For several weeks, Ten Ton Hammer readers have voted on their most anticipated MMOG of 2013. We allowed you to vote up to once per hour every day since mid-December. After tens of thousands of votes, with several game communities fighting to put their game at the top, we finally have a winner.

Over the past couple of years, our annual Most Anticipated poll has reflected a trend: to the most active, energized communities go the spoils of victory. Each year, our top three games seem to arise as a result of developers who let their fans know where to vote, and how often. We watched as some of the top games jockeyed for position on the results page. It was a hard-fought battle, but in the end one victor emerged from the dust and rubble.

Most Anticipated MMOG of 2013 - The Elder Scrolls Online

When it comes to beloved IPs, The Elder Scrolls Online certainly represents one of the biggest. Over the years, millions of gamers have roamed the continent of Tamriel, exploring the landscape and destroying their foes. In ESO, Zenimax Online Studios will deliver Tamriel set in a dark time period 1000 years before the events in Skyrim, where three warring factions--The Daggerfall Covenant, The Aldmeri Dominion, and The Ebonheart Pact--have taken arms against one another and The Empire in an epic struggle for control.

When it came to our voting, The Elder Scrolls Online consistently held a spot in the top three and, in the end, won out by a healthy margin against its competitors. Zenimax consistently kept our Most Anticipated voting on ESO fans' radars, making sure to push the voting on its Twitter feed (and hence, the site's front page.) Packing a one-two combo of a high-profile IP and an energized fan base, The Elder Scrolls Online emerged as our Most Anticipated MMOG of 2013.

Runners Up

Firefall

Despite its slow roll-out from beta to a soft launch, Firefall fans appear to be hardcore lovers of this shooter from Red 5 Studios, and they're willing to vote hard and vote often to keep their game in a winning position. Perhaps one Firefall fan said it best in our comments: "I voted for Firefall. It’s just too much fun, even still in its Beta stage. My friends call it 'The King of fun.' We could play Firefall together all night, not wanting to call it a night."

DUST 514

Our second runner up position goes to CCP's PS3 exclusive console shooter, set in the EVE Online universe, DUST 514. Much like Firefall, DUST has a somewhat questionable beta status--is it a launched game or still a beta game? There are arguments for both sides. On the one hand, CCP has not made its launch official. On the other, the client isn't difficult to get hold of, and CCP has begun taking real world money for cash shop sales. Regardless, CCP made sure that DUST fans knew where they could go to vote up this great game and make sure it emerged among our top 3.

Honorable Mention

Neverwinter

Because it trailed DUST 514 by a mere 21 votes at the close of voting, it seems unfair not to give mention to Cryptic Studios' upcoming MMOG, also based on a juggernaut IP, Neverwinter. Our staff has played this title at industry events and emerged with tales of a fun, active combat system. The Foundry, Neverwinter's pièce de résistance, will allow players to create and share their own custom content. What we've glimpsed so far has shown us a robust system that's sure to impress.

Did your personal most anticipated MMOG of 2013 make our final cut? Did you participate in the voting? Brag (or bitch) about it in our comments below!