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Ragnarok Online 2 shutting down in Southeast Asia
Ragnarok Online 2 isn't exactly taking the world by storm as of late. Following the title's closure in Korea last year, Ragnarok Online 2 is closing its doors in Singapore and Malaysia on October 9th. There is a pretty bright spot to this story, however, as Asiasoft's version of the game will accept account transfers from affected players. "Following the opening of Ragnarok 2's Odin Server to Philippine players last month, we are thrilled to be continuing the global expansion of Warpportal's Ragnarok Online 2 by welcoming all players from Southeast Asia regions!" Asiasoft posted. Southeast Asian players will not be able to access their characters until October 9th, and none of their Kafra Points will make the leap over to the new server.
Ragnarok Online debuts on Steam
There might be several (dozen? hundred? it's hard to count) variations of Ragnarok Online out there right now, but today it's the free-to-play original that is debuting on Steam. Ragnarok Online has been an MMO staple since its launch in 2003, but it seems that making it to the Steam store is a good sign that it's "made it" in terms of industry-wide recognition. In any case, if you're the type to wait for an MMO to hit Valve's digital distribution platform before playing it, then today you have one more option from which to choose. Ragnarok Online celebrated its 10th anniversary this past summer.
Rise and Shiny: Ragnarok Online 2
I remember playing Ragnarok Online, the first one, quite a while ago and semi-enjoying it. I liked the isometric views and even enjoyed some of the gameplay, but it was a bit of a mess much of the time. I walked away more confused than entertained. At the same time, I met reader after reader after reader who seemed to have grown up on the game. This "grind generation" was made of steely reserve and tougher stuff than I was because the game was notoriously grindy. How did they play it? Even now as I was looking for a few different views on Ragnarok Online 2, I came across a video that was hosted by a player who acknowledged the "boring grind" that left players with literally "nothing to do but level alts," yet he played the game to the max level, several times. If only we could get these guys to put that much energy into world peace, I might be having dinner in the middle of a former warzone right now! I found number two to be a bit like its older version but surprisingly modern and more fun than I thought. But only a bit more fun.
Ragnarok Online celebrates 10 years with content update 14.2
To help celebrate 10 years as an MMO, Ragnarok Online is breaking out with a new update entitled 14.2 Eclage. This sequel to 2011's Bifrost update introduces new maps, dungeons, foes, equipment, and a continued questline from 14.1. An in-game festival helps celebrate the 10th anniversary with players completing mini-games for prizes. To join in the festivities, head over to the official site to sign up. [Source: WarpPortal press release]
Gravity Interactive announces free-to-play Maestia fantasy title
Gravity Interactive has announced the latest addition to its WarpPortal online service. The new game is called Maestia: Rise of Keledus, and it's scheduled to debut later this summer. Gravity says that the game, which is being developed by ROC Works, is "an eternal struggle for power and righteousness in a world where friends and enemies are not easily discernible." Maestia features instanced dungeons, guild and faction PvP, and traditional questing and crafting systems. Huge world bosses and epic class-based mounts round out the feature set, all of which is available via a free-to-play business model. You can view a ton of screenshots and a comprehensive features list at the official Maestia website. [Source: Gravity Interactive press release]
THQ*ICE closes doors, suspends operation of Dragonica Online
Players of Dragonica Online have been left high and dry since August 31st, when publisher THQ*ICE closed its doors. This state of affairs might change soon, as the game is being transferred to another publisher. WarpPortal is taking over the game, and in an effort to make it an easy transition for players, all account information is being transferred to the new publisher. Dragonica, the EU version of the game, is unaffected. If you missed out on this transfer, the new publisher has a Q&A on the forums, and a date for relaunch should come soon. We'll keep an eye out for Dragonica Online's reintroduction!
