Tarisland is a new MMORPG from gaming giant Tencent and aims to fill the gap left by WoW’s closure in China. However, it is also set to be released in Europe. Beta tests are expected to take place in the first half of 2023.
What kind of game is it? Tarisland is a pretty obvious WoW clone:
- It relies on a western fantasy setting, which is unusual for MMORPGs from China.
- The graphics are colorful and adopt a comic-like style similar to World of Warcraft. There are suspiciously many very similarly looking elements, including dragon riding and the typical saber-toothed tiger of the night elves.
- The classes also resemble the original line-up of WoW. There are warriors, paladins, mages, hunters, priests, and a class with two glaives that reminds one of demon hunters. Only the bard is a bit of a special case.
- In PvE, it features dungeons and larger raids for 10 players. The group interface also looks exactly like in WoW.
- The PvP is supposed to take place in arenas and battlegrounds and be “balanced.” PvE fans are not expected to be hindered by PvP, according to the FAQ.
The big difference between WoW and Tarisland is that the new game from Tencent will be available on PC as well as Android and iOS. It does not feature autoplay and promises a fair free-to-play without pay-to-win. It is stated that primarily cosmetics will be sold in the shop and no attribute bonuses or crafting materials.
Why should it replace WoW? On January 23, Blizzard shut down its service in China. The company consequently lost 666 million potential players for WoW, Overwatch, and Diablo.
The exact circumstances behind the termination of the relationship are unknown. However, it is assumed that there was significant trouble behind the scenes. Both companies are blaming each other for the situation.
Tencent responded to this and announced the new game Tarisland. However, it is intended to be released not only in China but globally.
First tests in the West by the end of June
When can we test Tarisland? A few days ago, an international website and social media channels were created. It states that the first beta tests in the West should take place in the coming one to two months.
On the official game website, you can already register for the test.
For whom is Tarisland interesting? Basically, it is for all MMORPG fans, as a huge company like Tencent stands behind the game and already promises regular updates. A new season is expected to start every 4-6 months, with new content, new dungeons, and a new class each time.
The first boss fights also look interesting, featuring telegraphs for the strongest abilities. Additionally, each class is supposed to have two trees with 40 talents each.
However, there is also criticism, such as for the mobile interface on PC and the few abilities (6 simultaneous). Furthermore, the graphics already seem a bit “older” than those of WoW.
Tarisland mainly has the potential to become a good mobile MMORPG that also offers crossplay with PC. It makes a very solid impression.
However, for hardcore fans of WoW or other PC games, it may be too simple.
What do you think of Tarisland? Does the new MMORPG appeal to you? What do you like and what do you find less appealing?
If you are looking for more new MMORPGs, you will find them here: All 59 MMORPGs currently in development for PC.
