Top 10 Highest Grossing Free-To-Play MMO Games 2014
Despite its free-to-play nature, the MMO industries bottom line is a familiar one, it's all about the dollar. This week we take a look at the Top 10 Highest Grossing Free-To-Play MMO Games 2014 - based on information gathered from reputable analytical sources within the video-game industry. 10. Hearthstone - Play Now! Blizzard's Hearthstone is the World of Warcraft of the tactical card game genre. Introducing a previously small niche to the MMO masses, Hearthstone is easily the most popular MMOTCG today and its revenue model supports that. Using a premium currency in-game players are able to purchase booster packs for more powerful cards and can also enter into a mode that promises more rare and powerful rewards. Avoiding a total pay-to-win label purely for the random nature of its booster packs, Hearthstone treads a thin line in today's MMO world. 9. Defense Of The Ancients 2 - Play Now! One of the most anticipated entries to the MOBA genre since its conception sees Valve take Defense of the Ancients to all new heights with its critically acclaimed successor. A massive community followed the development closely before invading the fields of battle at the earliest opportunities. The DOTA 2 Championships boasted a prize pool close to $11 million dollars, earning the title for being the game with the biggest prize pool of all time. If that doesn't prove the games worth, nothing will. DOTA 2 in at number nine. 8. Counter-Strike Online - Play Now! How do you make a free-to-play MMOFPS game successful? Simple. Create a perfect clone of arguably the most popular FPS of all time, slap a free-to-play sticker on the front and sell weapons and other in-game items for premium currency. Counter-Strike Online embodies the same qualities that made the original title so popular but raises the bar with additional modes, zombies and more weapons than the combined forces of Europe. 7. Lineage - Play Now! Despite spawning a popular sequel Lineage all but dwarfs its predecessor in revenue as it claims the number 7 spot in this weeks top 10. By far the oldest MMO to feature in today's video, Lineage was released to the masses way back in 1998. While it may not boast the same level of accessibility and balance that some of today's micro-transaction models display, one cannot help but admire a game still making millions almost 20 years after its original release. 6. Maplestory - Play Now! Arguably one of the most surprising entries in our Top 10 Highest Grossing Free-To-Play MMO Games list is Maplestory. Its original Korean release can be traced back as far as 2003, making it one of the oldest and most successful free-to-play MMO's around today. It's cute and colorful style, popular side-scrolling combat mechanics and hugely competitive PvP has helped created a community of Maplestory addicts, and one that slows no signs of slowing as it still maintains a player base of millions over a decade after its release. 5. World Of Tanks - Play Now! Wargaming's World of Tanks has one of the more controversial free-to-play revenue models in today's video but that hasn't stopped the game amassing a community of millions and with it, an income to match. A strong PvP foundation quickly saw World of Tanks rising to the top as players unlock more powerful tanks and artillery through premium currencies, alongside other perks including faster progression and additional rewards. While some may debate World of Tanks as a pay-to-win game, that hasn't stopped millions investing in their own personal war campaign. 4. World Of Warcraft - Play Now! Alright, so shoot me. It's not free-to-play but I felt it deserved a mention. Some would expect the biggest subscription based MMO in the world to take the coveted first spot but without a huge mall of micro-transactions, World of Warcraft cannot compete. Earning its bread and butter through monthly subscriptions, character transfers, level boosts and expansions World of Warcraft's record-breaking subscriber base continues to support the grand-daddy of the MMO and although it hasn't taken the top spot, you can't turn your nose up at becoming the 4th highest grossing MMO of the year. 3. Dungeon Fighter Online - Play Now! Dungeon Fighter Online originally released in Eastern markets way back in 2005. It's arcade style approach to combat and cut-throat PvP environment quickly attracted the biggest names in eSports and soon became a popular televised gaming event in South Korea. Even with its huge popularity in the East the developers failed to capture the attention of Western gamers as the North American version close mid-way through 2013. Despite alienating half the globe Dungeon Fighter Online still proves popular today, taking the third spot in today's top 10. 2. Crossfire - Play Now! A game that appears to display similar features and mechanics to hundreds of other FPS titles on the market today is anything but common as the highest grossing free-to-play MMOFPS game of the year. Crossfire doesn't boast the graphical quality and immersion seen in traditional AAA shooters but its massively competitive community and popular eSports foundations will continue to carry the game to success for many years to come. 1. League Of Legends - Play Now! The MOBA genre has quickly become a gold mine of the free-to-play industry with its naturally fair and balanced micro-transaction model based on aesthetic incentive as opposed to over powered weapons and items, and League of Legends is the perfect example of how to do this right. Taking the number one spot with its vast array of unique skins and festive exclusives League of Legends dominates the MOBA genre and dominates a staggering percentage of global free-to-play revenue.Leave a comment
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