What Underused Historical Era Deserves Its Own MMORPG?

Ever booted up an MMO and thought, "Man, I've seen this fantasy world a hundred times — where's something different?" You're not alone. That's exactly the question on the table in a recent discussion from Massively OP's Daily Grind, where the writer floated a historical setting that rarely gets the MMO treatment: the Meiji Era of Japan.

For those who need a quick refresher, the Meiji Era was a period of Japanese history that saw sweeping real-world change, and it's also spawned plenty of stories over the years. That combination — genuine historical weight plus a deep well of narrative potential — is precisely what makes it so intriguing as a game world.

The writer is quick to flag an important caveat, though: building an MMO around a real historical period takes serious research and care. It's not just about cool aesthetics — you have to respect the period and the people it represents. That's a thoughtful point, and honestly a fair one. Historical settings aren't just playgrounds; they carry real cultural weight, and getting them right matters.

Still, the appeal is obvious. Plenty of MMOs lean on the same well-worn fantasy tropes, so a setting drawn from a specific, storied era of history offers something fresher. And the Meiji Era isn't the only candidate — the original question opens the door to any lesser-used historical setting or mythological world that could make a great MMORPG.

That's where you come in. Think about the periods and mythologies that games tend to skip over — the ones with rich stories, distinct cultures, and built-in drama that could carry an entire online world. The source discussion invites readers to weigh in with their own picks, and the possibilities are wide open.

The takeaway here is simple: there's a whole world of untapped settings out there, and the MMO space could stand to explore more of them. Whether it's a particular era of history or a mythology that rarely gets the spotlight, the right setting could give players something genuinely new to explore.

So what's your pick? Is there a historical period or mythological world you'd love to see turned into an MMORPG? What would make that setting work — and what would developers need to get right to do it justice? Drop your ideas and let's talk about it.