The developers of the sandbox MMORPG Albion Online have announced a new, extensive update. This brings a lot of changes. Therefore, we will look at how the online RPG is doing three years after its release.
What’s in the new update? With “Call to Arms,” the faction wars are completely overhauled. You will not only be able to take over outposts with the new system, but conquer entire regions of the game world.
A new playable faction is added with Caerleon, bringing its own trade missions, a new city heart, and the Caerleon Greywolf as a mount.
As a member of a faction, you will also receive a unique ability, and the Royal continent has been expanded. There are red zones after the update, where bandits attack repeatedly.
Additionally, a revision of the Hell Gates comes into play. They will get a new layout with new enemies, and you will be able to chain the gates together. Lava will also rise in the areas. New 10-vs-10 Hell Gates will also be added.
There are new ways to assemble a build, and the graphics of the sandbox MMORPG will be enhanced with animated vegetation.
When is the update coming? “Call to Arms” will be launched on March 17. Those who are on the test servers can try out the update already.
An MMORPG in constant change
How has the MMORPG developed? Albion Online launched in July 2017 as a buy-to-play game with an optional subscription. The switch to free-to-play occurred in April 2019. Since then, it is no longer necessary to purchase the game, but a premium membership still exists.
Extensive updates in recent years have brought major changes and innovations. Among them:
- May 2018: The Steam launch of the MMORPG
- March 2019: Random dungeons for 5 players and a new tutorial
- July 2019: Solo dungeons, new monsters, skills, and character customization options
- January 2020: The complete overhaul of the Outlands, where players fight for the most valuable resources with territorial wars and the expansion of a hideout
- August 2020: Corrupted dungeons, the wilderness of Avalon as a new area, and the roads of Avalon as a new transportation method
The release of the major updates usually coincided with an increase in player numbers, as seen on Steamcharts.
What does the premium membership offer? A premium membership is supposed to facilitate playing the MMORPG but not provide unfair advantages.
For $11.95 per month, you receive:
- 20 learning points per day
- +50% fame bonus
- +50% resource yield
- +100% mount growth
- 10,000 focus points per day
- +50% silver and loot from mobs
- +100% harvest yield
- 50% reduced market tax
What’s next? Besides the major update “Call to Arms” launching on March 17, the team is currently working on the final mobile version of Albion Online. Although it is already available in beta, it will undergo a major overhaul and official release this year.
The current state of the MMORPG Albion Online
How is Albion Online doing currently? The rating on Steam over the past 30 days is 81%. The overall rating with 29,547 votes is 78%. As of March 1 at 9:30 AM.
The player numbers have been increasing after a slight dip at the end of 2020, according to Steamcharts. They were around 8,000 players in the past 30 days, with a peak of 12,394 players during that time. However, these are only those playing through Steam. Albion Online also has its own client.
What do the players say? Call to Arms is well received by testers, who mention some balancing issues that should be resolved before the release. Conquering entire territories is something the community is looking forward to. Overall, Albion Online is well-received.
- Cookies? explains on Steam: “If you want a good MMORPG, open-world game, then check out Albion Online. I’ve played for three days and I’m already hooked. Exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
- TTV_HITM Rusty man (via Steam): “I love this game. When it came out, it wasn’t that great, but the developers have improved a lot and the community is really good.”
- Chrisplays has played a lot (via Steam): “I’ve played the game for over 500 hours now. You might like it if you enjoy grinding and a MOBA-like combat system.”
- Gawain doesn’t like the PvP much (via Steam): “You are forced into PvP to progress. I like PvP, but here it feels more like trolling than player-versus-player battles. There is no honor and beginners get slaughtered.”
Are you playing Albion Online? Do you like it and are you looking forward to the new update?
The MMORPG Albion Online is among 7 good MMORPGs that you can play on a Mac and MacBook.
