In an exclusive PR statement released on the website mtn.co.kr, NC – the developer of the upcoming highly-anticipated MMORPG, Throne and Liberty – shared that the game’s release would not meet the original target window of H1 2023 (first half of 2023). Instead, their new target date is October 2023. This delay is in part due to the new publisher contractual obligations with Amazon Games, the publisher for the upcoming MMO
NCsoft has set a target of a global simultaneous release of its next game 'TL' with Amazon in October. Prior to this, at the end of May, NC and Amazon will conduct CBT (Closed Beta Test) in Korea and North America respectively.
Initially, the official release was expected in May, but considering the synergy of collaboration with Amazon and the existence of competing games such as 'Diablo 4' that will be released around the same time, the release schedule has been postponed.
news.mtn.co.kr
According to the same source, NC met with Amazon Games to speak on the distribution of the game, and after a fierce debate between the new game producer, Choi Moon-young, and NC Senior Vice President Kim-Taek-heon, it was decided that the delay was necessary to happen. However, the company shared that at the end of May, Amazon will be holding a closed beta test for Throne and Liberty in North America and Korea. It should be noted that NC admits that the release dates for Throne and Liberty globally may not end up on the same day, and both NC and Amazon have “confirmed a plan to reduce the gap between the service times as much as possible, and release the game virtually simultaneously.”
Though NC and Amazon have stated that October is the target month, it should be looked at as a final date. This means there is always a chance it will be delayed once more.
Additionally, it is finally confirmed that Throne and Liberty is 100% built in Unreal Engine 4. According to the same report, reporter Seo Jung-geun shares:
“TL (Throne and Liberty) is a next-generation MMORPG that will be released on the PC platform. It will be the company’s first PC MMORPG in 12 years since Blade & Soul.
It is based on “Lineage Eternal,” which was in full-scale development around 2013. In 2016, the development of “Lineage Eternal” was suspended and the leader of the “Lineage Eternal” camp was replaced from Captain Baek Seung-wook to Captain Choi Moon-young.
Initially developed based on the Guild Wars engine, after Choi took over the production leadership, the engine was replaced with Unreal Engine 4 and the project name was changed to ‘TL’. ‘TL’ stands for ‘The Lineage’, and the title firmly reflects the idea of continuing the lineage of the ‘Lineage’ series.”
There are worries of how the game will perform, and how the business model will be introduced. However, according to the production team at NC, “the game no longer needs additional time in order to complete it,” and, “Depending on the outcome of the CBT, the company may incorporate a so-called ‘Lineage-like’ business model into ‘TL’ in the name of maximizing business performance.” (Source)
“The specific schedule of TL will be confirmed in the first quarter earnings announcement,” said the company’s PR team, “and we are continuing to collaborate with Amazon Games for a global launch.”
Whether or not we do end up seeing Throne and Liberty in October remains a mystery, but for now it seems that interested players will be able to try out the game at the end of May on PC.