Crusaders of Light is a mobile MMORPG that is very reminiscent of World of Warcraft in terms of gameplay and graphic style, but is optimized for smartphones. The amazing thing is: The mobile MMO is taking an unusual path, as it will soon be released on PC and enable cross-platform play with mobile devices.
It is constantly heard that mobile is the new trend, and that many major developers are shifting their focus to gaming on smartphones in the future. Therefore, it is unusual when the news comes: We are bringing our mobile MMO to PC as well.
Crusaders of Light from gaming giant NetEase will be released on Steam on March 3rd and aims to allow seamless crossplay between PC and mobile. You can play on the go on your phone and switch to your PC at home. The transition is supposed to be seamless at launch.
MMOs on Mobile and PC – A Compromise for the West?
In the West, smartphone games are also successful, but still nowhere near as much as in Asia. In the Far East, there are regularly record revenues that leave pure PC companies astonished. A game like Arena of Valor is said to have earned almost 2 billion dollars in 2017. For comparison: AAA games like Battlefield 1, Minecraft, Guild Wars 2, or GTA 5 are each around 100 million, according to market research firm SuperData.
In Asia, mobile MMOs like Lineage 2 Revolution or Lineage M are making a lot of noise. The mobile market for MMOs is booming in Asia. In comments on German sites regarding sensational news about mobile games, a different picture emerges: Many players here are skeptical.
They often argue that the West has better PCs and hope that PC developers will not be dazzled by the numbers in other markets. There are still plenty of potential customers for PC and console. And in any case: mobile MMOs cannot keep up with PC MMOs.
In NCSoft’s last quarter, the mobile sector was once again the engine. Guild Wars 2 and Blade & Soul managed to report good numbers by their standards. The PC market for MMOs is far from dead.
Guild Wars 2 and Blade & Soul are doing well, but is NCSoft’s future mobile?
The path of marrying mobile and PC through cross-platform could, however, represent a compromise if done correctly and without neglecting the strengths of each platform too much. For instance, better textures on PC or a more intuitive control on smartphones.
With Albion Online and RuneScape Mobile, there are initial attempts, but finding official, mature mobile versions of the PC version is still a challenge. And the mammoth project Lineage Eternal, which was originally supposed to work on both smartphones and PCs, was recently halted by NCSoft and shifted course. Lineage Eternal is becoming Project TL (Lineage 3), which will only be released for PC.
Crusaders of Light will now tackle this as well, but in reverse. From mobile to PC. Whether they succeed better, you can test for yourself soon in March. Upon launch, a new server called “Ferroc Camp” will be available to ease the new player entry. If you register in advance here on the official Crusaders of Light site, you will receive a starter pack worth 50 dollars as a gift.
What is Crusaders of Light? Mobile MMORPG in WoW style
In Crusaders of Light you get a complete online role-playing game that is often referred to as “WoW for mobile.” With several million downloads and largely positive ratings in the AppStore, it is one of the most popular mobile MMORPGs.
You create a hero from a selection of four classes. There are Warriors, Paladins, Rangers, and Mystics. Each of these classes can later develop into one of three specializations. For instance, the Mystic can specialize in the usual DPS mage, CC effects, or healing. According to the developer, you have content for over 300 hours in Crus:
- Level phase up to 55 with story focus
- Auto-play feature for regular quests
- Raids for up to 40 players and many dungeons
- Integrated chat system, optionally also with voice chat
- Mount system with over 50 companions
- Each character can integrate up to 10 skills into their rotation
- Battle Royale mode
- PvP modes for 1vs1, 3vs3, 5vs5, and 25vs25
In December 2017, the largest update for the MMORPG so far, Shaodows of Sardar, was released, making Crusaders of Light 33% larger. The following video shows you in 2 minutes what game to expect:
