16 Free MMORPGs You Can Play This Christmas

You can drop out of school in most states in US at the age of 16. It’s also the most common age of consent. Needless to say 16 is a very important number.

It just so happens that we have 16 fantastic MMORPGs to recommend, some of which might cause you to suffer from a severe lack of human companionship. We’re okay with that, but don’t drop out of school, alright? What, you’re too old for school and holiday break is coming anyway? Then game on.
Cup of coffee or a can of coke, few delicious cookies, and a good MMO to play — that’s all you need for a wolkapaloozy holiday season. Perhaps having a cat to purr in your lap wouldn’t hurt. In our December’s newsletter rather than focusing your attention on one particular game we’re giving you 27 choices, 16 of which are pretty good MMORPGs.
New titles, expansion releases, and free-to-play conversions made 2015 a pretty solid year for an average MMORPG fan. There are dozens of different worlds you can immerse yourself in and explore as much as you want to.
We made a list of 16 free to play MMORPGs worth checking out, along with a few other MMO game recommendations for those of you interested in more casual fun. If you’re looking for something to play this Christmas chances are you’ll find at least a couple of titles to keep you entertained, so keep on reading and find out which games made our list.
If you manage to make it to the end of this list, you may even find out a thing or two about what makes 16 so special.

1 – Skyforge

Skyforge is an MMORPG where players develop from newly christened immortals into full-on gods among men. They will gain mortal followers and powers along the way. Empowered by the faith and skill of their followers, they’ll battle invading armies in intense action combat to protect their homeworld. With over a dozen classes to unlock, Pantheon PVP to participate in, and a mystery of Aelion to unravel, there’s plenty to do in this new F2P MMORPG.

Did you know: Skyforge has 13 classes. 13 + 3 = 16.

Skyforge was also our recommended game in October, and for good reason. It’s just much better than what you’d expect from a F2P game and certainly worth giving a try.
Play Skyforge

2 – Tera

TERA is a free-to-play fantasy MMORPG from developer Bluehole Studios, and publishers En Masse Entertainment and Gameforge. In TERA the world is under siege by otherworldly beings that destroy and reshape everything in their path. While gods squabble and evil rises in every corner, the players must stand together against the onslaught and save their world.
True action combat is the main draw here. TERA takes typical MMORPG combat to the next level with enhanced aiming, dodging, and tactical timing to create intense and rewarding combat. For example, to avoid getting hit in combat, players must dodge attacks instead of simply standing in place and relying on arbitrary armor or skill ratings. TERA is free-to-play, with an optional premium subscription available.
Play Tera

3 – Rift

Released by Trion Worlds in early 2011, Rift takes place in the world of Telara where players take on the personality of an “Ascended.” Two competing factions of Ascended, the Guardians and the Defiant, battle through the monsters of Telara in an effort to bring down Regulos, a dragon god bent on the complete destruction of Telara.
Rift is one of those games which was initially too often compared to the titan World of Warcraft, but has grown and evolved into something completely unique over the years. It’s no doubt one of the top 5 fantasy MMORPGs today and since it’s free there’s no reason not to try it.
Play Rift

4 – Neverwinter

Neverwinter is a free-to-play MMO from the combined team of Cryptic Studios, Wizards of the Coast, Hasbro, and Perfect World. It will put players into the heart of Neverwinter, one of the most infamous cities in Dungeons & Dragons lore. Set 100 years after the Spellplague, and after the volcanic eruption that destroyed the city, Neverwinter is slowly restoring its former glory. But in the deep, dark places in and under the city, evil forces are seeking ways to keep Neverwinter from that goal, by any and all means possible. Players will need to once again answer the call for heroes to help save the city!
Often overlooked when searching for MMORPGs, Neverwinter has plenty of content to keep you busy for awhile. If you’re a fan of D&D or want to learn what this world is all about, Neverwinter is a great place to start.
Play Neverwinter

5 – Planet Arkadia

Planet Arkadia is a sci-fi social MMORPG that focuses on the economics and politics. A world of adventure and wealth awaits in Planet Arkadia. Become a local trader or industrial crafter, discover rare minerals or ancient relics as a miner or treasure hunter, and explore the vast Entropia Universe. Be a pirate or a transport captain and discover other planets as you wish, or join the challenges of PvP and search for your victims.

Did you know: If you’re from Germany you can legally purchase alcohol at 16. If you’re from Germany, you already knew this.

Planet Arkadia defines the future of online science fiction games with action-oriented combat, personalized storylines, epic dynamic events, world-class PvP, and best of all no subscription fees!
Play Planet Arkadia

6 – Aion

Aion is a fantasy MMORPG developed by NCsoft. Players step into a role of a character in a world divided between the brave and hardy Asmodians and the winged Elyos, sworn enemies in a celestial war. A third (NPC) race, the dragonlike Balaur, keep the other two races engaged in fighting when they’re not fighting each other. Adventure across the vast world of Atreia, through challenging solo and group dungeons, epic quests, and massive Legion raids, all to ultimately save your world from utter destruction!
Play Aion

7 – Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 2 is the sequel to ArenaNet’s flagship title, Guild Wars. GW2 aims to fix a lot of what’s “wrong” in the MMO world. With reworked combat mechanics, a focus on Dynamic Events, voiced quest dialog, several new professions, fan-favorite races, and the massive open world of Tyria, Guild Wars 2 is far more epic in scope than the original… while still retaining the F2P business model.
The reliance on a holy trinity of class-roles is gone too, with every profession in GW2 being able to take on several roles, including that of a healer. On top of it all, there are also several unique forms of PvP for the competitive gamer: from match-made contests that any gamer will be familiar with to massive World vs. World vs. World wars that pitch entire servers against one another. ArenaNet hopes there is something for everyone in Guild Wars 2.
Though GW2 was just recently criticized aplenty for not offering their newest Heart of Thorns expansion free of charge, the base game is now completely free to play. That means you have hundreds of hours of free content to sift through, and if that’s not enough… you can just buy the expansion for more. Big deal.
Play Guild Wars 2

8 – Trove

Minecraft player’s wet dreams came true with Trove, a massive multiverse adventure game, and it’s a prime example of a game that doesn’t need fancy graphics to be good and entertaining. Trove is an open-ended voxel adventure through countless realms filled with quests, chests, and enemies great and small. It’s a potent, cube-shaped brew of RPG features combined with the thrill of exploring procedurally-generated worlds – and the unlimited creative freedom to build your own!

Did you know: There are 16 pawns in a chess set and each player in a chess game starts with sixteen pieces. Trove is nothing like chess.

In all honesty nobody on our staff plays Trove, but after the responses we got on our recent Trove giveaway we’re seriously considering it. If you’re on the fence and not sure if this game is for you, check out some of the comments on that post and see what our community things about Trove. You’ll probably end up back here clicking the green button below.
Play Trove

9 – ArcheAge

ArcheAge is an MMORPG in from Korean company XLGames and published in the NA and EU by Trion Worlds. Players enter a fantasy world and start playing on one of two continents: Nuia (Elves), and Harihara (Ferres). From there, everything else is up to you, from what character you play, to where you go, and why. ArcheAge promises to remove the restrictions that have hampered former MMORPGs, especially concerning character classes and skills. Go where you will, do what you want, be the character you want to be.
Though ArcheAge hasn’t been off to a great start, since release the game has gotten several updates and it keeps getting better. If you’re into sandbox MMOs give it a try, it’s still one of the best ones out there.
Play ArcheAge

10 – Planet Calypso

Planet Calypso is a sci-fi social MMORPG that focuses on the economics and politics. As a colonist on an alien planet, you’ll be able to develop over 200 unique skills ranging from combat roles to tailoring. You can choose to craft tools, weapons and other items for the open market where Calypsians can both trade and invest. Others simply join for a truly great Virtual World experience in a Sci-fi MMO setting.
As a colonist on Planet Calypso all this is your world too! Explore Planet Calypso, the MMO-RPG experience where your decisions counts for real in a stunning 3D-experience. Planet Calypso features a Real Cash economy and can be explored on all levels as an explorer, entrepreneur or in a number of other professions and roles.
Play Planet Calypso

11 – Echo of Soul

Harvest the souls of your fallen enemies to become ever more powerful. Featuring 1,600+ quests, 60 party and solo dungeons, highly competitive PvP modes and advanced character customization, Echo of Soul gives you the power to tailor your experience and play exactly how you want, when you want!

Did you know: next time you hear about the number 16 you will not think about GetBetaKeys. You will not think about us. 16.

Echo of Soul had its share of bad reviews mostly for certain pay-to-win offers, but unless you’re a highly competitive PvP player you can easily play without it. In the end your review is all that matters, and if you’re a casual MMO player Echo of Soul should be on your bucket list.
Play Echo of Soul

12 – Dungeons and Dragons Online

Enter a world of danger and adventure with Dungeons & Dragons Online® based on the beloved RPG that started it all. Using the D&D 3.5 ruleset as its base, DDO puts players into the Eberron story setting, onto the land of Xen’drik, where magic drives technology, political factions constantly struggle for power, and where action, adventure, and dangerous creatures lurk around every corner of this wild, untamed land.
DDO has very deep character customization, true action RPG gameplay, and great adventures that feel unique and immersive. Ask anyone who played it and they’ll likely all agree this is probably the best MMO to play with a group of friends, so if you have anyone to bring to the party you’ll have a blast.
Play D&D Online

13 – Lord of the Rings Online

Lord of the Rings Online is the premier MMORPG set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s wondrous world of Middle-earth, brought to life through those most famous of books, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and wonderfully portrayed in Peter Jackson’s movies. LOTRO brings you into the timeline of the events of The Lord of the Rings story, and sets you on a path that parallels the Fellowship of the Ring, aiding them on their journey to Mordor by performing tasks and adventurous deeds surrounding their path across Middle-earth.
Visit the peaceful, verdant fields of the Shire, brave the dark depths of the Mines of Moria, and raise a pint at the Prancing Pony in Bree!
If you’re a fan of The Lord of the Rings and of MMORPG games there are plenty of things to enjoy in LOTRO. It’s gorgeous, it’s lengthy, it has an extremely friendly community, and it’s great for anyone who ever wanted to explore what may be the best iteration of Middle Earth to ever be portrayed in a video game.
Play LotRO

14 – Star Trek Online

Star Trek Online is a premier free-to-play MMORPG from Cryptic Studios and Perfect World Entertainment set in the famous Star Trek universe. Don the official uniforms of the United Federation of Planets or the Klingon Empire, choose the path of Tactical, Science, or Engineering specialties, command Away Teams, captain your very own starship, avoid Borg assimilation, even breed Tribbles, all in Gene Roddenberry’s larger-than-life space epic, and all for free.

Did you know: Paramount Stage 16 was used in the production of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager and was lovingly referred to as “Planet Hell”.

As a free to play game it is not without its flaws, but the story content leaves you with the feeling like each ‘quest’ is an episode of the television series. Star Trek Online can be an awesome way to spend several hours of your day. You get to create your own captain, crew, and starship, then explore and fight till your hearts content, and on top of that, you can do it all with a few good friends. Spectacular space combat, amazing player-generated content, and tons of customization are just some of the things Star Trek Online has to offer.
Play Star Trek Online

15 – Dragomon Hunter

Dragomon Hunter is a F2P (free to play) MMORPG from Aeria Games and X-Legend. You’ll hunt and collect over 100 unique Dragomon across the game’s open world. You can collect and create hundreds of unique items using the game’s extensive crafting, and defeated Dragomon will be usable as mounts as well.
Become the ultimate hunter and collect defeated Dragomon as mounts or harvest their materials to upgrade your gear! Observe your prey, determine their weaknesses, and use the most effective weapons and traps to bring them down. Play as one of four classes and customize your abilities for the greatest chance of success. Join a party of fellow hunters to vanquish the most dangerous Dragomon!
Play Dragomon Hunter

16 – Star Wars: The Old Republic

Wouldn’t be much of a list without including Star Wars: The Old Republic, especially with renewed interest now that the movies are in the spotlight once again. SWTOR is yet another older MMORPG that went through significant changes, upgrades an expansions over the years.
Whether it’s for amazing storytelling or just because you’re a fan of the franchise, The Old Republic is worth considering. We pondered whether to even include it or not because many players dislike SWTOR’s F2P model, but the recent expansion made the game so much better that it’s worth giving another shot.
Play SWTOR
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That’s it for MMORPGs! While our list may not include all the titles you can think of, one of these 16 games should surely keep you busy and entertained for weeks. There are tons of great worlds to explore and quests to complete and whether it’s a new release or an older game it’s bound to offer quite a lot of fun.

MMOs for the occasional gamer

And just in case you’re not interested in MMORPGs, we’ll throw in our selection of interesting yet casual MMO titles that aren’t quite RPGs but can still grab your attention, especially if you don’t have much time for gaming.

1 – Warframe

Warframe is a free to play cooperative online third-person shooter. The sci-fi themed game sees players take on the role of the Tenno, a recently awakened ancient warrior race against several adversarial factions. Luckily, the Tenno still possess information and knowledge of Warframes, powerful armor suits, each with significant capabilities to help fight back against enemies: heavily armored Grinneer, tech-enhanced Corpus, and mutated Infested. Third-person shooter mechanics, agile jumps, and Warframe tech will guide players to victory, secrets, and even mods to loot.
Part of one player’s review we’ll just throw in here:

Do you want to be a space ninja with a rocket launcher and can go invisible and can throw shurikens and have a pocket shotgun and have a dog that kills things for you and be able to travel through space with wings while shooting ♥♥♥♥ with a giant railgun?
If you answered yes to any of this, play Warframe.
No, actually. Just play Warframe. Regardless of what you answered yes or no to. Just play it. Now.

There you have it. In all seriousness, it’s really hard to describe how amazingly entertaining and fulfilling this game can be, so if you’re looking for a fast-paced FPS in awesome power armors where you can also slash aliens with a katana, play Warframe.
Play Warframe

2 – Armored Warfare

Armored Warfare is a free-to-play MMO tactical military game that puts you in control of modern tanks, armored vehicles and more! Armored Warfare features stunning next-gen visuals, dynamic destructible environments, customizable vehicles and intense team-based gameplay where players work to crush each other with the power of modern combat vehicles.
Armored Warfare features combat vehicles from the 1950s through modern day and includes destructible environments as well as PvE and PvP gameplay. It’s built on the free-to-play business model with in-game micro-transactions available for certain features and upgrades.
Armored Warfare was also our featured game in November, and we highly recommend checking it out.
Play Armored Warfare

3 – World of Tanks

It’s hard to imagine anyone not hearing about World of Tanks at this point. Since its initial release tens of millions of players have played billions of matches, and WoT’s growth has been tremendous. Just in case you never gave World of Tanks the opportunity to keep you busy, you may want to consider it now.
The only downside to World of Tanks is the premium ammo you can purchase for real money, but unless you’re a seriously competitive player you can shoot just fine without it. In case it really bothers you, check out Armored Warfare above.
Play World of Tanks

4 – World of Warships

The highly anticipated AAA title World of Warships is the latest in a series of free-to-play, historical online combat games to be added to the Wargaming portfolio. Command history’s most iconic war vessels as you build your own massive naval fleet. Level up important tech modules and prepare to dominate the oceans!
With four classes of ship, a myriad of upgrades and strategically designed environments, the action never ends. Every match is a unique experience. Hours of strategy, tactical gameplay and pulse-pounding combat await all who take the helm in World of Warships!
Play World of Warships
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Casual browser wolkapalooza

Casual browser games never go out of style. With technology constantly improving these games keep getting better year after year, and there are a few titles that can keep you busy for some time, but still not so much to take over your life completely. Unless you want them to.

Did you know: We just made up the word “wolkapalooza” right now. It didn’t exist until this very moment. You can google it.

If you’re looking for some casual fun and something to play for half an hour every day, browser games are the perfect choice. We conjured up 7 titles we think you should check out so keep on scrolling to learn which games we chose.

1 – League of Angels

League of Angels developed and published by Youzu Interactive is a browser based MMORPG featuring fast turn-based combat. Players can craft strong armies with their very own guardian angel to support them. In the land of Etheria there’s a league of angels each reigning over different parts of human life and while it may have worked for thousands of years, something went wrong. The forces of darkness took the Seal of Life leading to the angels being powerless and now it’s up to the human race and angels to work together to reclaim the Seal of Life.
Play League of Angels

2 – Stormfall: Age of War

Stormfall is a time-based MMORTS similar to Travian, complete with customizable armies, buildings, quests, and RPG elements. The story poses the lands of Darkshine in turmoil, as rival Lords battle over the remnants of the once-great Empire of Stormfall. The commoners cry out for a hero – one who will unite the empire and deliver them from the rising tide of an ancient evil.
In the online strategy game niche, Stormfall: Age of War is certainly at the top. It’s deep, addictive, and quite fulfilling once you get the hang of it.
Play Stormfall

3 – Sparta: War of Empires

Set in Greece in the 5th century BC, Sparta: War of Empires immerses gamers into the role of a lord returned from an ongoing war against Xerxes and the Persian Empire, where politics and diplomacy prove as sharp as the blades of combat. With assistance from King Leonidas and the Spartan army, players must protect their city-state from the constant Persian threat and hone their abilities as a strategist, diplomat and ruthless warrior. In a land dictated by selfishness and brutality, survival is a fleeting hope for many.
Play Sparta

4 – Felspire

The newly launched web-based MMO Felspire takes players to the mysterious, mythical world of Eremos — a land rife with danger but also no shortage of opportunities and challenges. The game is set in the fantasy world of Eremos, an open world in which players are free to roam and discover through the area map or a unique system of arenas.
One of the highlights here is that Felspire allows for automatic play in most activities, so it’s up to you to decide what you want to skip! The game will automatically complete quests, fight monsters, pick up loot, or even sell items for you. The auto system will be controlled entirely by the player. For those who have time and want to experience certain tasks, they can turn off the automatic feature at will.
Play Felspire

5 – Magerealm

Featuring four unique character classes and countless heroes and angels at your disposal to tailor your experience, Magerealm is the ultimate fantasy ARPG. The game is a perfect combination of immersive role-playing and intense action, placing the player in a vibrant world filled with adventure and peril while remaining true to the fundamentals of great RPG’s: highly customizable characters, skills, and much more!
Play Magerealm

6 – Tiny Mighty

Tiny Mighty from AMZGAME is a superhero themed web-based MMO. A parody on superheroes and villains from the Marvel and DC universes, players will collect, lead, summon and even use other players’ heroes and villains to unleash against a bevy of enemies.
Tiny Mighty is a captivating game centralized around super heroes; players can enjoy the fun to unlock different features by leveling-up. In the Tiny Mighty world, teams will include different heroes that will have different powers, players can upgrade heroes and level up stars to make their team stronger! There is not only the PvP duel, but also the league fight. Collect heroes, upgrade skills, synth various items and exclusive gears, all features players can find within Tiny Mighty.
Play Tiny Mighty

7 – One Piece 2: Pirate King

One Piece Online 2: Pirate King is the sequel to Joygames popular free browser-based MMOG, One Piece Online. With four new classes to play, new ships to command, new gear to collect, and the new Grand Line Warfare system, fans of One Piece are bound to find something they love. Fight alongside all of your favorite characters as you amass and power up your own pirate army.
Play One Piece 2

P.S. We have live giveaways for Tiny Mighty and Felspire. If you plan on checking those games out feel free to grab our free gift packs!

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This concludes our list, and our very last monthly newsletter before 2016 finally hits us. 16 is also the atomic number of sulfur, and the first person who tweets us this magical wolkapaloozy number may receive a free Steam game (edit: swaggy grandpa got it!). Since nobody is crazy enough to see the end of this 4000-word post, we’ll probably just have to keep it for ourselves.
Which games will you play this month, and which ones would you recommend to your fellow gamers? Will the mystery of 16 haunt you at night? Let us know in the comments below!