Combat model
Tab Target MMOs
Tab target combat is not a legacy quirk waiting to be replaced. It is a design choice that produces a different kind of game. When combat does not require manual aim, the fight happens in decisions: which abilities, in which order, against which target, in which positioning relative to your group.
Many of the most enduring online worlds used tab target. EverQuest, Dark Age of Camelot, World of Warcraft and City of Heroes all built their communities around this model. Some upcoming worlds are returning to it, either because their developers believe in it or because their target audience does.
Tab target worlds we are tracking
Monsters & Memories
Classic MMORPG · Niche Worlds Cult
A subscription-based indie MMORPG deliberately built in the EverQuest era mould: slow progression, group reliance, dangerous zones, no hand-holding. Early Access launches October 1, 2026.
Realm Vs Realm
Group Focused
Tab Target
No Player Loot
Ashes of Creation
Sandbox MMORPG · Intrepid Studios
The Kickstarter-era sandbox MMORPG from Intrepid Studios — entered Steam Early Access in late 2025, then shut down within weeks amid mass layoffs, unpaid staff, and ongoing litigation over studio finances.
Open World Pvp
Group Focused
Tab Target
Partial Loot
Camelot Unchained
RvR MMORPG · Unchained Entertainment
A realm-versus-realm MMORPG Kickstarted in 2013 and aimed at Dark Age of Camelot veterans. Steam Early Access launched June 2, 2026 to mostly negative reviews and a near-empty world. December 2026 full release remains the stated target.
Realm Vs Realm
Group Focused
Tab Target
No Player Loot
How Worlds in Waiting classifies combat models
We record combat model as a distinct field: tab target, action combat, hybrid, free aim, reticle-based or tactical slow combat. A game using tab target means ability use is triggered against a locked target without manual aiming. Hybrid means the game blends targeting systems, often allowing some abilities to require aiming while others use lock-on.
We also record targeting detail separately from combat model: lock-on, soft lock, tab lock, free aim reticle, hitscan, projectile, hybrid. When a world has not confirmed its combat model, we mark the field as Unknown.
Why tab target still matters to veterans
Veterans of EverQuest, DAoC and early WoW built deep literacy around tab target combat. The twitch skill ceiling is lower but the tactical ceiling is not — managing crowd control, interrupt chains, positioning and group roles in a tab target world is a different discipline than landing shots in an action MMO, not a lesser one.
There is also a practical case. Tab target combat scales better to large group encounters. It is more accessible to players who cannot or do not want to aim under pressure. And it makes class distinction clearer: who you are in the group matters independently of how fast you can move your mouse.
Frequently asked questions
- Are any upcoming MMOs using pure tab target combat?
- Monsters and Memories is the clearest example among worlds we currently track — it is explicitly building on an EverQuest-era design philosophy with traditional tab target combat. Other worlds, such as Ashes of Creation, have announced hybrid systems that blend tab and action elements. Check each individual dossier for the current confirmed read.
- What is the difference between tab target, action combat and hybrid?
- Tab target: abilities are triggered against a locked target with no manual aiming required. Action combat: abilities require player aim, reticle placement or manual targeting. Hybrid: the game blends both models, often assigning different systems to different ability types. Each has different implications for group play, accessibility and skill expression.
- Why did many MMOs move away from tab target?
- Action combat became the perceived standard after TERA and Guild Wars 2 demonstrated that it could work at scale. It also aligns better with the visual language of modern trailers. However, many players feel that action combat in MMOs creates a twitch skill gap that undermines the group role and build-craft depth that tab target supports. The tab target revival in games like Monsters and Memories is a direct response to this.
- How does Worlds in Waiting decide what combat model a world uses?
- We record what developers have officially confirmed through dev posts, livestreams, playtest documentation or press coverage. When the combat model has not been officially clarified, we mark it as Unknown. We do not infer combat model from genre or visual style alone.
Related reading
- How the watchlist worksWhat we track, what the statuses mean, and how we define worldness.
- Games like Dark Age of CamelotRvR combat and tactical group play.
- Upcoming PvP MMOsWorlds where combat shapes the world.
- Upcoming MMORPGsThe full list of MMORPGs we are tracking.
- What is worldness?The quality we are really scouting for.