Now that the MMORPG is a massive genre all its own, instead of the sequels or downloadable content that were the convention among standalone PC or console games in days of yore, there's the expansion. The expansion is often the same as an upgrade or a "bug fix" but on a much larger scale, and often includes playable materials and other kinds of new content in addition to fixing the more practical aspects of the game.
There are good MMO expansions, and then there are expansions that saved games from the danger of failure or even worse, irrelevance. The following expansions might not have been the best ones for their respective franchises, but they were the crucial changes, upgrades, or re-releases that saved an MMO.
6 Brimstone Sands, New World (2022)
New World was a hot mess from the start, broken in so many ways from launch day that the stories of it have already been fossilized in gaming history. No MMO could survive these kinds of basic problems with combat timing and basic economic functions.
Brimstone Sands wasn't just an expansion with a lot of great new content, like the Void Gaunlet, it fixed a lot of the issues that kept the game from falling into obscurity. It had been almost unplayable with various bugs, exploits, and other issues like gold and items duplicating for no reason, and this expansion allowed it to live again.
5 Morrowind, Elder Scrolls Online (2017)
They might have wanted Elder Scrolls 6 instead, which is why the reception to ESO was always on the measured side considering this is the same rabid fanbase that ensures the ongoing popularity of Skyrim. The initial release in 2015 thrilled and surprised nobody and the game didn't get a lot of positive attention outside of its niche until the Morrowind expansion.
A degree of the success can be attributed to nostalgia, with a setting that harkened back to one the earliest and best-loved installments in the Elder Scrolls franchise. To keep the location fresh, the zone in ESO is set 700 years before the single-player game, so experienced players still have another area to explore. There was also a new raid and more than 20 hours of new content to see, so a great expansion to inspire both veterans and new adventurers.
4 Dragonflight, World Of Warcraft (2022)
World of Warcraft had become the MMO world's running joke when it came to failed expansions. With the heady days of The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King years behind them, the Classic versions of the game were getting more attention than the retail ones, at least, until Dragonflight.
The graphics look great, a definite improvement over the older versions of the game, and the level scaling has made it so that no character is restricted from any content, including dungeons. This has made the old argument about leveling or legacy items a moot point. The developers have also eased up on the storytelling that makes every character a "champion" and returned to an older idea that let players explore the game independently.
3 The Taken King, Destiny 2 (2015)
Destiny 2 wasn't exactly hated, but as an FPS and an MMO, it didn't bring anything new to the table until The Taken King expansion. This took the game in a new direction that included a better, more detailed storyline, better enemies, and more focused goals.
Other bug changes included fixing bugs from the previous version and improving the strategies for fighting bosses and making the whole narrative more engaging overall. In terms of revitalization, this expansion was a huge success, breaking all of the download records at the time, at least according to Sony.
2 A Realm Reborn, Final Fantasy 14 (2020)
This might not be considered a remake, since the previous game was torn down and built again from the ground up, and could also be classified as a re-release, a re-launch, or a total remake. However, the marketing for A Realm Reborn followed the expansion template when it was announced to the gaming community. Endwalker was also a stunning expansion, but the franchise was in no need of saving by the time it was released.
A Realm Reborn didn't just save Final Fantasy 14, it breathed new life into an industry that was being crushed under the weight of a toxic workplace and gaming culture. It was famously where many World of Warcraft players ended up when the allegations regarding Blizzard's corporate crimes against both workers and gamers were made public.
1 Before The Shadow, Lord Of The Rings Online (2022)
Lord of the Rings Online always catered to a dedicated fanbase, which has seen it through some rough expansions, but everyone agrees that Before The Shadow has renewed interest in the game beyond its niche. It does a lot of the things that previous expansions like Mordor failed to accomplish, like giving characters a better story, higher stakes, and more satisfying fanservice when it comes to the lore and history that comes with playing any game that references this beloved franchise.
Despite the lack of content for lower-level characters, the new content for high-level characters evened the criticism out. The areas were not only expansive but also beautifully rendered, helping to move the game into a modern era while keeping the vintage charm that has kept it going since 2007.