Mabinogi is an massively multiplayer online role-playing game released by South Korean Game Distributing Company Nexon, and developed by devCAT studio, one of several development teams in Nexon Inc. The Welsh word mabinogi is found in the original manuscripts of the Mabinogion. The game engine features hand-painted textures stylized with edge detection outlining. The game world is developed continuously, through the release of important patches (referred to as "Generations" and "Seasons") that introduce new areas, additional features such as pets and new skills, and advancement of the storyline. The user interface is simple and designed in the likeness of Microsoft Windows` task bar. Mabinogi was built on a hybrid Value Added Services model (which varies slightly for each game localization) that allows free play and the subscription of paid packages, purchased through the game shop. In South Korea, beginning with the Chapter 3 patch, Mabinogi changed to micro-transactions. It now allows 24-hour free play and the Item Shop only offers items, and subscriptions for added options. In North America, systems were made to replicate South Korea`s features of their latest updates in the Pioneers of Iria patch.

The player is not limited by any class other than the character`s race, and is free to level up any of the different skills available. The combination of skill choices, age, items, physical constitution, and other variables such as user titles, is what makes up the character. The gameplay is largely skill-based. To learn and improve skills, Ability Points are required. There are also various social aspects, like sitting around a campfire, playing music, having a friendly chat, sharing food, as well as making use of different facial expressions to make user interaction more colorful. Currently, 2 continents are released. If you start as a human you will begin your game at Uladh in Tir Chonnail. If you are an elf, you begin your game in Iria at Filia, in the region Connous. If you start as a Giant you will begin your game at Vales, in the region Physis.

Characters are created by using Character Cards. There are two kinds of cards: basic and premium. One basic card (called a free card) is given free of charge when there are no characters in the account (such as when an account is newly created). Premium cards allows more customization options, but are not required. Currently there are three races: human, elf and giant (Elf and giant were added during the Pioneers of Iria update for North America). When creating a character, one may choose an age between 10 and 17. The character will advance one year in age every (real) Saturday. Different ages yield different initial stats and affect the amount of stats raised when leveling up. AP is also granted when aging; the younger you are the more AP you get when you age. For example when you`re ten you get 5 AP when you age to 11 but when you`re 16 or older you only get 2 AP when you age. After 25 you will recive none. Rebirth is an important factor in Mabinogi. Rebirth allows the player to change the character`s age, gender, appearance, and reset the character`s level back to 1, while keeping all previously learned skills. As of the North American release of "Pioneers of Iria" players may now rebirth for free upon reaching age 20. The free rebirth option allows you to reset your level and age, and will not allow you to change your character`s appearance. Also, when using the free rebirth, you automatically return to your character`s last location, meaning you can not go to the "Forest of Souls" and receive a free fixed dye ampoule from Tin. If you do not wish to wait until age 20 to rebirth, you can rebirth using a "basic" or "premium" character card purchased from the "Premium Shop" once each week. Rebirthing by use of a character card will allow you to change your character`s appearance as well as reset age and level, and receive the free fixed dye ampoule of your choice.

In manual combat, predicting the enemy`s next move and making use of your skills is important. However, there is also an automatic combat mode. Automatic combat mode basically times normal attacks. Skills, when used, are incorporated into the automatic combat. Some monsters are aggressive and will attack and pursue on sight, while others attack in a pack or ignore the player. The sophisticated combat, based heavily on anticipating your opponent`s actions, makes combat more engaging and botting more difficult. However, players have still successfully designed bots which farm low-level monsters for in-game gold. Dying causes loss of experience points, and sometimes equipment (lost items can be retrieved at an NPC at a cost). Fallen players can be revived by other players, or by the in-game NPC, Nao, if the player has bought the Nao`s Support or Fantasy Life Club services (or Nao`s Soul Stone in some versions). If the character has zero experience points and suffers a death penalty, negative experience points will accumulate. If the player reaches negative 100% experience, they will no longer be able to revive by themselves and must wait for another player to revive them.

There is a wide range of Life skills which give the player the chance to experience a different side of the “fantasy life”. Players can perform tasks such as tending to the wheat and potato fields, making flour, gathering wool from sheep and eggs from hens, weaving and making garments, mining for minerals and crafting weapons, playing and composing music, cooking dishes, etc.