With Gamigo’s stewardship of ArcheAge coming to an end, Kakao is setting up shop – and I do mean shop. The game’s new western publisher announced today that it’s making “some pretty significant changes to how the service will be provided, what will be available in the cash shop, and how various functions such as ArchePass and Patron will work.”
Notably, the ArcheAge Unchained version of the game, which has already been badly monetized to the brink of death, is now switching over to a monthly subscription model.
“In order to remove the possibility to increase in-game power with real-life currency, we’ve opted for a monthly subscription method. Many of the previously paid benefits and Marketplace-only items will be automatically included for free or acquired through in-game methods with Manastorm Crystals. This gives even more value to the subscription. Also, any paid items will be purely cosmetic. The monthly subscription will be set at 9.99($,€) for 30 days. A discount can be obtained by purchasing subscriptions for longer periods of time.”
Existing owners of Unchained and its two paid DLC will be compensated in subscription time, up to 150 days for folks who bought it all, on top of 30 days of free trial for everyone.
Kakao also says it’s upgrading the patron system merging it into the sub, abolishing the pay-for-DLC system Gamigo sneaked in after launch, swapping diligence coins for manastorm crystals, and ensuring that the cash shop will focs strictly on cosmetics. The ArchePass will remain, for a cost of 500 loyalty tokens, which are not cash shop currencies; they’re literally login rewards.
In other words, this is kinda what ArcheAge players wanted with Unchained all along.
“We believe that these changes represent the right direction for the vision that many of you had for ArcheAge: Unchained and will contribute to a fairer playing field between new and experienced players,” the studio says. “We’re excited to get started.”
The company has also posted a lengthy document on the switchover, reiterating most of what Gamigo has already explained, confirming the land rushes and clarifying any remaining questions players might have about the transition of their accounts to the new service.
