| ArcheAge | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | XL Games |
| Publisher(s) | XL Games |
| Designer(s) | Jake Song |
| Engine | CryEngine 3 |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release date(s) |
SK 2012
EU TBA
|
| Genre(s) | MMORPG |
| Mode(s) | Multiplayer |
ArcheAge is a medieval fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) in development by Korean game developer XL Games.
Contents |
On 2009, the company XLGames officially announced their new MMORPG ArcheAge, which uses CryEngine 2. The development of the game began in 2006. In August 2007, XLGames licensed CryEngine 2. The first closed beta was scheduled for June, 2010 in South Korea.[1] A source has indicated that CryEngine 3 will be used to develop some elements of ArcheAge[2] and for now ArcheAge’s CryEngine 3 code is limited to graphics, animation, and physics. Networking and other miscellaneous subroutines remain unchanged.[3]
The developers promise a community like that of Ultima Online, PvE comparable to typical sandboxes and PvP taken from Lineage 2. The game itself is developed as a “sandbox” – where the player is completely free to choose what to do and how to live. Expanding on this, characters won't be subject to strict limitations on growth, such as is the case in other MMOs. The GRB (Game Rating Board), a South Korean organization that sets game age ratings, gave ArcheAge a 15+ rating. The budget of the game is said to be $25 million; $15 million of an investment from GigaMedia and another $10 million from the company’s budget. The game's designers want players to have a big impact on the world; each server will be unique due to players developing their world’s history and exploring the map in different directions. There are 8 races in the game, 5 of which are said to be unique to ArcheAge.[4]
In the month of September 2010, a new contract was announced between XL Games and Tencent to publish the game in China. This generated much attention as it was worth from $50 to $60 million USD; making it the second largest deal recorded in Korean gaming exports, behind NCSoft's deal with Shanda for Aion. Later on November 10, 2010, another contract was signed to provide exclusive publishing rights through GigaMedia to make ArcheAge available in other Chinese-speaking regions such as Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.[5]