MMO’s are a fantastic genre of games where you can share the world with tens, hundreds, even thousands of people. Interact with others, fight with them or against them, it’s all up to you. A good MMO is able to captivate players, making them willing to put hundreds of hours into it.
The downside however is MMOs were originally designed for PC. Playing them on console was difficult, unintuitive, bulky, and felt wrong. Hotbars with dozens of skills and items, and you’re limited to a controller.
Yes, you can play with controller and mouse on modern consoles these days but let’s be real that’s work. Thankfully, some MMOs have taken console players into consideration and released some fantastic console versions of their games. Let’s take a dive into 5 best MMOs for console and hope we don’t end up spending 500 hours there.
Related: 5 Most Popular MMOs Ever
Final Fantasy 14
FFXIV is renowned for its stunning visuals, breathtaking landscapes, and meticulously crafted character designs that contribute to a visually appealing and detailed game world. The inclusion of various job classes, each with its unique abilities and playstyles, provides players with a ton of options for character customization and gameplay.
On launch, FFXIV did not do so well. The developers chose to listen to the players and overhauled the game into what it is now, one of the most popular MMOs. Constantly releasing new content, and being able to play most of the game for free makes this a no-brainer for MMO fans.
With controls designed with controller in mind, and performance optimization for consoles, the developers ensured that simple things like menus wouldn’t be near impossible to navigate on consoles. Final Fantasy 14 feels like you’re playing just another Final Fantasy, but with thousands of other people!
Elder Scrolls Online
Boasting an expansive and intricately detailed open world, Elder Scrolls Online allows players to explore the iconic lands of Tamriel. The game offers a level of immersion and freedom, much like that of the beloved Elder Scrolls single-player series. The game’s narrative is impressive, with each region having its compelling storyline and quests, providing players with a rich and varied gaming experience.
One of my best friends is captivated by ESO, putting well over 1000 hours into it. Every time I fire up the PS5, he is playing ESO. People love to explore a world that’s alive, and ESO will have you dropping hundreds of hours into it as you become entranced by the extremely detailed world of Tamriel.
Being able to bind spells to controller buttons, and switch between two hotbars on the fly, ESO for consoles is a great pick for a console MMO. The times I have played this game, I felt that using a controller was natural and that it played well… Me playing well? That’s another story.
Related: 5 Best MMORPGs of All Time
Destiny 2
Not all MMOs have to be RPG’s. Destiny and the followup Destiny 2 are basically MMOFPS’s (Massive Multiplayer Online First Person Shooter), which when you think about it works really well for consoles. Yes, PC elitists will tell you the only way to play a first person shooter is with a PC and a monitor that has a 4,000 refresh rate.
What if I told you though, that playing Destiny on consoles isn’t just okay… it’s fun! Missions, raids, and PVP are all available for you to take on, and you have the choice of which to play. If you’re not the most competitive person, you can relax and play alongside others in missions and raids, but if you’re one of the hardcore ones, PVP is for you. Regardless of your playstyle, Destiny 2 is able to have the best of the shooter and MMO worlds in one.
Fallout ’76
Before you jump to the comments on this one, hear me out. Yes, Fallout 76 had a terrible launch, it had bugs that made even Bethesda blush, and people got cheap imitations of the swag they were promised by pre ordering.
The team stuck with it however, because six years after launch the game is actually pretty good. Yes it shouldn’t have taken so long, but credit should be given for these guys not abandoning the project right away. After countless updates, the game falls in line with the rest of the series, offering multiplayer and an expansive world.
But how does it make a good console MMO? It’s the exact same game style as Fallout 3 & 4, which are great console games. The online aspect is, basically, the only difference. Grab your power armor and let’s go! Just don’t run into a deathclaw. Also keep an eye on April 12th of this year (2024), for the Amazon Prime Video Fallout TV Series!
Related: Best Online MMOs & Browser MMO Games
DC Universe Online
Championed by video game legend Greg Miller, DC Universe Online is the MMO that every Marvel fan wished they had. You start by creating your own hero or villain, already a fantastic start letting you choose if your character is good or bad. Once made, your character is injected into a world full of DC characters.
Unlike a lot of MMOs that have menus upon menus, and hotbars galore, DCUO is focused on fast action-packed combat. Aiming for more of a hack-and-slash style gameplay benefits controller users greatly and makes the game very enjoyable even if you don’t have a big ol’ gaming rig at your disposal.
When I asked Greg why he loved DCUO, I didn’t expect this:
“It’s my childhood definition of heaven — just getting to exist in the DC Universe and be a hero. When I finally was invited into the Watchtower’s inner sanctum to meet Superman… that was a moment in gaming that I’ll never forget.”
– Greg Miller
That’s a pretty great endorsement. It’s very clear that if you enjoy DC in the slightest, DC Universe Online is your pick. The console version works very well, despite still lacking a next gen upgrade, so you don’t need to be a ‘dirty PC player’ as Greg would say. Hack and slash action combat compliments controller users, giving them the ability to play just as well as PC users.
MMOs are popular for a reason, and with the number of consoles out in the wild it’s good to know there are some MMOs that are functional on your preferred platform. Are there any more MMOs that work well on console? Let us know in the comments!
