The best MMO zones to celebrate fall

Key conclusions

• Many MMOs, such as WoW, Guild Wars 2, and New World, release expansions in the fall, a special time for fans of the genre.
• Zones like Duskwood, Grothmar Valley, and Brightwood embrace the fall aesthetic in the MMO.
• Draenor Manor, West Weald and Tirisfal Glades offer unique immersive experiences that still fit the spirit of autumn.

Fall and MMOs have a strong relationship. Final Fantasy 14, World of Warcraft, Guild wars 2and new entries like New world and Throne and freedom all have release dates in late summer or fall, and since most expansions are shot around the same time period, it's a special time of year for fans of the genre.

Fortunately, for those who want to push that immersion even further, there are plenty of areas in the MMO gaming scene that embrace the fall aesthetic. This list will be a collection of zones that really capture what makes the season special from start to finish; be it the abundance of orange leaves or the eerie atmosphere reminiscent of Halloween.

7 Duskwood: World of Warcraft

Probably the most popular

Given that this list is in no particular order, it's probably best to remove this one. It is an eerie forest, with the constant hum of the wind through the trees. There's a sprawling cemetery, pumpkins, ghosts, zombies, pretty much everything. The trees are a dark blue-green, offset by the orange light of lanterns and the like.

The zone isn't autumnal per se, but it definitely draws from many of the motifs seen at Halloween. In addition to the eerie atmosphere, the zone has some fascinating stories, even if it doesn't have an end-to-end quest that goes through the entire zone. The people of the Dark Shire are interesting, the city itself is beautiful, and it's a very accessible area to start the game.

6 Grotmar Valley: Guild Wars 2

Perhaps a little less well known

For those looking for orange, Grotmar Valley has plenty of it. Half savannah, half forest, the Grothmar Valley is a wonderful combination of tall trees, autumn leaves and blooming wildflowers. If Duskwood is a zone built for Halloween fantasy, Grothmar Valley is a zone built to emulate the local Oktoberfest.

Probably the biggest feature is the theme music, with a heavy emphasis on Metal Legion, a metal band that plays on stage called Blood Stand. It's a sweet blend of realism and fantasy that's quite rare to see, and for that reason, the genre doesn't have zones quite like Grotmar Valley. Payers interested in both the fall and the festival should get in here if they can!

5 Brightwood: New World

Modern and creepy

Brightwood is probably the last attempt to create a spooky Halloween-inspired area in a premium MMO and modern software New world making it one of the most visually arresting depictions of aesthetics. The Zone centers around the Lost, humans and animals whose minds are shattered by a combination of traumas sustained while immortal. The area itself is dark, with a heavy emphasis on toxic greens and blues that give the area an unnatural look.

The enemies lurking around look like undead witch hunters and gravediggers, unlike the typical Lost models that are just zombies. It's a weird mix of tropes, like if the Salem witch trials backfired and turned everyone undead, only for them to use their horrible new powers to prey on unsuspecting victims instead. Its soundtrack is also top notch.

4 Everfall: The New World

Gratitude Zone

Everfall is one of the New worldearlier zones and borders both possible starting zones. Most players who have looked at the game have probably seen this area as it has been featured in most of the promotional work and has many of the game's main visual motifs.

It is a harvest area reminiscent of colonial America with small wooden settlements, fields and streams full of cat tails. Many of the creatures include US staples such as elk, wolves, hares, bison and turkeys. This comes with being early game New world it's all about chopping down trees and harvesting plants, really sells that harvest fantasy, even if you can't farm yourself.

3 Manor Draenor: Runescape

For a treat in a genre full of tricks

MMO with the same charm as Runescape non-existent, and flawless, how much love and care is packed into its tiny polygons. Draynor Manor has so much character that upon entering it feels like you've stopped playing an MMO and started playing Alone in the dark.

Very few games can create a play space with the sense of “place” that Manor Draenor exudes, and in a genre where there are plenty of desolate plains to deliver quests, it's a shame there aren't more areas like this one. If you have not yet visited the Count, we ask that you not only do so, but do so knowing as little as possible.

For drawing in Lord of the Rings

West Weald is a returning area in the series, first introduced in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. Unlike the previous iteration; however West Weald st Elder Scrolls online very infused with autumn oranges. Although this area is closed for DLC, it is definitely suitable for those who want an autumnal atmosphere, and even more so for those who are particularly interested in elven architecture.

Although it won't be anything like Rivendell, since it is the home of the Imperials, it does resemble the whimsical ruins that Tolkien describes The Lord of the Rings. The jagged rocks sticking out of the vine-covered bush and the cavernous ruins that serve as homes to various monsters are fairly easy to draw parallels between and should be explored by fans of the book series (or those with fond memories of Lord of the rings online).

1 Tirisfal Glades: World of Warcraft

For the feeling of a Tim Burton movie

Tirisfal Glades is probably the best mix of typical fall and Halloween design queues. As a result, it checks almost all the boxes, with orange trees (albeit rather muted), pumpkins, zombies, skeletons, ghouls, ghosts, and people to terrify. Being the starting zone for the undead, walking through the glades of Tirisfal feels like you're waking up and walking right into The Nightmare Before Christmas' The town of Halloween, albeit more violent and grotesque.

There are grotesque experiments, angry people with pitchforks, giant spiders, the list goes on. It balances the quirky and comical antics of the villain with some truly thought-provoking and sad stories about what it would be like to be brought back from the grave.