YouTuber Sywo has been part of Lost Ark since its release in Korea. Even before the game was released, he followed it on YouTube and has since become one of the most loyal fans of the game. We at MeinMMO spoke with him about the first 6 months of our version and the future of the MMORPG.
Who is Sywo? Anyone who has ever searched for videos on Lost Ark on YouTube has surely stumbled upon Sywo’s channel. The expert from Estonia is one of Lost Ark’s biggest fans and has played not only our version but also the Korean and Russian versions since day one.
On his channel, he covers all kinds of news, guides, and insights into important community discussions and announcements from the developers. If you’re interested in Lost Ark, you’ll find what you need with Sywo.
Already half a year ago, just before the release of the game, we talked to Sywo and he told us he was afraid of the launch in the west. Now the MMORPG is 6 months old with us, and we wanted to know again how he assesses the current state and the future.
Already in Korea, but not yet with us, there is the class Aeromancer. Check it out in the video:
The risk has paid off
MeinMMO: The western version of Lost Ark has been online for almost half a year now. How would you assess the performance and successes so far in direct comparison to the Korean and Russian versions within the same timeframe?
Sywo: I think they took a risk by releasing the game in a different format and at a faster pace than in any other version. In hindsight, I really think it was worth it, even if it was a bit tougher at some points. I’ve met so many completely new players since the release, and almost all of them felt that the first five months were completely packed with many things to learn.
They had to learn not only all the basics but also endure three major content updates that came during that time. An Abyss Raid, Argos, and two Legion Raids. That’s a lot of complicated mechanics to learn on top of that.
Therefore, I think that players who have made it through the first five months are now in a very good position regarding the future. From August on, we will also enter a very cool, calm phase that can be used to solidify what has been learned, as there will be no new Legion Raids until the end of September.
It’s the perfect move [by Amazon], because now players have time to catch up on the new patches or try out other classes. Not to mention all the new or returning fans who now have a fantastic opportunity to build a good roster and learn the game until then.
MeinMMO: How satisfied are you personally with the changes Amazon has made to the western version? We’re talking about things like the decision not to release Yoz’s Cup.
Sywo: I think they are doing everything they can, and that’s great for all of us. The less stress the game puts on its players, the better. The decision not to release Yoz’s Cup was solely based on community feedback after they introduced the legendary skins.
The mechanic never made it into our version, and that’s really nice to see. They are now planning to release the legendary costumes in a different format as soon as they have something suitable for it.
Lost Ark is great, but not for everyone
MeinMMO: What changes would you like to see in the coming months, and why do you think they are necessary?
Sywo: I would really like to see Pheons revamped. This is an item you need if you want to buy jewelry from the auction house in the game. In Lost Ark, you really want to play multiple characters because every class is just so much fun, but you also need to equip them. And you’re very likely not to get exactly the things you need for that.
So the auction house is the place where you spend your gold and put together your build. Currently, you can only get Pheons as rewards from events, and the number of them we have received for free so far is just enough to equip one character. The rest you would need to buy from the cash shop with real money or with gold, which is converted into crystals.
I find that really stressful for players who want to have a perfect build on all their characters. Generally speaking, all active players could be said to be playing between 3 and 9 characters, and all need to spend Pheons.
I think that Pheons should be added as rewards for the weekly Legion Raids. That would be good because they are account-bound and can thus be used across all characters. This rewards active players while also preventing bots from exploiting it, as they cannot farm Legion Raids.
It would still take time, but at least there would be a way to replenish the Pheon supply without needing to buy something in the cash shop.
Another thing I would wish for is the new changes to the classes that are planned for 2022 in Korea. In the Korean version, a major wave of changes for important class skills and how they work is coming now.
Therefore, I would like to see these changes implemented with us as soon as possible. This is really exciting content and not so stressful at the same time. It can easily create a lot of hype.
MeinMMO: [At the time of the interview, the Steam ratings were lower than when the article was published] The Steam reviews for Lost Ark have dropped massively. From one of the best MMORPGs ever, with 97% positive on launch day, to a balanced rating of 56%. Why do you think that is?
Sywo: To be honest, I was shocked that the game received such overwhelmingly positive feedback on Steam in the first two months. Right now I see on Steam that the game is “mostly positive” with 170,000 total reviews, but it has really dropped in the last 3 months, and we are now much closer to a balanced rating. And I think that well reflects the game.
I think the change in reviews over time is because players are now reaching a later point in the game and its progression. And have discovered things that may not be well received by the vast majority.
Such things as the importance of playing multiple characters and engaging in daily activities with them. That’s not necessarily the most exciting task in people’s eyes. It could also be the materials that can be bought with real money to ease progression (legally, of course).
However, Lost Ark has always been like this, both with microtransactions and with the joy (or pain) of playing multiple characters.
I’ve always said that Lost Ark is a great experience but certainly not for everyone. I’m glad that Lost Ark can still attract so many players even with mostly balanced Steam reviews. Even more than other MMORPGs that are rated “mostly positive.” This clearly shows that even if some features massively annoy us in the game, we feel so good about Lost Ark that we keep playing despite so many other great MMORPG alternatives out there.
“We somehow got lucky in the west”
MeinMMO: How would you evaluate your personal experience with the western version of Lost Ark in the first 6 months?
Sywo: Oh, I love it! After my 3 years on the Korean server, I can finally enjoy my own account, my own characters, and my own decisions.
Our version feels much more rewarding in direct comparison to all others and is the most fun. In addition, we as a community have been treated with the greatest fairness that a game, based on microtransactions, can offer while remaining a game with microtransactions. It feels good to be part of it.
MeinMMO: How does this differ from your experience on the Korean and Russian servers?
Sywo: I have been playing the Korean version since the 3rd day after its release and it felt like everything was still “work in progress” when I look back today. Back then it felt like a fresh and shiny new MMO that was new for everyone. And I’m happy that I could experience that, with all the changes the game has made over the years.
The Russian version was much more accessible for many [western] players since they could have their own account. The game grew much faster than it did back then. It feels like the publisher over there pushed the boundaries a bit too far.
Only 9 months after the release in Russia, the whole game was changed when Season 2 came. They had huge problems adapting the game and compensating players for the stress they experienced with the major changes in August 2020. For me, it was the more controversial version than the Korean one.
We somehow got lucky in the west that we had both stability in features and a good publisher that, in my opinion, changed most things very much in favor of the players.
The community’s anger is justified
MeinMMO: Bots are an issue that cannot be ignored when talking about the past months of Lost Ark. Many players blame Amazon and Steam for this. How was the bot situation in Korea and Russia a few months after release?
Sywo: I really didn’t see any bots when the Korean version launched and even later on, although I leveled characters one after another for months. The first time I noticed a bot in Korea was around mid-2021, and even then there weren’t many of them running around.
However, I wasn’t active in any Korean forums, where I would have noticed if there were more bots. But I’m pretty sure I would have seen them if they behaved like the bots in our version.
Scenes like this had long been standard in our version. That would have been noticeable:
MeinMMO: Many players complain about the prices of Pheons and how they were simply transferred from Korea to us, even though the Korean version has been out much longer and had more events. How would you assess the Pheon prices in the western version? If it were your decision, would you take a different approach than Amazon?
Sywo: I see it exactly the same way. On the Korean servers, you simply didn’t feel the burden of Pheons when they entered the game. By that time, we had many equipped characters and more than enough gold to afford more Pheons without running into problems. Inflation was a big issue back then, but everyone had enough gold for it.
As I mentioned above: with the speed at which we are receiving new content and considering the brand new release, there should be more Pheons for active players. In ways that bots simply cannot exploit.
Many fans are completely new to the game and make mistakes with their builds that they need to fix later. And many simply want to do what the game demands of you: create more characters and equip them, and for that you need, among other things, Pheons.
MeinMMO: If you could give Amazon a single tip on how to proceed with new content and updates, what would it be?
Sywo: A really big surprise would be great. Just release a class they haven’t announced and that no one expects. Like the Painter or the female Berserker. That would be a real shock and create a huge hype.
The future of Lost Ark
MeinMMO: Where do you see Lost Ark in 12 months?
Sywo: I see us discovering Elgasia and more. In the second quarter of 2023, we should be very close, if not already fighting the new Light Legion Raid and having all the classes currently in the game with us.
Personally, I’m most looking forward to the new classes that have not yet been released with us. And to more horizontal content that was teased last year. I have high hopes that this will bring new game modes into the MMORPG and can break up the daily routine in Lost Ark a bit.
You can see Elgasia in the trailer here:
MeinMMO: What do you see as potential problems that the western version of Lost Ark might face in the future? How would you prevent them?
Sywo: Underpopulated regions. Just like Europe West, which currently has really few active players. They will have even fewer in the future, which is normal. The problem is that there is currently no way to merge different regions. Only individual servers within the same region are possible.
This will become a problem in the future, and I would hate to lose players because they are simply lonely. In addition to those lost over time. I really hope they find a way to at least allow groups across different regions. Especially if a full merge is not possible.
Another potential danger is mechanics that allow new players to catch up to the endgame. Right now, it’s still possible to relatively easily buy your way into the “endgame,” but that only works because the gear score requirements are still relatively low with us.
With a higher gear score comes a tougher and longer time to achieve it. It will be hard to find a balance between free boosts to gear score X while also avoiding the annoyance of the community that has worked hard to reach that point X. Not to mention that the company itself still needs to make money. I hope they find a good middle ground as we reach higher and higher gear score requirements.
Play the way you enjoy
MeinMMO: What 3 tips could you give new players who want to start an MMORPG with a lot of grind, like Lost Ark, 6 months after its release?
Sywo: Just act as if there’s no competition and no hurry. If you fall in love with the game, you will make yourself play more and more daily content. But it’s better if that comes naturally from you. Better than forcing yourself to play that content to be efficient and keep up. I tend to feel like I had fun when I click on “leave game” at the end of the day.
Also, I recommend trying out many classes at level 50. It’s really cool. Play around with the classes and the builds. Do some PvP, maybe even push them up to gear score 600 to try out Abyssal Dungeons.
For that, it’s best to join an active guild that doesn’t consist of second characters and enter their Discord server. Lost Ark is really a great game socially. It can turn many “I need to do this now” situations into genuine “Come, let’s experience this together” situations.
Furthermore, if you want to play in Europe, definitely start on the EU Central server. It’s a much busier region and unlike in other games where a server with fewer players might have advantages. That’s really not the case in Lost Ark. The marketplace and the auction house and even the groups are only interconnected between servers, not between regions.
That was our interview with Sywo. We thank him for his time and detailed responses. What do you think of the current situation in Lost Ark? Where do you personally see the game in the future? Feel free to let us know in the comments here on MeinMMO.
Lost Ark bans the leader of 12 of the largest guilds in the MMORPG – It was all the same person
