It is time for our MeinMMO format “MMORPG News in 5 Minutes”. We summarize the most important news about the best genre in the world. You can expect dramatic news about ESO, the western payment model of Aion 2, and the first class introduction of ArcheAge Chronicles.
Highlights of the week:
- The developers of Aion 2 have now revealed the payment model for the global version of Aion 2 in detail. Various points immediately provoke outraged comments from the MMORPG community.
- WoW demon Cortyn is tired of it. The latest areas are a torment and the heroic mode is a lot, but simply not fun.
- Blizzard is making cutbacks. Projects are being canceled. It likely affects games that we will never see.
- In a Q&A session with the community, the developers of ArcheAge Chronicles revealed details about the payment model for the first time over the weekend. MeinMMO summarizes the most important points for you. There was also a new clip with mage gameplay on X and on X a detailed presentation of the warrior class. However, the post also raises questions about gender lock, skill numbers, and weapon choice – for the warrior, only a male character as well as the longsword and greatsword with a small number of skills are presented.
What else has happened? The layoffs at Microsoft are also affecting the Zenimax Online Studios, which manage The Elder Scrolls Online. It has become clear that a large part of the workforce is losing their job. Among them are many veterans. Frustration is high, also because for years diverse other failed projects were financed. The future of ESO is uncertain. It is clear that the most recently shared roadmap for 2026 is no longer valid. However, Season 1 has at least just started, with the comeback of the Thieves Guild and a roadmap until September.
Lost Ark with Summer Cleanup – Your Guild Could Be Affected Too
What happened in the big MMORPGs:
- Time for nostalgia: Fans of World of Warcraft still remember one player even after 20 years. Booms scammed an entire realm.
- The game director of World of Warcraft has addressed pressing questions. What does the future hold for RP – and what about more and more content?
- World of Warcraft is better than ever. At least that’s what one person, who has to say it: Ion Hazzikostas. But is that true?
- Lost Ark is cleaning up inactive guilds. Specifically, the summer cleanup is set to start on July 22. Guilds that have been inactive for 12 months or more will be cleaned up. You can find the information on playlostark.com.
- This week, an update for Black Desert has been released again. You can expect new difficulty levels for Songakshi in the Dark Shrine. You can find the patch notes on playblackdesert.com. Additionally, the developers announced that they will discontinue support for Windows 7 and DirectX 9 or lower.
Everything revolves around the best genre in the world on the YouTube channel of MeinMMO. Recently, for example, a video went live that poses the question: Is the golden age of MMORPGs finally over?
What happened in the small MMORPGs:
- Star Trek Online: Undiscovered has been released on PC. You can expect a reinterpretation of a popular storyline with Lisa LoCicero and Robert Picardo in the lead roles. Also new: the deep space encounters and the Undiscovered event. More info and the trailer can be found on playstartrekonline.com.
- On July 13, RuneScape is set to receive a completely revamped housing system. The developers explain what changes in this video on YouTube.
- In Tibia, a lot is changing, causing considerable upheaval. The difficult balance of classes and the resulting nerfs have recently caused some trouble (via tibia.com). The official forum has seen several statements from those responsible: They continue to monitor player feedback and may provide further balancing updates.
- The developers of EverQuest have introduced the special ruleset of the new Lethar server. Where? Well, on everquest.com.
- The venerable MMORPG Fiesta Online is surprisingly set to come to current consoles. You can find the announcement trailer on YouTube and in the following:
What happened to the MMORPGs in development:
- Especially since the sudden end of Ashes of Creation players are asking themselves, “How is the development of a new MMORPG financed?”. Behind Scars of Honor there has long been a big question mark. So we just asked, and got an answer!
- For years, the developers of Hitman were only known for their Agent 47. With their successful game on James Bond, they showed the world they have more to offer. But their next project, an online RPG with the working title Project Fantasy, is facing issues.
- In the SciFi MMO Stars Reach, you can expect a universe filled with countless creatures that can reproduce, age, and die. Through your actions, you can even influence the well-being of the species.
- A hobby programmer has developed his own MMORPG called World of Claudecraft with the help of AI. Recently, with 0.23.0, the biggest update so far was released, and you can find the patch notes at github.com. The player counts reportedly peaked at over 46,000 (source: mmorpg.org.pl).
- The second open beta of Ragnarok Zero: Global runs from July 7 to July 14. The official announcement can be found at mygnjoy.com.
- MapleStory Classic World is set to receive a closed beta from August 4 to August 12. Registration opens on July 16. You can find the official website of the MMORPG remake with all information about the test at nexon.com.
- A new Producer’s Letter for EverQuest Legends has been released, in which the developers share more details about the remake of the first EverQuest. You can unlock many new achievements and additional storage space. There is also a specific list of items that will be sold in the in-game shop.
That wraps up the most important things that have recently happened in the world of MMORPGs.
What did you enjoy this week? What frustrated you? Let us know in the comments. If you’re looking for a comprehensive overview of the history of online role-playing games, you’ll find it in this extensive special: Over 60 Years of MMORPGs: We look back at the beginnings, premieres, highlights, and downfalls
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