Elder Scrolls Online Refutes Claims It’s Not a Top-Tier MMO in New Report

Some massively multiplayer games don’t look like “blockbusters” in mainstream coverage, yet they keep pulling in serious money and sustain long-running player communities. The point came into focus again around Elder Scrolls Online, after a recent mainstream piece downplayed the game’s ongoing success and suggested it never broke into the top tier of the MMO market—despite financial and platform reach that contradicts the narrative.

Why “under the radar” can still mean profitable

A recurring theme in the discussion is that visibility in mainstream media is a poor proxy for popularity. Several contributors argue that MMO reporting often overlooks titles that don’t fit the expected mold—whether that’s presentation style, audience, region, or business model.

• Elder Scrolls Online was cited as a clear example where mainstream attention can lag behind measurable performance.
• Multiple games were named as examples of large fanbases that may be less visible to players who mainly follow Western MMO headlines.
• Several comments broadened the scope beyond MMOs to include competitive and crafting/survival games that can be just as financially significant while remaining easy to miss.

Elder Scrolls Online: revenue claims challenge the “struggled after launch” framing

The debate starts with the claim that mainstream coverage underplayed Elder Scrolls Online’s success. In response, leadership and development figures were pointed to as evidence the game has been commercially strong.

• Elder Scrolls Online reportedly reached $2B in revenue in 2024, based on remarks attributed to ZOS boss Matt Firor.
• One developer statement claimed the game earned $15M in monthly revenue for more than a decade.
• Contributors argued these numbers—along with the game’s broad presence across platforms—support the idea that it has remained among the west’s most-played MMOs for years.

MMOs people dismiss: named examples with “big money” potential

Beyond ESO, the discussion highlighted several titles that some players assume are smaller or less relevant because they receive less mainstream MMO attention.

1. Albion Online was cited as a long-time “top 10” contender in contributor lists, with the argument that its isometric style and PvP focus lead mainstream MMO players—and some mainstream coverage—to ignore it.
2. RuneScape was also brought up as frequently dismissed as a “kiddie” game despite being described as massive, with the framing that MMO success doesn’t require mainstream journalists to notice it.
3. MapleStory was raised as an example of a game some people personally don’t encounter yet still keeps Nexon profitable in certain periods.
4. Guild Wars 2 was described as a heavy hitter that “coasts” rather than “explodes” in public attention—despite receiving expansions and continued updates, with contributors saying it repeatedly makes money for NCsoft.
5. Overseas audiences were emphasized via examples including Dungeon Fighter Online and Lineage titles, alongside MapleStory and RuneScape, with the claim that strong followings exist outside the Western MMO spotlight.
6. Asian MMO-heavy examples were grouped together as a category many players underestimate, including Lost Ark, Black Desert Online, Throne and Liberty, Aion (both 1 and 2), Lineage, and MapleStory.

Additional categories outside the “MMO radar”

One participant argued that the same visibility problem affects other online genres too. Competitive games and long-running crafting/survival titles can also be major earners even when they aren’t on a person’s personal feed.

• War Thunder and Dota 2 were cited as examples of competitive online games that can be “heavy hitters.”
• Terraria and ARK were cited as crafting/survival titles that can also keep momentum month after month.

Debates about player behavior: subscription churn myths and FFXIV/WoW expectations

The conversation also touched on why players may still dismiss long-running Western MMO franchises. One commenter said they were “surprised” that players remain with Final Fantasy XIV and World of Warcraft, pointing specifically to the subscription model as a hurdle they personally can’t imagine sticking with.

Another example focused on World of Warcraft narrative disputes: some players described as “dedicated haters” purportedly convince themselves the game is limping despite evidence that it continues to receive support. A separate claim was that critics often assume most remaining players are on Classic, while retail is described as still receiving the larger share of support and new content.