MMORPGs
MMORPGs (the abbreviated name for Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games) are special types of role playing games. These games, as their name suggests, are meant to be played online by multiple people at the same time. So, for example, here you could join a game with a load of your friends or you could play with complete strangers located all over the world.
The term MMORPGs is thought to have been first thought up in the late 1990s when these games first became really popular by Richard Garriott who created the MMORPG Ultima Online. These games are based around virtual communities, places or worlds where each player will take on a role and a specific character. They will then play the game and interact with other players as that character.
Many people spend a lot of time regularly playing MMORPGs. It is extremely easy to get into the role that you play in these virtual worlds and most games will allow you to customise your character and its actions as you go along and work through the game. It is also common for people to play in teams with their friends or people they meet when playing on many games as well as just as solo characters.
In most cases, with the really big MMORPGs, players will need to pay a subscription to join a game and to play. These games are often referred to as Pay To Play. This part of the games world is extremely lucrative to games manufacturers and designers as a hit here could see millions of people wanting to join up and play the game. There are also many different games in this sector that are free to play. Some really well known games, such as Runescape, are free to play in part -- if you want to play the full version you will need to set up a subscription.
Outside of the actual MMORPGs themselves there are many different online options that players can become involved with. Many popular games will have a wide variety of online communities set up by players and fans. They may, for example, spend time chatting on forums as well as playing the games where they can exchange tips and tricks and their experiences as a player. One of the biggest games in the MMORPG scene at the moment is World of Warcraft. This is held to be the biggest Pay To Play MMORPG on a global basis.