Source says Bluehole Ginno should be delivering a build for level 60 by early May; if Trion is able to qualify that code fit at least for PTS, they’ll be able to announce that on their next live stream. If not, it will end up happening towards the end of May with the patch going live in June.
This will likely be an initial level 60 update (not the entire end game level 60). If that build includes Capricious soul tokens (updated red-eye reward), this means they will likely follow the level 56 setup they utilized to deal with the power creep there (plus to eventually compel players to transition off of Capricious and to do the power crept level 60 dungeons). New artifact tier tied to level 60 gear to socket them is highly probably in that case.
To be completely realistic, they are going to have to implement catch up provisions. The higher end gear scores are out of control at 90+K primarily due to the inflation in vitality. Compared to the power creep that happened after Slaughter plus Greater Alon’s (which trivialized most content except the higher levels of Abyssal Tower), the trivialization is now even worse. Only a few have managed to clear floor 100 but the defensive and attack breakpoints that will make it easier are going to become the norm with the highest tier level 60 heroics (the ones that will be required for unique gear IF that part doesn’t change).
Since this title is no longer a priority focus for Bluehole Ginno when it comes to design and development of actual new content, they are just going to reuse what worked before (so Capricious will be the catchup gear with the fastest acquisition of tokens coming from Patron red-eye plus the above mentioned artifact tier).
The intent is going to be clear if we only see rehashed dungeons for this first level 60 phase; to milk level 60 content until the end of this year. After that, we’re expecting the game to go into maintenance mode (no actual new content) since evolving level 60 unique gear is going to represent a long term grind which Trion can just run events for the remaining players that will continue to no-life it if they cannot find another MMO to play by then.
The problem without actually adding any new content is you will have already over geared characters who have nothing to do with that power. Plus I highly doubt the failure mechanic (loss of evolution experience) for evolving unique gear will remain in Trion’s version so it will end up slowly trivializing the highest end raid/dungeons which supplies the material needed for that process.
MU Legend OBT (soft launch into release) is still going to put a bag of hurt on this game though when it comes to player population. Translation: I just see the population taking even more massive hits and at far faster attrition rate compared to the Korean and Thai servers.
