The year 2K marked the turning of the Millennium. One of the most memorable events of the time was the panic with the Y2K bug which had the world shaking for almost a couple of years. Another, was the boom of our current every day life Internet. Though the WWW has been around for some time, it was in the early 2Ks that it really caught on. Having lived through the time and much more way back, one could really see the development of the overall online structure and technology we currently have today.

In the early 2Ks, the net was still picking up speed. Many had to connect via the phone lines with modems that screeched out loud during the connection handshaking process. But then, one didn't really complain when one had access to all those colorful websites, mass online chatting (IRC), the then still limited video and audio streaming and of course online games. It was the beginning of a new era and almost everyone (yours truly included) was delighted to embrace this new thing.

Online gaming wasn't something new. In fact it goes way back to the 1980's when a few gaming consoles started using the TCP/IP Internet Protocol. People (especially computer people) are an innovative lot and continual experimentation and development of ideas has made online gaming what it is today. However, it was in the late 1990's to the early 2Ks that online games particularly the MMO variety started to really grow and amass huge following and the multiple creation of online gaming communities. The MMO games of those times became the forerunners of the MMO game genres that we have today.

With that, let's take a look at a few of these forerunning MMO's that started it all and are still currently here with us today for anyone who wants to experience them or the old gamers who wish to reminisce the memorable experiences of their online gaming past.

CounterStrike

The game that practically started the eSports Industry and got so many people (both young and still young) addicted to online gaming. The thrill of pawning your opponents and your team winning match after match in the never ending battle between the Tango's (Terrarorist) and the Alpha Tango's (the Anti-Terrarorist). Every available cheat in the book has been invented and weeded out through the years and thankfully, the decadent scandals and issues have toned down as many of the original gaming crowd have literally grown up and (pardon me) Old! Minh Le and Jess Cliff will forever go down in gaming history with this de-facto go to game for gamers who love to shoot each other. If you want to play CS today, just look around online as CS matches are continually ongoing whether it's 1.3, 1.6 or CSGO.

Meridian 59

The game said to have started the 3D MMORPG revolution. Meridian was actually released in the mid 1990's by 3DO for it's gaming 3DO Interactive consoles. The game has gone through several updates and evolutions as per adaptation to the online PC game market. Currently, 3DO maintains the game as open source freeware and quite available to play and enjoy online. Playing Meridian 59 is an awesome blast in the past. You can create your character and choose your skill sets but keep in mind that your stats and skills will affect your game play. Combat and using your skills will level you up and there's a lot of PvP in the game. There are guilds and player communities as well. Just remember that in the game, if you get clobbered, you automatically loose points and inventory. Be careful whom you kill as it may blacklist you in the game. The game's graphics may seem outdated but the fantasy based soundtrack is cool to listen to. So, should you like to try out the oldest 'first person' fantasy MMO game, just head over to Steam and play Meridian 59 F2P.

Neverwinter Nights

This game goes a long way back to 1991. Yes! It was online in 1991 but that was if you had AOL, Americans Online Hahaha... The good old pre-Internet days. With the Internet in the early 2Ks, Neverwinter thrived. Starting off with something that looked like the 80's Bard's Tale, the game went through several evolutions and updates from top down third-person isometric POV to the adjustable auto third person POV of the current iteration. The game's continuing storyline is set in the realm of Neverwinter in the Forgotten Realms origins of D&D, yes again, the game is a Dungeons and Dragons game. If you love MMORPG and haven't tried this game, head over to Steam and start playing NeverWinter Nights F2P. It's worth the experience.

EverQuest

Released in 1999, this MMORPG was so awesome and popular in the day. It had literally hundreds of thousands of players and the game's beautiful ads crowded almost every single PC game magazine that came out in the early 2Ks. Yours truly used to collect PC Gamer, so if it wasn't Lady Croft with her big ummms.. with the biggest ads, it was Princess Firiona of EverQuest. Sadly, the popularity of the game started to decline through the years brought about by it's initial acquisition by Sony and the internal development conflicts brought by this. The game has tried to re-start itself with a new EverQuest iteration EQNext but unfortunately again, the project was shelved. The internal conflicts and mishandling of the game particularly towards it's strong gaming community turned so many players away at that time who a vast number ended up crowding the next MMO fantasy game which took the world by storm. Nevertheless, EverQuest will always remain in the hearts of those spent so many hours playing it and questing the mythical world of Norrath and just hopefully, the game may still be able to stage a comeback from it's past glory days. EverQuest is a game truly worth talking about and should you like to check it out, the game is still running F2P on Steam.

World of WarCraft

As mentioned, after EverQuest taking the MMORPG gaming world it was then sadly but inevitably superseded by a newer game. A fantasy MMO with a very huge gaming community fan base and a game company with a strong focus on story line development and attention to their fans. Blizzard's WarCraft. For those who have played the RTTS game series (Sadly witnessing hero Prince Arthas turn from good to really bad), the need to stick with the story was really strong that even if the game was literally pulled out of it's sockets and turned into a multi-player RPG online game and regardless of the initial resistance to it, had original fans as well as new players rallying to play it. The result, the massive World of WarCraft (WoW). In short, the game was a WOW! World of WarCraft will answer what happened to who among the major characters with the players right in the middle. Cut-scenes awesome, soundtracks awesome, game play awesome, graphics and sounds awesome and the story line just continues with all it's turns and twists from the original games. WoW is however no longer Strategy gaming but a full massive MMORPG. Many of the old strategy fans however where provided with the option to keep playing the genre with MOBA games like WarCraft DOTA and the similar LoL. Today, though World of WarCraft is no longer as strong as it was, the dedicated gaming community continues with new versions of the game. Just head over to Blizzard's WoW site and get yourself registered to go a questing in the world of Azeroth.

Cabal Online

During the first decade of the 2000's, Korea started it's massive online gaming campaign. Actually, they took gaming Asia by storm by developing and launching multiple MMO's whether MMORPG or Competitive Shooter games. One of the Korean made games that has survived through the years is Cabal Online. This game amassed a lot of following especially in the Asian market as well as in North America. It was featured in several game and cosplay shows and is well know for it's errr...super sexy female characters which has become sort of the game's featured trademark. Nevertheless, Cabal is a very immersive game to play taking place in the kingdom of Nevareth in a fantasy world setting where quests and PvP encounters abound. Initially released in 2005, the game has a strong community of players scattered worldwide with local servers for each region and player groups. Cabal is available on Steam for North America and has dedicated server sites worldwide.

Second Life

Second Life is sort of an online MMORPG and Social Media game rolled into one. It is quite different from the regular concept of fantasy or sci-fi online RPG. Instead, second life focuses in creating just that for the player, an alternative life online within the platform. A player can custom make one's avatar and even create one's environment. The platform provides the necessary features, tools and resources for doing this. The main goal is to socialize and have online relationships with other player avatars whether for friendship or romance. By creating worlds of their own, players can live in their own fantasy dream lands albeit in an digital alternate reality where life can get as real as possible as in the real world. Second Life debuted way back in 2003 and is still up and running until now. For those interested in having a Second Life, you can visit the SL community at secondlife.com and register there.

Eve Online

Released online in 2003, Eve Online is probably one (if not the) longest running Sci-Fi MMORPG available till today. It's kind of like an open world multiple story lined game depending on the character you choose to play. You can be a space miner, a transporter, run an escort duty or head an organization or company. Players play the part of a capsuled consciousness who can control a ship with multiple clones that can take over should one's current clone get clobbered. The game is massive taking place in one universe on a single intricately interlinked server where all the players can get the chance to interact with each other. The game tries to simulate real space life so one must always be wary of other players who may be after the hard earned goods one acquires in the game. Playing Eve takes an investment in time as you have to learn the ins and outs of the game. Finally, gaining and taking care of one's reputation can affect the game play in a dozen different ways so one always has to watch out for it. Eve is massive and can be confusing and competition between players in either trading, competing for resources or plain PvP combat can either frustrate or encourage a dedicated online player. EVE Online, the game of Everyone vs Everyone.

So there you have it folks, eight stunning MMO games being played way back in the early 2Ks which have continually survived till today.