The Unsung Heroes of 2025: MMOs That Deserved More Recognition
As the curtain falls on our 2025 awards season, it’s time to shine a spotlight on the MMOs that didn’t clinch the top honors but undeniably left their mark. This year, we shook things up by streamlining our awards process, spotlighting just one expert opinion per winner. While efficient, this approach left us yearning to celebrate the underdogs—those games that, though overlooked, deserve a standing ovation. Today, in Massively Overthinking, we’re giving them their moment.
But here’s where it gets controversial... Did the industry’s giants overshadow innovation, or did we simply miss the gems hiding in plain sight? Let’s dive in.
Brianna Royce reflects, “While I have no qualms with this year’s winners—Guild Wars 2 absolutely earned its accolades—there are unsung heroes that slipped through the cracks. Throne & Liberty’s housing system was a game-changer, but it couldn’t compete with World of Warcraft’s long-awaited player housing. Similarly, *Dune and Pax Dei pushed crafting boundaries, yet their efforts went largely unnoticed. And let’s talk about Ship of Heroes—its business model wasn’t perfect, but was it worse than the billion-dollar crowdfunding debacles or crypto-driven scams plaguing the genre? The backlash felt disproportionate, especially when compared to the silence on gacha mechanics or loot boxes.”*
And this is the part most people miss... The diversity in new MMORPG classes this year was staggering. Sure, Ratmancer stole the show, but the sheer number of innovative options deserves applause.
Carlo Lacsina chimes in, “I’m content with the results, though I can’t help but dream of the day the world shares my enthusiasm for the untitled Runeterra MMO.”
Chris Neal passionately argues, “My heart belongs to *Skate—a game that, despite its soft launch status, delivers an unmatched vibe. It’s a shame it didn’t get more love, but I’m glad we acknowledged the ‘golden oldies’ trend, even if Guild Wars 2’s dominance wasn’t my ideal outcome.”*
Justin Olivetti counters, “While Guild Wars 2 had a solid year, World of Warcraft outshone it with its relentless content updates, housing system, and Classic branch efforts. WoW’s output was simply unmatched.”
Sam Kash wonders, “What happened to *Throne & Liberty? After winning GOTY last year, its absence this year is puzzling. Ashes of Creation deserved more credit for its Steam launch, and Anvil Empires could be the next big thing in the indie space.”*
Tyler Edwards adds, “Overwatch 2’s Stadium feature transformed it into a welcoming competitive shooter, and *New World’s Nighthaven update was a remarkable turnaround, overshadowed only by its maintenance mode announcement. As for Ship of Heroes, its missteps pale in comparison to industry heavyweights like Star Citizen.”*
Controversy & Comment Hooks: Should we hold smaller games to the same standards as industry giants? Did we overlook innovation in favor of familiarity? And what does it say about us when we criticize minor flaws while ignoring systemic issues like predatory monetization? Share your thoughts below—let’s spark a debate!
