MMOs are some of the most successful games in the world. Massively Multiplayer Online games take players into giant worlds filled with deep lore and flashy (or not-so-flashy combat), sending them on journeys to become as powerful as they can through quests, skills, dungeons, and bosses. From level one to level infinity, an MMO's goal is to provide a stream of content so that players will always have something to enjoy.
Creating a perfect content stream is a difficult task. More often than not, this results in grinding. To take on all a game has to offer, players want to improve all they can as fast as they can, which results in grinding for hours. However, there are a multitude of games available where grinding is a common practice and even promotes the act in a simple fashion. Here are some of the best games for players who want to shut off their brains and grind.
8 Ragnarok Online
Ragnarok Online is a classic MMO that has maintained a dedicated player base for twenty years. The game is a top-down 2D massively open-world game that is filled with dungeons and raids for players to take part in.
Ragnarok Online is filled with daily routines and must-do content for players to progress in the game; however, its reputation has taken a hit for its pay-to-win aspects that can boost characters for a fee. While Ragnarok Online doesn't have all the shiny bells and whistles of more modern MMOs, it still has its charm.
7 New World
New World has undergone a series of changes since its shaky initial release by Amazon Games. Having been rebranded multiple times and having released a few content expansions, the game is still filled with an absorbent amount of grinding for players to take part in.
Players can throw themselves at the game world to reach the level cap, and then start their journey to raise their gear score. Both leveling and gear scores are important for the game's content in both PVE and PVP areas of the game.
6 Destiny 2
Destiny 2 is a unique case, as it is a first-person Shooter MMO developed by Bungie and released across PC and consoles. Players create their own Guardians, who harness cosmic power revolving around elements and dark forces.
The game has several activities that can be repeated countless times for players to obtain gear and increase the unique version of a gear score called Light Level. Players may even try Destiny 2 for free with its New Light campaign and decide if they would like to play the game further after finishing.
5 Path Of Exile
Path of Exile arrived on the scene and received high praise as a successor to the old-school top-down Diablo style gameplay that many avid gamers cherished. Players choose from several "Exiles" with unique skill trees that determine play style. The freedom of Path of Exile lies in its enormous skill trees that ensure no two players will ever play the same.
The game has multiple ways to increase player power with enchantments, gear, and legendary weapons. Players can take on high-difficulty dungeons and throw themselves at waves upon waves of enemies slashing through with non-stop action. Path of Exile has retained a large player base and has even announced a sequel to the game releasing in the coming year.
4 Old School RuneScape
At first glance, Old School RuneScape appears to be a very outdated member of this list; that could not be further from the truth. RuneScape has been a highly-played MMO for the last twenty years, with a massive dedicated fanbase that has supported the game for two releases.
Grinding in Old School RuneScape is paramount, as progression is ruled by gaining XP. Over the last decade, the meta in the game has shifted multiple times. However, new players can still create a character and throw themselves at mobs of monsters to increase their power for hours on end.
3 Black Desert
While it may be one of the most beautiful MMOs in the gaming community, Black Desert is also one of the grindiest. Players can choose from over fifteen gender-locked classes with extraordinary abilities and gameplay animations and take on a massive open world.
Players can level these classes up to the soft cap and awaken their characters to unlock even more impressive abilities. The grind of Black Desert comes in when players pass level 56. At this point, they must obtain powerful gear and materials to upgrade this gear to face more challenging content like world bosses and higher-level mobs.
2 Warframe
Warframe is a unique MMO that subverts the classic character class system used in most games. Warframe has a roster of uniquely crafted characters called "Warframes" that each specialize in a particular style of combat, from absorbing ballistic damage to stopping time and causing cosmic explosions.
Once a player picks a Warframe from the roster, they must level up the frame through the game's Star Chart, which gives access to each planet in the solar system. In addition, players must level up every weapon from primary, secondary, melee, and special weaponry like mechs and ships. Luckily, this task is made simple as players can log in, enter an activity, and kill waves of enemies and gain XP.
1 Lost Ark
Lost Ark is a relatively new MMO with a laundry list of activities and events. Players must complete these multiple times to obtain the materials needed to progress. Players can choose from a number of different classes with unique specialties, such as melee, magic, or ranged combat, and level up to the cap.
Once they reach the cap, players will need to farm multiple activities to obtain more powerful gear, materials, and gold to take on more difficult challenges like raids and world bosses. The sheer number of activities available to the player in Lost Ark can be daunting at first; however, it is easy to get into the rhythm of playing the game.