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TERA North American release rumors abound
A storm is brewing on En Masse Entertainment's official TERA forums, one that threatens to bring more drama to the intarwebs, kill helpless Popori in their beds, and delay TERA's North American release for months. OK, maybe the first two are a bit overwrought, but there are rumors regarding the game's possible late 2011 arrival swirling around the internet. It all started with an interview at a Korean website called ThisIsGame.com, which spoke with Bluehole Studio boss Kang-Suk Kim. Fan translations of the interview seem to indicate that TERA will launch in Japan during the first half of 2011 and North American/European beta testing will begin a month later (which would lead to an even later final release date). So far though, the dates are a mixture of speculation and conjecture as En Masse (TERA's North American publisher) has declined to offer any clarification. Rest assured that Massively is checking with our Korean sources, and we'll bring you the very latest as it happens.
G-Star 2010: Bluehole devs talk TERA payment model, launch date
If you're a TERA fan, chances are you're anxiously awaiting the smorgasbord of news sure to come out of this week's G-Star convention in Korea. Bluehole Studio has a large presence there of course, and thanks to the TERAfans website, we have an interesting translation of an interview with Bluehole CEO Kang-Suk Kim and developer Hyung-Kyu Park. The duo discusses everything from TERA's pending stress test (happening soon after G-Star) and upcoming open beta, to the decision to steer clear of the free-to-play payment model. "We can't say that TERA was made specifically for a subscription-based model, but we thought a lot about what the game was worth to players. We came to the conclusion that a monthly subscription would allow players to enjoy the game most easily. We are not interested in cash shops or partially making the game a pay model like some MMORPGs out there," Kim said. The interview also sheds a tiny bit of light on the game's political system, a feature that has been hinted at over the past several months but has, so far, lacked any definitive explanation. "The political system will be added in the [open beta test]. The political system is actually end game content so it won't really be active until the game's launch," Park said. Check out the full interview at TERAfans, and also bear in mind that this is a fan-made translation.
