The developers of the fantasy MMORPG Black Desert are releasing their battle royale spin-off Shadow Arena into early access on Steam today. The game is now available for free. We tell you what you need to know.
Then the early access begins: The early access phase starts on May 21, 2020, at 7:00 PM. It has already begun. The early access is expected to conclude this year, if everything goes according to plan.
The cost of Shadow Arena: The battle royale from Black Desert is free. Revenue will be generated through a shop, which we currently cannot comment on as it was disabled in the beta.
Here’s the Steam page for Shadow Arena
This is Shadow Arena: Originally launched as a battle royale mode in the MMORPG Black Desert, Shadow Arena did not perform well. Developer Pearl Abyss then decided to create a standalone battle royale game from it.
With 40 players, you compete against each other in a large arena. You have 10 heroes to choose from. As is common in a battle royale, you collect equipment to hold your own against other players while the arena shrinks.
What makes Shadow Arena special: Typical for Black Desert, there are also PvE elements. They allow you to level up your heroes to enhance your skills with the earned skill points. Fighting NPCs should make the title feel like a mini MMORPG.
- 40 players per match
- 10 heroes with different abilities available at the start
- Fast-paced, action-packed battles with PvP and PvE content
- Various modes such as solo, private, or team matches
- Daily quests and challenges to earn silver for the shop
This is what the community says: Before the early access launch, a closed beta took place, and the game currently has a rating of 55% on Steam. Beta players criticize mainly the balance of the heroes:
- Stuns and knockbacks are too strong and there is no defense against them
- In team matches, everyone is randomly scattered, which costs valuable time
- The game world is beautiful, but it quickly loses clarity
This is the developer’s response: In a patch from May 21, many bugs were fixed and the heroes were reworked. During early access, Pearl Abyss will implement further feedback. They express the following about early access:
“Since fast development is one of our strengths, we have already conducted many internal tests with interesting new content for Shadow Arena. However, we believe it is beneficial to improve our game based on the feedback and opinions of our users to create maximum fun for all users. That’s why we chose early access, so we can create a game that excites everyone with the help of our users.”
Pearl Abyss via Steampage
Who is Shadow Arena suitable for? The battle royale spin-off of Black Desert is suitable for all fans of the MMORPG who prefer short rounds of PvP action. Those who want to experience a battle royale in the style of a mini MMORPG will also be happy with Shadow Arena.
MeinMMO author Alexander Leitsch took a look at Shadow Arena during the previously running beta and spoke with Executive Producer Kwangsam Kim. He also had a lot of fun with the fantasy battle royale.
