Playing an MMORPG is like having a second life. Unlike a conventional game, the numerous MMORPGs available on the market cannot be completed in several hours. Their vast worlds and big content doesn’t allow that.World of Warcraftis the best and most popular in this type of genre.
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For as good asWoWis though, its medieval setting can sometimes get boring, leading many players to look elsewhere. Filled with alien races, advanced weaponry, addictive gameplay, good graphics, and vast worlds, these are the best sci-fi MMORPGs for those craving an adventure that’s a little more out of this world.
Updated Jul 02, 2025, by Tom Bowen:Although thesci-fiandMMORPGgenres may seem like a match made in heaven on paper, there are surprisingly few of them around. Many developers have tried and failed to perfect the recipe over the years, but very few have had much luck when it comes to their games actually taking off after launch. Thankfully, though, not all of the sci-fi MMORPGs released over the past decade or two have gone down in flames, with a decent selection still available for those with big dreams of role-playing their way through outer space.
18Neocron Evolution
After almost eight years of service, the team over at Reakktor Media finally shut down theNeocron 2servers in late 2012. Rather than simply leaving the game to die, however, they instead opted to hand the keys to the kingdom over to a small team of fans who re-branded the game asNeocron Evolutionand have kept it running smoothly ever since.
Over the past decade, the new developers have worked tirelessly to tweak and modernize the experience, with newly created high-resolution textures really helping the game to shine. The player base is relatively small when compared toother MMORPGs, but there are still more than enough people playing the game to help itscyberpunk-inspired worldfeel alive and worthy of exploration.
17The Repopulation
Although the development ofThe Repopulationhas stalled somewhat in recent years, the building blocks required to create anexcellent sci-fi MMORPGare still there for all to see. The writing is strong, the monetization is minimal and there’s a fantastic selection of skills and abilities for players to unlock and level up as they play.
Whether or not the game will ever escape from early access remains to be seen, but even in its current state, there is an awful lot to like. The biggest problem is finding people to play online with, but with a few friends and a little coordination, this can be remedied easily enough. It’s arguably worth it, if only to see what might have been.
16Star Citizen
Another game that’s taking its sweet time to arrive isStar Citizen, which is currently stuck in the Alpha stage despite the game first being announced almost a full decade ago. It’s also one of the most well-funded video games of all time, with more than $400 million being raised since October of 2012. Despite this, however, there’s still no sign of a concrete release date.
From what little of the game has been shown, it’s shaping up to be one of the very best sci-fi MMORPGs of all time. The Alpha looks great and, for the most part, has been well-received by both critics and backers. That said, some of the latter group were a little unhappy about having to pay a one-time fee to check it out while others have requested refunds due to the constant delays.
15Prosperous Universe
Prosperous Universeis afree-to-play browser gamethat borrows a lot of its ideas fromEVE Online. There are no fancy graphics to be found here though, with the game instead opting for a text-based approach to gameplay and a heavy emphasis on political and economical development.
Though it sounds a little dry on paper, the game is actually quite a lot of fun and is fairly deep considering its modest budget. Those looking for fast-paced space dog fighting should definitely look elsewhere, but anybody with an interest in the logistics of space civilization could definitely do a lot worse. As a bonus, it can also be played on mobile.
14Zenith: The Last City
Zenith: The Last Cityis one of the most underrated sci-fi MMORPGs in recent memory, with fewer than 3,000 people having reviewed it on Steam at the time of writing. Those who have reviewed the game have typically been very positive, praising its simple mechanics, fun gameplay, and ambitious design choices.
Available on both PC and PS4,Zenithis one of only a handful of virtual reality sci-fi MMORPGs, thus making it a somewhat unique proposition. It’s still in early access at the moment but continues to receive regular updates, with new features and mechanics being added into the game all the time. It may well be one for the future but is well worth checking out in the present as well.
13Elite Dangerous
Elite Dangerousjust might be the most ambitious MMO space sim game ever made, thanks largely toits realistic 1:1 scale depiction of the Milky Way galaxy. The universe in which the game takes place is absolutely massive as a result and much of what each player does while exploring it can have a noticeable impact on the game’s overarching narrative.
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The game started life as aKickstarter campaignback in late 2012 and was released for PC just a few years later. Since then, it has been ported to both the PS4 and the Xbox One and is reported to have generated more than $140 million in revenue during its lifetime. Critics also responded well to the game, with many praisingthe incredible depth of its explorationand its well-realized trade and combat systems.
12Skyforge
Skyforgeborrows elements from both the sci-fi and fantasy genres and blends them all together intoa well-presented and thoroughly enjoyable game. It’s completely free to play as well, and, although it is possible to buy small stat boosts and cosmetic items, spending money is in no way required to enjoy everything thatSkyforgehas to offer.
Combat feels fluid and is easy to pick up and the game looks and sounds fantastic throughout. The Switch port is a little below par, however, so those thinking about checking it out would be better served picking it up on one of the other systems if possible or only playing the game while docked if the Switch is their only option.
11Entropia Universe
Developed and published by Swedish studio MindArk,Entropia Universeis a highly interesting and original game that offers great freedom to players in almost every way. The game offers six planets as the playing ground where the player, among other things, can hunt, mine, craft items, and trade.
It is free to play, but spending money allows additional significant options. It uses a micropayment business model meaning the items in the game have real value. The game even managed to enter the Guinness World Records book for the most expensive virtual object ever sold when Jon Jacobs sold a club called Club Neverdie for $635,000.
10Perpetuum
Published in 2010, the game has an interesting and very original title,Perpetuum. That doesn’t reveal much about the game or specifically her content, which is based in 2208 in the war between humans and the robotic alien race for the energy sources.
The player is able to play by piloting customizable robots on various islands connected by teleports. The game is highly interactive, and while some tasks can be completed solo, for the majority it’s best and easier to be completed in cooperation with other players.Perpetuumhas no subscription option, and the player can start playing the game after buying it.
9Warframe
InWarframethe player controls members of the Tenno, a collection of long-forgotten fighters who have emerged from a kind of cryosleep only to find themselves at war with different factions. Upon release, the game didn’t receive many players nor it was critically well-received, but the situation changed over time and now the game counts more than 50 million players.
The game was first published for Microsoft Windows in 2013, and later ported to PlayStation 4 andXbox One, and it is planned for the game to be ported to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X once they come out.
