In the motherland of MMORPGs, there are many competitors for the relatively new Lost Ark, but now it has managed to establish itself once and for all. Because Lost Ark is now the most popular MMORPG in Korea, and even ranks 3rd among the most popular online games.
What is it about? Korea is the stronghold of MMORPGs. Many games are developed there, and especially many MMORPGs are played. Back in 2013, over 70 million people were playing more MMOs than in Europe (via statista). Lost Ark has now managed to make it to the top three of the most popular online games in Korea.
The first and second places go to League of Legends and PUBG, a MOBA and a shooter. Thus, Lost Ark is the most popular MMORPG in Korea. And this despite being relatively new.
Lost Ark is leaving its competitors far behind, against which it still has to assert itself in the West. World of Warcraft falls to 13th place, Black Desert to 16th, and Final Fantasy XIV even to 41st place. The title “Diablo Killer” has already been earned by Lost Ark in Korea, as Diablo 3 sits at 26th place, far behind the newcomer Lost Ark.
Why is this exciting? If we take a closer look at the list of popular games, it is immediately noticeable that especially older games have a fixed place on the list. Besides PUBG, Valorant, and Overwatch, most titles on the list have held their positions for years.
The current list from 2021 (Translated from Korean) 
The list from the same week, ten years ago. (Translated from Korean)
Especially MMORPGs have hardly changed in the last ten years. We still see Aion, MapleStory, and Lineage in top positions. Lost Ark must therefore have various qualities, as it has remained in the top 15 since its release and has now even fought its way to the top.
Lost Ark is also highly anticipated here
Why isn’t the game available yet? This is partly due to the vastly different gaming culture. Primarily, the Pay2Win theme is a red flag here in the West, with which an otherwise good game can quickly be dismissed. Therefore, one cannot guarantee whether a game that is successful in Korea will also be successful here without changes.
Amazon Games Studios is supposed to take care of Lost Ark’s success in the West, handling the localization of the game for Europe and America, and finally bringing Lost Ark to us in fall 2021.
However, we currently know very little about the shop and how the European localization will look. The publisher rejects all Pay2Win accusations so far and promises that Lost Ark will be a fair and fun experience for everyone.
How long do you still have to wait? Although there is still no exact release date for Lost Ark, you may not have to wait much longer. According to rumors, a beta should start in July, which you can sign up for at PlayLostArk.com. You will need an Amazon account for this.
By fall at the latest, you can then access the full game. Even though Amazon and Steam list December 31, 2021, as the release date, you should not be alarmed. This is just a placeholder, as no date is set yet.
Steam briefly indicated the release date of October 21, 2021, for Lost Ark shortly after the announcement, but that was quickly changed. A release on that day is pure speculation. It could just as easily have been another placeholder.
Are you excited for Lost Ark? Have you perhaps played on the Korean or Russian version? What do you think of the list of the most popular games in Korea? Feel free to leave us a comment!
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