Interview: Amazon Games' Lost Ark Franchise Lead Answers Our Questions About The Anniversary Event

Lost Ark is turning three this year. That might seem like an odd anniversary number to be excited about, but Smilegate and Amazon Games have their reasons – which you’ll read about below. To celebrate the event, a new special event island is being added to the game, and the developers have lots of fun things planned.

Recently, the Lost Ark team reached out to us and offered us the chance to ask a few questions about the upcoming festivities. Our questions were answered by Matthew Huston, who is the associate franchise lead for the MMORPG at Amazon Games. His answers can be found below.

Congratulations to the Lost Ark team for another year, and we hope the players enjoy the festivities they have planned.

MMOBomb: What are some favorite moments from the last three years? Is there anything the developers have done that is considered to be one of Lost Ark’s bigger successes? Is there anything you wish you could have done?

Matthew Huston: Some of my favorite moments were around launch or even pre-launch. For anyone who remembers the Closed Beta, we all gathered inside the Prideholme tavern and had a dance party before the servers closed. I got to chat with a few players. Thameine Leaderboards also stick out in my mind. It was new for the West and watching players race was exciting.

MMOB: What lessons from the last three years do you hope to take into the next three?

MH: The last three years have brought a lot of lessons. I’d like to focus on the player. Lost Ark players, whether it’s in the West or another supported global region, are passionate. Feedback of all types helps shape the future of the game and one thing I hope to take into the next three years is how the team engages with players and utilizes that feedback. There is a mix of anecdotal evidence and raw data that must be leveraged and when balancing a game that runs globally, this feedback is even more important. I hope to be able to open up new avenues and create additional opportunities as we look at the next three years.

MMOB: Normally, developers tend to get most excited about the anniversaries in multiples of five. What is it about the third anniversary that’s special for the Lost Ark team?

MH: There are momentous achievements in a game’s lifecycle and for Lost Ark, year three is special because it puts us on the heels of its Korean counterpart. In the first few years, we were playing catch-up, so the overall roadmap was pretty well streamlined. Players who are familiar with the Korean service knew what to expect next and what to prepare for. This year’s anniversary marks the continued progress of Lost Ark in the West and it’s exciting to be able to showcase certain things alongside the Korean version, even if we are still slightly behind the content pacing.

MMOB: You said you’re introducing a special anniversary island. Is this something you hope to keep in future celebrations or is it a one-off kind of thing?

MH: Our yearly celebrations tend to be one-off things that we bring around for special occasions (holidays, anniversaries, etc.). You will probably see an updated version of these islands in the future as we theme them to the occasion, but they will always be a limited-time event such as this one.

MMOB: What types of activities can players expect on this island?

MH: Players can visit Festa of Arkesia, an island full of festivities to celebrate Lost Ark's 3rd Anniversary to participate in fun quests and games to earn various rewards. Players will also get a chance to see Roxx and Matthew, who have a special quest line for them to complete. The island would not be complete without Balthorr as well. Balthorr Raid returns - with more FIRE than ever! Players will have a chance to take down Balthorr to earn tokens, which will be exchangeable for rewards in the Event Shop.

MMOB: Will you be bringing back content from the previous two years for those who may have missed them?

MH: I, unfortunately, have nothing to share on this topic at this time. Personally, I think this feedback of bringing back old dungeons or even Legion Raids, making them a relevant part of the player journey is a great conversation piece and something to explore.

MMOB: As the anniversary falls in line with the Lunar New Year, will you be doing anything snake-related?

MH: Though it’s a great year of transformation, wisdom, and personal growth, we have no plans to do any in-game tie-in with the Year of the Snake for this year’s Lunar New Year holiday.

MMOB: Aside from the anniversary celebration, is there anything you can tell us about what players have to look forward to this year?

MH: There is a lot to look forward to this year as we embrace new creative aspects for Lost Ark. I am unfortunately not able to share much at this time, so you’ll want to make sure you keep an eye out for our patch notes, Eye on Arkesia and roadmap series, where we will share more of what 2025 has to offer.

We'd like to thank Matthew Huston for taking some time to hang out with us. Happy Anniversary, Lost Ark!