What are the best new MMOs? Once as rare as a legendary loot drop, new MMOs seem to be launching every other month these days. MMOs offer near-boundless freedom in a world populated by a vast number of players, making them among the most ambitious games around. Each one promises a sprawling world, a vibrant community, and enough content to last a lifetime – or at the very least, several years. Thanks to the rise of the free-to-play market, they’re also now more accessible than ever.
As the worlds of MMORPGs are ever-changing, we’ve not only got brand-new MMOs in our list, but we’ve also included those with all-new content updates and expansions that deliver enough content to make the old feel new again. So, from freshly updated sword-and-sorcery classics to emerging action RPG games, these are the best new MMOs available to play right now.
The best new and updated MMOs to try in 2024 are:
- Once Human
- Black Desert Online – New content!
- Fallout 76 – New season!
- The Elder Scrolls Online – Anniversary events!
- World of Warcraft – New DLC!
- Guild Wars 2 – New DLC!
- Diablo 4 – New season and DLC!
- Final Fantasy XIV Dawntrail
- Sky: Children of the Light
Once Human
For a completely new MMO experience in 2024, try Once Human, a futuristic online game combining intriguing monstrosities with sci-fi lore, and, crucially, massively multiplayer gameplay.
Alien substance Stardust is destroying the world, turning people and creatures into the most diverse collection of monsters you’ve ever seen, like people with umbrellas or balloons instead of heads. As a human survivor, it’s up to you – and the people around you – to try and contain the spread of the parasitic substance, destroying terrifying bosses in multiplayer raids.
As with many other MMOs, there is also a story you can complete on your own, interacting with the worlds many NPCs to unravel the secrets of this alien takeover, and you can also relax by wandering around the landscape and taking in other people’s homes and bases as they are being built all around you. Speaking of which, the base building mechanic is what truly stands Once Human out against other MMOs in this list, giving you a huge range of customization options.
Black Desert Online
Like many South Korean MMOs, Black Desert Online received a staggered release, launching in Korea in 2015 and then further afield in 2016. While it was certainly no bad apple upon release, the free remaster in 2018 took it to new heights. Now, while it might not be an entirely new MMO, BDO is kept fresh with constant new content like new classes and events, and the most recent change has been a huge overhaul to the Enhancement system.
There is always new content being added to BDO, from seasonal events to new characters and classes, and even crossovers with the likes of Netflix series Cursed and the Beserk anime which returns again in late 2024.
Play the Black Desert Online free trial.
Fallout 76
Fallout is having a renaissance following the release of the IPs Amazon Prime series, and Fallout 76 is back and better than ever. The apocalyptic game’s multiplayer entry has just entered season 18 – Milepost Zero. Whether you’re new to the game or a returning player, there’s plenty of new content being added, including a bunch of post-level 100 challenges for those veteran players.
There’s also a new crafting mechanic, giving you more control over your legendary weapon mods than ever, and a new delivery mechanic, as you start your own caravan and protect your group from raiders as you venture across the expansive open lands of Skyline Valley. What’s more, you can see, rate, and submit your own best builds, so new and old players alike can play with some new and proven builds, or you can just show off your best creation.
The Elder Scrolls Online 10th anniversary
September 2024 is the 10th anniversary of one of the best MMOs of all time, The Elder Scrolls Online, and there is a ton of new content coming to celebrate, culminating in a new update. One of the highlights of the month’s celebratory events is the Fallen Leaves of West Weald event, in which players must work together to earn community rewards. Plus, alongside new dungeons, you can relax and take some time to recover from battle with the Home Tours contest, in which you can show off your home and be shown around others in a comforting multiplayer experience. Finally, don’t forget to look ahead to update 44 by tuning into the official livestream later this year.
World of Warcraft – The War Within
Continuing the new era of World of Warcraft, kicked off with the Dragonflight DLC, The War Within is an incredible entry and extension to the WoW world. As we expand on in our The War Within review, it’s also aimed at bringing in new and returning players who might have been away for a while, so it’s the perfect entry on this list. The story itself is short, but it’s just enough to entice you back into the world for a longer stay, thanks to fun mini-raids, larger dungeons, and four new areas to explore.
Guild Wars 2 – Janthir Wilds
Yes, Guild Wars 2 has been around for over a decade, but it continues to provide new MMO experiences that keep it fresh. The latest expansion, Janthir Wilds, was released in August 2024. The new adventure isn’t just one and done, either, as the Janthir Wilds DLC is being spread out across four separate releases over the course of a year, meaning there’s plenty to come back to for the coming months. A brand-new PvP mode is also coming to Guild Wars 2 in 2024, so there’s almost too much new content here – if that were posible.
Diablo 4 – New Season and DLC
Whether you consider Diablo 4 an MMO or not, there are certainly elements of the game that lean towards the MMORPG definition. Most obviously, massive world events and terrifying bosses that are hard enough to defeat with 25 other people – let alone by yourself. Participating in everything D4 has to offer requires utilizing massively multiplayer mechanics.
As a live service game, a new season of Diablo 4 is currently released every three months. Season 5 is live right now, but you’ve still got time to complete the new adventure before season 6 and a new DLC arrive in October 2024. If you’re unsure whether Diablo 4 is for you, rest assured it’s a great entry point for the series if you’ve never tried it before, and have a read through our Diablo 4 review for more.
Final Fantasy 14 Dawntrail
The base Final Fantasy 14 game may not be a new MMO anymore, but 2024 has been a huge year for the game, with the latest massive expansion, Dawntrail, having been released in July. Veterans and new players alike are making the most of the huge overhaul, and FF14 even won over our very own Will Nelson at the end of 2023, despite the new Final Fantasy 14 fan previously hating MMORPGs. If only one thing sways you to give FF14 a try, let it be that.
The first new expansion since 2021’s Endwalker, Dawntrail increased the game’s maximum level cap to 100, so even if you have hours of FF14 logged already, there is plenty of new content to explore, since the level cap increase affects existing jobs, crafting classes, and skills. Two new jobs also arrived with the new expansion, along with a new storyline and expanded setting, with Dawntrail taking place in new location Tural.
If you’ve never played before, there’s no better time to start. Dawntrail might be a paid-for DLC, but you can play for free up to level 60, which offers a huge number of hours of gameplay while you decide if the game is worth your hard-earned cash.
That’s it for our look at the freshest new MMORPG experiences you can get on PC in 2024. If you’re looking for quality over recency, our list of the best MMOs will serve you well, or if you’re okay with less than a world’s worth of players then why not check out our picks of the best multiplayer games? Either way, we invite you to leave your single-player games alone for a while and become one with the massively multiplayer machine.