A wave of big online worlds is lining up for late 2026 and 2027. Some are classic MMOs. Some sit next to the genre, with open worlds, co-op, and persistent progress. Either way, players will have more shared worlds to jump into than they have had in years.
Here are five of the biggest ones to watch.
1. Guild Wars 3
This is the heavyweight. ArenaNet announced it at Summer Game Fest 2026, and it is the first new main Guild Wars game since 2012.
The story starts more than a thousand years before the original game. You explore ancient Orr when the land is still wild and full of magic. The studio wants combat and movement that feel closer to a single-player action RPG than a stiff tab-target MMO. You build speed by running, sliding, wall running, and gliding, then carry that momentum into fights.
It is coming to PC and PlayStation 5. That is the first time a main Guild Wars game launches on console. A beta is planned for fall 2027. A full launch is more likely in 2028. ArenaNet has said it will keep the old buy-once model, with no subscription.
If one game can pull Western MMO players back in, this is it.
2. Honor of Kings: World
This is Tencent and TiMi Studio turning the huge Honor of Kings universe into an open world action RPG. It already launched in China in April 2026 on PC and mobile. A global date is still not locked. Many expect a wider release to follow if the China version keeps growing.
It is not a giant old-school MMO with thousands of players in one zone. It is closer to a shared open world with co-op, exploration, and flashy action combat. You wander the land of Primera, team up, and take on big fights. The production looks expensive, and the world is built to feel pretty on both phone and PC.
The big question for the West is monetization. Gacha is a real concern. If Tencent keeps the combat fun and does not squeeze players too hard, this could be the most popular MMO-like game of the next year.
3. Ananta
Ananta is NetEase’s urban open world RPG, set for a global launch on January 15, 2027. It is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, iOS, and Android. More than 17 million people have already pre-registered.
This is not swords and dragons. It is a living city game. Think busy streets, cars, cafes, subways, and martial arts fights in places that look like Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Tokyo. You can switch characters, use the environment in combat, and play as a kind of influencer who builds fame while saving the city.
Is it a true MMO? Not in the Guild Wars sense. It is still a huge shared-feeling open world that a lot of MMO fans will try. If the cities feel alive, Ananta could own early 2027.
4. Palworld Online
Pocketpair’s Palworld already left early access in July 2026. Now Garena is making Palworld Online, a licensed mobile MMO version for iOS and Android. The plan is a 2026 launch, with more dates still to come.
The pitch is simple. Capture Pals, raise them, build bases with other players, and explore one connected world. There will be co-op, PvP, guilds, and a new story made for this version. It is Palworld rebuilt as a persistent online game you can play on a phone.
This one matters because the audience is already huge. Palworld proved people want creature collecting with guns, bases, and friends. A real MMO wrapper could turn that into a long-term live game, even if it starts on mobile only.
5. Nodusfall
HoYoverse revealed Nodusfall at Gamescom 2026. It is a dark fantasy co-op action game on Unreal Engine 5, not a full MMO. You play as Weavers in a world where the gods have gone quiet. You team up, hunt giant mythic beasts, and steal back pieces of divine power.
It supports four-player co-op, with tank, DPS, and healer roles. HoYoverse says it will be free to play and will not use gacha to unlock characters. PC is confirmed. Other platforms and a release date are not. Some reports point at 2027, but that is not official.
Why include it? Because this is the kind of game that sits right next to MMOs. Big bosses, party roles, shared worlds, and long-term builds. If HoYoverse ships it well, a lot of MMO players will treat it as their next group grind.
What else is coming
Two more names are worth a watch.
Aion 2 is the next true MMORPG you can actually play soon. The global PC launch is set for September and early October 2026. It is already live in parts of Asia.
Chrono Odyssey is a buy-to-play open world action MMO from Kakao and Chrono Studio. It has been delayed again and now aims for the second quarter of 2027 on PC, PS5, and Xbox.
The short version
The next two years will not give us one new MMO. They will give us a pile of them.
Guild Wars 3 is the prestige bet. Honor of Kings: World and Ananta are the giant open world live-service bets. Palworld Online wants to take a breakout hit and turn it into a persistent online world. Nodusfall is the stylish co-op cousin that will steal MMO hours anyway.
If you like open worlds you can share with other people, 2027 is looking crowded in the best way.
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