Commentary: Soloing in MMOs

I know it kind of defeats the purpose, but when I play a new MMO, the first thing I do is look for the best solo class.

It’s odd when I think about it, but it’s true. Almost every time I play an MMO, I go for the character class that can best survive on its own. I’m basically saying, “Sweet, an online game filled with tens of thousands of players from all around the world… I’m gonna play by myself.”

And I’m not the only one who does this, by far. Clearly other people play these solo classes, otherwise they wouldn’t exist. In Final Fantasy XI, the Red Mage specializes in solo-play. It can learn a handful of skills and spells from other classes (White Mage, Black Mage, Warrior…), which give it a high survivability. Players can experience a good portion of the game on their own by using the Red Mage.

But why is it that the Red Mage and other solo classes exist? In an online game, wouldn’t players want to be part of a community, to socialize and team up to take down strong monsters? Wouldn’t a developer want to encourage teamwork with their mechanics, and make it imperative that players work together? Solo classes seem to contradict the very idea of an MMO.

Yet they’re played.

The Ranger from Guild Wars 2 also has great solo survivability.

There could be many reasons why loners – like myself – play solo classes: to avoid having to rely on other players; to experience the game’s story leisurely; to enjoy the fight system. Some of these reasons might be personal, but no matter what the reasoning the idea of people playing by themselves in an online game is a little funny.

And I’m not saying this should change by any means; it’s just a little food for thought.