After 6 Years, MMO Exploded on Steam
The opening of a new server has attracted crowds of players to the not-so-young representative of the MMORPG genre. The developers are following suit and announcing ambitious plans for further development of the game.
After almost 6 years on Steam, the MMO game Albion Online is setting new records of popularity.
Last week, the game from the German studio Sandbox Interactive GmbH attracted an average of 25 thousand users on Steam, which is more than twice as much as when it debuted on the platform (then the average was about 10 thousand players).
New server - going for Asia
The reason for the new records achieved by Albion Online is undoubtedly the launch of a new game server - Albion East, which is ultimately aimed at Asian residents, and whose servers are located in Singapore.
- Interestingly, the new and as yet unexplored server, free of developed progression, became not only an excellent opportunity to start the adventure for new players.
- The launch of the server also attracted old salt who decided to experience the game anew - in slightly different realities, especially economic ones.
As the developers point out, Albion East will initially have a smaller world than Albion West, which has been running for years, which is intended to preserve competition and adequate player density. However, the developers reassure that with the influx of players, more regions of the game will be systematically unlocked.
Development plans
What's next for Albion Online? Sandbox Interactive GmbH, on the occasion of the launch of the new server, presented a roadmap for its MMO game. It ranges from short-term goals to long-term strategies. Here are some highlights:
- soon the Spring Rituals event will come to the game, which will take the same form as last year, but this time the addition will be a sinister version of the Spring Rabbit;
- in the near future Albion Online will also receive the Beyond the Veil update, which will introduce new Mists elements, customization of the Paths of Avalon and usability improvements;
- after the Spring Rituals and Beyond the Veil patches, the Dungeons Among the Mists update is set to hit the game - but here we'll have to wait for the next entry in the Developers' Comment series for details;
- long term development strategies for Albion Online will focus on the main three areas: Better basics (improved market, more stable loot, improved stone market), providing continuous content (updates, new line of weapons, new items), and introducing fantsy elements (legendary weapon system, spell behavior changes, castle battle mechanics, etc.).
You can get familiar with details on upcoming changes and new features in Albion Online in this news.
It is worth noting that Albion Online as of April 2019 is available in free-to-play model, meaning that you don't have to pay anything to play the full version of the game. For balance, there are microtransactions in the game, as well as a paid premium subscription, which offers a handful of amenities for your account.
