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.
22 Feedbacks on "Asian Media to relaunch ‘improved’ Lineage II"
betatester
my bet on the next online game will be NCSoft’s Exteel (which will be F2P) ^_^ good luck to AMDG. though i wont still play L2 even if its F2P i’ll stick with GW and WoW
Digest
Where do I start? It’s a TOTAL failure from the start. Having L2 lined-up for local market has no chance of having as a winning card for amdg. If they’ve chosen a triple A MMO game that is fun like WoW, then they wouldn’t have to relaunch or pretend that everything is alright now with amdg. They couldn’t even beat LAN games like DotA. Not to mention the ever growing of private servers that offers Blizzlike settings in WoW. It’s ok to pay for something that is worth it. That’s what I’m trying to say. A 15$ per month in retail WoW would also be like 20+ pesos per day. As of now dollar exchange is P44.485. P22.2425 in pesos. They risk having a game that has no fun factor in it. Just pure GRIND.
big ego player
right. reorganization meaning “we’re not making enough money, so we have to fire you poor overworked, underpaid,severely-deluded-into-thinking-online-gaming-pays-the-bill fools!”
l2seaphplayer
sux
KnickedofTime
Hmmm, since the Philippine gamers prefer a F2P model, it’s a good move for them. Sad to hear that a lot of people had to leave the company.
FPS Action Adventure game, are we talking about NCSoft’s XSteel? Will Aion be next????
Hmmm…
khrein
NO, IF ITEM MALL IMPLEMENTED IT WILL BE A TOTAL UGLY GAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Akuzihs
still hybrid free to play sucks…
lineage 2(ph) will have a failure for 2nd time.
Einheir
Nge. Pilitin daw bang gawing “casual” ang Lineage 2? lolz
Digest
They should have chosen WoW in the first place or stick with GW. And the system requirements for L2 is above average, compared what GW and WoW offers high detail but less system requirements to play the game in high detail already. And the skills and gameplay are so basic, straight forward making it a shallow game.
iquit
Good luck to them. They will need tons of it!
There’s a saying… “you can’t polish a turd.”
GOODLUCK
you might end up the second lost, why not ung magagastos nyo eh dalhin n lang mismo s mga natitira pa na players, lets say more ingame events, or i cafe events. Good luck guys
Count DRAKULA
the correct for this is not relaunch bu REVIVING LINEAGE 2
dusk
My buddies and I would quit if this comes to place, and we mean it!!! This would be their most stupid move! they WOULD REGRET THIS if these happens…
infestedWDbots
and because its free to play, as expected the hackers, 3rd party prog. users, botters, etc. will be free as well, so shameful that this had to happen.
to think of a strategy beating the competition of free2play games is so damn hard.
F-gamesDOTphHasPawnedU
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….
endlesone
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)
DeathScarofARIA
ouch.. F2P…
justsomeguy
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.
jOsHuA
its the misconception of not knowing your target market, each of their wants and not meeting their demands in the first place.
LadyRuki
So this is what you are really planning….F2P to ruin LineageII. That’s why you made some noob events because “LineageII is hard to play”…..totally noob plan.
LadyRuki
Hmmm….this was last year’s posts. Do you think they still have ths plan this year? Atm, we don’t know the current status of LineageII SEA. You may wanna read this thread from the L2 SEA Community. This is the hottest discussion.
http://iam-interactive.com/boards/index.php?showtopic=7656
LineAger
Cool review games Lineaga 2 I liked, thanks!
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