MMO Holiday Event Round-Up - 2023 Edition

2023 might be simultaneously one of the best and worst years in recent gaming memory. From fantastic releases packing 2023 with unforgettable experiences to record layoffs across the industry, it will certainly make an impression on all those who count gaming as their hobby — or career path.

Theannual Steam Best of the Year list is now live, showing the top games by revenue, player count and more this year. And, as per usual, we're interested in what MMOs and MMO-adjacent titles made Steam's list. Looks like quite a few.

As we all (hopefully) take a respite from our usual lives, everyone here at MMORPG.com and the MOBA Network wishes you a very Happy Holidays! Over the past year we’ve seen some amazing games hit the scene with Baldur’s Gate 3 sweeping RPG of the year and Final Fantasy XIV hitting our top spot for MMORPG of the year. Between our Player’s Choice Awards and our Game of the Year Awards, there were quite a few games that tickled our fancy.

Video games are not cheap. We probably don’t have to tell you that. However, you can typically find some games dropping down in price over time. Those AAA titles that cost you $69.99 brand new are not easy to keep up with forever. Sometimes, it’s best to let some of those games drop down to a more comfortable entry price. Unfortunately, Nintendo games don’t typically follow that trend. Normally, those games, especially first-party studio releases from Nintendo, will stay at a pretty high premium.

Several weeks afterthe huge update to Unreal Engine 5, Mortal Online 2 is closing out 2023 with a new patch and a holiday event, along with participation in holiday sales.

Nexon has added a new Hero+ mode to action MMORPG Vindictus . The new mode offers extra challenge to those who want it, adding new layers of difficulty to monsters and bosses.

‘Tis the season to be an Overwatch 2 player, as the latest Winter Wonderland event will soon be underway! This latest event brings not only fun new arcade games but also loot boxes filled to the brim with items sure to bring the holiday spirit to the players. 

Techland has kicked off the new Holiday event for Dying Light 2 Stay Human. Titled Winter Tales 2023, the event will be live until January 5 and brings in new Christmas-themed enemies for players to take on, like Uncle Snow and Naughty Infected. Check out the trailer for the event below.

The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.

Every year, about this time, I have friends that come out of the woodwork asking for advice on what gift to get the gamer in their life. Some already have a list they’ve been given, while others are frantically begging for ideas. From basic kit, to $2000 monitors to gift ideas for the gamer who has it all, our holiday gift buying guide has you covered. To ensure you are getting a quality gift, we did our best to stick to items reviewed by our team this year, but we have relied on older reviews as well as outside reviews for picks to fill in gaps in our coverage. I’ve also added a few items on my wishlist this year, and you can always check out our 2022 holiday buying guides for even more picks.

If you haven’t heard, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a really, really good game. Just, so good. When the semi-regular cast of Beyond was asked to decide our best PlayStation game of 2023, several of us immediately blurted out Baldur’s Gate 3, and no one else had any objections. So, there are plenty of write-ups on IGN and elsewhere about why it’s so great, but I wanted to reflect a little on how it seemingly came out of nowhere. Make no mistake, this game is 100% Game of the Year material. It almost was IGN’s overall pick, losing to Zelda by a handful of votes. That said, it seems like a miracle that such a dense, unabashedly technical entry in a 23-years-dormant franchise would have such widespread appeal.

Roblox Banana Eats is like an insane version of Dead by Deadlight. You will be stalked by a killer banana and will need to make your way through the level to try and escape. One player will be given the role of the banana in each round, and it is their job to try and stop everyone else from escaping. The players have a beacon to let them know when the banana is getting close to them, to give them some way to try and avoid an ironic fate.