AFK Journey VS Stalcraft: X

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.

STALCRAFT is an open-world online shooter with survival and MMO elements, developed by EXBO and released in late 2022. The game draws from the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and Minecraft communities, and, while its player base at launch was decent, it has seen a decline common for indie online shooters. Current estimates, based on Steam charts and community activity, suggest daily active players in the low thousands. However, it does not have the scale or persistent shared world typical of a true MMO.