Lineage is one of the oldest and most successful MMORPGs – at least in Asia. Since 1998, a subscription has been required to play. However, this will change soon.
What is Lineage? The MMORPG Lineage was launched in 1998 and developed by Jake Song, who is now working on ArcheAge. The enormous success of the classic online role-playing game helped NCSoft to start its victorious march on the market. Lineage was the first MMORPG to reach more than one million subscribers.
Even today, the game is still so popular in South Korea that it generates significant revenue for NCSoft every quarter.
- It is a fairly classic MMORPG where you set out with friends to hunt monsters and improve your character over time.
- The conquest of castles plays a significant role, as it allows control over the fortress and the ability to set prices for items in the region.
- It is played from a 2D isometric perspective, similar to Diablo 3.
Free2Play switch coming
What is changing now? As NCSoft announced, Lineage will switch its business model from subscription to Free2Play.
When will the switch happen? Starting on May 2, the MMORPG will be available in Korea as a Free2Play game.
Why is it being switched? In March, a remastered version of Lineage was released in South Korea. This brought higher resolution textures and other modernizations. However, to make the game more modern and aligned with today’s player habits, the payment model must now also be adjusted.
Free2Play as a business model is significantly more widespread in Asia than the subscription model. The new version of Lineage is expected to adapt accordingly.
This should never happen
What special features does this switch offer? Just about six months ago, NCSoft stated that Lineage would not switch to a Free2Play model. However, it is now happening.
It is said that the sale of in-game items will bring NCSoft at least as much money as the subscription. For example, an EXP booster called Einhasad’s Favor has been announced, which analysts believe will ensure that NCSoft does not miss the subscription revenue.
How are players reacting? Here, Lineage actually plays hardly any role. In the USA and Europe, it is not officially playable. However, there are some fans of the MMORPG who are also happy about the remaster, but the switch to Free2Play is hardly a topic in the West.
Lineage 2 is a bigger topic since there are also official “Western” servers for this MMORPG.
