5 Best Video Games Like World Of Warcraft

"World of Warcraft" has dominated the MMORPG market for over two decades and has been responsible for dozens of viral video game moments across its library of games and expansions (not all of which are beloved). For many players, nothing can replace "World of Warcraft," as some MMO gamers have been playing the expansive series for most of their lives. However, if you're looking to branch out and experience what the rest of the genre has to offer, there are plenty of solid choices in the MMO space and beyond.

Naturally, with "World of Warcraft" being one of the original MMORPGs, many games that have been developed since took various pieces of inspiration from it. Whether it's the raiding system, the way the world and quests are laid out, or the skills that players can use, you'll see some of the classic "WoW" DNA in many current MMOs. Of course, these games still offer plenty of nuance and a different overall experience, but in a good way. Below, you'll find five games that are like "World of Warcraft" for anyone looking for a new challenge to conquer.

"RuneScape" and "World of Warcraft" have been atop the MMO market for as long as both games have been around, and that's not changing anytime soon. Just like "WoW," "RuneScape" is composed of separate games, with "RuneScape 3" being the modern version and "Old School RuneScape" being designed for fans of the game from pre-2007. Both games are updated in similar fashion, hold some MMO world records, and consistently deliver new content updates for their respective player bases. But if you ask the community, "Old School RuneScape" is often seen as the better game.

Featuring graphics from (yes) 2007 and all of the same content from back then, "Old School RuneScape" is still jam-packed with things to do. There's a free-to-play version (which does lock you out of a lot of content) and a members version, which costs $15 per month and opens up the entire game. Fortunately, F2P worlds in "Old School RuneScape" are still populated and offer hours of play that allow you to gain an understanding of how the game works. At its core, "Old School RuneScape" is a true MMORPG with dozens of quests, over 20 unique skills to train, a world overflowing with locations, bosses, and NPCs, and inventive turn-based combat. It's a classic for good reason.

"Elder Scrolls Online" is another one of the most–played MMORPGs as of 2026, and it features an expansive world that's comprised of dozens of locations from the "Elder Scrolls" franchise. This includes some of the most iconic locations in the world of Tamriel, but there's plenty of room to roam and encounter dungeons and points of interest in the lands between. "Elder Scrolls Online" is also constantly receiving fresh expansions that add more locations and content to the game, so there's always something new to check out even if you're a long-time player.

The gameplay loop in "ESO" is very similar to "WoW," as your character is assigned a specific class, and that determines the real-time skills you have access to during combat. These skills can then be assigned to a hotbar, where they have cooldown timers and can be utilized in conjunction with your character's weapons and gear. Combat is extremely fast and strategy-oriented in "ESO," and dungeon bosses or hordes of enemies are often extremely difficult to deal with, especially as a solo player. Perhaps the strongest selling point of "ESO," though, is the story in the base game, which is brilliantly written. However, there are also new stories to go through with every fresh expansion, all of which tie into the overall timeline in the "Elder Scrolls" franchise. 

While the "Final Fantasy" franchise is better known for its single-player titles that have been released since the 1990s, Square Enix also offers an MMORPG, "Final Fantasy XIV Online." Originally (and disastrously) launched in 2010, it underwent a hugely necessary transformation in the mid-2010s. Now, in 2026, "Final Fantasy 14" is one of the best MMOs on the market, loaded with thousands of hours of content. Similar to "WoW," "FFXIV" makes you pick a class, or "job," that gives you access to certain abilities and traits to shape your character, and that you can change regularly.

The game features a laundry list of classes that require you to perform a variety of specific tasks to level them up. These classes are needed for certain questlines, gear, and other parts of the game, and the classes may even have nothing to do with combat. Of course, some classes will help out with combat, with an example being the Miner and Blacksmith classes that give you the tools to forge weapons and gear for your character. Each class also has a unique questline that lets you explore more parts of the world, along with the different abilities.

If you're more about action, though, the combat in "FFXIV" is quick and precise, with the map featuring progressively harder enemies the further you venture out. "FFXIV" allows you to play its base game without a subscription, and this offers around 50 hours of gameplay. However, you will need to pay extra fees to access the entire experience, including all of the new expansions, which add fresh content to its ever-growing, crystal-focused world.

"World of Warcraft" is developed by Blizzard Entertainment, and it's the only MMORPG the studio makes. However, Blizzard is also in charge of the "Diablo" franchise, which is the closest non-MMO to "WoW" that you can play. Of all the games, "Diablo IV" is the best option for "WoW" players, as it's a modern experience that utilizes plenty of the same mechanics as the MMORPG. Of course, "Diablo IV" is considered an action RPG, which means its multiplayer features are limited in comparison.

This doesn't mean that "Diablo IV" isn't a multiplayer experience, though, as you can party up with friends or strangers and even encounter other players out in the world. Along with these others, you can take on the story in "Diablo IV," which offers around 30-40 hours of gameplay. Throughout the story, you'll travel to vastly harder locations and take on challenging bosses. They will drop key pieces of loot, allowing you to farm a particular location until you get the item you're looking for to complete your build.

Where the real grinding takes place, though, is in the endgame of the story, where you can access the toughest dungeons, grind through waves of enemies for superior loot, and even engage in some PvP. "Diablo IV" offers several distinct character classes to choose from, thousands of pieces of loot to collect, and a familiar combat system that "WoW" players should be able to pick up immediately.

"Guild Wars 2" is yet another MMORPG that originally released in 2012 and has maintained a rock-solid player base for the past 14 years. Featuring a vast open world, character classes called "Professions," and some of the best fashion in all of gaming, "Guild Wars 2" should make "World of Warcraft" players feel right at home. What might be most enticing to "WoW" players, though, is the emphasis that "Guild Wars 2" places on multiplayer elements.

You don't have to be in a party to engage with other players in the world, so you can come across a group of players defeating a world boss and simply jump right in. Of course, with the size of the world in "Guild Wars 2," you might find it difficult to come across other players, as the playable map is chock-full of interesting locations to check out and quests to complete.

The game's claim-to-fame, however, is a vast wardrobe, with countless choices available to uplift your character's swag. It's hard for any two characters to look the same in "Guild Wars 2," and all of this unique loot can be grinded for or purchased through specific vendors out in the world. Fortunately for "WoW" players, combat can be picked up pretty easily, but it is slightly more faster paced and movement-oriented in "Guild Wars 2." You can boot it up for free to play the base game, but you have to pay a subscription to unlock additional character items, better multiplayer functionality, and other content. It's worth it.