Game:

Lost Ark (2019)

Category:

Discussion

Duration: 4:37

112 views

5

Subscribe so you don’t miss any Logical Leveling Videos.
Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/c/LogicalLeveling
_____________________________________________

A dedicated gamer's YouTube channel celebrating gaming. The good, the bad, and the two polygon. Logical Leveling talks about everything gaming: news, upcoming games, and reviews. As well as some of the more obscure topics, like the impact of a certain game and why a game failed. If you're a lifelong fan of video games and everything about them, this is a home for you.

So join the community! Subscribe, comment, and get involved. The goal of Logical Leveling isn't just for me to talk about games (though that is fun) but to find like-minded people and have a discussion. So let me know if you disagree or why you do agree on a video. I'd love for Logical Leveling to become a home base for people who like to get into the nitty-gritty of the gaming industry. If that sounds like something you want or would enjoy, then it's up to you to make it happen!
_____________________________________________
#lostark

Lost Ark has released in the west after two years in Korea. And if you don't follow industry news, you may not have heard of it or its achievements. But if you do, then you'll know that Lost Ark is breaking records like highest concurrent players for an MMO on steam and Twitch viewership. So why is this ARPG MMO doing so well?

Well, for one, it's had time to bake. As I mentioned before, Lost Ark was available in Korea, Japan, and Russia for the last two years. So it's had time in active players' hands to get polished and tweaked. So when the west finally got it, we skipped that rough patch that most MMOs go through at launch. But we've had other wildly popular games in the east make their way to the west and completely flop. So I don't think it's this alone.

Another point to factor in is the current hunger in the industry for an MMO. If 2021 taught the MMO industry anything, it's that players really want a good MMO to play. We had some sizable launches with games like Crowfall, and New World, which also had insane player numbers upon launch. As well as notable expansions from established MMOs. And the amount of excitement and hype surrounding these launches were breaking records in their own right. FFXIV sold out of copies on its digital storefront. You heard that right. Unfortunately, the majority of these released missed the mark. Crowfall has all but shut down, and New World managed to do the impossible. Most MMOs release in a broken state and slowly get fixed with each patch, New World released in a stable condition only to be broken bit by bit with each update. But despite the end result of these games, the time leading up to these launches still demonstrated the desire for a new MMO in presales and Early Access viewership. People are ready for a new MMO, and Lost Ark couldn't have launched at a better time.

Obviously, why an individual may like Lost Ark will be subjective. For some, it may be the smooth combat and diverse classes. For others, it will be the end game progression and gear treadmill. And some will enjoy the massive world dotted with islands to explore and items to collect. But the strength of Lost Ark is how easy it is to take part in these different play styles.

It's not uncommon for an MMO to have numerous activities, but they often feel like they come with a catch or have extra hoops to jump through. Doing high-end PVE, but there's no matchmaking. Doing PVP but gear isn't equalized, playing on different alts but sacrificing your mains progression. Achievement or collectible hunting but having no in-game benefits to doing so.

Lost Ark never makes you feel bad or like you're making a trade-off for playing a certain way. Want to do late game PVE? Great, go for it. There are many choices, all of which have matchmaking and Looking for Group. And all but abyssal dungeons can also be completed solo. You want to do PVP? Cool, gear is equalized, you have access to all of your classes abilities, a handful of game modes including 1v1, and has matchmaking available. You don't even need to hit max level to start taking part. If you're like me, an admitted alt-aholic, and spend most of your playtime jumping from class to class, not actually getting any real progression done, Lost Ark’s got you. In Lost Ark, having multiple alts is easy, rewarding, and a viable way to progress your main's gear.

Other Statistics