Online multiplayer games are video games that allow multiple players to interact within the same virtual environment, either through the internet or a local network.
This form of gaming has evolved significantly since its inception, beginning with text-based multi-user dungeons (MUDs) in the 1970s and 1980s, which featured persistent worlds that continued to evolve even when players were offline.
The genre matured in the 1990s with the advent of graphical massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) like Meridian 59, Ultima Online, and EverQuest, which established core features such as large player bases, persistent worlds, and online connectivity.