Staying totally loyal is something one should never do, at least when it comes to MMOs. While you may think you have found your perfect MMO fit, the industry is constantly pouring out new titles that should never be totally ignored. You never know when you will find another game that will tickle your fancy. It never hurts to try something new, even if it ends up being a failure.

2016 is looking like an exceptionally promising year for scoping out new MMOs; with plenty of intriguing titles releasing throughout. Sure, many of these may turn out to be mediocre at best, rehashed versions of what is already available, but there always lurks that potential for greatness.

Here are our picks (in no particular order) for MMOs releasing in 2016 that we think may have that spark potential for excellence:

**Please note: this list includes only titles being released for PC.**

Crowfall

At first glance, many players may write off Crowfall. After all what does this Game of Thrones-ish MMO meets RTS game have that hasn’t already been done? This holds especially true when you take a look at the combat, which is linear and doesn’t seemingly offer up anything new and exciting for the genre.

What does make this game special and well deserving of this list is the multi-dimensional feel they are adding to the world. Players in Crowfall won’t experience just one world, but a host of worlds laid at your feet to explore. Some worlds are persistent and player-run, while others are slowly degenerating. When a campaign ends on a world, that world is gone forever a concept that has yet to be fully released in any MMO to date.

Crowfall is totally dependent on crowdfunding. This means that the more money fans donate, the faster things will get done. Hopefully, if the funds keep rolling in, this game will see its release in 2016.

Black Desert

Technically, this game has already been released. However, it has been withheld from the US market; until now. This year fans everywhere will finally get to test out this Korean sensation. Taking the sandbox concept to the next level, Black Desert incorporates elements of real world weather and physics. The world of Black Desert truly feels like a living thing.

 It also comes equipped with a dynamic combat system that allows you to build attacks and feels different than many of the MMOs on the market today. Not to mention that this game looks spectacular, you could literally spend hours just appreciating the effort put into creating such a glorious universe. An official release date for Black Desert is pending, all we know is that it can be expected sometime this year.

Star Citizen

Finally entering its Alpha phase back in November, Star Citizen has some massive potential. With plenty of funding behind it, this space sim MMO could be something truly special. With a huge universe, this game allows players to take on the role of smugglers, pirates, merchants, pilots, and bounty hunters in a sandbox type universe. With seemingly interesting gameplay and a beautiful universe to explore, Star Citizen has massive potential.

Of course, while Star Citizen looks good on paper, there are definite concerns in the community. With progress that borders on a total standstill, many wonder if this game will ever see the light of day in 2016 or ever. We are crossing our fingers that this game makes it to its grand debut; even if it isn’t this year.

Tom Clancy’s: The Division

An open world third-person shooter, slapping the name Tom Clancy on this game sparked an immediate interest in this title. An FPS PvP Survival MMO, players will find themselves in a crisis ridden New York that has recently been hit with a pandemic of epic proportions. Armed with special training from your time as part of “The Division”, your mission is to restore order by seeking out the source of the virus that has been unleashed.  Of course, being a PvP based game; you could also choose to gun down anyone you meet and further perpetuate the chaos.

Unlike traditional MMOs, there are no classes in this game. Players will find themselves equipped with a single skill tree that can be changed at will and any armor and weapons they pick up along the way. Also unique about this game is the divergence from the typical NPC driven quest system. Instead players will have map objectives they can complete at any time. The Division is set to be released on March 8, 2016.

Lineage Eternal

Lineage Eternal is the next step in the hack and slash genre. If Diablo III was an MMO, it would probably be much like Lineage. With over two years since the launch of the last in the series, there is some serious anticipation for this game and for good reason.

Lineage turns players into the ultimate fantasy hero and throws them into a world filled with engaging boss fights and massive sieges. Even more intriguing is the unique combat system based on mouse/curser movement that will dictate what happens and where. This style of gameplay was created to allow players to not only enjoy Lineage on their PC, but also on their handheld devices. Global close beta for Lineage will reportedly begin soon, leaving us with hope that we will see this game released before the end of 2016.  

That wraps up our picks for MMOs to look out for in 2016. With a little luck and a lot of developer effort, at least a few of them could turn out to be real gems. Here is hoping that many of these titles move the MMO genre forward into the future.


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Last Updated: Mar 29, 2016

About The Author

Amunet, also fondly known as Memtron, is an organic life form best known for its ongoing obsession with Blizzard Entertainment's numerous properties. To that end, Amu has authored hundreds (thousands?) of the most popular World of Warcraft guides, editorials, and Top 10 lists on the planet. When not gaming and writing, Amu is busy chasing after her three children in a perpetual loop of ongoing disaster.

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