Bless Online left Early Access on Steam a month ago and is free to play for all players. At the release, there was both criticism and praise from players. How has Bless developed since then?
The Asia MMO Bless Online is now free to play on Steam for all players. Since the release, the MMO has been expanded with new content that mainly offers fresh content to endgame players.
Bless had a rocky start
Many players eagerly anticipated Bless Online at the beginning of the year. However, during the Early Access phase, recurring issues arose. Developer Neowiz quickly fixed most of the bugs, yet Bless couldn’t retain many players permanently. The player numbers dropped.
Release atmosphere: With the Free To Play release on October 23, 2018, Neowiz aimed to improve everything and hoped for an influx of players. Player opinions on the official release were mixed.
The extensive breeding system of the game, the character editor, and the classic feeling were praised. In contrast, players criticized the hybrid combat system and the poor performance.
With the Free To Play release, new players also started looking at Bless Online. Daily player counts skyrocketed from about 300 to over 3,300 according to the website SteamDB. In the following days after the release, player numbers climbed to nearly 5,000.
What does it look like after the F2P release?
Player counts fluctuate slightly: Nearly a month later, the number of players who play the MMO daily has settled at around 2,100 (as of November 26, 2018). The last content update managed to convince a few hundred players to check out Bless. Whether Bless can retain these players in the long run remains to be seen.
Developer Neowiz has been active and has diligently provided updates for the MMORPG since its release:
- Bless is finally playable in German.
- The level cap for all players has been increased to level 50. Additionally, players can fight for dominance in two new zones and venture into a new level 50 dungeon.
- Another dungeon, Ruber’s Bonehouse, has opened its gates for players. This dungeon is also designed for level 50 players.
Player Opinions
Many players only rated Bless Online after the Free To Play release. In the reviews, players discuss both positive and negative aspects of the game.
What players like:
- If you love classic Asian grinders, you’ll feel at home in Bless Online.
- The main story of the game is praised. Level progression is quite fast.
- The extensive pet system that allows players to tame mounts and pets is praised.
- The game world is very beautiful and offers a great variety of landscapes and monsters with great attention to detail.
- The monetization of the game is quite fair. Pay To Win mechanics are not criticized.
What players do not like:
- The performance of the game needs improvement. Especially in PvP activities with many other players, the visuals start to stutter.
- Players cannot trade with each other and must use a regulated marketplace instead.
- The game world often feels empty. Players rarely encounter other players.
While 57% of players on Steam rated Bless Online positively at release, only 42% of players recommend the game one month after the official launch.
We have already highlighted the core features of Bless Online in an article. MMORPG Bless starts today for free on Steam – Here’s what to expect.
