Following its rapturous reception in South Korea, the latest MMORPG Lost Ark has taken the Western world by storm, garnering over a million concurrent players at its peak.
And while there are hundreds of thousands of people still exploring the sprawling wilderness of Arkesia, many are already keen to look for games similar to Lost Ark that scratch that same itch.
Just as with any passing trend, the player base of Lost Ark is dwindling. Week on week, the game’s player count has consistently been dipping, from 1 million players to just shy of 400,000 daily players.
But while the appeal of Arkesia has eroded in the mind of many, one thing’s for certain: people seem to have this resolute fascination with MMORPGs like Lost Ark.
And so, in the spirit of all things MMORPG, we’ve compiled a list of 10 games Like Lost Ark that share the same depth and substance as this newly-minted classic
You can’t have a list of popular MMOs in recent history without mentioning the juggernaut that is New World. With its primary developer having a yearly development budget north of $500 million, this game is considered to be one of the most ambitious MMOs of all time.
And if that’s not reason enough to play, both games are published by the same game studio—Amazon Games.
Similar to Lost Ark, New World will require players to use strategy and teamwork to succeed in its PvE content. You can explore dangerous biomes, traverse through villages and towns, and encounter hostile enemies that guard coveted treasure all around the map.
The main difference is the way the games are presented. New World is a hybrid between MMO, APRG, PVP, PVE, and other genres, whereas Lost Ark has a more solid identity within the MMORPG genre.
If your interest in Lost Ark was piqued by its character progression system and challenging content, then New World is definitely a game you’ll want to check out.
Final Fantasy XIV
Another great game that any MMO fan can sink their teeth into is Final Fantasy XIV. The game is set in the fictional world of Hydaelyn, and tells the story of various races and their struggle against the Garlean Empire.
Similar to Lost Ark, players can explore a vast open world, complete quests, and take on challenging boss battles with friends. One of the differences between this game and Lost Ark is that you can battle higher-level bosses as soon as you have the right armor set, whereas Lost Ark requires you to grind before fighting them.
Despite its age, there’s a reason why Square Enix has continued to support Final Fantasy XIV for all these years. Millions of people still enjoy playing it, and new content is added regularly to keep the game feeling fresh.
Another game that is often compared to Lost Ark is Guild Wars 2. The game takes place in the world of Tyria and tells the story of the Elder Dragons and their rise to power.
Much like Lost Ark, Guild Wars 2 features a variety of classes for players to choose from, each with its own unique abilities and playstyles. In addition to this, Guild Wars 2 also features PVP and PVE areas where players can queue and compete in.
With its beginner-friendly progression system and diverse class options, Guild Wars 2 is a meticulously-crafted fantasy world that’s sure to impress fans of Lost Ark.
The Elder Scrolls Online
The Elder Scrolls Online marries elements of TES’s classical fantasy setting with a PvE/MMO format.
The game lets players explore the vast continent of Tamriel, where they can complete quests, participate in a robust player economy, and take on challenging dungeons with friends.
While the game had some unfavorable press at the start of its life cycle, it’s been updated constantly over the years with new content and features. The game currently has over 12 thousand online monthly players.
Much like Lost Ark, The Elder Scrolls Online features a variety of class options and biomes for players to venture into. Just be ready to sink hours learning the various armor combinations and gameplay mechanics—as they can be quite extensive even for hardened fans of the genre.
Diablo 3
If the top-down and isometric format of Lost Ark is what caught your attention, you’ll definitely want to check out Diablo 3. The game is set in the world of Sanctuary and tells the story of the eternal conflict between the High Heavens and the Burning Hells.
Compared to Lost Ark, the click-to-kill gameplay loop in Diablo 3 provides a much more satisfying experience when slaying hordes of demons. This is because the mechanic is central to the game, unlike in Lost Ark with its quicker skill refresh times.
Diablo 3’s Nephalem Rifts and Lost Ark’s Chaos Dungeons also play almost exactly alike, where you have to defeat waves of monsters to claim your reward in the form of gold or upgrades.
While Lost Ark is more closely aligned to an MMO than an ARPG (yes, even if it’s isometric), there’s no denying the traits it draws from games like Diablo 3.
Path of Exile
Path of Exile is a dark and gritty action RPG set in the world of Wraeclast. Despite its 9-year age, the game has aged gracefully and still boasts a healthy player base.
PoE truly shines in its build creation and crafting system. With thousands of combinations and possibilities, it’s easy to create a unique build that is tailored to your own playstyle.
However, be warned. This game has a steep learning curve—we’re talking about hundreds of hours. If you’re willing to dedicate an absurd amount of time to get into the fray, this game and its immense amount of detail are not to be missed.
Continuing down the path of classical aRPGs, Grim Dawn is another title that draws many similarities to Lost Ark.
Grim Dawn features an extensive skill tree (known as Masteries) as well as a crafting system that lets you create unique items to help you survive in the post-apocalyptic world. The game also features PVP and co-operative multiplayer modes.
One thing that makes Grim Dawn truly shine over Lost Ark is the abundant number of enemies you can fight in the world. If fighting gruesome enemies sounds like a good time to you, Grim Dawn has got you covered.
Torchlight 2
Torchlight 2 is a hack-and-slash dungeon crawler that was released in 2012. The game received critical acclaim for its fun and addictive gameplay, as well as its replayability that can last players hundreds of hours.
Much like Lost Ark, Torchlight 2 is set in a fantasy world and lets players choose from a variety of classes to play. The game also features randomly generated levels, making each playthrough feel fresh and unique.
While the two games have different core mechanics, both Torchlight 2 and Lost Ark feature vibrant worlds in a top-down perspective that can host epic PVP and PVE battles. If that’s your thing, definitely check this game out.
EVE Online
If you’ve ever wanted to play an MMORPG fantasy world like Lost Ark but set in space, we have just the game for you: EVE Online.
With over 7,000 solar systems to explore and a variety of customizable battleships, EVE Online is one of the most immersive MMOs out there.
The game is notorious for its steep learning curve and its hardcore PVP mechanics. And while many fans have moved on from EVE Online due to its ruthless and seemingly unavoidable P2W mechanics, once you make it past that initial hurdle, you won’t ever want to leave.
Oh, World of Warcraft. The game where it’s not unusual to clan up with players who have spent tens of thousands of hours in the game.
WoW is a classic MMORPG that needs no introduction. With over 14 years of content, it’s one of the most well-renowned MMOs in the world.
While it doesn’t boast the same level of customizability as games like Path of Exile, WoW is still deserving of a spot on this list just solely due to its sheer prestige.
If you ever want to hop down memory lane, WoW will always be there for you.
Runescape is one of those games that you don’t quit, per se. As some fans would say, you can never stop playing Runescape. You just take really long breaks.
In all seriousness, Runescape is one of the most long-running MMORPGs in history. With over 17 years of content, it’s a game that you can easily sink hundreds of hours into.
And if you’re last experience with the game is when it had choppy graphics and heavy reliance on grinding, you’re in for a treat.
This classical MMORPG has received a massive graphics and gameplay overhaul, as well as new content in the form of Runescape 3 released in 2013.
While the player count is admittedly dwindling, a game as nostalgic as Runescape may just be the pick-me-up you need after your Lost Ark binge.
