PC MMORPGs are having a difficult time in the domestic game market where mobile MMORPGs such as Lineage Brothers, Seven Knights 2, and the Land of the Wind are strong.
This is because the number of game companies attempting is gradually decreasing due to the increased development cost and difficulty of development, as shown by Smilegate’s 100 billion masterpiece Lost Arc, which has become a hot topic in 2018, and recently attracting attention from Krafton and Kakao Games’ Elion. In addition, it is difficult to challenge because of League of Legends, the king of PC cafes, where there is no momentum to come down.
However, there are still many fans expecting a properly made PC MMORPG, so the challenge continues with large game companies that can afford it. Following Elion, which decorated the fourth quarter of this year, Bless Unleashed is waiting next year, and XL Games’ ambitious Archie Age 2 is also announced.
In particular, recently appeared games emphasize the’hand taste’ that cannot be felt on smartphones, and aim to differentiate from mobile MMORPGs. Existing Korean PC MMORPGs were targeting action types, so they focused on showing fast-paced movements and brilliant skill effects, but recent games are showing a change that focuses on more heavy hitting and realistic actions in line with global trends.
Neowiz’s Bless Unleashed, which is currently making reservations ahead of CBT in January next year, is the result of this change.
The original Bless was destroyed because it could not show a differentiated appearance from the existing PC MMORPG despite a huge investment of 70 billion won, but Bless Unleashed, which shares the same worldview, sharpened the sense of operation and hitting the console market. Based on the achievements of this time, it is aiming to expand the domain to PC online.
Bless Unleashed is not only called Bless, but it contains a breakthrough change that even those who have done the previous work will not know. Since it was originally developed as a console game, it features a heavy hitting feeling peculiar to the console, and maximizes the fun of operation with non-targeting action.
In addition, it has several elements that make the battle more fun, such as creating your own skills through combo combinations, attacks through QTE (Quick Time Event), and Bless’s own skill set called’Blessing’. If you use the Blessing skill during battle for each class, you can demonstrate powerful combat skills, and there are 3-4 sub-skills for each Blessing skill, so if you acquire and grow Blessing that suits your playing style, even the same class will have a different depth. You can enjoy the action. Realistic graphics using Unreal Engine 4 and elements such as various dungeons, field bosses, and PVP are also focusing on maximizing the fun of the action.
Although it is an IP-based game, the reason that Bless Unleashed, which could not expect any IP effect in the console market at all, was able to achieve meaningful results in an XBOX full of masterpieces is because, although there are still insufficient parts, the possibility of developing action was highly evaluated. In fact, it is said that a number of developers who participated in the development of the famous console game Monster Hunter series participated and put a lot of effort to show the action differentiated from the existing MMORPG.
Pearl Abyss’ ambitious Red Desert game, which announced the expansion of the PC after the console was first released, is also a game that is expected to taste. At first, it was announced as an MMORPG genre, but recently announced its transformation into a single-centered open world adventure at the Game Awards, but it is expected to show similar fun to PC MMORPG through play between single and multiplayer.
Last G-Star 2019 showed cutscene-focused videos, and there were some doubts that there would be a lot of difference in the actual play, but at this Game Awards, the actual play video proved that the cutscene was not a show style, raising expectations further. State.
In particular, the actual play scenes released in the video drew cheers from viewers around the world with realistic action of mercenaries as well as vast open world and realistic weather effects.
The realistic kick that was captured by a real Taekwondo expert in motion capturing is added to the fight reminiscent of professional wrestling, so even if you don’t see a special flashy skill effect, you can feel the force. Since the Pearl Abyss development team is not in perfect state yet, they will show a more improved appearance at the official release, and have expressed their ambition that they will show full fun in all areas such as action, exploration, and adventure.
At present, in the domestic PC MMORPG market, the number of new titles has been drastically reduced, and the classic versions of previously popular games such as Lineage, Aion, and World of Warcraft have received attention again. It is a change made by the fan base’s desire to go back to the brightest days because nothing innovative can be found. It is expected next year whether new works with new changes aimed at the world stage will solve the thirst of the domestic PC MMORPG fan base.