MMORPG Vs RPG – What Is The Difference?

The main difference between an MMORPG vs RPG is that an MMORPG is played online by many people.

In an MMORPG, players can interact with each other online in a virtual world on a large scale. On the other hand, RPGs are mostly single-player offline games.

What Does MMORPG Stand For?

Guild Wars 2 screenshot

MMORPG stands for Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game. RPG as you can imagine just stands for Role-Playing Game. Therefore, an MMORPG is just a regular RPG that you can play online with many people.

How Do You Play An MMORPG?

Screenshot of Old School RuneScape

You play an MMORPG by creating a character in the game and joining thousands of other players in the virtual world. You’ll be able to interact with these other players by talking to them, going on quests together, forming guilds, and more.

While playing the game, you’ll also be able to level up your character by gaining experience points and learning new skills.

Overall, getting into MMORPGs is quite easy and you can often take your time to get yourself familiar with all the game mechanics.

What Are Some Popular MMORPGs?

Screenshot of Final Fantasy XIV

There are many popular MMORPGs out there, but some of the currently popular MMORPGs include:

  • Final Fantasy XIV
  • World of Warcraft
  • Old School RuneScape
  • RuneScape 3
  • Guild Wars 2
  • Black Desert Online
  • EVE Online
  • The Elder Scrolls Online
  • New World

What Are Some Popular RPGs?

Final Fantasy VII Remake battle

There are also many popular RPGs, but some of the most popular ones include:

  • Final Fantasy VII: REMAKE
  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
  • Persona 5
  • Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age
  • NieR: Automata
  • Octopath Traveler
  • Xenoblade Chronicles 2
  • Final Fantasy XV
  • Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Are MMORPGs Free To Play?

RuneScape 3 dragon battle

Yes, there are many Free To Play MMORPGs (F2P). However, many MMORPGs out there require you to either buy the game upfront or subscribe to a monthly subscription in order to play.

In the past, the subscription model was often frowned upon but that was and still remains one of the best ways for game developers to maintain their titles and provide new content.

Free MMORPGs often make money on microtransactions and often also offer premium features when users buy a subscription. A very famous F2P MMORPG would be RuneScape, while a popular MMORPG with a monthly subscription would be Final Fantasy XIV (FFXIV).

Do MMORPGs Have A Story?

Space game trailer

MMORPGs definitely have a story, but you can expect the story-telling experience to be much different from that of a single-player RPG game.

The closest MMORPG to a single-player RPG game would be Final Fantasy XIV, which is essentially like any other single-player Final Fantasy game, with a social element added to it.

Are There Any MMORPGs on Xbox/PlayStation?

Elder Scrolls Online dragon battle

Yes, there are a few MMORPGs on Xbox and PlayStation. The most popular one would be Final Fantasy XIV, which is available on both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 and soon to be available on the next gen consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.

Other popular MMORPGs on consoles include:

  • Bless Unleashed
  • The Elder Scrolls Online
  • Blade & Soul Revolution
  • DC Universe Online
  • Neverwinter
  • Skyforge
  • Warframe

You can also find MMORPGs on mobile devices. Games that come to mind that are also available on Mobile devices include Odin Valhalla Rising, RuneScape, and Tibia.

As you can see, there is a big difference between an MMORPG vs RPG. However, they are both fun games to play with their own unique features. So, if you’re looking for an online game to play with others, try out an MMORPG. If you’re looking for a more traditional offline RPG experience, try out one of the popular RPGs.

Share on:

Article by Jake

Hey I'm Jake! Writer for various gaming and technology blogs. I also enjoy a little bit of golf in my free time as well as gaming. I really enjoy competitive games and I hate to admit it, but I have really been enjoying Wild Rift on my phone as I get the League experience without the rage. Usually you'll find me on Steam though exploring the many competitive options out there, whether that is a Battle Royale game or a MOBA game.