Today, South Korean duo XL Games (developer) and Kakao Games (publisher) announced a partnership on a new MMORPG titled ArcheAge S: Strait of Freedom , which is targeting a 2027 launch on PC.
To clarify, this is a different game from ArcheAge Chronicles , which itself was originally titled ArcheAge 2 . When XL Games and Kakao Games announced the title change , they also revealed that Chronicles would be quite different from the original ArcheAge, which launched in Korea in 2013, and in Europe and North America in 2014.
That game delivered a uniquely balanced formula that mixed PvP and PvE elements, as well as sandbox and themepark elements. It also allowed for large-scale combat as well as small-scale fights. To this day, it's probably one of the most interesting MMOs ever made in terms of feature set, and it was only limited in its growth by the grindy Labor System and the Pay-to-Win elements that were later introduced.
However, Chronicles (which is still technically slated for Q4 2026 , last we heard, as unlikely as that sounds) wants to be more of an MMO-lite, console-first action/adventure game with a focus on small-scale online co-op. This inevitably disappointed many of the fans of the original ArcheAge.
ArcheAge S is essentially a response to these complaints and is billed as a true sequel, albeit modernized, that follows the core essence of the IP. At the forefront of this vision is project director Kim Kyung-tae , who served as lead game designer and producer on the original ArcheAge.
Siwoo Lee, Co-CEO of Kakao Games, said in a statement:
We believe ArcheAge S will deliver a fresh experience, while faithfully carrying forward the core appeal that has made the ArcheAge IP beloved by players around the world for many years. We will work closely with XL Games to ensure the franchise's strengths resonate with players worldwide and prepare for a successful global launch.
Kwan-ho Choi, CEO of XL Games, added:
We are delighted to partner with Kakao Games, whose expertise in MMORPG publishing and live service operations has been well established. We are committed to faithfully preserving the identity of the original ArcheAge while delivering a new experience that meets the expectations of players around the world.
There's no trailer, which is a bit worrying for a game that's supposed to be out next year. That said, we'll keep an eye out for whenever XL Games and Kakao Games share more.
About the author : With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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