Is It An MMO? #4 — Tower Of Fantasy Is Genshin Impact But With Actual MMO Elements

The characterization of a massively multiplayer online game, or MMO, is self-explanatory. Or is it? By definition, it means a large number of players on the same server — hundreds, thousands — and a big open world that continues to evolve. So does Tower of Fantasy, developed by Hotta Studio (a subsidiary of Perfect World, the company that made the MMORPG of the same name), make the cut?

Let’s address the elephant in the room first. This game is self-defined as an open world, action RPG, not an MMO (according to the main description on the official Steam page). And while we’re at it, let’s address the other elephant: Tower of Fantasy looks a heck of a lot like Genshin Impact. However, even though both games find themselves in the same genre, they are actually vastly different when it comes to our most important thing: multiplayer.

Genshin Impact allows only up to four players to adventure with each other in the same instance. They have to be friends before even teaming up or go through random matchmaking. On the other hand, Tower of Fantasy permits 50 players. And they are all strangers, wandering around just like the player themself.

That’s because the open world is “shared,” so players will run into others and have the option to interact — partying up to fight alongside one another or perhaps dueling each other in PvP. You can also encounter other players taking down a boss and jump in on the action. There’s a chat feature, too.

On top of that, the game offers co-op PvE modes like four-player dungeons and eight-person raids. Both can be entered with a group of random players through matchmaking. That being said, if uncoordinated teamwork isn’t your thing, Tower of Fantasy features the classic guild system we all know and love.

Taking everything into account, the game is clearly not in the same league as Genshin Impact. It has way more social elements, or rather, MMO elements. But is Tower of Fantasy a true MMO? No, I suppose not. But when you consider the ability to run into other players, do dungeons together with strangers, join a guild, and argue with people across the world in the chat? Seems like some-kind-of MMO to me.