By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net
NEARLY a year since it introduced the game in the Philippines and the region, entertainment software publisher Asian Media will hold a major relaunch of Lineage II that is expected to have major overhauls in gameplay that will make it into a more “casualized” game.
The overhaul in the Lineage II strategy of Asian Media will affect its operations in Singapore and Malaysia.
In an interview with hackenslash, Asian Media chief operating officer Ronald Allan Aquino said there had been complaints that the game was difficult to play, making it appealing only to more serious players. By changing some aspects of the gameplay, Lineage II can allow casual players to have an easier time when they start playing.
Aquino said the company has mapped out a three-phase strategy, which includes an initial “teaser stage” where it will start communicating with current Lineage II players about the changes in the game.
Aquino said a major direction for Lineage II is a move from its pay-to-play scheme to a hybrid free-to-play model.
“Free-to-play is the final goal,” he said.
Other parts of the strategy include an in-game item mall, a seven-day unlimited game trial for first-time players, and faster scoring allowing for easier character leveling up.
The relaunch ostensibly follows a reorganization of the company wherein about 30 of the company staff was laid off, leaving the company with around 100 people.
“We have to maximize revenues, markets and scenarios so the reorganization was necessary,” Aquino pointed out.
Likewise, Aquino said Asian Media will be introducing a new game, a combination of an action-adventure and first-person shooter, which he said would be announced by the end of July.
July 30th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
its the misconception of not knowing your target market, each of their wants and not meeting their demands in the first place.
July 18th, 2008 at 2:59 am
most likely, i agree with betatester, it’s probably Exteel. But i’m still curious if it might (probably) be Tabula Rasa. But if they’re going with f2p it’s definiteley Exteel.
July 11th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
ouch.. F2P…
June 30th, 2008 at 11:09 am
OMG hybrid F2P now this has gone way overboard this is the only Lineage 2 Game (not counting PS aka Private Servers) that it has broken some of the norms of L2 first they didn’t have you purchase an account (w/c is understandable since most pinoy players don’t purchase original accounts), the monthly fee is cost less than the monthly sub for the other L2 servers, and i was shocked during the transition of OB to commercial that NCSoft actually allowed a XP/Drop mod for the game now its going to be F2P? contrary to what digest said they still are the distributors of GW even GW 2 and as for WoW (keep on dreaming)
June 29th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
hmm, I guess the other company of free2play games ruled this time, bcoz of their swarm of free2play attacks, such as the release of CABAL PH and all that free2play propagandas.
think of a typical PC user who rents PC’s just to play online games, won’t he choose one that can be played without paying gametime and only paying the rent of the PC’s per Hour? hmm….