MMOs are a Dieing genre? Er. No.

Whilst we all know where we're going to be next weekend as far as CoH is concerned, what I'm hoping to do here is show that a) there is life after CoH and b) you don't have to sell your soul to a large publisher to get your gaming awn.

I've been keeping my eye on MMORPG.com and Massively.com via twitter and the web for the past month or so and here are some of the games that caught my eye (admittedly most of which are still in development) You might find something here that will interest you once you've decided the "obvious" options of GW2, CO and DCUO aren't for you.

The Secret World
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...ret-World.html

Probably the best of the bunch from a CoH point of view. Not actually a super-hero game per se, but it does have a free form, levelless progression system and a nice diversity of missions beyond "Go Here. Kill 10 Rats". I wasn't overly impressed by screenshots and video that I saw of the game, but after seeing so many CoH'ers migrating to it, I thought I'd give it a go. Glad I did.

Neverwinter
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...verwinter.html

Developed by none other than Cryptic Studios, this looks like it could be fun. Not usually a fan of fantasy games, but watching some of the dev interview videos has definitely made me interested.

The Repopulation and Greed Monger
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...opulation.html
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...ed-Monger.html

Two different games, two different developers, but both follow a similar formula. Essentially when the games start, they'll be a blank canvas, left to the players to create everything in the world - buildings, markets, the full works with only the indigenous wildlife and each other to hinder their progress.

MechWarrior: Online
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...or-Online.html

If you like climbing in a 60ft stompy bot and fighting against other like minded folks this could be for you. Currently in open beta, fortnightly balance and content patches and a crapton of fun. At the moment, it's basically World of Tanks in big robots, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Otherland
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...Otherland.html

Probably the one I'm the most excited about. A game based on the series of Sci Fi books of the same title by Tad Williams. A world set in a future time where the internet is a vast array of virtual worlds. Have a look at the intro and trailer videos; the art style might not be everyones cup of tea, but there looks to be some really nice character customisation options and a dev team that wants to make something different to what we've come to know as the "Standard" MMORPG.

The Elder Scrolls Online
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...ls-Online.html

If you've played and loved Skyrim, this is another one to keep an eye on. I was initially a little skeptical about making the wonderfully immersive world of Tamriel into a multiplayer experience, but actually I think this could be pretty good.

PlanetSide 2
http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/g...netSide-2.html

Not entirely sure about this one, if I'm honest. It looks as if it might be a cross between SWTOR and Battelfield, but I'll give it a go once I upgrade my machine at the beginning of next year.

This is just a small selection of games that are in development or currently available and the ones that have really grabbed my attention. I would strongly recommend having a look to see if there's something you like. Failing that, have a look at MMORPG.com, click "GameList" and you can do a search in there for games by publisher, genre, or even order by popularity based on the sites members.

Fallen Earth
http://www.gamersfirst.com/fallenearth/ ( or through Steam)

Free-form post-apocalyptic MMO with a free to play as well as a 3 tiered payment structure (more crafting spots and other bonuses). Except for a few crafting materials and mission rewards almost everything in the game can be player-made.

At least the lower 2/3rds of the game seems to be solo-friendly so far and PvP is strictly optional (better/rarer crafting supplies in some of the PvP zones but I frequently see players ignoring each other in those areas). Interface takes a little getting used to since you need to aim at your targets but the learning curve is low, especially if you play FPS style games.

Finally! Otherland in game form. Those books weretailor made for mmo gaming. Thanks for the heads up.

Fallen Earth

http://www.gamersfirst.com/fallenearth/ ( or through Steam)

This is what I've moved to for now. Free-form post-apocalyptic MMO with a free to play as well as a 3 tiered payment structure (more crafting spots and other bonuses). Except for a few crafting materials and mission rewards almost everything in the game can be player-made.

At least the lower 2/3rds of the game seems to be solo-friendly so far and PvP is strictly optional (better/rarer crafting supplies in some of the PvP zones but I frequently see players ignoring each other in those areas). Interface takes a little getting used to since you need to aim at your targets but the learning curve is low, especially if you play FPS style games.

The biggest challenge I've found so far is deciding where to put points when leveling since you only get so many and will never be able to max every stat and skill.

I'm hanging out in The Secret World. Very glad I stumbled on that game.

I'm playing the Secret World and Rift. Rift being my main squeeze now though.