The Meaning of MMO: What It Is and How To Use It

Have you heard the acronym MMO used in online gaming? This article will teach you all about the meaning of MMO and which MMOs are the most popular.

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Are you ready to take your gaming to the next level? You’ve probably heard the term MMO before, or perhaps you’ve even been playing MMOs for years without realizing it. Today, we’re defining this common term so that you can get back to your game.

What Does MMO Stand For?

According to Techopedia, MMO means “massively multiplayer online.” The abbreviation MMO is short for MMORPG, which stands for “massively multiplayer online role-playing game.” This is a type of online video game with many players and RPG elements.

MMOs use similar digital technologies but can have a variety of different game types, including a first-person shooter, an adventure game with many quests through dungeons, a real-time strategy game, and more. Games in the MMO genre often have a virtual economy in their world which enables players to bargain, loot, and use a form of virtual currency to make their way in the game.

MMOs have a large subscriber base on their servers. Often, a group of players will engage in combat with another group of players in real time. Their avatars or champions will engage in player combat, and the player-kill ratio is often an important part of MMO games. Many games with the MMO label have a persistent world in which a player can walk forever and not run out of gameplay.

In MMOs, you will often choose your character depending on a general category of skills. All of your options will have different strengths; some have high levels of magic, while others have immense physical strength. Then, during online play, you can often have an online conversation with the people you are playing with in real world time. 

The History of MMORPG Games

One of the first MMOs was the game Ultima Online. This game was released in 1997 by Richard Garriott. Before this game, players could only play MUDs or text-based multi-user dungeons. 

This game was the first one to create a sense of community with other players, implement global chat features, and close interactions between players. 

From there, games like Everquest and Anarchy Online defined MMO gaming in the 90s. In the 2000s, games like the Dark Age of Camelot, Final Fantasy, EVE Online, Second Life, World of Warcraft, and more brought this genre of online gaming to unseen heights.

Now, there are MMOs in just about every genre. What MMO is your favorite to play?

What Are the Most Popular MMO Games?

Below is a list of some of the best RPGs that you can play online as MMOs:

  • Puzzle and Dragons
  • Guardian Hunter
  • Dead By Daylight
  • League of Legends
  • Crusaders Quest
  • Seven Knights
  • Monster Strike
  • Tera
  • Fire Emblem Heroes
  • Temtem
  • Final Fantasy XIV
  • Arma 3
  • Path of Exile
  • Smite
  • Black Desert Online
  • Celtic Heroes
  • Dofus Touch
  • Forza Horizon 3
  • Star Wars: The Old Republic
  • Era of Celestials
  • Tales of Wind
  • One Piece Treasure Cruise
  • World of Kings
  • Farmville
  • World of Warcraft
  • Call of Duty: Warzone
  • Final Fantasy Record Keeper
  • Dragon Raja
  • Game of Dice
  • Candy Crush Soda Saga
  • Heroes of the Storm
  • Ark: Survival Evolved
  • Rules of Survival
  • Overwatch
  • Final Fantasy
  • MOBA
  • 7 Days to Die
  • Ragnarok M
  • Granblue Fantasy
  • Skyforge
  • Brawlhalla
  • Lord of the Rings Online
  • Aion
  • Kritika: The White Knights
  • Sword Art Online: Integral Factor

What Are Other Meanings of MMO? 

If you are in a conversation that is about video games or online gaming, it is fairly likely that a person will use the term MMO to stand for massively multiplayer online. 

However, if you are in a conversation in which that meaning of MMO could not possibly be correct, it might be used to stand for one of these other potential meanings from The Free Dictionary. If you are in a different field or type of conversation than online gaming, there is a good chance that MMO can stand for one of these terms instead:

  • Materials and Manufacturing Ontario
  • Maden Mühendisleri Odasý
  • Miscellaneous Material Order
  • Mobility Movement Order
  • Man-Made Object
  • Modem Managed Object
  • Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra (Milwaukee, WI)
  • Motorcycle Museum Online
  • Makine Muhendisler Odasi (Turkish: Chamber of Mechanical Engineers)
  • Maintenance Management Officer
  • Means, Motive, and Opportunity
  • Magnetic Method of Orientation (directional drilling compass type)
  • Mixed Mode Optimal (voting algorithm)
  • Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter
  • Multi Media Object
  • Mixed Metal Oxide
  • MIPR Management Office
  • Massively Multiplayer Online (gaming)
  • Minor Maintenance Order
  • Multimedia Outlet
  • Make Money Online (Internet marketing)
  • Mach Max Operating (aviation)
  • Maximum Operating Mach Number
  • Maximum Magnitude of the OCC (Odd Crosscorrelation)
  • Maintenance Manual Organization Level (TMINS)
  • Marching Men of Ohio
  • Minimum Municipal Obligation (municipal pension funds)
  • Music Minus One
  • Marvel Mystery Oil (Turtle Wax, Inc.)
  • Modifications, Maintenance, and Operations
  • Mars Mining Operations (Dark Orbit game)
  • Marine Mammals Observers
  • Mission Operation Management Organization
  • Mystic Moods Orchestra
  • Maintenance Material Officer
  • Mobile Module

Conclusion

Overall, the shorthand slang term MMO stands for massively multiplayer online. Gamers use this abbreviation to refer to MMORPGs, which are played online with many people and are popular on social media.

Sources:

  1. MMO – What does MMO stand for? | The Free Dictionary 
  2. Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) | Techopedia 
  3. MMOs and MMORPGs Game List | MMOs