How to Make an MMORPG Game Like World of Warcraft

Since launching back in 2004, World of Warcraft has over 9 million active players. If you want to create an MMORPG that ends up creating such a massive player base, our experts are here to guide you through the process of making a game like World of Warcraft.

Players have always preferred multiplayer experiences over single-player.

The reason? Human connection.

While players don’t mind engaging with AI-driven in-game characters, they prefer experiences where they get to connect and play with real players.

MMORPGs offer an environment where thousands of players log in and play simultaneously. Not only are such games great for engagement but also allow players to meet new people from around the world.

The MMORPG that started it all and made the most impact to date is World of Warcraft. If you’ve played it, we’re sure you loved it.

However, creating a game like the GOAT of MMORPG games is a complex and highly expensive venture. But if you have the finances and teams required to execute such a project, expect exceptional returns on your investments. 

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In this blog, we’ll answer questions like:

• What is an MMORPG?
• What features should a game like World of Warcraft have?
• How to build an MMORPG like World of Warcraft?
• And, how much does it cost to make a game like World of Warcraft?

What is an MMORPG?

A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is an online game that thousands of players can play at the same time. In an MMORPG, each player controls a character and goes on adventures to explore the game’s world. Players can team up with others to defeat enemies or go on quests.

In an MMORPG, the game world continues even when you are offline. It is an open world with no set ending, so you can keep playing new content as it is added. Popular MMORPGs have thousands or even millions of players from all over the world playing together. This lets you meet new people while playing. 

Many MMORPGs are free to download and play, but some offer extra items and features if you pay a subscription fee. Upcoming MMORPG games also offer different NFT assets you can achieve as you complete different objectives.

Overall, MMORPGs provide a fun way to immerse yourself in a constantly evolving world.

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Why is World of Warcraft So Popular?

Released in 2004, World of Warcraft (WoW) has become one of the most popular online games. The platform has garnered millions of dedicated players over its long lifespan. There are a few major reasons why this MMORPG continues to be so well-liked even after over 20 years.

Firstly, WoW lets players fully customize the avatars they identify with. With multiple appearance options to choose from, you can create unique heroes that match your preferred playstyle down to their outfits and skills. This personalization draws people in and creates a truly personalized MMORPG experience.

Secondly, the world of Azeroth feels vast and full of secrets waiting to be explored. With beautiful natural scenery, dynamic weather and day/night cycles, busy cities, and dungeons hidden everywhere – players are always in for something new and exciting. 

The amazing attention to detail, expansive gaming environments, and fluid gameplay have made this MMORPG legendary.

Lastly, joining the WoW community creates strong social connections that keep people coming back. You can join guilds and bands of heroes to take on challenging multiplayer raids, battle other players in PvP modes, or just chat and make friends from around the world.

After over two decades, WoW continues driving intrigue through its personalized heroes, worldbuilding, and loyal community.

Building a game like WoW will be difficult and requires massive amounts of investment and time. However, such a venture will be quite rewarding in the long run.

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Must-Have Features for a Game like World of Warcraft

For developers aiming to build the next great online fantasy world, there are crucial boxes that need checking to create an MMORPG like World of Warcraft.

Customizable Avatars

Gamers want to feel represented as their digital heroes. If you want to be Batman and fight crime, you can’t do that in real life without looking like a fool or ending up in prison. An MMORPG provides you with the perfect platform to do so.

Players can customize their avatars the way they want and equip their characters with different roles, accessories, and abilities. Adding further customization options for upgrading skills, equipment, and attributes can further improve player experiences.

Living Open World

Moving forward, MMORPG players want more immersive gaming experiences. So, pull out all the stops to create environments players feel a part of. Beautiful, well-detailed landscapes make it fun for users to move around, explore, and participate in different quests.

You can integrate various dynamic elements into your MMORPG, including weather patterns, realistic day/night cycles, wildlife, and much more. Populate the lands with native civilizations, hidden dungeons, and exotic creatures players can interact with.

Rewarding Progression

Core gameplay loops focused on continuously advancing one’s character enhance engagement. Standard RPG systems for leveling up abilities, vanquishing foes, and completing tasks enable measurable progress and keep the overall gameplay competitive.

Thriving Social Experience

Games these days provide an amazing platform for players from different regions and backgrounds to connect, communicate, and play together. 

For your MMORPG game, you can allow players to send follow invites, form groups and communities, exchange insights on game forums, and trade rewards.

Constant Content Updates

Even the greatest games grow stagnant without ongoing support. So, post-launch roadmaps are critical before launch. Major content drops like new storylines and character expansions retain player interest.

More frequent updates like exclusive, limited-time events with unique rewards persuade regular logins within dry periods. For online titles, the work never truly ends as community management helps studios understand what players currently want. Learn from WoW’s over 20 years of continued success.

Process of Making a Game like World of Warcraft

Developing a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game (MMORPG) with the scope and polish of World of Warcraft is no small feat. Here’s a breakdown of what goes into the process of making a video game like World of Warcraft:

Building a Virtual World

Everything starts with crafting an imaginative world teeming with life and adventure. Define rich stories and histories for lands, factions, and wars that shape current events. Concept artists can illustrate stunning worlds while 3D modelers bring initial ideas into gameplay-ready assets. 

Level designers then assemble the open world by crafting immersive zones with distinct themes from magical forests to cryptic dungeons. Programming finally breathes life through interactive elements like destructible objects, dynamic weather, and roaming wildlife.

Populating with Inhabitants

Next is filling the world with both playable characters and NPCs. Character artists conceptualize races like dwarves and elves along with mystical beasts before modelers sculpt and texture every detail. Animators make each inhabitant move fluidly while sound engineers deal with the auditory aspects of your MMORPG.

Writers then develop extensive storylines so major characters have well-defined motivations regarding quests. Before launch, aggressively stress test server capacity to ensure stability housing thousands of players simultaneously.

Crafting Core Gameplay

Design dungeons with unique boss strategies then implement them alongside an epic soundtrack.

From difficult boss fights to in-game quests, your game should keep players hooked and engaged at all times. Also, add different value-driven elements to keep players coming back for more.

Community Building

MMORPGs live and die by their community, so create well-connected communities for players. Add different tools and features that allow players to easily find groups that resonate with their interests. 

Build clans, engage with your teammates, and perform different exchanges. Also, add features that enable players to share their achievements across their social media handles.

Post-Launch Support

Development is the backbone of your venture. However, the work doesn’t end anytime soon. It’s important to ensure your MMORPG keeps running flawlessly. You should also consider player feedback, make fixes, and add new features to your game.

Moreover, it’s important to ensure your game is secure and prioritizes the privacy and confidentiality of player data.

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Cost of Making a Game Like World of Warcraft

Creating an MMORPG is like building a virtual world where thousands of players can play together. The cost varies greatly depending on how big and complex you want your game to be.

For a basic MMORPG with simple graphics and features, you might need $500,000 to $1 million. But for games with amazing graphics and lots of content like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV, the cost can go up to $100 million or more.

Here’s what you’re paying for:

• Game designers who create the story and how the game works
• Artists who make characters, buildings, and landscapes
• Programmers who write the code that makes everything work
• Servers to keep the game running smoothly for all players
• Testing to fix problems before players see them
• Marketing to tell people about your game

The biggest costs usually come from:

• Making high-quality artwork and animations
• Building and maintaining powerful servers
• Paying skilled developers
• Creating enough content to keep players interested
• Customer support for helping players

Remember, after launching the game, you’ll need money to:

• Fix problems that players find
• Add new content regularly
• Keep the servers running
• Help players with their questions
• Update the game with new features

Most successful MMORPGs take 1-5 years to make. Some bigger games can take even longer. The good news is that if your game becomes popular, you can earn money through monthly subscriptions and in-game purchases.

Read More: MMORPG Development Cost: All You Need to Know

Wrapping Up

We wish you success on your journey towards launching an MMORPG game that hopefully ends up with a legacy similar to World of Warcraft.

However, if you lack the teams to execute such a complex, high-scale game development project, join forces with Cubix.

“At Cubix, our teams take your game vision and ideas and then, turn them into an immersive and engaging MMORPG experience. While the road to a successful game like World of Warcraft is difficult, partnering with Cubix makes everything a lot easier.”

– Fazal Hayat, Senior Game Developer at Cubix

Let’s connect to discuss your ambitions further.