Impressive Launch Amidst Challenges
NCSoft and Amazon Games’ new MMORPG, Throne and Liberty, has made an impressive debut, soaring to the number four spot on Steam’s top charts. Despite competing with heavyweights like Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2, the game quickly amassed a player count of around 292,116 concurrent users. This early success, however, comes amid mixed reviews that point to server instability and microtransaction concerns.
The Server Struggles: A Major Stumbling Block
For many players, Throne and Liberty’s server issues have been a major source of frustration. Users have reported spending up to 45 minutes customizing their characters, only to be disconnected before completing the process. Even worse, the game does not yet allow players to switch servers, leaving them with few options but to endure the situation and hope for improvements.
These server challenges have fueled much of the game’s negative feedback, yet its strong initial player base shows that many are still eager to engage with its content.
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Throne and Liberty - A Legacy of Ambitious Titles
Despite these setbacks, Throne and Liberty continues the legacy of Amazon Games’ MMORPG offerings, following notable releases such as Lost Ark and New World. Initially positioned as a sequel to the Lineage series, the game is a free-to-play MMORPG featuring both PvE and PvP gameplay within a dynamic and seamless open world. Though its development was plagued by several delays, the game’s launch marks a significant milestone after years of anticipation.
A Mixed Bag of Gameplay and Design
While Throne and Liberty has garnered attention for its expansive late-game features—such as large-scale guild PvP battles and challenging raid dungeons—it offers little in terms of innovation in its story or quest design. Many players, myself included, found themselves skipping slow-paced dialogue and side quests in favor of diving into the more engaging combat experiences. Yet, the game’s core appeal lies in its promise of future content, particularly in the realm of large-scale competitive encounters.
Amazon’s Mixed Record: Will Throne and Liberty Avoid the Pitfalls?
Although Amazon Games has shown an ability to create strong initial momentum, sustaining it has been a different story. New World launched with impressive numbers but faltered due to slow updates, balance issues, and other hurdles.
The game has since been rebranded as New World: Aeternum and is seeking a fresh start on consoles. Time will tell if Throne and Liberty can avoid a similar fate or if it too will face difficulties in maintaining player engagement long-term.
