After Trion Worlds reached an agreement with the Korean developers of ArcheAge to launch in the West with the “Sandbox” patch 1.2., the development of the EU version of the MMO is picking up speed. An additional server for the Alpha is planned, and beta events are expected to start in mid or late July.
Sandbox Patch and a New Server in North America
It was barely two weeks ago that representatives from Trion Worlds returned from Korea with good news. They had reached an agreement with XLGAMES to bring the so-called “Sandbox” patch 1.2. for the beta launch. This patch made several corrections to the game design, which had taken a wrong turn with 1.0 in the Korean ArcheAge.
This decision caused cheers among “Sandbox” fans but also raised concerns: Trion Worlds stated that they still have much more to translate. There was talk of a delay in the beta. However, it will already start in mid and late July.
To handle the influx, a new server will also be opened. It will be called Omega and will be located in North America. Preparations for the beta are already underway at the server location in Amsterdam.
The Plan: First Closed Beta, then Open, then Headstart, then Launch
The closed beta will launch with the patch ArcheAge 1.2., Built 4.1. (this is how Trion Worlds refers to their version of the Korean patch 1.2 to avoid misunderstandings). This patch will not include the Trion-specific features that were recently introduced. Trion Worlds is dependent on quick feedback.
From mid to late July, they plan to start closed beta events. The events will last 3 to 5 days. As is common with MMOs lately, invitations will be given out through giveaways on gaming sites, or lucky players will be drawn. Purchasing a founder’s pack will also secure access.
After the closed beta events, there will be an open beta phase that everyone can access. After that, all characters will be deleted, and the wait for the headstart and launch will begin.
My MMO thinks: With this path to release, Trion Worlds is now following the same route taken by The Elder Scrolls Online and WildStar. Fans will need to seize the right time window to secure a beta key as early as possible—unless they plan to purchase a founder’s pack.
Our colleagues at mmorpg.com have published a worth reading article about the sandbox nature of ArcheAge. The author posits that it was important for Trion Worlds to launch with patch 1.2 in Europe and that they were willing to wait a bit longer for it. The 1.0 patch had led the game down some wrong paths. If ArcheAge had gone live in Europe and North America with that, it would have had catastrophic impacts and certainly alienated many fans.
