The answer to this question is pretty easy – the oldest online game (with a user base over a couple hundred) would have to be Ultima Online. Now, I’ve never personally played the game but I’ve always known that it was out there and ripe for my enjoyment. Created in the year 1997 (the year I was born), Ultima Online was given 27 initial servers (most of which, by the way, are still in operation). For a little background information on the history of the game look below.
About Ultima Online – A Brief Overview
If you ever wondered what the first, wildly popular RPG was then you have to wonder no longer. In 1997 Ultima Online hit the market and displayed the ability to wow the masses with its
Video of Ultima Online Gameplay
Free for all PVP
As you can probably tell from the game’s popularity, Ultima Online was all about breaking boundaries. It allowed players to literally loot any corpse in the game (a feature in gaming that has only just begun to be brought back to gaming experience). Ultima Online – unlike the typical games of its day – didn’t feature any base classes or levels. As you probably remember form playing games in today’s age, UO allowed players to increase their player’s specialization and skillsets through repeated use of a certain skill. So, if you wanted to become focused more on magic than on physical combat, all you would have to do is focus on using your magical abilities.
*obviously skill acquisition was a bit more involved than that but this is a brief overview.
Trammel and Rainz
Rainz was a very popular beta tester of the game (and not because of the reasons you may think). During beta testing, “Rainz” actually killed the series founder Richard Garriot (or better known in the game as Lord British. It’s funny because he managed to do this by using a fire field scroll and instantly became a legend for doing so. Sadly, this action also resulted in Rainz being banned from the game.
Trammel is a word that basically pissed a majority of the hardcore UO players off. Here’s why. Due to so many people feeling that the game was just an area that you went to if you wanted to get killed or kill (they wanted to actually explore the game rather than being killed constantly). Basically, after taking into consideration how some of the
Fun facts about UO (Ultima Online)
- Was the closest game to a Dungeons and Dragons game to ever go viral
- There was literally a legal method stealing wherein one player would steal from another player, set the stolen items on the ground, and an accomplice would come and pick them up while the player who stole was killed.
- Griefing was also openly allowed (and even encouraged in UO and players would find new ways to trick and kill unsuspecting players)
- The landscape of UO is constantly changing. There was literally a report of one player logging in after not playing the game for months only to find that there was a home built in the forest ridden area where he signed off at
- There was literally a person who, upon deciding that he wanted a Thrall, put several deer/elk under his command. This resulted in him eventually having dozens of deer under his command who caused the game to lag for any nearby player due to how massive the army was
- The creator of the game, Richard Garrett, the character was killed by a fire field scroll
Other old (er) MMO games in order
Ultima Online (Made in 1997)
Ultima Online (as discussed above since it was the oldest MMO game) goes all the way back to the Ultima series. The first of these games was created in the year 1981. Ultima Online had a main focus on player versus player combat.
Despite the many updates that have improved the graphics of the game (such as the new client Ultima Online: Kingdom Reborn), the creators of the game have managed to keep the old spirit of the game.
Video of Ultima Online Gameplay
Tibia (Made in 1997)
Going back all the way to the 20th century (1995), Tibia was started by a group of German students as a hobby. It very well could hold the title of the oldest MMO in history (but doesn’t). Tibia is based in Europe and was released in 1997. It uses a fantasy environment, still receives bug fixes and updates as well as holds a loyal fanbase despite how long ago it was made.
Some would call Tibia a hardcore game since death is frequent (and can result in losing both items or stats permanently).
Video of Tibia Gameplay
EverQuest (Made in 1999)
EverQuest celebrated its 21st birthday at the beginning of the year (March 16, 1999 was its release date). This is an MMORPG that utilizes the standard medieval European fantasy model. EverQuest takes place in the fantastical world of Norrath and has a focus on player vs. player combat.
The creators of the game have been busy since its release as the game has over 500 in-game zones. The game has over 16 different races, with 14 of them being present when it was initially released.
Video of EverQuest Gameplay
RuneScape (Made in 2001)
RuneScape is a game that is known for receiving mixed reviews from gamers (some rolling their eyes when hearing the name). Most gamers have played this game at some point in their lives though. Set in the fantastical world of Gielinor, RuneScape has no skill sets or races. Every player is human and has the chance of training a number of skills that have an effect on player’s stats. RuneScape is known for being accessible and has a fulfilling but restricted free-to-play world (and can run on almost any personal computer).
Video of Runescape Gameplay
Anarchy Online (Made in 2001)
Anarchy Online was released in the year 1991. One of the draws of the game is that it has an open, expansive world that has a science fiction focus instead of standard fantasy. While it was one of the first MMOs, it was also one of the first online games to whose looks were derived from science fiction and is a first-person shooter instead of relying on magical combat or melee.
The game uses a steady path of character progression via skill leveling and the collection of a precious ore that can only be found on the game’s planet.
Video of Anarchy Online Gameplay
Dark Age of Camelot (Made in 2001)
Dark Age of Camelo was based on a game titled Darkness Falls: The Crusade (made in 1999). It’s a game that’s free to play and is made only available on PC. The game takes place in the ere right after King Arthur’s death. It’s in a state of civil war and is broken up into three different factions.
Video of Dark Age Camelot Gameplay
Final Fantasy XI Online (Made in 2002)
Final Fantasy XI was proof that older MMO installments can be as popular as the other additions and stay relevant at the same time. Final Fantasy XI was created by Square Enix. It was also the first MMORPG to step out of PC by being released on the XBox and PS2.
Video of Final Fantasy XI Gameplay
Second Life (Made in 2003)
The game Second Life is considered a staple in 90s style and fashion. Second Life is a basic game with a strong comparison to Sims. In the game players create and build characters, build their homes, style them, and have control over their social lives. Relationships in-game are forged with other players and the character can explore a realistic game world rather than one based on fantasy.
Video of Second Life Gameplay
MapleStory (Made in 2003)
In this game there are both areas where players can interact and side-scrolling levels. This was one of the first ever MMORPGs to offer a variety of choices for character customization, explaining its popularity. MapleStory, was said to have been on the way to breaking new ground when Android games became a trend – adding to its goal for longevity.
Video of MapleStory Gameplay
Eve Online (Made in 2003)
In the MMORPG Eve Online players have to fly an air airship through a number of galaxies, while also building resources and leveling their characters up. Each game account can make up to three characters and can choose between 4 different races – Caldari, Minmatar, Gallente, or Amarr.
The popularity of Eve Online has increased steadily (even more since the free version was released in 2011).
Video of Eve Online Gameplay
Lineage 2 (Made in 2003)
Lineage 2 has enjoyed an increase in popularity recently, mainly due to the announcement of its 18th anniversary. The game was released in Korea 1 year before it was released in North America (having an immersive storyline and impressive graphics even then). Lineage started the trend of distinctive KRPG MMOS that can still be seen today in games such as lost-Ark.
Video of Lineage 2 Gameplay
World of Warcraft (Made in 2004)
World of Warcraft is arguably one of the most popular MMORPGs of all time, having close to five million subscribers 20 years after it was released. It is a fantasy themed MMORPG where players have the ability to choose a skill specification for their class and a race for their class. Several updates have been made (expansion packs) to the game since 2004.
In 2019, the developers even released World of Warcraft Classic, that was set in the game’s 2004 world. Dragonflight, another expansion, has been announced for release as well.
Video of World of Warcraft Gameplay
Guild Wars (Made in 2005)
The game Guild Wars introduced a number of elements into the MMO genre. Taking placed in the mystical world of Tyria, players in this game have the option of choosing a main profession such as Mesmer, Necromancer, Ranger, Elementalist, Monk, and Warrior.
The game was also given the credit of being the first major MMORPG that didn’t have a subscription fee focus by having a one time fee that allowed players to play forever.
Video of Guild Wars Gameplay
Dungeons and Dragons Online (Made in 2006)
The first ever real RPG is considered to be Dungeons and Dragons. The distribution and development teams have changed over the years, explaining why the name (Dungeons and Dragons Onlne: Eberron Unlimited and Dungeons and Dragons Online: Stormreach) are present.
This game is focused on the original D and D 3.5 rules and is played in the mystical world of Eberron. If you’ve played the original tabletop game you’ll notice places and settings as you move throughout the game. This game also showed that the free-to-play model could work.
Video of Dungeons and Dragons Online Gameplay
The Lord of the Rings Online (Made in 2007)
The place where Lord of the Rings takes place, Middle Earth, is the perfect basis for an open world MMORPG, which explains why it took as long as 2007 for the game to be made. Originally, the game was held behind a paywall – requiring a regular subscription fee – but eventually a free version was released.
In this game players are allowed to choose a race and class for their character based on the ones from the movie. Classes included are: Warden, Lore-Master, Champion, Hunter, Beornling, and Burglar. Several quests from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are included in the game.
Video of Lord of the Rings Online Gameplay
Age of Conan (Made in 2008)
Even though the popularity of this MMO has decreased over the years, the servers are still up and running. The game, Age of Conan, is inspired by Conan the Barbarian. In the game players follow an action-based combat system, one in which players build and design their characters in a fantasy setting. Players essentially have to follow in the footsteps of Conan the Barbarian.
While the game does offer a free version, the game in its entirety must be unlocked by paying a subscription fee. While the game did receive a bit of negative feedback for the way it portrayed women, it was received rather well during its initial launch in 2008.
Video of Age of Conan Gameplay
Conclusion
So, in conclusion, the oldest (and first wildly successful) online game was Ultima Online. It was the first game to ever break barriers in the way that it did – as well as hit some pretty big numbers in its release. If you want to learn more about Ultima Online (or even want to play it) check out the resources below as they’ll provide you with additional information that may prove useful.
All of the information in this article was sourced from Wikipedia
Resources:
https://www.engadget.com/2010/05/04/the-game-archaeologist-and-the-ultima-prize-the-history/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_massively_multiplayer_online_games
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-oldest-online-game-that-is-still-played-today