2024 has been a tough year for new live service games. PlayStation’s Concord and Ubisoft’s XDefiant have shut down, and Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League didn’t make nearly as big a splash as Warner Bros. hoped it would. Players aren’t as interested in committing to a new ‘forever game’ as publishers think they are, especially with so many other live service games still going strong. MMOs like WoW, FF14, and RuneScape are still raking in a colossal amount of daily players, and it’s getting increasingly harder to pull them away to try something new. Between the big hitters, though, plenty of other MMOs are doing well, and DC Universe Online appears to be one of them. The superhero game even has some big changes coming in 2025, so now might be the time to give it a try.
DC Universe Online has been around since 2011. The free-to-play MMO casts you as a fledgling superhero or villain, setting you free to explore and interact with the world of DC comics and the decades-old characters we all know. The latest expansion, Harley Quinn vs. Apokolips, which is about as over-the-top as it sounds, dropped earlier this year for all players.
DCUO has spent the last decade growing, improving, and expanding, while the latest blog details exactly what the MMO’s 2025 is going to look like – there are big changes on the way. According to DC Universe Online executive producer Andre Emerson, this starts with the Renown system. Renown is one of DCUO’s leveling systems, and by completing specific missions you can earn Renown Points to get exclusive rewards with your relevant faction. Starting next year, Emerson says the Renown system will be “far more inclusive,” with all players earning the currency from instanced bosses starting with the MMO’s next story arc.
“This will allow aspiring players to gain access to Elite Gear as well as engagement in the Affinity Mods System,” Emerson explains, while adding that veteran players will also get exclusive R&D recipes for defeating Elite Bosses. These recipes can be used to craft Elite Weapon, Neck, Ring, and Utility Belt items. In short, the Renown rework means there are more rewards for new and old players alike, and more ways to earn them.
As for Story Arcs, these are future storyline expansions that will take the form of “multi-part narratives.” The first four-part mystery adventure is scheduled for late January 2025 and is “the darkest yet” according to Emerson. Story Arcs aren’t erasing Episodes, the MMO’s shorter narrative arcs, however, as you’ll still find the older Episodes in-game and available to play. Instead, Dimensional Ink Games is rebranding how it releases narrative content as it wants to engage in longer-form storytelling.
DCUO is also getting a brand new Event System. Here you’ll be able to easily select content, view your progress, and examine any rewards. “This Event System will also serve as a launch pad for a major new addition called ‘Campaign 2025’” Emerson says. ”This new annual Campaign will offer players the chance to complete multiple events throughout the year to earn mega prizes that we know you’ll love.”
With the Marvel MMO from Dimensional Ink Games canceled a couple of years ago, DC Universe Online has been going strong in its stead. The game has updates, new stories, and more on a regular basis, with 2025 shaping up to be a transformative year for the MMO’s content.
If you want to play something else we’ve also got all the best new MMOs you need to try, alongside some single-player MMOs to take for a spin.
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