ArcheAge Chronicles is out in Steam Early Access, and if you've been eyeing a new MMORPG, here's the short version: three regions, four classes, no in-game cash shop at the start and a plan to keep building for the better part of a year.
Inven Global reports that developer XLGAMES launched the game globally at 8:00 AM KST on November 4. The game's Steam page lists the Early Access release date as November 3, and XLGAMES as both developer and publisher.
What's in the launch build
Steam lists three regions of Auroria: Diamond Shores, Gylden Ruins and Astron Plains. You get four classes with two weapons each, plus exploration, dungeons, raids, PvP, housing, crafting, trading, and company and guild activities.
Inven Global says the game is set on Auroria 50 years after the original ArcheAge and is built in Unreal Engine 5. It reports that the explorable continent is roughly 20 times bigger than in October's Steam Next Fest demo, with more than 60 zones and over 1,000 exploration and collection points.
The demo was about class combat, co-op dungeons and PvP. Early Access widens that to the slower side of the game, according to Inven Global. Players find materials and recipes while exploring, get special crafting materials from bosses, and haul trade goods between regions by cart or carriage. Housing lets you decorate a home and deal with neighbours.
Fixes after the demo
Inven Global reports that the launch build includes changes based on feedback from demo players. It says connection errors and launch crashes have been resolved. Party members now stay grouped when moving between the Conflict Channel and the Peace Channel, and a new option jumps you straight to the party leader's channel. Weapon skills, boss fights and controls have been improved too.
Price, cash shop and what's next
The Australian Steam store lists the game at A$43.95. The Steam page says the price may rise at full release to reflect added content, and that any change will be announced beforehand.
Inven Global reports that there won't be an in-game cash shop at the start of Early Access, and that the studio intends to stick to its "No P2W" principle. Note the wording: that's a commitment about the start of Early Access, and nothing in either source rules out a shop later.
The Steam page says XLGAMES expects Early Access to last about 9 to 12 months, and that the timeline may change with feedback and development progress. Planned additions include expanded regions, more class gender options, a third weapon for each class and more life skills content.
The first update is due in December, according to Inven Global, with a female character for the Warrior class and a new weapon, the Gladius. The goal is for every class to offer a choice of gender by full launch. A dedicated team will also work on combat during Early Access, using feedback on stamina, hit reaction, movement speed, ranged targeting and party aggro.
The early reviews
The first Steam verdicts aren't kind. At the time of writing, on November 4, the Steam page shows Mostly Negative, with 38% of 113 user reviews positive. That's a small sample from the first hours of a launch, and it can move.
If you're on the fence, check your PC first. Steam's minimum requirements list 16GB of RAM and 100GB of available storage, and the notes say an SSD is required. The page also says the game uses kernel-level anti-cheat, XIGNCODE3, and requires agreement to a third-party EULA.
Beau's take: The cash shop line is a good start, but the reviews are the number to watch. An MMO lives or dies on who sticks around, and a rough first day makes that harder. My advice is simple: read a week's worth of reviews before you spend. Early Access is meant to last up to a year, so there's no prize for rushing in.
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