It thus shocked me that Lost Ark could capture my attention and hold it for such a long time. There are two main reasons for that.
My experiences from the Russian beta
The announcement of the Russia release of Lost Ark was a gift for me. Since I can read and speak Russian, it was my chance to finally test the MMORPG thoroughly for myself.
And what I found in the open beta was really fun. I took my time to try out as much of the content as possible and navigated through the first chapters of Lost Ark without guides.
The game is not without faults, and I am still very curious about what the payment model will look like here. In Russia, it shows thick traces of “pay-2-progress,” which has also made my colleague Maurice Weber from GameStar suspicious.
But overall, I felt very well entertained during my testing period:
- The combat system is fun, and the boss fights are cool staged.
- The story turned out to be unexpectedly exciting, even though I criticized it at first
- There is a lot of side content to get lost in. Just sailing kept me occupied for hours and hours
- The game is well polished. I hardly noticed any technical issues or bugs
The Russian beta has reinforced my opinion that it will be worth waiting for Lost Ark.
Constant flow of good news from Korea
Another reason for my positive mood is the news we receive from Korea. I have been observing Lost Ark for over 2 years, and at no point has there been a prolonged information silence.
In 2019 alone, the MMORPG received a whole series of major updates:
- 4 new classes, including Assassins and Lance Master
- Several major continents
- New raids and dungeons with new armor sets
- Housing on a private island
- In 2020, a major update with underwater content was already announced.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
However, the long wait does not change the fact that I am still looking forward to Lost Ark. There are several reasons for that.
2 decisive reasons why I still look forward
I will now share a secret: Actually, I don’t like Asian free-to-play MMORPGs at all. Not even a little. I try them out when they are released here, but my interest fades very quickly.
It thus shocked me that Lost Ark could capture my attention and hold it for such a long time. There are two main reasons for that.
My experiences from the Russian beta
The announcement of the Russia release of Lost Ark was a gift for me. Since I can read and speak Russian, it was my chance to finally test the MMORPG thoroughly for myself.
And what I found in the open beta was really fun. I took my time to try out as much of the content as possible and navigated through the first chapters of Lost Ark without guides.
The game is not without faults, and I am still very curious about what the payment model will look like here. In Russia, it shows thick traces of “pay-2-progress,” which has also made my colleague Maurice Weber from GameStar suspicious.
But overall, I felt very well entertained during my testing period:
- The combat system is fun, and the boss fights are cool staged.
- The story turned out to be unexpectedly exciting, even though I criticized it at first
- There is a lot of side content to get lost in. Just sailing kept me occupied for hours and hours
- The game is well polished. I hardly noticed any technical issues or bugs
The Russian beta has reinforced my opinion that it will be worth waiting for Lost Ark.
Constant flow of good news from Korea
Another reason for my positive mood is the news we receive from Korea. I have been observing Lost Ark for over 2 years, and at no point has there been a prolonged information silence.
In 2019 alone, the MMORPG received a whole series of major updates:
- 4 new classes, including Assassins and Lance Master
- Several major continents
- New raids and dungeons with new armor sets
- Housing on a private island
- In 2020, a major update with underwater content was already announced.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
The Russian beta has reinforced my opinion that it will be worth waiting for Lost Ark.
Constant flow of good news from Korea
Another reason for my positive mood is the news we receive from Korea. I have been observing Lost Ark for over 2 years, and at no point has there been a prolonged information silence.
In 2019 alone, the MMORPG received a whole series of major updates:
- 4 new classes, including Assassins and Lance Master
- Several major continents
- New raids and dungeons with new armor sets
- Housing on a private island
- In 2020, a major update with underwater content was already announced.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
However, the long wait does not change the fact that I am still looking forward to Lost Ark. There are several reasons for that.
2 decisive reasons why I still look forward
I will now share a secret: Actually, I don’t like Asian free-to-play MMORPGs at all. Not even a little. I try them out when they are released here, but my interest fades very quickly.
It thus shocked me that Lost Ark could capture my attention and hold it for such a long time. There are two main reasons for that.
My experiences from the Russian beta
The announcement of the Russia release of Lost Ark was a gift for me. Since I can read and speak Russian, it was my chance to finally test the MMORPG thoroughly for myself.
And what I found in the open beta was really fun. I took my time to try out as much of the content as possible and navigated through the first chapters of Lost Ark without guides.
The game is not without faults, and I am still very curious about what the payment model will look like here. In Russia, it shows thick traces of “pay-2-progress,” which has also made my colleague Maurice Weber from GameStar suspicious.
But overall, I felt very well entertained during my testing period:
- The combat system is fun, and the boss fights are cool staged.
- The story turned out to be unexpectedly exciting, even though I criticized it at first
- There is a lot of side content to get lost in. Just sailing kept me occupied for hours and hours
- The game is well polished. I hardly noticed any technical issues or bugs
The Russian beta has reinforced my opinion that it will be worth waiting for Lost Ark.
Constant flow of good news from Korea
Another reason for my positive mood is the news we receive from Korea. I have been observing Lost Ark for over 2 years, and at no point has there been a prolonged information silence.
In 2019 alone, the MMORPG received a whole series of major updates:
- 4 new classes, including Assassins and Lance Master
- Several major continents
- New raids and dungeons with new armor sets
- Housing on a private island
- In 2020, a major update with underwater content was already announced.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
It thus shocked me that Lost Ark could capture my attention and hold it for such a long time. There are two main reasons for that.
My experiences from the Russian beta
The announcement of the Russia release of Lost Ark was a gift for me. Since I can read and speak Russian, it was my chance to finally test the MMORPG thoroughly for myself.
And what I found in the open beta was really fun. I took my time to try out as much of the content as possible and navigated through the first chapters of Lost Ark without guides.
The game is not without faults, and I am still very curious about what the payment model will look like here. In Russia, it shows thick traces of “pay-2-progress,” which has also made my colleague Maurice Weber from GameStar suspicious.
But overall, I felt very well entertained during my testing period:
- The combat system is fun, and the boss fights are cool staged.
- The story turned out to be unexpectedly exciting, even though I criticized it at first
- There is a lot of side content to get lost in. Just sailing kept me occupied for hours and hours
- The game is well polished. I hardly noticed any technical issues or bugs
The Russian beta has reinforced my opinion that it will be worth waiting for Lost Ark.
Constant flow of good news from Korea
Another reason for my positive mood is the news we receive from Korea. I have been observing Lost Ark for over 2 years, and at no point has there been a prolonged information silence.
In 2019 alone, the MMORPG received a whole series of major updates:
- 4 new classes, including Assassins and Lance Master
- Several major continents
- New raids and dungeons with new armor sets
- Housing on a private island
- In 2020, a major update with underwater content was already announced.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
However, the long wait does not change the fact that I am still looking forward to Lost Ark. There are several reasons for that.
2 decisive reasons why I still look forward
I will now share a secret: Actually, I don’t like Asian free-to-play MMORPGs at all. Not even a little. I try them out when they are released here, but my interest fades very quickly.
It thus shocked me that Lost Ark could capture my attention and hold it for such a long time. There are two main reasons for that.
My experiences from the Russian beta
The announcement of the Russia release of Lost Ark was a gift for me. Since I can read and speak Russian, it was my chance to finally test the MMORPG thoroughly for myself.
And what I found in the open beta was really fun. I took my time to try out as much of the content as possible and navigated through the first chapters of Lost Ark without guides.
The game is not without faults, and I am still very curious about what the payment model will look like here. In Russia, it shows thick traces of “pay-2-progress,” which has also made my colleague Maurice Weber from GameStar suspicious.
But overall, I felt very well entertained during my testing period:
- The combat system is fun, and the boss fights are cool staged.
- The story turned out to be unexpectedly exciting, even though I criticized it at first
- There is a lot of side content to get lost in. Just sailing kept me occupied for hours and hours
- The game is well polished. I hardly noticed any technical issues or bugs
The Russian beta has reinforced my opinion that it will be worth waiting for Lost Ark.
Constant flow of good news from Korea
Another reason for my positive mood is the news we receive from Korea. I have been observing Lost Ark for over 2 years, and at no point has there been a prolonged information silence.
In 2019 alone, the MMORPG received a whole series of major updates:
- 4 new classes, including Assassins and Lance Master
- Several major continents
- New raids and dungeons with new armor sets
- Housing on a private island
- In 2020, a major update with underwater content was already announced.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
The Russian beta has reinforced my opinion that it will be worth waiting for Lost Ark.
Constant flow of good news from Korea
Another reason for my positive mood is the news we receive from Korea. I have been observing Lost Ark for over 2 years, and at no point has there been a prolonged information silence.
In 2019 alone, the MMORPG received a whole series of major updates:
- 4 new classes, including Assassins and Lance Master
- Several major continents
- New raids and dungeons with new armor sets
- Housing on a private island
- In 2020, a major update with underwater content was already announced.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
It thus shocked me that Lost Ark could capture my attention and hold it for such a long time. There are two main reasons for that.
My experiences from the Russian beta
The announcement of the Russia release of Lost Ark was a gift for me. Since I can read and speak Russian, it was my chance to finally test the MMORPG thoroughly for myself.
And what I found in the open beta was really fun. I took my time to try out as much of the content as possible and navigated through the first chapters of Lost Ark without guides.
The game is not without faults, and I am still very curious about what the payment model will look like here. In Russia, it shows thick traces of “pay-2-progress,” which has also made my colleague Maurice Weber from GameStar suspicious.
But overall, I felt very well entertained during my testing period:
- The combat system is fun, and the boss fights are cool staged.
- The story turned out to be unexpectedly exciting, even though I criticized it at first
- There is a lot of side content to get lost in. Just sailing kept me occupied for hours and hours
- The game is well polished. I hardly noticed any technical issues or bugs
The Russian beta has reinforced my opinion that it will be worth waiting for Lost Ark.
Constant flow of good news from Korea
Another reason for my positive mood is the news we receive from Korea. I have been observing Lost Ark for over 2 years, and at no point has there been a prolonged information silence.
In 2019 alone, the MMORPG received a whole series of major updates:
- 4 new classes, including Assassins and Lance Master
- Several major continents
- New raids and dungeons with new armor sets
- Housing on a private island
- In 2020, a major update with underwater content was already announced.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
However, the long wait does not change the fact that I am still looking forward to Lost Ark. There are several reasons for that.
2 decisive reasons why I still look forward
I will now share a secret: Actually, I don’t like Asian free-to-play MMORPGs at all. Not even a little. I try them out when they are released here, but my interest fades very quickly.
It thus shocked me that Lost Ark could capture my attention and hold it for such a long time. There are two main reasons for that.
My experiences from the Russian beta
The announcement of the Russia release of Lost Ark was a gift for me. Since I can read and speak Russian, it was my chance to finally test the MMORPG thoroughly for myself.
And what I found in the open beta was really fun. I took my time to try out as much of the content as possible and navigated through the first chapters of Lost Ark without guides.
The game is not without faults, and I am still very curious about what the payment model will look like here. In Russia, it shows thick traces of “pay-2-progress,” which has also made my colleague Maurice Weber from GameStar suspicious.
But overall, I felt very well entertained during my testing period:
- The combat system is fun, and the boss fights are cool staged.
- The story turned out to be unexpectedly exciting, even though I criticized it at first
- There is a lot of side content to get lost in. Just sailing kept me occupied for hours and hours
- The game is well polished. I hardly noticed any technical issues or bugs
The Russian beta has reinforced my opinion that it will be worth waiting for Lost Ark.
Constant flow of good news from Korea
Another reason for my positive mood is the news we receive from Korea. I have been observing Lost Ark for over 2 years, and at no point has there been a prolonged information silence.
In 2019 alone, the MMORPG received a whole series of major updates:
- 4 new classes, including Assassins and Lance Master
- Several major continents
- New raids and dungeons with new armor sets
- Housing on a private island
- In 2020, a major update with underwater content was already announced.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
In 2020, there is still no fixed release date for the MMORPG Lost Ark in Europe. MeinMMO author Irina Moritz is not bothered by the long wait. Here are her reasons why she is still looking forward to the action role-playing game in spring 2020.
What is the situation regarding the Europe release? Since the launch of Lost Ark in Korea, many MMORPG fans have been enviously looking over, wondering when we will finally be able to play with the new toy.
The developer Smilegate has repeatedly emphasized that they aim for the global market with Lost Ark and that work on the release for this market, that is, for the West, is still progressing. This was confirmed again a few weeks ago in a Facebook post.
It is said that the developers are “excited to announce good news in the near future.” However, no approximate date has been mentioned.
Missed the perfect timing?
Why should Lost Ark be “dead”? Meanwhile, there are growing concerns that Lost Ark could become “a stillborn” in the West, even though the hype in Europe was so great in 2018.
The soft launch of the MMORPG in Korea in November 2018 was under a very favorable star. The first wave of feedback on Lost Ark was extremely positive. Korean players particularly praised the polished state of the MMORPG and the exciting story. Of course, there was also criticism, but the general consensus was that Lost Ark is fun.
Additionally, in 2018, fortunate circumstances favored the developers.
During BlizzCon 2018, Blizzard announced the mobile game Diablo Immortal instead of Diablo 4. The presentation of the mobile title annoyed quite a few fans, who were really looking forward to the next big Diablo game.
It looked to many, including myself, like Lost Ark could become the perfect MMORPG for action RPG fans who felt blindsided by the announcement of Diablo Immortal. It would fill a market gap and finally offer players a new, fresh action MMO.
The developers only needed to react quickly and bring the game to the West by the end of 2018 or early 2019. Many fans believed the timing seemed incredibly favorable.
Frustration and indifference are spreading
Now, 1.5 years have passed, and the hype has faded again. The news about the MMORPG is received by many with a sense of cynicism.
Some fans have built up a certain frustration. In Korea, a major update after another is being released, and we can only watch. People want to play too, but it is either not possible or very difficult. Accordingly, I regularly read posts like:
- “Meh! The hype is dead now. I hope Project TL will destroy you.” – Gochis G. (via Facebook)
- “Another Korean game that will fail just like Blade and Soul.” – William M. (via Facebook)
Frustrated fans believe that the developers are simply taking too long for a Western release and that Lost Ark will sink again.
I partially agree: Smilegate has let a good opportunity slip by. The time for Lost Ark would have been ripe in the West in 2019.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
The Russian beta has reinforced my opinion that it will be worth waiting for Lost Ark.
Constant flow of good news from Korea
Another reason for my positive mood is the news we receive from Korea. I have been observing Lost Ark for over 2 years, and at no point has there been a prolonged information silence.
In 2019 alone, the MMORPG received a whole series of major updates:
- 4 new classes, including Assassins and Lance Master
- Several major continents
- New raids and dungeons with new armor sets
- Housing on a private island
- In 2020, a major update with underwater content was already announced.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
It thus shocked me that Lost Ark could capture my attention and hold it for such a long time. There are two main reasons for that.
My experiences from the Russian beta
The announcement of the Russia release of Lost Ark was a gift for me. Since I can read and speak Russian, it was my chance to finally test the MMORPG thoroughly for myself.
And what I found in the open beta was really fun. I took my time to try out as much of the content as possible and navigated through the first chapters of Lost Ark without guides.
The game is not without faults, and I am still very curious about what the payment model will look like here. In Russia, it shows thick traces of “pay-2-progress,” which has also made my colleague Maurice Weber from GameStar suspicious.
But overall, I felt very well entertained during my testing period:
- The combat system is fun, and the boss fights are cool staged.
- The story turned out to be unexpectedly exciting, even though I criticized it at first
- There is a lot of side content to get lost in. Just sailing kept me occupied for hours and hours
- The game is well polished. I hardly noticed any technical issues or bugs
The Russian beta has reinforced my opinion that it will be worth waiting for Lost Ark.
Constant flow of good news from Korea
Another reason for my positive mood is the news we receive from Korea. I have been observing Lost Ark for over 2 years, and at no point has there been a prolonged information silence.
In 2019 alone, the MMORPG received a whole series of major updates:
- 4 new classes, including Assassins and Lance Master
- Several major continents
- New raids and dungeons with new armor sets
- Housing on a private island
- In 2020, a major update with underwater content was already announced.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
However, the long wait does not change the fact that I am still looking forward to Lost Ark. There are several reasons for that.
2 decisive reasons why I still look forward
I will now share a secret: Actually, I don’t like Asian free-to-play MMORPGs at all. Not even a little. I try them out when they are released here, but my interest fades very quickly.
It thus shocked me that Lost Ark could capture my attention and hold it for such a long time. There are two main reasons for that.
My experiences from the Russian beta
The announcement of the Russia release of Lost Ark was a gift for me. Since I can read and speak Russian, it was my chance to finally test the MMORPG thoroughly for myself.
And what I found in the open beta was really fun. I took my time to try out as much of the content as possible and navigated through the first chapters of Lost Ark without guides.
The game is not without faults, and I am still very curious about what the payment model will look like here. In Russia, it shows thick traces of “pay-2-progress,” which has also made my colleague Maurice Weber from GameStar suspicious.
But overall, I felt very well entertained during my testing period:
- The combat system is fun, and the boss fights are cool staged.
- The story turned out to be unexpectedly exciting, even though I criticized it at first
- There is a lot of side content to get lost in. Just sailing kept me occupied for hours and hours
- The game is well polished. I hardly noticed any technical issues or bugs
The Russian beta has reinforced my opinion that it will be worth waiting for Lost Ark.
Constant flow of good news from Korea
Another reason for my positive mood is the news we receive from Korea. I have been observing Lost Ark for over 2 years, and at no point has there been a prolonged information silence.
In 2019 alone, the MMORPG received a whole series of major updates:
- 4 new classes, including Assassins and Lance Master
- Several major continents
- New raids and dungeons with new armor sets
- Housing on a private island
- In 2020, a major update with underwater content was already announced.
This steady flow of new content and information is, for me, a sign that the game and the developer are doing well. Lost Ark is growing, getting new content, and more and more new features.
Smilegate obviously has a clear roadmap in mind that they are consistently following. And they are succeeding in Korea, as evidenced by the MMORPG’s success, where it collected a lot of awards at the Popular Game Awards last year.
Thus, the news from Korea brings me a certain anticipation when I see what content will eventually come to us. Some of my personal criticisms of Lost Ark will also be addressed, such as the gender lock, which is now gradually being removed.
It shows me that the developers are considering the future of Lost Ark and it increases the hope that it will not end up as a quick “cash grab.”
The wait will be worth it
It’s frustrating that one cannot play this content yet, even though it really itches in the fingers. I completely agree with you on this. But the long wait does not frustrate me and does not make the game any worse.
On the contrary: When I look at the previous development of Lost Ark, I am hopeful that it will be worth it in the end, and we will get a fun MMORPG.
It will have its flaws, corners, and edges, as it cannot be any other way. But it will be fun and worth your time. That’s why I won’t get tired of waiting for Lost Ark, even if Smilegate doesn’t seem to be in a hurry for the release.
And until the MMORPG is released here, even if it’s in 2023, there are tons of other great games we can play. My colleague Cortyn recommends Stardew Valley for relaxation, which you can also play in co-op, and I completely agree with her.
