The Fascinating History of Online Role-Playing Games

When we think of massive multiplayer online role-playing games -- more frequently referred by their acronym, MMORPGs -- we think of the biggest: Real-time, beautifully rendered 3D games like World of Warcraft, which has more than 10 million active players and has generated billions of dollars in revenue for owner Activision Blizzard since it launched in late 2004.

MMORPGs are relatively recent phenomenons, made possible through steady advancements in computer hardware, software and networks. The term "MMORPGs" didn't enter the lexicon until 1997, when Richard Garriott used it to describe the launch of one of the most successful online multiplayer games to date, Ultima Online.…
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