TOP 5 New Upcoming MMORPGs of 2022 & 2023

by Yannis Vatis / Lists, Articles / 06 Jan 2022

2021 was a big year for MMORPGs. We got tons of new and impressive releases making the entire year a tough act for 2022 and 2023 to follow. While the pickings are looking to be slimmer, we still have a fair few creative and intriguing titles to look forward to this year and the next. While some have confirmed release windows, the majority of upcoming MMOs are in various states of development, so their launch dates are anyone’s guess.

Regardless, here are the top 5 new upcoming MMORPGs slated to release in 2022 and likely in 2023.

Lost Ark

After years of anticipation, the South Korean top-down Diablo-like MMORPG Lost Ark is close to its western release. It’s a game that fuses the explosive combat of isometric ARPGs with MMOs’ exploration and community focus. Combat is the title’s most vital point. Each of its numerous advanced classes has mechanics that set it apart from the rest. On top of that, Lost Ark has gorgeous visuals reminiscent of the porcelain-like textures of games like Black Desert.

Beyond all this, Lost Ark features a massively large world that you’ll get to explore with your own ship. There’s also an epic story to experience and a host of challenges to overcome.

Mortal Online 2

The original Mortal Online was released to very little fanfare. Despite having ideas that hit home with hardcore players, it could not find its audience. Mortal Online 2 is looking to give the game a second wind sometime in 2022. What sets this game apart from other MMORPGs is its challenging combat mechanics. Instead of having cooldown-based combat, Mortal Online 2 features action combat that takes skill to master. The angle at which you swing your weapon matters, and to maximize your damage, you need to master the game’s charge system.

Even though the game will focus once again on PvP, it’ll feature a bigger sandbox world with tons of PvE challenges to take on your own and with others.

Corepunk

Corepunk is another inventive title currently in development. Like Lost Ark, it’s an isometric ARPG that mixes in a seamless open world to create a unique MMORPG experience. What makes Corepunk stand out from the crowd is its genre mashup world. As its name implies, it tosses in elements of fantasy, sci-fi, cyberpunk and spits out a genre salad of epic proportions. Even your character can be a mix of these different universes. On top of that, you’ve got tons of class customization to build your character any way you like.

Corepunk was slated for 2022 but saw a few setbacks with its beta releases, so it will likely be out later in the year or even in 2023.

Blue Protocol

This game is for anime fans. Blue Protocol features crisp, gorgeous cell-shaded graphics that’ll put Genshin Impact to shame. It’s an action MMORPG that takes place in a fantasy world with some sci-fi elements. What’s striking about the game is its fast-paced combat. We’ve seen characters performing long attack strings and high-flying maneuvers from trailers and videos, suggesting that the game will be incredibly fun to play.

It’s unclear whether Blue Protocol will be seeing a western release. What’s for sure is that Asian territories will be diving into its vibrant world likely in 2022.

Bitcraft

Admittedly, this upcoming MMORPG is still up in the air in terms of release window. However, it’s possibly one of the most exciting titles on this list. Bitcraft isn’t looking to dazzle you with awesome combat and epic bosses. Instead, it wants to immerse you in a sandbox experience where you can explore and craft until your heart’s content. It’s in the name, after all. Featuring crisp, colorful graphics and serene environments, what we’ve seen so far of Bitcraft is quite impressive.

We don’t know when exactly to expect Bitcraft but based on recent updates, we may be seeing this MMO open up at least an Alpha test in 2023.

Which Upcoming MMORPG of 2022 and 2023 Should You Play?

We’re not exactly spoilt for choice this year but what’s on offer is pretty solid. Lost Ark’s beta showcased just how exhilarating its combat is. On top of that, it’s a free game with tons of content, so it’s a safe bet to give it a go when it launches in February 2022. If your blood burns for some hardcore combat mechanics, then you can’t go wrong with Mortal Online 2. Its predecessor was a bit too PvP focused, but the follow-up seems to have learned from the past and brings more PvE content to the fold. Blue Protocol is a stunning-looking game, but if you want to play it sooner rather than later, you’ll likely need to fiddle with some VPNs and low latency. Finally, Bitcraft and Corepunk are probably still a ways off but are both looking promising for their respective reasons so take your pick from the rest of this list to tide you over until 2023.

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Yannis Vatis

Yannis is a veteran gamer with over 30 years of experience playing a wide spectrum of video games. When not writing about games, he's playing them, and if he's not playing them, then he's definitely thinking about them.
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