Watchlist
Upcoming MMORPGs Worth Watching
There is no shortage of upcoming MMORPGs. There is a shortage of ones that might become real places. This page collects the MMORPGs currently on our watchlist: the worlds we are tracking because they show signs of becoming somewhere worth belonging, not just something to play.
Every world below links to a full profile with its current status, sources and what remains uncertain. We do not rank them, and we do not promise any of them will deliver. We watch them.
MMORPGs currently on our watchlist
Blood Banner
Sandbox MMORPG · Pandora Toolbox
Blood Banner (formerly Spawn World) is a sandbox MMORPG from Pandora Toolbox. Development is on hold after funding fell through (reported 2026-10-09; see Worlds in Waiting report https://www.worldsinwaiting.com/reports/spawn-world-development-on-hold). Steam still lists it under the old name Spawn World as Coming soon / Early Access; Steam copy emphasises player-defined roles, open-world full-loot PvP, settlements, and a player-driven economy.
Stars Reach
Sandbox MMORPG · Playable Worlds
A science-fantasy sandbox MMORPG from Raph Koster and Playable Worlds, entering Steam Early Access in summer 2026. Players explore, terraform, and settle a classless, persistent galaxy.
Open World PvP
Sandbox PvE
Action Combat
Partial Loot
BitCraft Online
Sandbox MMORPG · Clockwork Labs
A single-world sandbox MMORPG from Clockwork Labs with deep crafting, settlement building, and a persistent shared economy. In Early Access since June 2025; 100,000 copies sold.
Optional PvP
Sandbox PvE
Action Combat
No Player Loot
SEED
Society Simulator MMO · Klang Games
A persistent society simulator MMO from Klang Games where every character is player-owned and the world runs continuously. Early Access launches July 21, 2026.
Sandbox PvE
Full Player Economy
ArcheAge Chronicles
Action MMORPG · XL Games
The spiritual successor to ArcheAge, developed by XL Games and published by Kakao Games. Targeting a Q4 2026 global release on PC and consoles.
Open World PvP
Group Focused
Action Combat
Partial Loot
Chrono Odyssey
Action MMORPG · Chrono Studio (NPIXEL)
A visually ambitious action MMORPG from Chrono Studio, published by Kakao Games. Originally targeting 2025, now pushed to Q1 2027 after mixed beta feedback drove extensive reworks.
Optional PvP
Raid Focused
Action Combat
No Player Loot
Monsters & Memories
Classic MMORPG · Niche Worlds Cult
A self-funded, subscription classic-style MMORPG built around slow, group-first progression in a new fantasy world.
Optional PvP
Group Focused
Tab Target
No Player Loot
Camelot Unchained
RvR MMORPG · Unchained Entertainment
A realm-versus-realm MMORPG Kickstarted in 2013 and aimed at Dark Age of Camelot veterans. Steam Early Access launched June 2, 2026 to mostly negative reviews and a near-empty world. December 2026 full release remains the stated target.
Realm vs Realm
Group Focused
Tab Target
No Player Loot
What counts as an MMORPG here
We use MMORPG broadly: persistent multiplayer worlds where character progression, social bonds and a shared world matter more than matchmade sessions. Some projects on this list call themselves survival games or society simulators. We include them when the underlying ambition is a persistent social world.
Why we watch this category
The MMORPG is the genre most likely to produce worldness: persistence, interdependence, shared memory and social consequence. It is also the genre most prone to overpromising. We track these projects to separate credible momentum from cinematic hype.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the most anticipated upcoming MMORPGs?
- Anticipation is not the same as worldness. We track upcoming MMORPGs by how credibly they could become persistent social places, using visible development, community signal and design ambition rather than marketing reach. The worlds on this page are the ones currently on our watchlist; each profile explains our current read and what is still uncertain.
- Do you rank upcoming MMORPGs from best to worst?
- No. We do not publish best-to-worst rankings or scores. We assign a watch status that reflects how closely we are tracking a world and how strong its signal is. A world can be high signal, watching, scouting, a hidden gem, or dimming.
- How do you decide which MMORPGs to track?
- We look for worldness: persistent identity, player interdependence, shared memory, social consequence and reasons to return beyond content consumption. Pure lobby games and worlds that are only a backdrop for matchmaking are generally out of scope.