Global 'Linjjossi' Coming...? Taekjin Hyung's Final Lineage [Buaeri's Game Dictionary]

Kim Taek-jin, CEO of NCSoft

"It embodies the sentiment of developing the last Lineage"

Kim Taek-jin, CEO of NCSoft, introduced the new massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) 'Lineage W' with a solemn tone. He stated, "It is the final work of Lineage that consolidates everything accumulated over 24 years."

NCSoft unveiled 'Lineage W', scheduled for global release within the year, through an online showcase on the 19th. The 'W' stands for 'Worldwide'. NCSoft harbors ambitions to target global users. Having struggled to achieve significant success overseas and carrying the label of a 'domestic-only company', NCSoft is now making a bold move with Lineage W. The Lineage series has a strong domestic fanbase, to the extent that the term 'Lin-ajeossi' (Lineage + ajeossi, meaning middle-aged man) was coined. As NCSoft focuses on the global market, attention is on whether blue-eyed Lin-ajeossi will emerge.

Will a Global Clan Be Born?

Lineage is a game that inherits the identity of the Lineage intellectual property (IP), including combat, clans, sacrifice, and honor. It combines newly created 3D graphics with the original's 'quarter view' and 'cell/grid-based combat'. The storyline is set 130 years after the original Lineage.

Lineage W features the ability for users worldwide to gather and engage in battles. Previously, even games with global services were provided on a per-country basis. However, now a system is in place where users from different countries can play together on a single server. NCSoft describes this as a 'truly meaningful battle community.'

CEO Kim emphasized, "Unlike previous Lineage games, players can meet people from various countries within the game, form factions, and compete," adding, "We will expand the battle community globally to amplify the true Lineage combat spirit."

NCSoft has ensured that users from each country can play comfortably and communicate with each other. To this end, Lineage W incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) translation technology. All languages worldwide are translated into the user's native language in real time.

A Time When a 'Big Hit' Is Needed

There is interest in whether NCSoft, which faced challenges this year such as user boycotts and earnings shocks, can restore its pride with Lineage W. NCSoft's 'Lineage siblings', which had maintained the top spot on Google Play, were recently overtaken by Kakao Games' Odin: Valhalla Rising. Lineage M reached number one after its release in June 2017, and with the launch of Lineage 2M in November 2019, the top two revenue rankings were held by the Lineage siblings for the past four years. However, that is now a thing of the past.

The market interest is intense. Lineage W surpassed 2 million pre-registrations within 15 hours of its launch. However, the business model (BM) of Lineage is expected to be a key issue. NCSoft's Lineage series has been criticized for inducing excessive spending through probability-based items (loot boxes). Moreover, unlike domestic users, North American and European users are known to prefer not to have such probability-based item structures.

Lee Moon-jong, a researcher at Shinhan Financial Investment, predicted, "The key to activating global user participation is how much the intensity of P2W (Pay to Win) is adjusted," adding, "If the intensity is too strong, high-spending users from countries like Korea may form exclusive lines, causing users from other countries to leave."

Editor's Note The goal of 'Game Dictionary' is to understand and clearly convey game-related issues every weekend. We always listen to incidents and diverse voices arising from games. Any tips are always welcome.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.