AFK Journey

VS

Gemstone IV

AFK Journey, developed by Farlight Games, is a recently released cross-platform fantasy idle RPG with gacha and adventure elements. The game has generated significant hype post-launch, especially among mobile and casual strategy communities, and leverages the popularity of its predecessor, AFK Arena. Recent mobile downloads and community activity suggest strong daily engagement, likely in the hundreds of thousands. Given its cross-platform support and gacha monetization, retention is high at launch. However, it does not qualify as an MMO despite some open-world and multiplayer features, as it lacks a persistent large-scale shared world.

Gemstone IV is a long-running text-based MUD (Multi-User Dungeon) released in 1998, with a loyal but very niche community. The game continues to see regular activity among genre enthusiasts interested in old-school MUD experiences. While it is not a modern blockbuster, its persistence and devoted fanbase mean it likely maintains a few hundred daily active players, based on publicly visible community activity, forum posts, and continued development updates.