As Throne And Liberty Beta Starts, NCSOFT Looks Back On 25 Years Of MMORPGs

It’s sometimes a little weird to realize how long a lot of MMOs and MMO developers have been around. It’s one of those, “now I feel really old” situations. That said, developers and publishers like you to know that kind of thing. Because… hey… they’ve managed to survive that long – which is kinda impressive considering how short the lifespans of games, developers, and publishers can be in this industry.

Currently, NCSOFT is celebrating one of those milestones – 25 years of MMOs. They’re looking all the way back to their start with Lineage and everything that’s happened since. To do that, they’ve decided to drop a new trailer that looks back at the full two and a half decades, ranging from Lineage to Throne and Liberty. Just in case you’re wondering, that list includes Lineage, Linage 2, Aion, Blade & Soul, and Thrown and Liberty. You can read a bit about them in their own words here before watching the trailer.

• Lineage, the ‘first world’ to connect players through fun. The game came to be one of the first generation Korean online based MMORPG titles that laid a ground-breaking standard in MMORPGs. Lineage is acclaimed to have expanded games to an organic world that resembles reality by introducing large-scale battles fought between battle communities with dynamic rivalry and competition.
• Lineage 2, the ‘first world’ to overcome three-quarter view limitations. With Lineage 2, NC opened an era of 3D online gaming. The game introduced high-quality, immersive 3D graphics that conquered the world and made it one of the most popular online games.
• Aion, the ‘first world’ to bring the battle to the sky. The game’s aerial combat system revolutionized how fights are perceived in the MMORPG genre. AION was also highly acclaimed for its artwork and music that reached orchestral levels.
• Blade & Soul, the ‘first world’ that combined creative storytelling with dynamic action. The game is acclaimed to immerse players into its captivating storytelling elements. Unique combat mechanics such as active counters, parrying and realistic martial arts techniques were highly praised among the game community.
• Throne and Liberty, the start of a whole new world. TL is NC’s upcoming MMORPG title. The game delivers conflict on a massive scale in a dynamic world that provides varying opportunities and threats for players. Amazon Games will be publishing TL in North America, South America, Europe, and Japan.