MMOs have increased in abundance over the years, and many have died down as quickly as they sprung up. While a few newer ones have made a name for themselves, many still prefer the classics. A lot of gamers go back and forth from farming OSRS gold to exploring the lands of Eorzea.
So, what makes these games so appealing to players? Many upcoming MMOs fail on release because they can’t grasp what makes the originals what they are.
Many gaming genres saw a number of new titles being released during the pandemic, and players were much more receptive to this influx due to the boredom that came with lockdowns. However, the gaming community has since become much more scrutinizing post-COVID, and successful game releases became few and far between.
MMOs were one of the genres that saw an increase in titles, especially under F2P and crypto. However, only a handful have successfully released and maintained their presence. Recent MMOs like New World and Lost Ark have garnered many players through their initial release but eventually declined without being able to recover fully.
However, classic MMOs like WoW, Final Fantasy XIV, and OSRS have maintained a healthy and stable player base that frequently increases during new content launches. These originals continue to dominate the genre and weather through trends and will do so for the foreseeable future. This begs the question: What exactly are the classic MMOs doing right to keep them afloat?
All MMOs want to pump out new content to keep their player base interested, but many get the pacing of their releases wrong. Some publish their updates too slow or way too fast, which tends to burn out players. Classic MMOs release their expansions years apart to give time for gamers to enjoy the content, and they release bits and pieces of an expac over time instead of all at once.
This type of pacing keeps players interested in playing the originals so that they can farm more WoW Classic gold or explore new places. Newer MMOs need help grasping how often and far in between they should be doing their releases.
In addition, the quality of these updates will significantly impact player retention, as classics always try their best to make each expansion as entertaining as possible.
While many may not agree, subscription-based MMOs have managed to maintain a healthy player base since they are more secure against botting and hacking. That’s not to say they have better anti-cheats or server security, but needing to subscribe incurs costs that would otherwise discourage botters and hackers.
Generally, bot operators wouldn’t consider spending too much money to subscribe to hundreds of accounts to farm OSRS gold or WoW Classic gold.
This isn’t to say that bots are non-existent in these classic games. Botting still exists in some shape or form, but they aren’t running rampant. The same can’t be said for many F2P MMOs.
The perks of not having as many botters in the game? Reporting suspicious activity and getting these accounts banned is much easier. Therefore, it’s safe to say that the way Classics employ a subscription-based model effectively deters rampant botting that plagues many F2Ps.
While more recent MMOs have tried offering something new, they often need solid, immersive storylines to fully draw their players in. Classics like WoW and FFXIV have expansive worlds with impeccable lore, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the game. Main story quests, side missions, and even event challenges all give gamers something to look forward to.
Investing in the story gives players something to look forward to besides new content and mechanics. Gamers may want to know what happens to certain characters and areas once a new expansion occurs. Having a solid storyline and campaign not only entertains players but also helps them to emotionally connect with the game.
While there are many more reasons why players always return to classic MMOs, these three are the core motives. Classic MMOs provide gamers with a sense of security and enjoyment that recent titles lack. New MMOs must focus on improving the fundamentals if they want to create a stable community like the OGs.