When the first ArcheAge was released, it was a huge chapter for COTP. The initial game hype was off the charts, and we had a lot of fun at first... Unfortunately they had some pretty big missteps with the release schedule and some content that was not released as planned (or poorly handled). A lot of the issues with the game can be attributed to conflicts between the original Korean developer XL Games and the USA publisher Trion Worlds. Over time the game went F2P and quickly became a Pay2Win game. Let's just say that the community was unhappy with the direction of the game.
Enter GamIgo Games! Last year Gamigo Games purchased Trion Worlds and acquired the ownership rights of ArcheAge. As a direct result of all the community backlash, they decided to release a completely different version of the game. By popular demand, ArcheAge Unchained is going to be a completely separate game on its own, and they are eliminating the big P2W problems. ArcheAge Unchained is being released on October 15th, and it will be a Buy 2 Play model. You pay the initial game cost up front, and after that there will be no subscriptions or "Premium monthly costs". The only items for sale in the "cash shop" will be 100% cosmetic, and anything game impacting from the original ArcheAge game was removed. For example, the game was due to come out the last weekend in September, but Gamigo Games decided to delay the game for more PTS testing. The big change they were working on was to make all cosmetic items Bound on Pickup / Purchase. They wanted to avoid anyone buying cosmetic items for RL money and then selling them on the in-game marketplace to earn gold. Many people in the community saw this as being slightly Pay 2 Win, so it was removed from the game!
Here is a good video talking about the upcoming release of ArcheAge Unchained, and some history of the original game:
At this point we don't have any official plans of a COTP Chapter, but we will certainly go that way if we get enough people interested!
If you want more information, here is the full copy / paste of the FAQ from the official ArcheAge Unchained forums:
QuoteWe’re excited to share the following important dates for ArcheAge: Unchained!
October 1 – 7: Founder access to Public Test Server begins. Name reservation and character creation begins for founders. Founders will need to download the ArcheAge: Unchained client to create their characters.
October 7 – 13: General access to the Public Test Server begins
October 15: Official release of ArcheAge: Unchained including the major content update “Shadows Revealed
Here are the dates for the Free2Play version of ArcheAge:
October 1 – 13: General access for "Shadows Revealed" on PTS F2P
October 15: Major Update “Shadows Revealed” on Live F2P
Contents
1. General about ArcheAge and ArcheAge: Unchained
2. ArcheAge: Unchained
2.1 Founder Packs
2.2 Monetization
2.3 Server/Client
2.4 Game related questions
3. Shadows Revealed
1. ArcheAge and ArcheAge: Unchained
Are you keeping the Free-to-Play version of ArcheAge?
Yes, both versions of ArcheAge (ArcheAge and ArcheAge: Unchained) will co-exist. New Content updates will be applied on both versions.
What are the differences between ArcheAge and ArcheAge: Unchained?
Your feedback over the years encouraged us to provide a different game experience for you, our community. ArcheAge: Unchained is a new way to play the game with a different business model. We've changed entirely its monetization which was simply not possible to this great extent with the already existing ArcheAge F2P version.
In ArcheAge: Unchained there is no longer a subscription model. With a one-time purchase, you can enjoy the content as often as you want. You will be able to purchase vanity items via Credits and we will implement seasonal ArchePasses. We are focusing on fairer gameplay which is why we decided to change a few monetization features for ArcheAge: Unchained. There’ll be more information in the next couple of weeks so stay tuned!
Why didn't you change the monetization of the original ArcheAge F2P version and instead make a new game out of it?
Over the last years, we considered several ideas on how we could change the monetization system to create a fairer game experience for our community. Several changes have already been implemented in the original ArcheAge version such as the Hiram gear, the implementation of exchangeable mounts and pets for Manastorm Crystals and the Merchant’s Favor tokens in crates.
Unfortunately, our idea for ArcheAge: Unchained was not feasible for the original ArcheAge F2P version with an already existing game economy. The original ArcheAge servers will remain and we will keep two different versions of ArcheAge with different business models.
We absolutely believe that ArcheAge: Unchained is the right decision. We want to continue this adventure for several years with our great community for both versions - ArcheAge and ArcheAge Unchained.
Will I be able to transfer my items or Credits between both versions?
As ArcheAge: Unchained has a different business model, it will be implemented like a new game with a new server environment. There will be no transfer of items or characters between the already existing version and ArcheAge: Unchained. Credits can only be used where they have been bought.
In ArcheAge: Unchained everyone starts fresh! There will be no additional bonus if you switch from the F2P version. It’s all about your skills, your dedication and the decisions that you make!
2. ArcheAge: Unchained
2.1 Founder Packs
What will be the price for ArcheAge: Unchained? When is the release date?
ArcheAge: Unchained will be released on October 15th! We will reveal more information in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned!
ArcheAge: Unchained comes with 3 founder packs starting 25,99 EUR/USD based on region (EU/NA).
Where can ArcheAge: Unchained be purchased?
You can obtain a founder pack at archeageunchained.com - All founder packs can be seen there including their exclusive content like early name reservation, expansion scrolls, a unique title, and much more.
Will ArcheAge: Unchained be available on Steam?
We are targeting October 15th as the release date for ArcheAge: Unchained on Steam.
There will be no pre-order packages available on Steam.
Will there be early access?
No - Everyone starts at the same time so that there is a fair start for everyone on October 15th.
Will there be a Collector's Edition?
There are 3 different Founder Packs, but there will be no additional Collector's Edition.
Can I upgrade the Chainbreaker Packs?
The Chainbreaker Packs cannot be upgraded from Silver or Gold to a higher tier. You can try contacting support to purchase a Gold or Archeum pack instead though.
Will the titles and badges from the Chainbreaker Packs also be delivered to the Free2Play account?
Pre-Ordering ArcheAge: Unchained will grant you the title and badge exclusively on ArcheAge: Unchained and not on the Free2Play version of ArcheAge.
Can I use my current Glyph account for AcheAge: Unchained or do I need to create a new one?
There is no need to register a new account. Make sure you are logged in with the correct account when you purchase ArcheAge: Unchained.
Can I gift a Chainbreaker Pack to a friend? Is there a gifting method in the Glyph store?
We understand that you’d like to gift an ArcheAge: Unchained pack to your friends. Unfortunately, this option is currently not possible.
2.2 Monetization
Do I still have to get Patron Subscription?
There will be no subscription in ArcheAge: Unchained. No one can simply purchase an advantage over others. Everyone will have the same amount of Labor regeneration and a cap of 5,000 Labor Points. Housing will be available for everyone.
What about Apex?
Apex will not exist in ArcheAge: Unchained.
What is going to be in the marketplace for Credits?
Credits will be the currency you can acquire with your real money. With this currency, you will be able to acquire the premium tracks of the ArchePasses or cosmetic-related items. Some of the items you can acquire via Credits are cosmetic furniture for your houses, Salon Certificates, Glider or Costume images, and UCC (User Created Content) items.
Are the marketplace items bound?
Image costumes purchased from the marketplace are bound. There is some concern from players regarding putting images onto a bind-on-equip stat costume, such as the Basic Ranged Costume. Due to this concern, we’ve requested that those items either bind on pickup or become bound when an image is applied to them.
ArchePass: What is that?
ArcheAge: Unchained will feature a new system, the ArchePasses.
Every 3 months season, players will have access to 3 different passes tweaked for the major gameplay styles as Combat, Vocation or Equipment. Each of those passes requires approximately 1 month for completion.
Each pass will be split into two tracks with a shared progression. You will need to complete missions in order to level up your passes and unlock the next tier's rewards.
The free track of the pass, available for everyone, will contain the progression and power items required to progress in-game, such as labor rechargers or infusions. This track will also reward you with ‘Diligence Coins’.
The premium track of the pass, only obtainable via purchasing an Upgrade Token for Credits for 1500 Credits, contains cosmetic items such as costume images or dye tickets. This premium track will be the best way to acquire additional cosmetic items. If you choose to upgrade a free ArchePass to the premium version, after already unlocking several rewards on the free track, you can still claim the premium rewards for those tiers.
What are Diligence Coins?
By completing the free tracks of the ArchePasses, you will obtain Diligence Coins. You can use those coins to acquire various cosmetic items like Pets/Gliders/Housing along with certain power and progression items via the marketplace.
Some of the items you will be able to acquire exclusively via Diligence Coins are Labor recharges, Tempering charms, Expansion Scrolls, Labor Restorers, Serendipity Stone Shards, boosts, pets or farm kits. These kinds of items will be only available via this method and there is no other short-way to acquire them. We value the hard work that players have made, and are allowing them to choose how they want to spend this in-game earned currency.
2.3 Server/Client
Will it be on Glyph or a standalone client for Unchained?
It will stay on Glyph as its own game version and will be downloaded like a new game.
Are servers going to be separated?
Yes, the NA and EU servers will be separated.
Does it include the auction house?
The auction house is separated for each server on ArcheAge: Unchained, so that every server can have its own economy.
How many servers will be available?
ArcheAge: Unchained starts with a minimum of 2 Server per region named after the legendary mages of Erenor. However - If there is a need for more servers we’ll release more!
The names of the servers are:
NA - Tyrenos and Wynn
EU - Alexander and Halnaak
Is there any plan about South America servers?
Currently, there are no plans for South American servers for the release of ArcheAge: Unchained!
How will you handle alt accounts and multi-boxing in ArcheAge: Unchained?
ArcheAge: Unchained will come with a 3 Accounts per Player (not household) restriction. Additionally, you will not be able to run multiple clients at the same time.
Bypassing these restrictions can result in disciplinary action taken on the accounts in question.
These limitations are not applied to the Free2Play version.
If you suspect a player is abusing alts by using multiple clients on the same computer or unattended automation, that is not permitted and may be reported to support by including their in-game name, server, and screenshot/video of the incident.
2.4 Game Related Questions
Is ArcheAge: Unchained changing the housing system? Will there be a landlock?
Everyone will have the chance to own land but the housing zones are not going to be instanced - they will remain the same as they currently are. Additionally, there will be a landlock until the first Saturday after release (October 19) to grant everyone the chance to get their beloved housing plot.
Will the XP rate of Warborns and Dwarves be adjusted in ArcheAge: Unchained?
We know there was a revamp of the starting quests for all races in the Korean version to better balance the starting experience and we expect to see the same in ours but still needs to be confirmed on our side before.
Will the guild size be increased?
The guild cap will not be changing with this update. The current maximum number of players is 50 in a leveled-up guild.
Is Hiram gear going to be in Unchained?
Yes - Equipment of Hiram can be obtained in ArcheAge: Unchained.
Will there be a faction lock on the servers?
We will monitor faction balance and implement faction restrictions as necessary should an imbalance arise.
How will gold sellers be handled?
There will be no tolerance for gold sellers. Any violation will result in an immediate permaban!
If you suspect a player is selling or buying gold, that is not permitted and may be reported to support by including their in-game name, server, and screenshot/video of the incident.
3. Shadows Revealed
Shadows Revealed will be applied to both versions of the game!
Is the 64bit Client included in Shadows Revealed?
Yes, the new updates will have the 64bit client. You can select which client you want to use in the Glyph options of ArcheAge.
Will there be changes to the trading system or trade pack changes?
We’ve received your feedback for the trading system and forwarded it to XL.
The trading system will be the same with the release of ArcheAge: Unchained but we continue to send them your feedback and voice your concerns.
Does the crime point system change?
We’re going to introduce a new system to ArcheAge: Unchained which will help reduce the time spent in prison, but the crime points system itself will not change.
Will the Korean labor system be adopted?
We are implementing the labor system changes that were put in place in Korea.
Old labor potions will be discontinued in favor of the new Labor Restorers.
In ArcheAge: Unchained we will not be selling Labor Restorers for Credits, but you can obtain them through the free track of the ArchePasses.
Will Swiftblade be a starting Skillset?
With the ‘Shadows Revealed’ update, you can create a character and start with the Swiftblade Skillset immediately - like Malediction was handled in the past.
When are we going to have the Shadow’s Revealed PTS?
All player who purchased one of the ArcheAge: Unchained pre-order packs will have access to PTS world 2 on October 1st, 2019. For the already existing ArcheAge F2P version, Shadow’s Revealed will be available on PTS world 1 on October 1st, 2019.
We are opening PTS world 2 to all players on October 7th.
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