NCSoft has been developing the new PC MMORPG Project TL for several years now. Since 2018, not much has been heard about the new online role-playing game, but now there are talks about upcoming beta events.
What is Project TL? The MMORPG was originally announced as Lineage 3 or Lineage Eternal in November 2011. It was intended to be a hybrid game between PC and Mobile and was to be played from an isometric perspective, similar to Lost Ark.
Since the announcement, Project TL has undergone several changes regarding both its structure and the development team. Thus, after initial negative feedback in 2015, it was decided to switch the engine from GW2 to Unreal 4:
- To change the engine from GW2 to Unreal 4.
- To change the leadership in the team.
- To remove the mobile content.
All plans for the beta and for an upcoming release were initially canceled.
Silence since 2018, beta in 2020
How did the development continue? In May 2018, NCSoft announced that the development of Project TL is now on track. Closed beta tests in Korea were to begin as early as 2018, with a release set for 2019.
At that time, it was still unclear when and if the MMORPG would even come to the West. However, a release of Project TL in Europe and North America seems likely, as Blade & Soul and Lineage 2 have also been released here.
Since the announcement of the first beta tests, nothing has been heard from Project TL for over a year.
NCSoft has been and still is focused on the release of Lineage 2M. The mobile game is expected to be a new highlight, as it also offers crossplay with PC.
Overall, NCSoft currently benefits greatly from mobile games. While all PC games together reached about 109 million USD in revenue in the third quarter of 2019, mobile games reached about 183 million dollars. However, producing and maintaining mobile games is much cheaper.
However, in the latest conference call regarding the Q3 2019 report, Project TL reappeared.
Beta test of the MMORPG planned for the first half of 2020
What is the future for Project TL? According to the call, NCSoft is currently focusing on improving the overall quality of the MMORPG, which in their eyes still needs some time.
However, the first closed beta tests for Project TL are expected to take place in the first half of 2020. It’s quite possible that we will finally hear and see more from Project TL then.
Project TL and Lost Ark are two MMOs from Asia that are also highly anticipated by us. They aim to save MMORPGs:
