Highlights
- ArcheAge is shutting down NA/EU servers on June 27, 2024.
- The reason for the shutdown is attributed to a decrease in active players for ArcheAge.
- Kakao Games offered refunds to some players who purchased the game before the announcement.
After almost 10 years, Kakao Games will be shutting down the North American and European servers for its MMORPG ArcheAge due to a decrease in active players. The open-world fantasy game, developed by XL Games, launched back in 2015 under the leadership of Korean developer Jake Song, who formerly worked on another MMORPG called Lineage. In November 2022, it was announced that a sequel to ArcheAge was in development and slated for some time in 2024. While ArcheAge has only been accessible on PC, the sequel will also be available on Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
Described as a “sandpark” RPG, ArcheAge incorporates elements of both “sandbox” content and “themepark” playstyle. The story is borrowed from The ArcheAge Chronicles, a novel series by the Korean author Jeon Min-hee. It outlines the ongoing struggle between the forces of good and evil in a world inhabited by mythical creatures and six distinct races, all battling for control of two continents called Nuia and Harihara. These different races work similarly to Final Fantasy 14‘s character classes, which grant each individual a different unique ability. Players would build their own character, align themselves with one of the six factions, and band together to uncover a conspiracy plaguing the fictional world.
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In an official announcement, Kakao Games attributed the decision to shut down the ArcheAge servers due to a dramatic decline in server populations. “After discussing the performance of ArcheAge with XL Games at length, we have concluded that we’re no longer able to provide the MMORPG we envisioned. The declining number of active players means the game’s content is no longer accessible in the way it used to be, and the experience of it is different from what was originally intended. In light of this, we’ve made the difficult decision to terminate the live service of ArcheAge in Europe and North America.”
When Will ArcheAge Servers Shut Down?
- ArcheAge servers will remain live until 08:00 UTC on June 27, 2024.
On Steam, many players shared their disappointment with ArcheAge terminating its servers, sharing nostalgic memories of experiencing the RPG through childhood into adulthood. Others have directly blamed Kakao Games for the outcome, suggesting the game shut down due to “corporate greed” and negligence as focus shifted from providing a unique and revolutionary MMORPG experience to monetizing in-game upgrades. Before it was considered that ArcheAge should be terminated, Kakao Games had implemented a pay-to-win system that offered advantages to players who could afford to buy weapons, abilities, and upgrades. In the eyes of many long-term fans of ArcheAge, this was the game’s undoing.
According to Kakao Games, Game Access: ArcheAge servers will shut down permanently on June 27, 2024, while the developer’s support team will be available until September 27 to assist with any inquiries or concerns. In addition, Kakao Games elected to refund any purchases made two weeks prior to the initial notice, which was posted back in April. In the midst of a bittersweet farewell, Kakao Games has expressed gratitude to members of the community who have supported the game since the very beginning and likely found the MMORPG genre through it, encouraging them to cherish the memories made in almost a decade of ArcheAge.
