Lost Ark will receive the new server region EU-West with the patch on February 17. New servers are to be opened there in the future. However, MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch does not believe that this step will solve the current problems.
Lost Ark is struggling with long queues. Basically, since the launch, the rule has been: Anyone logging in after 6 PM has to deal with thousands of players ahead of them. On large servers like Zinnervale, Kadan, Trixion, or the unofficial German server Asta, the chance of getting online before midnight is virtually zero.
However, the problem is not as easily solved as Amazon has recently revealed. Because with the overarching technology that allows you to use dungeons, raids, and some other content with players from other servers in the region, the resources are limited.
That means: No new EU servers can be added.
Therefore, Amazon is bringing a completely new server region: EU-West. Around 19 servers can probably be opened there before EU-West also hits its limits. The region is supposed to come into play today, February 17, albeit initially without available servers.
Although the introduction of a new region is a sensible decision, it will likely change little about the current queues.
Who wants to start over from scratch now?
The big problem is that EU-West will run completely independently from the existing EU servers. Joint dungeons or raids with players from other servers will not be possible.
What I find even more annoying is the fact that my entire account starts again at level 0. Because any overall account level or any progress I made in the last 10 days will be lost.
I have spent about 25 of my nearly 52 play hours in queues. I would like to play more, but I can’t. It’s frustrating. However, the new region is not a solution. Some members in my guild already have over 120 play hours. They will not leave the Asta server.
I have also started a second new character on another server and wanted to redeem my pre-order package there. So I would start on the new server without the 100 Euro package.
For me, EU-West is therefore not an option, as I would not only lose my current progress but would also start with less than I did at release.
I also see it as problematic when the hype around Lost Ark diminishes somewhat. Because the servers within Europe could theoretically be merged, just as Amazon is currently doing repeatedly with New World.
However, the servers of EU-West will likely not be integrated into the other region, as the account level alone presents too great a hurdle. There is a theoretical risk that EU-West could eventually die out completely, even though the EU servers from the current cluster are still very popular.
New players have a refuge, but hardly any queue users will switch
The servers in EU-West are interesting for players who want to start completely new now or who are playing as complete solo players. They are not tied to the current server structure and can therefore easily avoid queues.
But will that really be many?
Anyone who is even somewhat rooted in the current server cluster will not switch to EU-West. Those who regularly find themselves in the longest queues on Asta or Zinnervale do so because they are connected to the server or their guild there. Otherwise, they could have switched to one of the newer and smaller EU servers long ago. There, only 3,000 instead of 20,000 players wait during prime time.
However, the new servers for EU-Central did not lead to a reduction in queues on the largest servers. EU-West will likely not do that either.
What do you think about the new server cluster? Does it prompt you to switch or will you queue up again?
If you want to get a glimpse of the future, you can find information on the upcoming classes here:
In Lost Ark, 7 more classes are coming to us in the coming months – This is what they are capable of
