Fans of the Ragnarok games in Korea have rented a truck with a large LED screen on it. They placed it in front of the developer’s headquarters. This was not the first protest of its kind.
What happened? In Seoul, Korea, disappointed fans pooled their resources and rented a truck, which they then placed in front of Gravity’s headquarters. Gravity is the developer of the MMORPGs in the Ragnarok series.
Specifically, fans criticized issues with Ragnarok Origin, the latest installment in the series, which was released in 2020. There are said to be several gameplay-breaking bugs that Gravity has not addressed.
Fans also accused the company of a lack of interest in the community and poor communication.
What was written on the truck? According to the website Donga, from which the title image also comes, the LED screen displayed messages like:
- “Listen to your players’ wishes”
- “Request for the right to enjoy games”
The protest was successful, as the action made its way through local and even national press. This forced Gravity to make a statement promising improvement.
Developer promises more communication for 2021
What does Gravity say? As reported by the website MMOCulture, Gravity has apologized and promised to prioritize communication.
Some measures for 2021 were announced, including:
- Developer livestreams
- An annual offline event
- Stricter penalties for hackers
- Monthly developer updates
Gravity has been working on games since 2000 and released Ragnarok Online in 2002. However, it took this protest to ensure better communication.
Truck protests have already led to resignations
As the website Donga reports, this is not the first time a truck has been used in a protest by gamers. From January 11 to 26, such a truck with an LED screen is said to have stood in front of Netmarble’s headquarters.
The company is known for mobile games and has implemented, among others, Lineage 2: Revolution.
In response to fan protests, the company is said to have issued 6 apologies. In one, even CEO Kwon Young-sik announced his resignation due to the criticism.
It is also said that a truck has already been in front of the headquarters of NCSoft (Lineage, Blade and Soul). The exact criticism there is not known to us. But there is certainly no shortage of new projects from the company. Three new games for 2021 were announced:
NCSoft reveals 3 new MMORPGs for 2021: Project TL, AION 2, Blade and Soul 2
