 million users logged in across Asia by 2003.

Taking heavy inspiration from classic Asian mythology with a PVP focus and sprawling world that felt truly endless, Lineage pioneered many technical feats like dynamic castle sieges that could host over 1,000 simultaneous players duking it out. Playing Lineage felt like living legend – an immersive world with iconic player storylines much like EVE Online later achieved.

Even with WoW‘s Asian launch in 2005, Lineage continued thriving given its differentiation – a testament to the game‘s significance even through today with releases like Lineage W in Unreal Engine 4.


Lineage pioneered many technical feats and led Asia‘s early MMORPG dominance (Source: https://dotesports.com/)

RuneScape – Free Browser-Based Phenomenon

While the previous games all required subscriptions and dedicated gaming PCs, 2001 saw the rise of RuneScape – an accessible browser-based MMORPG with millions signing up to try this free magical realm by 2003.

RuneScape allowed almost anyone to jump in and start skilling, questing, and progressing without a premium barrier or significant technical requirements – leading it to become recognized by Guinness World Records as the world‘s largest free MMORPG.

The game offered a fantastical medieval low-fantasy world prioritizing freedom through open-ended gameplay and progression paths. As a long-time RuneScape member myself, the nostalgia I feel hearing those early melodies as I mine ores brings me right back to simpler times.

While RuneScape‘s graphics and depth perhaps fall shy of deeper experiences like EverQuest and Lineage, its accessibility and charm cemented its legacy through a dedicated long-term playerbase. Many consider Old School RuneScape a time capsule of the early 2000s MMO golden age.


RuneScape offered an accessible free online fantasy realm to millions (Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/MMORPG/)

Final Thoughts: Appreciating a Defining Era

Revisiting these genre-defining MMORPGs that captivated millions in the pre-WoW era sparks nostalgia and appreciation for just how special that period felt. The primitive graphics and often tedious mechanics fade to the background when you consider the magical communities and deep adventures these virtual worlds facilitated.

I hope this glimpse into MMORPG history helps you understand what made Ultima Online, EverQuest, Final Fantasy XI, Lineage, and RuneScape such trailblazers. While World of Warcraft‘s astronomical success later brought unprecedented mainstream attention, these pioneers laid the groundwork and shaped the genre we love today.

Their limited technical capabilities forced incredibly creative game design boasting complex player-driven systems, economies, and social dynamics that many modern MMOs lose out on in favor of polish. They felt truly endless, constantly evolving virtual representations of living worlds.

If you never experienced these classics in their prime, hopefully my passion as a long-time MMO aficionado helps illustrate precisely why this period goes down as a defining era for online gaming. Let me know your thoughts or favorite MMORPG memories from those early pioneering days!

James K. Dorn, a passionate gamer deeply immersed in the world of video gaming. My journey in gaming is not just about playing; it's about exploring every facet of the games I love. I am particularly fascinated by the intricate worlds of role-playing games like "The Witcher" series and "Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," where every decision shapes the story.

As a strategy game enthusiast, I spend hours devising tactics in games like "Civilization VI" and "StarCraft II," always eager to share my strategies with fellow gamers. I'm also an ardent follower of the ever-evolving landscape of indie games, finding gems like "Hollow Knight" and "Celeste" that offer unique, compelling experiences.

My content isn't just reviews; it's about deep dives into game mechanics, storytelling, and the art of game design. I love dissecting the narratives of games like "The Last of Us" and discussing the innovative gameplay of titles like "Death Stranding."

Being at the forefront of gaming news, I eagerly anticipate and share insights on upcoming releases like the next big open-world adventure or the latest in the "Final Fantasy" series. My goal is to build a community where we not only play games but also appreciate the artistry and effort behind them. Join me in this gaming journey, where every session is an adventure, and every game is a story waiting to be told.

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