Here we go again. NC (aka NCsoft) put out a teaser for the upcoming directors preview that will be released on December 27, 2022.
Before anyone gets too excited, remember that we also saw a massively long game play trailer of Lineage Eternal back in 2011. We then got another one in 2014. We then saw the official trailer for the CBT in 2016. Then after a poorly received CBT, the development team was effectively replaced, and the game was rebranded to Project TL in 2017. NC then released a new official trailer for Project TL in 2017, and then went silent for several years (with only blurbs mentioned about it during their earnings conference calls). Every year though, some nimrods would take those brief mentions, and put out clickbait pieces saying the game is going to be in beta really soon.
Then earlier this year, NC rebranded the game from Project TL to THRONE AND LIBERTY, with yet another official trailer for a now redesigned (no longer isometric view) version. They hinted there would be a beta test sometime this year, but as expected, in August 2022 NC announced the game would be delayed to the first half of 2023.
Now we get the above teaser for the official reveal of the DIRECTOR’S PREVIEW. We’ll probably see tidbits of possibly a beta test by summer of 2023 with a release in late 2023 or first half of 2024. And before you get too excited, see the above. This is why I have been saying, STICK A FORK IN IT since 2017. It’s like none of the product directors that have been in that hot seat so far, have any real vision for what is supposed to be a follow on to Lineage II (I mean there was actually a design blueprint for Lineage III that as we know, went awry when lot of that project team peeled off to form Bluehole Studio to create TERA).
Now maybe, this time might actually be the charm with getting what was originally previewed back in 2011 (which was during a time when KR studios were looking to create a Diablo style MMO given how Diablo III was going to be releasing in 2012; though the hype train for that started in 2008 during its initial unveiling at the Blizzard World Wide Invitational), out the door with a completely different design (3D camera view). But I will believe that when it actually happens. For the time being, I will not be surprised if THRONE AND LIBERTY goes through the above development hell cycle.
