Top 10 Most Played & Best MMORPGs in November 2025 – Updated Rankings

Hey everyone! My July 2025 "Top 10 Best MMORPGs" list exploded (thanks for all the love ❤️), but four months later everything shifted again. Expansions landed, populations stabilized (or crashed), and we’re heading into winter break — perfect time for a fresh November 17, 2025 update!

I pulled the latest numbers from mmo-population.com, Steam Charts, activeplayer trackers, Reddit buzz, and my own playtime. Rankings blend raw player counts with current health, updates, and pure fun factor.

1. Final Fantasy XIV 🏆

Still the crown holder. Dawntrail is fully polished now with 7.3+ patches delivering savage raids, ultimate fights, and graphic upgrades that make Eorzea pop. Community remains the friendliest in gaming.

Who it’s for: Story-driven raiders who want depth and polish.
Pros: Best storytelling, welcoming sprouts, free trial to level 70.
Cons: Long MSQ on alts.
Player estimate (Nov 2025): ~208,000 monthly actives – rock solid.

2. World of Warcraft (Retail + Classic)

The War Within era is still going strong with Delves, follower dungeons, and a packed 2025 roadmap. Classic servers keep the nostalgia crowd huge.

Who it’s for: Vertical progression grinders and mythic+ addicts.
Pros: Endless content, frequent updates.
Cons: Sub + expansion costs.
Player estimate (Nov 2025): Combined retail/Classic easily the highest in the genre (estimates 5–8 million monthly across all modes).

3. The Elder Scrolls Online

Super consistent. 2025 chapter + performance upgrades made it smoother than ever, and Tamriel’s solo storytelling is unbeatable.

Who it’s for: Lore nerds and console explorers.
Pros: No sub for most content, massive world.
Cons: Tab-target combat feels dated to some.
Player estimate (Nov 2025): ~166,000 monthly actives.

4. Old School RuneScape (OSRS)

The ultimate nostalgia machine. Mobile + constant community-voted updates = immortal player base.

Who it’s for: “Just one more quest” grinders.
Pros: Truly F2P-friendly, membership optional.
Cons: 2007 graphics.
Player estimate (Nov 2025): Still one of the absolute most played MMOs globally.

5. Guild Wars 2

Janthir Wilds + steady living-world drops keep it feeling brand new. No sub, horizontal progression, best mounts ever.

Who it’s for: Casual explorers who hate treadmills.
Pros: Fair cash shop, epic world events.
Cons: Raids are niche.
Player estimate (Nov 2025): Super stable mid-tier population.

6. Throne and Liberty

Biggest drop since July. Launch hype faded hard after monetization complaints and grind walls, but large-scale PvP sieges and transformation combat still pull dedicated guilds.

Who it’s for: Hardcore PvP guild warriors (if you can stomach the cash shop).
Pros: Gorgeous, dynamic events.
Cons: Pay-for-convenience still stings.
Player estimate (Nov 2025): ~221,000 monthly actives (down 20%+ from summer).

7. Black Desert Online

Still the best-looking MMO in 2025. Action combat + insane life-skilling depth = dedicated grind lords.

Who it’s for: Fashion + grind enthusiasts.
Pros: God-tier character creator.
Cons: Heavy P2W elements.
Player estimate (Nov 2025): Strong Steam concurrent peaks.

8. Lost Ark

ARPG-MMO hybrid keeps pumping raids. 2025 content kept the endgame alive for die-hards.

Who it’s for: Fast-paced loot goblins.
Pros: Free, satisfying combat.
Cons: Brutal gatekeeping at the top.
Player estimate (Nov 2025): Holding steady in the West.

9. New World: Aeternum

The 2025 console relaunch + heavy revamp brought a solid wave back. Combat feels great now, crafting loop is addictive.

Who it’s for: Survival-crafter MMO fans.
Pros: Gorgeous world, fun expeditions.
Cons: Still ironing out bugs.
Player estimate (Nov 2025): Healthy post-relaunch bump.

10. Albion Online

Full-loot sandbox PvP never dies. Cross-play + player-driven economy = hardcore heaven.

Who it’s for: Risk-loving PvP addicts.
Pros: Free, brutal but fair.
Cons: You WILL lose everything (a lot).

Honorable Mentions

• Path of Exile 2 – More ARPG but massive MMO overlap
• Destiny 2 – Looter-shooter MMO king
• EVE Online – Spreadsheet empires forever
• RuneScape 3 – Modern bossing galore
• Star Wars: The Old Republic – Best stories in the galaxy

What’s Actually Coming in 2026 That We’re Hyped For?

• Ashes of Creation – Alpha 2 is live right now, nodes + sieges look revolutionary (full launch targeted 2026)
• Chrono Odyssey – Time-manipulating combat, delayed to 2026 but trailers still insane
• ArcheAge Chronicles – Fresh take on the sandbox formula
• Riot’s MMO – Still in dev but rumors heating up

FAQ

Q: Why did Throne and Liberty fall so hard?
A: Monetization backlash + grind fatigue – classic Korean MMO story.

Q: Best free MMORPG right now?
A: Old School RuneScape or Albion Online.

Q: Most newbie-friendly?
A: Guild Wars 2 or FFXIV free trial.

Q: Is the genre dead?
A: Look at these numbers – absolutely not!

There it is — the real late-2025 truth bomb. Which one are you grinding? Did your main get robbed? Let me know below so we can fight about it 😂

Happy adventuring, kings! 🚀