Revitalizing the MMO Landscape: Insights from a Veteran Developer

MMO trailblazer Raph Koster, who is notably recognized as the chief designer of Ultima Online and the creative director of Star Wars Galaxies, indicates that the lasting triumph of World of Warcraft has negatively impacted the genre’s diversity.

In an interview with GamesRadar+, Koster remarks that MMOs have been “stuck in a rut for a long time” and observes that “there hasn’t been much innovation in the space.” The reason? Well, because World of Warcraft became so extraordinarily popular that it established a new set of guidelines for MMO developers to follow.

“The model created by World of Warcraft continues to dominate, and it has restricted what was once a much more diverse genre, correct?” Koster states. “MMOs used to offer a lot more variety, and we have witnessed offshoot genres emerging to address the demand, I suppose, for the types of gameplay and features that were once part of MMOs but are no longer present.”

I comprehend what Koster is conveying. Ultima Online, Runescape, EVE Online, Everquest; many of the MMOs that pioneered the genre and were popular before World of Warcraft’s reign featured significantly stronger social elements, with player-driven events and community interactions, along with player-managed economies. They were also often much less rigidly structured around leveling, quest design, and exploration.

These unique characteristics are the reason two MMO subgenres came into existence simultaneously; sandbox and theme park MMOs, with the latter including more scripted and less player-driven experiences like World of Warcraft and the vast majority of popular MMOs such as Final Fantasy 14 and Elder Scrolls Online. Sandbox MMOs still exist, and indeed, Ultima Online continues to have both official and private servers, while Star Wars Galaxies is still accessible through private servers. That said, it’s evident that theme park MMOs have completely dominated the MMO landscape. Just take a look at our list of the best MMOs to enjoy in 2025; nearly all of them are theme park-style.

Koster’s new studio, Playabl