# Are there any free MMORPGs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 16, 2005, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450 "2005-10-16T06:30:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/1 "2005-10-16T06:30:32Z")
I’ve never played a “Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game”, and I’m not really sure whether I’d enjoy them or not. I have to admit some of them look pretty neato though, like Eve Online. But I’m not gonna spend money on something when there’s a 50% chance I’ll mess around with it for half an hour and uninstall it. Am I correct that in general, you have to buy the software, then pay a monthly fee for most of these? Any good free and/or open source ones out there? Even a month free trial should be enough to get a decent grasp. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/2 "2005-10-16T06:37:04Z")
Guild Wars is free to play, but you have to buy the software. It’s also not _quite_ a real MMORPG. Everything is instanced except the towns, so you only encounter other players who left town grouped with you. That’s what I’ve heard, anyway…I’ve never played it myself. I don’t have time, with World of Warcraft and all… ---
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/3 "2005-10-16T06:40:35Z")
[Runescape.](http://www.runescape.com/) It has an expanded version that you can play if you pay, but you can play the lesser one for free. I think this is the best MMORPG I’ve ever played, but then, I haven’t played all that many. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/4 "2005-10-16T06:57:48Z")
I’ve played EQ for five years, then made the switch to EQ2 this past year. I would suggest that one, though it has monthly fees and all, just because you’re guaranteed to get addicted to it… and even if you hate it, apparently you will continue paying for it, playing it, and complaining constantly in /ooc to all the other players. 😉 Okay, okay. Guild Wars has no monthly fee, but I don’t know much about it. I tried it, and it’s okay, but EQ2 takes up much of my time. Sometimes, if you can find a friend who plays EQ, EQ2, or City of Heroes, they might have an “invite a friend to play for one month free” option… sometimes I get those in my email and send them to my brother. Still, there’s the problem of having to buy the game and all… Find a friend or co-worker who plays MMORPGs. Create a character on their account (unless they’re like me and have no free slots), hostilely take over their computer until you’re sure you would enjoy the game. Never let them leave the room so you can ask your n00bish questions - there are many things you might not “get” at first and you’ll need a veteran MMORPGer or a Prima Guide 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/5 "2005-10-16T07:04:11Z")
as a long time EQ player I can politely disagree with \*\* Anastasaeon \*\* after way to long I fianally gave up on sony EVER getting a single clue when it comes to dealing with their player base, the customer service at SOE is possibly the worst I have ever experienced, to the point that I dont think they will ever see another dime from me. I hear many good things about WoW and my roommate plays, you can get a 10 day free trial if you know somone who plays, you need their instal cd I think but thats it for a free 10 days. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/6 "2005-10-16T08:12:52Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > as a long time EQ player I can politely disagree with \*\* Anastasaeon \*\* after way to long I fianally gave up on sony EVER getting a single clue when it comes to dealing with their player base, the customer service at SOE is possibly the worst I have ever experienced, to the point that I dont think they will ever see another dime from me. My friend, you are a stronger person than I. 😉 [SUB]However, I don’t have any complaints about the game, so I actually enjoy it, I just got tired of hearing the people who complain all the time, yet never leave, even though they know nothing is going to happen… so I just turned off /ooc. [/SUB]😃 However,\*\* Critical1 \*\* is correct: SOE is lousy for customer service. _Lousy_. ---
**Author:** ![Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/7 "2005-10-16T08:46:34Z")
[www.urbandead.com](http://www.urbandead.com) is a browser-based text/minor graphics game where you play a zombie or a survivor in a city where the dead have come to life. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/8 "2005-10-16T08:54:18Z")
> **[The Kingdom of Loathing](http://www.kingdomofloathing.com)** > > The Kingdom of Loathing (or KoL, as it has come to be known by its player base) is a free, comical RPG, brought to you by the folks at Asymmetric Publications. Free, fun, browser-based. And with a built-in mechanism that prevents you from wasting too much time on it. ---
**Author:** ![Domokun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c77e96/32.png) [@Domokun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Domokun)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/9 "2005-10-16T15:02:50Z")
The free ones tend to be quite crappy as they have production and development budgets you’d expect for the price. [Eve Online has a free trial though](http://www.mmorpg.com/eve_trial.cfm) (download the software, play 14 days for nothing then pay a monthly fee if you choose to subscribe). You can get a trial key from that link then download the client [here](http://www.eve-online.com/download/). Most MMOs that have been out for a few months do trials these days so [shop around](http://www.mmorpg.com). ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/10 "2005-10-16T15:26:18Z")
Does Diablo II’s BattleNet count as a MMORPG? Or is it just more of a slugfest where the only aim is maxing out your Damage-Per-Second? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/11 "2005-10-16T15:29:30Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > Does Diablo II’s BattleNet count as a MMORPG? > > Or is it just more of a slugfest where the only aim is maxing out your Damage-Per-Second? I don’t believe it counts, as the only non-computer-controlled characters in the world at any given time are you and your small party. To be a true MMORPG, everyone playing on the same server at the same time has to be able to be perceived and interacted with by everyone else (on teh same faction, anyway). This is one of the reasons Guild Wars doesn’t _quite_ qualify as a true MMORPG. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/12 "2005-10-16T16:20:04Z")
Anarchy Online has a free version that’s pretty darn playable. I run it when I’m really bored, and have had some fun joining a guild. It’s the only game I’ve actually enjoyed tradeskilling in (I’m looking for the pieces to build a coffee machine for my guild base. My guildies really dig the idea!) Only downsides- there’s some content you can’t access on the free version, there are some in-game ads (that are largely avoidable / ignorable), and, as it’s free and doesn’t require a credit card, there are hordes of 14-year-olds with, well, stereotypical ‘1337’ 14-year-old mentalities. ---
**Author:** ![Phedre\_no\_Delaunay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/839c29/32.png) [@Phedre\_no\_Delaunay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phedre_no_Delaunay)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/13 "2005-10-16T16:38:02Z")
I had a good time playing [Astonia](http://www.astonia.com/). You can play for 28 days for free, and if you like it, pay $9.95/month. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/14 "2005-10-16T18:14:25Z")
> [@Phèdre nó Delaunay](#): > > I had a good time playing [Astonia](http://www.astonia.com/). You can play for 28 days for free, and if you like it, pay $9.95/month. Bleh. I tried Astonia. The interface was klunky and rough and I felt like I was working instead of playing because of it. I could just be spoiled by WoW, though. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/15 "2005-10-16T19:09:53Z")
Browse the game magazines at your local bookstore. There are a few (i’m not sure which ones) that are offering free trials of World of Warcraft (and others, I’m sure). Nothing to buy except the magazine. You can’t use the auction house (where players put up items to be bought by the highest bidder) or chat (you can read but not talk) and the level cap is 10, but you can get a free (or very cheap) taste of what it’s like and become addicted for life like me. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2005, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/16 "2005-10-16T22:51:58Z")
[PlaneShift](http://www.planeshift.it/main_01.html) It’s currently still in open-beta stage, but it is now, and always will be, completely free. Heavy emphasis on the RP aspect of MMORPG. ---
**Author:** ![Banquet\_Bear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banquet_bear/32/373_2.png) [@Banquet\_Bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banquet_Bear)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/17 "2005-10-17T00:09:04Z")
> [@Suburban Plankton](#): > > [PlaneShift](http://www.planeshift.it/main_01.html) > > It’s currently still in open-beta stage, but it is now, and always will be, completely free. > Heavy emphasis on the RP aspect of MMORPG. …that looks like fun! I’m downloading now, but acording to the counter, it will be another 29 hours! :eek: Whats it like? ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2005, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-free-mmorpgs/326450/18 "2005-10-17T15:59:45Z")
I have a couple of 14-day free trial accounts for City of Heroes. Shoot me an email if you want one.