While the existing fresh start servers (launched back in December 2021 when Kakao Games Europe took over the publishing from Gamigo) barely had their last gating of content opened, the company has decided to launch a new “fresh start” server for ArcheAge Unchained on September 15th (Legacy ArcheAge will not be getting this new fresh start). The “specifications” as noted are basically describing a seasonal server where it will have an accelerated progression system and 3-month life span.
Unlike prior fresh starts, there will be no server mergers (for the time being). Instead, the existing fresh start and evolution servers will remain (not merged). Once the 3-month season on the new “fresh start” server is completed, players will be able to use honor to purchase transfer tickets to transfer their character(s) over to the existing fresh start or evolution server. Transfers will also be open between the existing fresh start and evolution servers.
IMHO, I believe it’s not the best idea to initially allow transfers off the existing evolution server since that is pretty much a consolidation of all prior Unchained servers from its 2019 launch. Characters from that pool will be allowed to mix with the first seasonal transfers (if say players decide to transfer to the existing fresh start where it has far less taint compared to the evolution server; if a player decides to transfer their seasonal to the evolution server, then they should know what they are mixing with). While my characters aren’t even geared, I have 3+ years worth of resources that just won’t be possible for even an accelerated progression server to reach.
What would’ve been a better decision is to gradually open up transfers off the evolution server after maybe the 2nd or 3rd seasonal server (if this system even stays in place that long). KR tried the seasonal server approach, but cancelled it after one season since they died off quickly. I’m not sure how this will go over on NA/EU because one of the issues that quickly kills these fresh starts are the exploits (that XLGAMES will never patch).
One of the biggest “headaches” that was caused by the prior fresh start implementation was the inevitable server mergers, and resulting land rush. That aspect made sense when the game had a large population; where the land rush made sense since it was a finite aspect that a large population had to compete for. The last two server mergers on Unchained were an inconvenience for established players. I got back most all of my property after the first merge. The merge last December when Kakao Games took over, revealed a more dramatic population drop off as I was able to casually get back all of my property, and more (even after waiting). Since then, the attrition rate of players has proceeded at a steady pace as free subscription time expired at the 90, 120, and 180 day marks (most of that ended in June).
I wasn’t planning to stick around once my subscription time especially if they were going to hit the game with another fresh start and server merge. However, since they are giving this new “fresh start” a seasonal implementation, I’ve decided to stick around to see how it goes (glutton for punishment) since at least for the time being, server mergers aren’t on the table. That will obviously change if there is a population issue in the following months after the first few seasonal servers (again, if this system remains in place).
Given the wests preference for fresh starts, this 3-month cadence should satiate those who enjoy the constant resets. And since this doesn’t impact the existing servers with constant mergers, the usual accelerated population drop off (as players quit due to not wanting to deal with yet another land rush) should slow down a bit (I know for myself, I was looking to do the same since I was waiting for that shoe to drop with the next merge, in order to utilize the demo process to auto full kit my stuff so that I could take a break from doing another land rush). So I guess Kakao Games retained at least two subs for the time being (I know I mentioned it was academic previously, but that was before this change to a seasonal format w/o mergers).
As for myself, I’m normally NOT into this whole fresh start cycle. I am considering giving the initial seasonal fresh start a try though just to experience how much of an accelerated progress it actually is (as a casual potato), and seeing what the ending rewards are for participating (that reward is usually supposed to be the other part of the draw for seasonal play where you receive stuff that cannot be acquired otherwise). Given how I’ve run into a drought of not really enjoying any game recently, this sort of gives ArcheAge Unchained a new lease on life for me (even though it begrudgingly meant giving money to Kakao Games Europe for additional subscription time; something I was not planning to do) since the housing part of the game is something that I actually do enjoy as a casual potato.
