On October 15, the MMO ArcheAge Unchained was released, and it immediately generated long queues. But how good is the new version of ArcheAge really and what problems still exist currently?
What is ArcheAge Unchained? ArcheAge is a sandbox MMORPG that emphasizes player freedom. It offers you:
- A huge, open game world
- Different playstyles, including PvE, PvP, living as a pirate or craftsman.
- An extensive housing system
- Ships and battles on the sea.
Unchained, on the other hand, is a new version of ArcheAge that only needs to be purchased once and does not offer an optional subscription. Additionally, all Pay2Win content has been removed from the shop.
This version was just released a few days ago and is intended to attract both old fans and new players. It launched alongside update 6.0, which also revamped the graphics of the MMORPG.
What do the servers and queues say? ArcheAge Unchained launched last Tuesday in Europe and America with 3 servers each. The MMORPG now offers 5 servers in EU and 6 in NA.
Even the freshly created server Runert had a queue of more than 900 players at peak time on October 20. There seems to be enough interest currently. But how satisfied are they with the new version?
Good Atmosphere, Major Issues with the New ArchePass
What do new players say about Unchained? Currently, there are three threads on MMORPG Reddit discussing ArcheAge. In all of them, the atmosphere is generally positive, even though there are voices criticizing the game.
Many new players seem to be convinced by ArcheAge Unchained. The user dnotel shares his experiences enthusiastically:
After years of searching, I have finally found a new home. I am level 40 atm and there is so much about this game that I still don’t know, but I own land, raise animals and vegetables.
I have done some trade runs, participated in PvP events and PvE dungeons. [..] It’s just crazy how many PvE activities there are, I haven’t even experienced 10% of them and you don’t even have to be at max level.
And the best part is that there is absolutely no P2W. WoW/FF14/GW2 are currently more P2W than ArcheAge.
Other users also report positive impressions of the MMORPG:
- Brintal: “There is so much to do in the game, even though I’ve only seen a small glimpse of the whole game. I believe you can have a lot of fun with the game even if you don’t enjoy PvP that much. The graphics are nice and good and the world is huge, which makes it really immersive.”
- ryanmahaffe: “People say there’s no PvE, but it’s just not the traditional kind. In the endgame, there are the Hiram dailies, as well as things like the library dungeon for other high-level gear or the raid Hiram City, but I still need to try that. Things like professions, building your own boat, etc. are also great.”
- SheepCrys: “I can’t stop playing this game. The only time I sleep is when my work points drop to 0. When I wake up again, I continue and I’m excited about it. Plus I don’t even think I’ve scratched the surface of what this game has to offer. Feelsgoodman.”
However, some dissenters primarily criticize the amount of PvP in the game. Nevertheless, many of them realize that ArcheAge isn’t bad, but simply not the right game for them.
What do veterans say about Unchained? While many new players are enthusiastic about ArcheAge Unchained, veterans also point out many errors in the game.
Currently, there is a massive discussion about exploits with the new ArchePass. Certain missions from this pass reward players with a lot of gold. Since missions can be re-rolled, the system is currently being abused to earn gold.
The reddit user Brokeng3ars sees a new theme park model in the pass:
The pass actively ruins the economy, is easily exploitable, and transforms what a sandbox MMO should be into a theme park.
If we wanted to finish a million dailies all day, there are a lot of better theme park MMOs out there.
Many veterans also view the long queues critically. In their opinion, Gamigo should have been prepared for such a large influx, as the first tests showed that many players are interested.
There is also no leniency for players who experience a DC. When they log back in, they must join the end of the queue again. During peak times, this usually means dozens of minutes of waiting time.
Flawless Release and Good Chances for the Future
What is going well with ArcheAge Unchained? From players’ perspectives, the new MMORPG has done many things right. They praise it for:
- The flawless release, disregarding the queues.
- The removal of Pay2Win from the game.
- The new servers that are intended to alleviate the queues.
However, the community also praises itself. On October 19, the land rush took place, where the first players could secure their homes. Many players apparently treated each other fairly, and the reddit user SharkOnGames even experienced a special story:
I arrived at the place where I wanted to build 15 minutes before the land rush and was immediately approached by a group of players asking if I was there to claim land. Honestly, my first thought was that they would try to drive me out of the area, and I was ready to be ruthless and take as much space/land as possible.
But instead, I was offered to join a Discord chat with everyone in the area who wanted to claim land. One user had created a spreadsheet dividing up the plots of land among all participants. [..] Then the message appeared in the game: “Land is now available” and within 60 seconds, we had all placed our land in exactly the right spots.
Honestly, since ArcheAge is a PvP game, this type of collaboration and coordination between complete strangers gave me a really great gaming moment, and I’ve been playing for almost 30 years now.
What does the future of Unchained look like? Currently, the MMORPG is struggling with a lot of criticism regarding queues and the ArchePass. Queues are likely to lessen once the first players find out that ArcheAge is not for them after all.
Regarding the ArchePass, however, Gamigo is now called to action. They need to make adjustments so that not even more players can benefit from the excessive gold. However, this is currently the biggest point of criticism in the game.
If you are interested in a new MMORPG, where your game does not have to be a classic theme park, and possible PvP does not keep you from playing, then it’s worth taking a look at ArcheAge Unchained. Many players see the new version as an example that future Asia MMORPGs should follow.
This year, there were two MMORPGs, ArcheAge and Astellia, that garnered a lot of attention. However, other games that were also supposed to be released this year did not make their release:
