Over the past couple of years, MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) games have become more and more popular, with companies trying to bring out the next “World of Warcraft”, which let’s face it, has dominated the MMO world ever since its release. Recent additions to the MMO genre such as Auto Assault, Guild Wars and Star Wars Galaxies are working for certain niche groups, but not as well as they were intended to be. Gaming companies should look toward the past and see what games would work as an MMO that already have a huge fan base and build it up from there. This article is just a run down of 5 games that could possibly work as MMO’s and have probably never been given any thought as such. Many people talk about Starcraft or Diablo as MMO’s which probably would work quite well, this article is geared more towards games that people would never have considered as a MMO or played on a grand scale.

DOOM – The Battle for Earth

The one man battle of a UAC marine against the hordes of hell is highly improbable, not to mention extremely laughable. A full scale war between UAC marines and the demons of the underworld would be a struggle of good and evil on a grand scale. Although there are only a few demons that we know of, but there must be many more that have yet to be discovered and would love to get in on the action.

Each of these would have their own abilities and powers and varied strengths. The UAC marines would have different classes, bases and vehicles; all for the glory of kicking demon ass. Battles would be waged on Earth and in Hell for certain missions and vice- versa depending which side you played on. Demons would reside in Hell and be sent on missions on Mars, Phobos and Earth, retrieving items for their bid for power to take over the human species. Marines would be sent on missions to defend outposts, attack incoming hordes and have missions that would have them transported into Hell to stop some attacks at their roots before they even begin.

Every marine and demon would be customizable to distinguish you from your cohorts and phat loots would play a large part of the game, not only for better weapons and items but to make you all that much more unique as a player character. If it works on a smaller scale for Quake Wars, it would be even more incredible on a larger scale. Can you imagine a group of 5 Cyberdemons, 5 cacodemons, 5 Revenants and 20 imps stampeding their way across a map to an awaiting platoon of 40 UAC soldiers just before the carnage begins? That would make the game all worth it just to see that.

Resident Evil

With a never ending number of Zombies and an insurmountable number of officers that the S.T.A.R.S. unit could have in training, an MMO could easily be made of Resident Evil. Not only could it be zombies vs. STARS, but civilians could get in on the action as well. Much like Outbreak, civilians could have their own specialties and traits that would be a formidable opposition to the increasing undead horde.

Zombies could all have their own classes and ranks ranging from what they were when they were alive. Zombies could be police, mechanics and just about anything else under the sun. They would gain levels through out the game and become stronger and learn new abilities like biting attacks or able to turn regular humans into zombies. If a civilian got turned, they would need to find a nurse or doctor to change them back before the change got too far. If it did, they would be taken to a facility to regain their original status in a longer time.

Zombies would lay dead in the streets until their spirits could be returned to their bodies and could regain consciousness. Missions and instances would vary from attacks on the Umbrella Corporation to taking out gaggles of zombies attacking populated centers like shopping malls and parks. Zombies would be sent on missions to turn humans, find food and carry out missions for Umbrella and higher up creatures like Tyrant and Nemesis. All this taking place within a large city, sewers, parks and such would make a great setting for an all out war between the living and the dead.

Mortal Kombat

Mortal Kombat already has a very rich history and story line behind it to make it a successful MMO. There would be the two sides of the Emperor and Raiden that would send you out on missions. Characters from the game would be signature characters and NPC’s that would hand out missions where as your player character would be a totally new and unique fighter. Player characters would be created by type and skills and you would be able to choose a number of fighting styles and attack powers you had and even customizable finishing moves.

You could choose what race you wanted to be part of, reptiles, Baraka’s Goro’s, shaolin monks, regular humans, and even a deity or an underclass of Raiden. Your missions could be played out in a group or soloed and there would also be random encounters of PvP with other players where it would turn into a 1 on 1 match like the regular Mortal Kombat games and special rewards would be given for victories. Different races could interact with each other at times during non missions and the ultimate goal of the game would be to take over others zones and land territories through all out war or planned bouts of layered Mortal Kombat between enemy factions.

G.I. Joe

Everyone’s favorite all American Hero would fit perfectly into a MMO setting. Although there hasn’t been a G.I. Joe game in almost 15 years, what better way to bring them back? Characters would be fully customizable in military gear and other options to make them like G.I. Joe characters always were; part military and part offbeat.