The main difference between an RPG and an MMORPG is the social aspect of a game. But playing an MMORPG doesn’t necessarily mean you have to play with others. Most games are designed to let you complete most activities alone. However, for those among you who want to play with others, here are our picks for the best MMORPGs for social gamers.
Albion Online
Albion Online is a free-to-play sandbox MMORPG. The best way to get social in this game is to join a guild and do activities with your fellow guild members. Albion Online features Guild vs Guild warfares where players fight to take control of a specific territory granting resources. If you take part in these activities, you will need to hop on a vocal server to team up with your newfound friends.
Albion Online also features a player-driven economy, so if you don’t feel like joining PvP battles you can just craft and sell your products to other players. And if you don’t really want to grind but still want to make friends, you can join one of the many Discord servers related to the game.
EVE Online
EVE Online is an MMORPG set in space, where you can choose your own path as you conquer the stars. But unlike most other MMORPGs, not everyone is friendly there – players can backstab you, steal your ship, and destroy all your hard work. Surviving alone in such a universe is almost impossible. Cooperation between players is key, so you end up talking to others. Being social in EVE Online is not just about making friends, it is also a matter of survival.
There are plenty of groups in EVE Online that can help you find allies. And once you get comfortable with the game, you can take part in wars against other groups of space pilots.
Final Fantasy XIV
If most activities can be completed solo, Final Fantasy XIV still brings cool features for social players. The biggest social aspect of the game is free companies: similar to guilds in other MMORPG, free companies are groups of players completing activities together. Final Fantasy XIV has several features for free companies, such as a housing system allowing you to purchase a home with your friends to decorate and chill between two dungeons.
And for the most romantic players, you can even get married in Final Fantasy XIV. The Ceremony of Eternal Bonding is a special event where you can profess your love to your partner in front of your friends. There are three ceremony styles, with various attires and rings options. And yes, it looks better than weddings in the Metaverse.
Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 is mainly a PvP MMORPG. The game features several PvP activities, including World vs World battles. These events require a lot of coordination, and most servers have their own Discord server to organize the battles. This is also a great opportunity to meet other players with the same goals as you, and casually hang out between two fights.
If you are a bit shy and don’t feel like meeting your entire server yet, you can join a guild. Like in most MMORPGs, guilds allow you to meet other players and complete activities together.
World of Warcraft Classic
Unlike the retail version of World of Warcraft, you can’t complete most activities solo in WoW Classic. You will need teammates to complete dungeons and raids, and therefore have to communicate.
The social aspect of WoW mostly happens in guilds. While the game doesn’t feature many social options besides the usual chat and emotes system, guilds are often active and full of life. Once you joined a guild, you will often be prompted to join their Discord server to hang out whenever you want. And in most active guilds, there will always be someone online and ready to help you.
I hope this list of MMORPGs will be helpful for the social gamers out there. No matter which one you select, you are likely to meet new friends, or at least have fun adventures with strangers. And if you ever get married in-game, don’t forget to mention SQUAD in your vows!
