Black Desert Mobile is an offshoot of the MMORPG Black Desert, which will be released on smartphones. But how difficult should the game be here? A boss fight in the closed beta raises this question.
More and more MMORPGs are making their way from PC to smartphone. It seems to be becoming a new trend in Asia. MMORPGs like Lineage, Blade and Soul, Tera, or Aion are on their way to smartphones. Black Desert is also daring the port.
But can you play an MMORPG on mobile just like on PC? An initial test of the upcoming mobile game Black Desert Mobile shows that players are divided on this.
Raid too easy or too hard?
The test focused on the Kzarka raid, where a boss had to be defeated in a special room. This fight lasted 10 minutes for groups of 25 to 30 players, all of whom were at level 43.
Now the question arises: Is 10 minutes too short for a boss fight? The testers did not reach a clear conclusion:
- One group felt that it was clearly too short and therefore not a real challenge
- The other group thought it was just right, as mobile players are used to achieving success more quickly
Interestingly, the players who thought the raid was too easy were the ones who usually play Black Desert on PC. In contrast, mobile players found the difficulty level to be good.
Now, of course, the question arises: Who is Black Desert Mobile aimed at?
- Do the developers want to reach the players who usually play Black Desert on PC?
- Or do they want to appeal to the casual mobile player audience?
As the mobile game is generally somewhat easier to play than the MMORPG on PC, it seems that the developers are aiming more at casual gamers. However, this could upset core gamers.
Who are mobile MMORPGs actually aimed at?
Is there a general problem here? Anyone releasing a mobile game based on a well-known MMO like Lineage or Black Desert is essentially hoping to reach the regular fans. But then they might scare them away with gameplay that is way too easy, aimed at casual players? On the other hand, they might lose casual players if the game is too hard and aimed at veterans, fans of the brand. Finding the right balance will not be easy for developers.
Black Desert Mobile: When is the release in Europe?
The launch of Black Desert Mobile is planned for February in Korea. It is expected to be released in other regions, including Europe, within a year after the launch: In Europe, the launch would therefore be at the latest in February 2019.
Black Desert Mobile is not a 1:1 implementation of the MMORPG but offers some differences.
