Many MMOs and expansions to current MMOs are scheduled to be released this year. The hype of them increases as E3 is approaching. Not to mention Games Convention later this year in August.

Which games CAN we look forward to, though? We've tried to list as many potential good MMOs as possible. The list is in no specific order.

Aion: The Tower of Eternity

• Interactive gameplay systems, the actions of each faction on each individual server will eventually trigger consequences, which will then change each server's live environment
• Skill Chains
• Visually stunning
• PvPvE (Player vs Player vs Environment) an evolving conflict system, which manages the complex relationships and alliances between realms, races and guilds. The system also controls a third NPC faction, the Balaur, who may act as the enemy - or the ally - of players
• Ryo Kunihiko, one of the world’s leading composers of movie and television soundtracks, is creating incredible music that seamlessly interweaves with on-screen action, setting the mood
• Aerial Combat
• 2 Factions / Faces and 8 Classes (with school-class system as you level up)
• Cryteks CryENGINE
• Ncsoft's new flagship
• Promised to not have the classic Asian grind--will be more streamlined
• WSAD and Mouse controls. I.e no click to move!

For more information, check out our Aion: The Tower of Eternity Portal and The Ultimate Aion FAQ.

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures

• Mature Rating
• Directx 10
• DreamWorld Engine
• Siege Battles
• Combines Single Player Game and Multiplayer (MMO) -- chose yourself
• Designed with PvP in mind first
• Will be released for PC and Xbox 360
• over 500,000 signups for the beta
• Player-made cities
• Real combat
• Dynamic world
• 12 classes

For more information, check out our Age of Conan Portal.

Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning

• Realm vs Realm and PvP focused
• Four types of RvR combat. Skirmishes: Incidental PvP combat. Battlefields: Objective-based battles in the game world. Scenarios: Instanced, point-based battles balanced with NPC Dogs of War. Campaigns: The invasion of enemy lands culminating in the assault on their capital city
• 2 Factions and 6 Armies
• Collision Detection
• Your character(s) will keep changing appearing as they develop
• Games Workshop / EA Mythic
• Over 600,000 signups for the beta

For more information, check out our Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning portal.

The Chronicles of Spellborn

• Emphasizing the focus on story line
• Unreal Engine
• European Art Approach
• Fast paced combat that is more reliant on player skill
• Ancestral Quests, which allow the player to take the role of a major character in Spellborn's history to accomplish a specific requirement
• PvP and PvE

For more information, check out our The Chronicles of Spellborn portal.

Stargate Worlds

Under development by industry newcomer Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment in association with the film and television media company MGM. The game will allow players to interact in an online universe based around Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Atlantis.

• The game will contribute to the back story of Stargate SG-1.
• Combat will emphasize tactics to defeat opponents both AI and human controlled
• Highly developed and very challenging AI
• FPS-like combat at times
• At release it will revolve around The Milky Way Galaxy
• Humans, Goa'uld, Jaffa, and Asgard as playable racers from the start
• Scientist, Soldier and Commando classes
• First expansion is planned as Stargate Atlantis

For more information, check out our Stargate Worlds portal.

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King

Second expansion to the world's most played MMORPG, World of Warcraft.

• Level 80 level cap
• Death Knight Hero Class
• Battle with Arthas the Lich King
• An entire new continent: Northrend
• New profession, Inscription.
• Higher profession level cap: 450
• Siege weapons and destructible buildings (for PvP)
• Customizable hair styles and additional dances for new and existing characters
• At least one non-instanced Battleground

For more information, check out our World of Warcraft portal.

Vanguard: Saga of Heroes

After GU3, members of the Vanguard community now look forward to GU4. Details of GU4 have been released by Thom Terrazas, part of the Vanguard Team.

• New bug fixes will be implemented
• Permanent flying mounts
• New riftway improvements
• Character improvements
• Visible helmets
• New solutions to combat gold farmers

For more information, check out our Vanguard: Saga of Heroes portal.

EverQuest 2: Velious?

The next expansion to EverQuest 2 is rumored to be Velious.

Nothing else is known at this time.

MMOs in Development

• Darkfall
  • Expected to feature unrestricted pvp, complete looting, and a player skill dependent combat system
  • Inter-character and projectile-character collision detection
  • Manual aiming & blocking
  • Naval warfare, with the ability to sink player controlled ships
  • Cities can be built by players Player built cities can be destroyed. Each player built city will contain a clanstone, which protects the buildings and defensive structures in the vicinity from attack. The clanstone is invulnerable, except when it has been weakened by a Gloomer. Gloomers can be built by players after they have built a siege fort next to the target city. The siege fort can be attacked and destroyed at any time, during or after construction. If a city is destroyed, a new clanstone constructed on the site is temporarily vulnerable to attack
  • No radar or floating names, your mini map only shows party and clan members as said in a developer journal

For more information, check out our Darkfall portal.

• The Agency
  • a spy-themed massively multiplayer online shooter. It is being developed and published by Sony Online Entertainment studios in Seattle for Windows and PlayStation 3.
  • Two Agencies: The United Nations Intelligence and Tactical Experts (U.N.I.T.E) and The Paramilitary Global Operations Network (ParaGON)
  • FPS-style gun fighting, with some driving and other vehicular segments as well. Skill will be the primary determining factor in the success of the player, though some RPG elements will come into play as well

For more information, check out our The Agency portal.

• Knights of the Old Repbulic Online
  • Nothing is known about this game right now

• Rumored / Unknown Blizzard title
  • Could be Starcraft Universe or Worlds

• Champions Online
  • Superhero-themed massive multiplayer online roleplaying game by City of Heroes developer Cryptic Studios based on the Champions license. The game's announcement followed the cancellation of Cryptic's Marvel Universe Online MMORPG

For more information, check out our Champions Online portal.

• Ramayan 3392 A.D
  • Sony Online Entertainment announced a partnership with Virgin Comics to create a MMO based on the popular Indian-Mythology inspired Ramayan 3392 A.D. graphical novel

Credits

The inspiration from making this article was taken from this forum thread.