What Does Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) Mean?

A massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) is a video game that takes place in a persistent state world (PSW) with thousands, or even millions, of players developing their characters in a role-playing environment. The virtual world in which the game takes place is never static. Even when a player is logged off, events are occurring across the world that may impact the player when he or she logs in again.

Techopedia Explains Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG)

Unlike traditional console-based role-playing games where the overarching goal is to complete the game, MMORPGs depend on emergent game play based on the interactions of players and groups of players. Most MMORPGs still provide tasks and battles that get progressively harder, but the primary purpose of these is to help gamers build up their characters in terms of experience, abilities and wealth.