The Best Sandbox MMORPGs & MMO Games Of All Time
Sandbox MMOs are massively multiplayer online games with minimal limitations on the players’ capabilities to roam and change their virtual world. Players have access to a wide array of gameplay features or tools to create changes or impressions that have lasting effects. Common features that help define an MMO as sandbox are player housing, structure building, player-driven economy, crafting, farming and other open-world activities that affect the creation or modification of the game’s world.
We are listing these games based on their titles in ascending order.
Albion Online
Rating: 
(166 ratings, average: 3.26 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC, OS X, Linux, Mobile Devices
Status: Live
What does the game have to offer?
Albion Online offers a PvP-centric gameplay set in a conflict-ridden medieval fantasy sandbox world. Players can take part in guild wars and harsh punishing open-world PvP.
(166 ratings, average: 3.26 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC, OS X, Linux, Mobile Devices
Status: Live
What does the game have to offer?
Albion Online offers a PvP-centric gameplay set in a conflict-ridden medieval fantasy sandbox world. Players can take part in guild wars and harsh punishing open-world PvP.
ArcheAge
Rating: (248 ratings, average: 2.85 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Free-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Live
What does the game have to offer?
ArcheAge offers a world shaped by players with open world player housing across every continent and sea. Everything from loot to plots of land is part of the player-driven economy.
(248 ratings, average: 2.85 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Free-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Live
What does the game have to offer?
ArcheAge offers a world shaped by players with open world player housing across every continent and sea. Everything from loot to plots of land is part of the player-driven economy.
Black Desert Online
Rating: (193 ratings, average: 3.48 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Live
What does the game have to offer?
Black Desert Online offer a vast open world with trading, fishing, player housing and horse taming. The player-driven economy is partially reliant on players moving goods with caravans.
(193 ratings, average: 3.48 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Live
What does the game have to offer?
Black Desert Online offer a vast open world with trading, fishing, player housing and horse taming. The player-driven economy is partially reliant on players moving goods with caravans.
Citadel: Forged with Fire
Rating: (53 ratings, average: 2.66 / 5)
Type: MMO
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Early access on Steam
What does the game have to offer?
Citadel: Forged with Fire lets you explore a vast, dynamic open-world environment, tame and battle epic creatures, harvest resources and fight those who oppose you with magic abilities.
(53 ratings, average: 2.66 / 5)Type: MMO
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Early access on Steam
What does the game have to offer?
Citadel: Forged with Fire lets you explore a vast, dynamic open-world environment, tame and battle epic creatures, harvest resources and fight those who oppose you with magic abilities.
Conqueror’s Blade
Hype Level: (67 ratings, average: 2.93 / 5)
Type: Action Warfare MMO
Model: Free-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Beta Tests, European CBT Recently Finished
What does the game have to offer?
Conqueror’s Blade offers a world inspired by ancient Western and Eastern civilizations and warfare. Players command dozens of varying troops to fight for rule over towns, cities and castle.
(67 ratings, average: 2.93 / 5)Type: Action Warfare MMO
Model: Free-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Beta Tests, European CBT Recently Finished
What does the game have to offer?
Conqueror’s Blade offers a world inspired by ancient Western and Eastern civilizations and warfare. Players command dozens of varying troops to fight for rule over towns, cities and castle.
Dark and Light
Rating: (51 ratings, average: 2.75 / 5)
Type: MMO
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Early access on Steam
What does the game have to offer?
Dark and Light offers a magical open-world where players can tame mythical creatures, harvest vast resources and craft spells to survive against other players and powerful beasts.
(51 ratings, average: 2.75 / 5)Type: MMO
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Early access on Steam
What does the game have to offer?
Dark and Light offers a magical open-world where players can tame mythical creatures, harvest vast resources and craft spells to survive against other players and powerful beasts.
Darkfall: New Dawn
Rating: (50 ratings, average: 3.04 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Subscription
Platform: PC
Status: Live
What does the game have to offer?
Darkfall: New Dawn offers a PvP-based seamless open world where players build their characters however they desire through skill progression without the limitations of a class system.
(50 ratings, average: 3.04 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Subscription
Platform: PC
Status: Live
What does the game have to offer?
Darkfall: New Dawn offers a PvP-based seamless open world where players build their characters however they desire through skill progression without the limitations of a class system.
Eve Online
Rating: (44 ratings, average: 3.45 / 5)
Type: Space Flight Simulation MMORPG
Model: Subscription
Platform: PC, macOS
Status: Live
What does the game have to offer?
Eve Online offers the vastness of space to explore, exploit and fight for. The actions of the players have far-reaching consequences as all players share a single universe.
(44 ratings, average: 3.45 / 5)Type: Space Flight Simulation MMORPG
Model: Subscription
Platform: PC, macOS
Status: Live
What does the game have to offer?
Eve Online offers the vastness of space to explore, exploit and fight for. The actions of the players have far-reaching consequences as all players share a single universe.
Fractured MMO
Hype Level: (40 ratings, average: 3.70 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: In Development
What does the game have to offer?
Fractured offers a fully interactable isometric environment that is integrated with the game’s action combat. Players can take advantage of their surroundings to beat their opponents.
(40 ratings, average: 3.70 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: In Development
What does the game have to offer?
Fractured offers a fully interactable isometric environment that is integrated with the game’s action combat. Players can take advantage of their surroundings to beat their opponents.
Legends of Aria
Hype Level: (48 ratings, average: 3.42 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: In Development
What does the game have to offer?
Legends of Aria offers a “moddable sandbox” world that gives the community ultimate power with player-generated content. Stories emerge naturally as players explore the game’s worlds.
(48 ratings, average: 3.42 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: In Development
What does the game have to offer?
Legends of Aria offers a “moddable sandbox” world that gives the community ultimate power with player-generated content. Stories emerge naturally as players explore the game’s worlds.
Life is Feudal: MMO
Rating: (42 ratings, average: 2.86 / 5)
Type: MMO
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Early access on Steam
What does the game have to offer?
Life is Feaudal: MMO offers a low-fantasy sandbox world where players can create kingdoms and shape the world by creating underground towns and sculpting giant pyramids!
(42 ratings, average: 2.86 / 5)Type: MMO
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Early access on Steam
What does the game have to offer?
Life is Feaudal: MMO offers a low-fantasy sandbox world where players can create kingdoms and shape the world by creating underground towns and sculpting giant pyramids!
MapleStory 2
Rating: (41 ratings, average: 3.46 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Free-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Closed Beta
What does the game have to offer?
MapleStory 2 offers story-based quests, PvP arenas, mini-games, social activities, player-made dungeons and highly customizable open-world player housing.
(41 ratings, average: 3.46 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Free-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Closed Beta
What does the game have to offer?
MapleStory 2 offers story-based quests, PvP arenas, mini-games, social activities, player-made dungeons and highly customizable open-world player housing.
New World
Hype Level: (105 ratings, average: 3.52 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: In Development
What does the game have to offer?
New World offers a world set in pre-colonial Americas with a sandbox in nature, specifically being able to choose to live on your own or join with other players to build towns and forts.
(105 ratings, average: 3.52 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: In Development
What does the game have to offer?
New World offers a world set in pre-colonial Americas with a sandbox in nature, specifically being able to choose to live on your own or join with other players to build towns and forts.
Peria Chronicles
Hype Level: (65 ratings, average: 4.28 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Free-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: In Development
What does the game have to offer?
Peria Chronicles offers various tools for players to terra-form their world by creating mountains, underground tunnels, waterfalls, towns and dungeons. Players can also create complex world building content like elevators and NPCs.
(65 ratings, average: 4.28 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Free-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: In Development
What does the game have to offer?
Peria Chronicles offers various tools for players to terra-form their world by creating mountains, underground tunnels, waterfalls, towns and dungeons. Players can also create complex world building content like elevators and NPCs.
Project Z
Rating: (29 ratings, average: 3.45 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Free-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Chinese Beta
What does the game have to offer?
Project Z offers open-world player housing that takes resources found only through hunting, gathering and completing other environmental challenges. Players can work together to steal resources in land or in the ocean.
(29 ratings, average: 3.45 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Free-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Chinese Beta
What does the game have to offer?
Project Z offers open-world player housing that takes resources found only through hunting, gathering and completing other environmental challenges. Players can work together to steal resources in land or in the ocean.
Project Gorgon
Rating: (39 ratings, average: 3.62 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Open Beta
What does the game have to offer?
Project Gorgon offers a highly interactive world with NPCs that have personalities that can be shaped by their interactions with players. Economy is entirely player-driven through trading and vendor shops. Dungeons and labyrinths are shared by all.
(39 ratings, average: 3.62 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Open Beta
What does the game have to offer?
Project Gorgon offers a highly interactive world with NPCs that have personalities that can be shaped by their interactions with players. Economy is entirely player-driven through trading and vendor shops. Dungeons and labyrinths are shared by all.
The Exiled
Rating: (24 ratings, average: 2.88 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Free-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Live
What does the game have to offer?
The Exiled is a social sandbox game that focuses on survival strategies. There is a full-loot PvP that players can face in order to gain resources from the land and improve their settlements.
(24 ratings, average: 2.88 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Free-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Live
What does the game have to offer?
The Exiled is a social sandbox game that focuses on survival strategies. There is a full-loot PvP that players can face in order to gain resources from the land and improve their settlements.
The Saga of Lucimia
Hype Level: (17 ratings, average: 3.59 / 5)
Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: In Development
What does the game have to offer?
The Saga of Lucimia offers no questing hubs, mini-maps or solo-able content. Players must face and shape the sandbox world by cooperating with others.
(17 ratings, average: 3.59 / 5)Type: MMORPG
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: In Development
What does the game have to offer?
The Saga of Lucimia offers no questing hubs, mini-maps or solo-able content. Players must face and shape the sandbox world by cooperating with others.
Worlds Adrift
Rating: (21 ratings, average: 3.33 / 5)
Type: MMO
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Early access
What does the game have to offer?
Worlds Adrift offers a world of floating islands that players can design with the Island Creator Tool. Build skyships and compete for resources in a world that is built by the players themselves.
(21 ratings, average: 3.33 / 5)Type: MMO
Model: Buy-to-play
Platform: PC
Status: Early access
What does the game have to offer?
Worlds Adrift offers a world of floating islands that players can design with the Island Creator Tool. Build skyships and compete for resources in a world that is built by the players themselves.
I have played fireboy and watergirl on hudgames, it’s fucking smooth there.
what does fireboy and water girl have to do with sandbox mmos?
archage isn’t sandbox. There is almost no real crafting and with small zones to put housing there is almost no housing.