The MMORPG genre has seen plenty of changes and brand new franchises over the years. However, one of the most notable developers in the genre is Funcom. The Norwegian developer has been creating games in a variety of genres for over 30 years now, with its latest MMORPG being last year's Dune: Awakening. Bringing Frank Herbert's sci-fi world to life is no easy task, however Dune: Awakening proved to be one of the biggest online games of 2025. But there is another Funcom title that continues to live on, even after 25 years: Anarchy online.
Anarchy online was released by Funcom back in the summer of 2001, and it made a name for itself as the first game in the genre to focus on a true sci-fi setting. Fast forward 25 years, and the MMORPG still somehow manages to stay afloat in a gaming sea that often sees online servers shut down after just a few years. Anarchy online may have made history by being the first true sci-fi MMORPG in the world, but it's also a great example of how some games can survive, even if it's “surviving” in the very smallest of terms. While still active, it hasn't been changed or added new content for quite some time.
After 25 years, Anarchy Online is stuck in a limbo that will likely never end
For those unfamiliar with the game, Anarchy online set on the desert planet Rubi-Ka, so Dune: Awakening and Conan exile It's definitely not Funcom's first time creating desert biomes. Thriving in Rubi-Ka can sound a lot like surviving in Dune: Awakenings Arrakis desert, but the former has an identity all its own. It is one of the main reasons why it continues to retain players after so many years without any updates.
A brief summary of all Anarchy Online has to offer
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14 character classes to choose from
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Contract-based assignments
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Fight for territory and resources
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A large variety of biomes to explore
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Unique vehicles
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Base building
Anarchy online boasts all the ingredients a strong MMORPG needs, and this has kept its community stuck to it. Whether you're a die-hard fan who's been playing since day one or a newcomer looking to experience an old-school MMORPG, Anarchy online is a special game for many people. It may not brag Dune: Awakeningplayer count, but the player base is still quite active on the internet. There's even an official Reddit page that has players asking for tips and bonding over the game's legacy.
Anarchy Online is a nostalgia-filled MMORPG that represents the genre in its purest form
As one of the longest running MMORPGs around, Anarchy onlines pictures are far off Dune: Awakenings graphics, but that honestly makes it so much more charming. The dated aesthetic of Anarchy online is as much a part of the game's identity as its mechanics are. Beyond the visuals, though, some of the main reasons sci-fi MMORPGs have survived for so long is because of its complexity and content-rich world. Character customization is still on par with modern RPGs, and newcomers who have been curious to try the game have hours upon hours of exploration and quests to experience before running out of new things to discover. It's hard for most online games to make it past a few years, though Anarchy online has stayed safe from being shut down. Most baffling of all, however, is that the game has lasted this long while still having a monthly subscription attached to it.
Anarchy Online has both a free version and a paid version
For most, the free-to-play option is enough to get many hours out of the game. However, there are players who become so invested that they want the premium content that Funcom offers. The paid version opens access to all the game's expansions, monthly points and rewards, no character limits and allows max leveling to level 220. It's definitely a controversial move on Funcom's part, but there are players who have continued to subscribe. Over the years, not all Funcom games have managed such longevity, which makes it so Anarchy online so much more impressive. .
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LEGO Minifigures Online (2015)
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Hide and Shriek (2016)
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Secret World Legends (2017)
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Conan Exiles (2018)
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Dune: Awakening (2025)
Here's what the last decade has been like for Funcom, and three out of five games are adaptations of major franchises. LEGO minifigures online was shut down in 2016 after failing to meet Funcom's financial goals. Hide and Shriek was a decently fun co-op horror game, while Secret world legends was a free-to-play reboot of another beloved Funcom MMORPG, The secret world. While Secret world legends' servers are active, the game does not have the same draw as Anarchy onlineand the reworked game that lowered the learning curve kept many original players away. Conan exile is still one of the best fantasy MMORPGs out there, and it has maintained a consistent and strong fan base. Dune: Awakening however, is Funcom's golden child at the moment.
What Funcom has planned after Dune: Awakening is a big mystery
Funcom has already confirmed it Dune: Awakening updates are on the table for 2026. However, the developer has been rather vague about the details. The general plan is more DLC and free updates, so it will be interesting to see what the rest of the year has in store for Arrakis.
Dune: Awakening's Raiders of the Broken Lands DLC is expected to launch sometime in the first quarter of 2026.
It is highly probable Anarchy online will remain in its limbo state until Funcom decides to pull the plug. However, nothing is impossible. There is still a small chance that another update from Funcom could be in the cards. Dune: Awakening might have been one of the best co-op games of 2025, but Anarchy online has maintained its place as MMORPG royalty for over two decades.
