Setting aside some of the missteps a launch of this magnitude was bound to run into, Lost Ark’s journey to the West came with a few caveats and unanswered questions from the off. For instance, Lost Ark is only available in certain countries, and not the usual list you’d expect when you think of a launch in this region of the world. Lost Ark is also out of reach for a number of other countries that typically get lumped in with the EU crowd. The Middle East is entirely out of the picture (including North African countries which get great pings to EU servers) which are often included in those launches. “This partnership allows us to bring the game to select regions in North America, Europe, Oceania, and South America, but does not allow us to publish the game globally or in all regions where it has not previously been available.” Park’s answer is elusive. “If Lost Ark on consoles is something that fans really want, then I think it’s something both parties would consider!” he revealed. “We definitely feel like there’s an opportunity for Lost Ark to establish itself as a major player, as proven by the amount of success the game has seen so far,” says Park. “One of the things that makes Lost Ark unique is the massive amount of content that allows you to play how you want. If you want to just have a solo RPG experience and play through the story, it’s easy to do so. One consistent aspect of the game is that the combat is designed to be satisfying whether you’re running solo or in a group. Lost Ark definitely scratches an itch for fans of ARPGs, and also implements MMO aspects so well that it’s appealing to fans of that genre as well.” Lost Ark does indeed have a wealth of features beyond its ARPG combat. Some of those are rooted in its MMO lineage, while others are inspired by survival games. You can go on chopping down trees, crafting, building settlements and so on. But do I have to do any of that? “There’s a way to play for everyone in Lost Ark, from experiencing the solo campaign, character customisation and class-based gear upgrades, to a deep storyline that spans the seas of Arkesia,” Park explains. “There will be new content updates released on a regular cadence as well. So yes, if you came for the action and combat then you’ll be pleased [with] just the story content. But don’t be afraid to try out some of the more MMO-focused features either.” “The demand was there, Smilegate had put years into refining and polishing the core game experience, and we worked together to adapt it to an entirely new audience, with millions of players now getting to experience the game for the first time,” Park recalls. More broadly, Park adds that entertainment is no longer regional. Korean media, in particular, has produced several hits globally over the past few years, and games needed to catch up. “I think there’s an evolving trend of globalisation of content across all entertainment media and an interest in international experiences that allow us to experience cultures from around the world,” they point out. “Korean pop culture like music and television has been growing in popularity in the West. Games are a natural evolution of that trend. “There’s also been a major gap in action role playing games – what Lost Ark does best is give fans of ARPGs what they crave while combining the richness of an a full MMO with social engagement and an ongoing end game experience. The game takes the best features of both those genres into highly compelling loops.” If you’re still on that Lost Ark train (or you’re about to hop on), our Lost Ark classes guides has wealth of information on which to start with, and how to build them.
