Being A Free Player In Amazon’s New MMO Won’t Be Quite So Rough, Thanks To New Changes
Amazon Games is bringing free-to-play Korean MMORPG Throne and Liberty to the West in September, and we now know all the ways the publisher is changing the game’s business model to better fit the expectations of western players.
In a recent blog post on the Throne and Liberty website, Amazon and developer NCSOFT outlined how the game’s monetization will differ from the Korean version, explaining its goals, the main currencies players will be interacting with, and detailing how its five-day paid early access period will work.
For starters, one of Amazon’s stated goals is to make combat and power upgrades accessible to all players, not just ones who pay real money to get ahead. To further that mission statement, its in-game store won’t sell one of the game’s core currencies used to craft and upgrade gear, nor will it sell potions or food that may give players who have them an advantage. Quests and rewards exclusive to the paid battle pass will be removed. An optional subscription seen in the Korean version of the MMO that grants players various benefits, the Blessing of Solisium, won’t be available (at least at launch), as Amazon is continuing to “evaluate how this offering needs to change to serve the needs of our players.”