Single-player, non-online games aren't the norm when it comes to how people play games now. In fact, even some solo-campaign games require online connections for specific features. But before World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV dominated the MMORPG scene, and before Call of Duty dominated hard drive space, there were games like Starcraft. And even before that, there were ARPAnet games. In fact, there were even multiplayer games dating back to the 1940s.

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Obviously, no one was logging on for a quick Battle Royale match in 1987. But video games that adopted or adapted to the internet each made their marks on the future of online gaming as an industry. From starting subscription services to hosting their own servers, these games pioneered online multiplayer games.

Updated on December 21, 2022, by Levana Chester-Londt: Back in the day, gaming used to be a fairly solitary venture (besides the occasional LAN, which often required carting oversized equipment around). Nowadays, there is a strong social aspect to video games, mostly thanks to online multiplayer features helping people connect from across the globe.

While playing against AI bots has its own stress-free charm, nothing quite beats competing against real people, as that predictable, systematic approach is usually thrown right out the window. The first generation of gamers had to tough it out before being able to appreciate the ultimate online multiplayer escapades.

20 Duke Nukem (1991)

0_0006_Duke-Nukem-1
  • Released: 1991
  • Developer: Apogee Software
  • Platform: PC

Originally distributed to the masses via a Floppy Disc format, Duke Nukem is set in a dystopian future (of 1997) and was arguably the closest old-school players got to a first-person shooter experience. Trying to rid the world of a formidable Techbot army run by a radioactive mad scientist, Duke Nukem adds a strong story element to its side-scrolling gameplay, intriguing fans immensely, who just kept coming back for more.

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Several editions of this epic game have been released over the years, with Duke Nukem Forever as the most recent installment (2011); however, it was the revolutionary Duke Nukem 3D that won the popularity poles overall. Humour is a fundamental element of Duke's adventures through Shrapnel City and beyond, and spin-off games have also been created for the likes of PlayStation and Nintendo 64 to appease even more Duke enthusiasts.

19 Worms (1995)

worms wmd craft 1 weapon
  • Released: 1995
  • Developer: Team17
  • Platform: PC, Playstation, Saturn, Game Boy

Tank games may not be the most popular genre around, as they may seem relatively simple at face value; however, players require a strategic mind to enjoy the full potential of Worms. With icons like Artillery and Lemmings in their rearview mirror, these creepy crawlies set themselves apart from the rest with their wacky comedic content and unique animation style.

The fun intensifies further when more contenders enter the battlefield, as fighting a friend with an absurd and ridiculous army of worms is a rib-tickling experience indeed! These wiggly creatures have since dominated the turn-based artillery game industry, with Worms Rumble (2000) as the most recent addition to the online multiplayer realm.

18 Heroes of Might and Magic (1995)

Heroes Of Might And Magic 3
  • Released: 1995
  • Developer: New World Computing
  • Platform: PC

Paving the way for popular RPGs such as Fire Emblem and Dragon Quest, this classic turn-based fantasy adventure has been going strong since the very beginning, debuting with Heroes of Might and Magic: A Strategic Quest. With more than twenty additions made to the franchise (expansions included), it is safe to say the concept was a huge success!

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Heroes' entire energy is perfect for the online world; however, in the beginning, fans were content to play against the PC as they attempted to dominate the realm with their mythological army. The subtle RPG element also shines through, as players must find artifacts, increase their experience and learn magical abilities while conquering enemy villages and fighting foes along the way.

17 Diablo (1996)

A player in a room full of skeletons in Diablo
  • Released: 1996
  • Developer: Blizzard North
  • Platform: PC and PlayStation

As the top-selling RPG's of its time, Diablo dazzled players by allowing them to get the full hack-and-slash experience while dungeon-crawling through Khanduras in search of the diabolical Big Boss. Players could venture on a solo quest or form a party of up to four members, fulfilling the roles of Warrior, Rogue, or Sorceror.

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While most players only jumped onto the bandwagon in 2012 with Diablo III with its updated online multiplayer features; however, many die-hard fans feel the new installment lacks that magical essence that the first two games perfectly encapsulated. Diablo has made a distinctive impression on the gaming world, regardless.

16 Half-Life (1998)

Half-Life 1 key art with the game's logo and Gordon Freeman
  • Released: 1998
  • Developer: Valve
  • Platform: PC and Playstation

This revolutionary sci-fi/horror first-person shooter game begins mid-journey, traveling towards Black Mesa Research Facility (a trope that Skyrim fans are very familiar with.) Unlike other storytelling methods, Half-Life players aren't forced into following a certain path, giving the game a more realistic, almost open-world feel to it.

The survival mode set-up emphasizes the horror aspect that has overwhelmed Dr. Gordon Freeman's entire existence, as the world has become overrun with grotesque, Giger-styled alien creatures who appear to have developed a taste for human flesh.

15 Sega Rally Championship (1996)

Sega Rally Championship racing on the Sega Saturn
  • Released: 1994
  • Developer: Sega AM3
  • Platform: Arcade, Game Boy Advance, N-Gage, PC, Sega Saturn

Released in 1994, Sega Rally was one of the first games to take advantage of the Sega Saturn's Netlink Modem add-on for online play in 1996. The Netlink hardware ran at 28.8kps and ran Sega Rally on the Planetweb browser and allowed players to compete online.

Sega Rally was already a groundbreaking title at the time of its release with its performance, terrain variety, and speed. The game performed beautifully at the time of its release and would serve as Sega's first successful dip into online console gaming before Dreamcast.

14 ChuChu Rocket (1999)

ChuChu Rocket cover art and gameplay
  • Released: 1999
  • Developer: Sonic Team
  • Platform: Dreamcast, Game Boy Advance, iOS, and Android

Originally developed as a means to test the stability and online capabilities of the Sega Dreamcast, ChuChu Rocket was a groundbreaking little game that proved to be one of Dreamcast's most popular titles.

The game adopted a classically retro style but the chaotic action featured several characters on the screen at once. ChuChu Rocket proved that even though it was in its infancy, online console gaming was more than just a pipe dream.

13 Phantasy Star Online (2000)

Turn based combat on Phantasy Star Online Dreamcast
  • Released: 2000
  • Developer: Sonic Team
  • Platform: Dreamcast, GameCube, PC, and Xbox

Released in 2000, Sonic Team took the long-running Phantasy Star JRPG series online and launched the first online console RPG. A huge leap in terms of visuals when compared to ChuChu Rocket, Phantasy Star Online broke new ground influencing the likes of Final Fantasy 11 and even the Monster Hunter series.

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Phantasy Star Online is still played today on private servers and is still looked upon as a landmark title for console gaming with its glimpse into the future; its legacy lives on with Phantasy Star Online 2, which was released in the West in 2020 on the Xbox One.

12 Neverwinter Nights (1991)

Screenshot of Neverwinter Nights 1991
  • Released: 1991
  • Developer: Beyond Software
  • Platform: MS-DOS

Long before Bioware broke hearts with an egg who called himself the Dread Wolf, they created the world's first game capable of online multiplayer. The internet officially launched in 1983, so online gaming was still in its infancy in the early 90s. Neverwinter Nights combined several key facets: third-person, RPG elements, a Dungeons & Dragons framework, and game hosting.

Each server is allotted for up to ninety-six players, as well as a Dungeon Master. Neverwinter Nights also included combat arena modules and persistent world modules. It lacked a global chat but had individual chat rooms and truly set the tone for all online multiplayer games moving forward. Fun fact: the game also launched alongside America Online (AOL).

11 Doom (1994 - 1995)

image of Doom gameplay
  • Released: 1993
  • Developer: id Software
  • Platform: 3DO, Acorn Risc, Amiga OS, Linux, Game Boy Advance, iOS, MS-DOS, Sega 32X, Atari Jaguar, Mac OS, SNES, Sega Saturn, Switch, and Xbox 360

Though cheat codes aren't so popular anymore, they became a thing thanks, in part, to Doom's multiplayer. The original game launched in 1994 with LAN co-op and deathmatch modes. But the game released an online multiplayer update in 1996 using the DWANGO service. The "Dial-up Wide-Area Network Game Operation" worked as a matchmaking service as developed by a company in Houston, Texas. The service went on to fuel Doom II, Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior, and more.

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Doom players eventually developed cheat codes for invulnerability, instant kills, weapon unlocks, and more. Not only was this game a pioneer of online multiplayer, but it also sparked what would become a robust hacking movement within video games.

10 Meridian 59 (1996)

image of Meridian 59 gameplay
  • Released: 1996
  • Developer: The 3DO Company
  • Platform: PC

Meridian 59 came online in 1996 as one of the first "highly graphical multiplayer games" that also existed in a persistent online world. Though limited to 35 simultaneous players, many video game historians consider it to be the first game to adopt a monthly fee. Believe it or not, the game still operates today with a focus mainly on PvP gameplay.

The game puts players in a sword and sorcery setting as they adventure throughout the world. Many modern MMORPGs use features that Meridian 59 originally showcased. This includes a dynamic guild voting system, guild halls, in-game bulletin boards, customizable armor sigils, world expansions, an in-game mail system, and more.

9 Command & Conquer (1995 - 1996)

image of Command & Conquer gameplay
  • Released: 1995
  • Developer: Westwood Studios
  • Platform: Android, PC, Apple Mac, iOS, N64, PSP, PS1, PS3, PS4, Sega Saturn, and Xbox 360

Not all online multiplayer experiences need to be role-playing games or arena shooters. This rings true throughout video game history, as Command & Conquer shows. Though the online aspect did not release until 1996 with Command & Conquer Gold, this real-time-strategy game sticks out as one of the first to make online matches viable.

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The re-release of the game also featured SVGA (super VGA) visuals. It achieved the "Computer Strategy Game of the Year" award at the first annual Interactive Achievement Awards in 1998.

8 Quake/QuakeWorld (1996 - 1998)

image of gameplay from Quake
  • Released: 1996
  • Developer: id Software
  • Platform: PC, Amiga OS, Mac OS, Sega Saturn, N64, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S

Quake might be one of the most well-known shooting games of all time. The original game offered incredible and real-time 3D graphics and was an early adopter of OpenGL 3D acceleration. It also featured a soundtrack by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails.

But the iconic arena shooter did not get an online multiplayer mode until the QuakeWorld update. This allowed gamers to use dial-up modems for online matchmaking and was released in 1998. Since then, it has spawned many sequels and mods, including the original Team Fortress, which started as a Quake add-on.

7 Age of Empires (1997)

image of gameplay from Age of Empires
  • Released: 1997
  • Developer: Ensemble Studios
  • Platform: PC, Mobile, Mac OS, PS2, OS X, N-Gage, Nintendo DS, iOS, and Android

Thanks to remasters of games in the series, many gamers continue to play Age of Empires even today. But the game originally launched in 1997, allowing for up to 8 simultaneous players. Microsoft itself supported the online multiplayer with Microsoft Gaming Zone.

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But Age of Empires stands out amongst the masses as one of the first to use Scenario Builders. Users could create their own custom scenarios and then submit them for others to download. Players also found that they could modify data files to release unused units like a spaceship or manipulate gameplay mechanics.

6 NetStorm: Islands At War (1997)

image of gameplay from NetStorm: Islands At War
  • Released: 1997
  • Developer: Titantic Entertainment
  • Platform: PC

Developed by Titanic Entertainment, Activision published the RTS NetStorm: Islands At War in 1997. It featured an embattled world known as Nimbus and god-like beings known as "The Furies." Similar to Age of Empires, it featured online play for up to 8 players in a game.

But this differed from past RTS games like Command & Conquer in that few moving units get used. Individual players control islands and a priest, with the ultimate goal being to capture someone else's priest. The game maintains a large fandom, with many calling the game ahead of its time. Legend has it that some servers remain active to this day.

5 Ultima Online (1997)

image of gameplay from Ultimate Online
  • Released: 1997
  • Developer: Origin Systems
  • Platform: PC and Linux

Despite World of Warcraft remaining one of the most popular MMORPGs, it was not among the first ones created. That honor goes to Ultima Online, which still has servers and players active today; those interested in playing can do so for free. Though officially released in 1997, its roots date back to 1981, with many greats in early video game history attached, like Rich Vogel and Raph Koster.

The game featured top-down 2D graphics focused heavily focused on PvP gameplay and was set in the universe of the Ultima games. Coincidentally, Bioware Mythic and EA are also attached to this series.

Each expansion added a new world (this might sound familiar to WoW players), and the developer studio, Origin, called the game a social experiment of sorts. They felt that the game needed to make players feel like the "center of attention" as with single-player experiences while also accounting for large-scale player interaction. The game is still around and has influenced many MMORPGs to date, so the developers' experiment worked.

4 Lineage (1998)

image of UI and gameplay from Lineage
  • Released: 1998
  • Developer: NCSoft
  • Platform: PC and Mac OS X

At the time, the small Korean studio called NCSoft launched Lineage with middling expectations. But the game exploded after its release in 1998, amassing up to three million subscribers at one point. The game is based on a Korean comic series sharing the same name and is the first in the Lineage series. It shares gameplay aspects with Diablo II and Ultima Online, given its isometric, two-dimensional overhead graphics. But the game really excelled in adapting a clan vs. clan or world vs. world mechanic.

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With an item, monster, and stat system largely taken from NetHack, the game also allows players to join "blood pledges." Players play in groups against other groups in wars and sieges. Those interested in the game franchise can check out its sequel right now.

3 Starsiege: Tribes (1998)

image of gameplay from and case art from Starsiege: Tribes
  • Released: 1998
  • Developer: Dynamix
  • Platform: PC

Unlike other games that had to add online multiplayer support, Tribes launched as an "online-only" first-person shooter action title. Not only did the game feature far-reaching outdoor environments and customizable characters, but it also featured controllable vehicles, team-based mechanics, bot AI, and multiple game modes, including deathmatch and capture the flag.

It follows the Metaltech: Earthsiege and Starsiege stories in the 40th century as developed by Dynamix. The game features 40 maps that could have different climates and terrain, and players could have heavy, light, or medium armor. But the game's physics engine really helped it stand out as players developed different ways of moving that exploited the engine.

2 Starcraft (1998)

image of gameplay from Starcraft
  • Released: 1998
  • Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
  • Platform: PC, N64, and Mac OS

Blizzard had successful ventures long before WoW, but Starcraft remains one of the most memorable launch titles from the now-gargantuan studio. One of the most innovative things about the game was the fact that players had to use Blizzard's internet service client Battle.net to access it.

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As had become standard by 1998, the game supported up to eight players, which could be divided into teams or plunged into a free-for-all, some complete with unique scripts and mechanics that essentially changed the very basis of the game. But Starcraft set itself apart with its sci-fi setting and "Ladder" play or a proto-ranked play. Moreover, the game also included features like football game simulations, bike races, and Zerg hunting competitions, thanks to the game's powerful built-in map maker and the community's endless creativity.

It is no wonder that the remastered version of the game holds one of the highest Metacritic scores for MMORPGs to date.

1 Bonus: MUDs (Multi-User Dungeons)

image of a start-screen from a MUD or multi-user dungeon
  • Released: 1975
  • Developer: Multiple
  • Platform: Early PC formats

If games like Lineage and Ultimate Online paved the way for Everquest and WoW, then MUDs paved the way for those games and all MMORPGs. People created multi-user dungeons as access to the ARPAnet (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network used by the military and then universities) became more expansive. Due to the technical limitations of the era (the 1970s - 1990s), these games were largely text-based, with later games featuring ASCII hex systems.

Some of the most notable titles included Armageddon (1991), Discworld (1991), Achaea (1997), and Island of Kesmai (1985), with a follow-up to it in 1996 called the Legends of Kesmai. These games often included role-playing elements such as monsters, fictional races, and dice-rolling mechanics. As the genre developed, science fiction worlds cropped up, as well as educational games, games based on media of the time, and chat environments. For fans of video game history, MUDs are as historical as it comes.

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