Text-based MMORPGs

• The history of modern MMORPGs can be traced to the mid-1990s with the advent of massive Internet adoption. Before the MMORPG came the multi-user dimension (MUD), an early form of text-based game that allowed multiple users to role play at the same time. Unlike MMORPGs, MUDs did not have scripted events outside of what that session's players created. Early text-based MMORPGs with set, scripted events such as the original Neverwinter Nights and Modus Operandi were a popular part of the AOL service.
  
  

Graphical MMORPGs

• Graphical MMORPGs added a new dimension as the technology allowed. Ultima Online was the first to gain any massive adoption in 1997. The genre blew up in 1999 as many players flocked to EverQuest. Features included a true 3D world, questing with friends and player versus player (PvP) combat. Many development studios rushed to cash in on the EverQuest phenomenon.
  
  

World of Warcraft

• World of Warcraft, released by Blizzard Entertainment in 2004, is of special note in the MMORPG world as it succeeded in taking the genre to the masses. With more than 10 million worldwide subscribers, the role-playing game features deep character customization and a seemingly endless string of quests that keep players coming back. Blizzard's cash cow MMORPG continues to be successful and has spawned three expansion packs.
  
  

The MMORPG Genre Today

• The MMORPG world still is dominated by World of Warcraft, but other developers have taken the genre in new directions. A newer MMORPG model sees no monthly subscription service or initial cost, instead encouraging players to fork over cash for in-game items and perks. Games such as Warhammer Online and Lord of the Rings Online have achieved success in their own right with better graphics and new gameplay mechanics.