No one logged in today because of Lost Ark

[SturmChurro]

Some Korean games, like LA or BDO, instead of pick a race you select a champion, that's why "gender lock" is a more common thing. It's like a hero from Overwatch or a LoL character.

Anyway, by my personal definition, yes, LA is P2W. Just happen to be PvE game so, why even care? In FFXIV people can swipe for Ultimate clears and... who cares?. For what I know the game gets grindy once you hit Tier 3, at that point gearing upgrading cost are high and the process can fail (20% chance of success I think it is), items don't downgrade and the system has bad luck protection. Problem is, you can use alts to feed your main or/and swipe, so if you want to be part of the elite can be a massive grind and money sink. For a casual the usual daily routine is very similar to FFXIV (up to two hours of daily stuff seems to be the norm, but some mention as less as 30m per character).

Monetization is very similar to Guild Wars 2 so you can trade in-game currency for shop currency and get anything you need (like more inventory space and similar stuff) + login rewards and events. Also (at least in Korea) others players can sell cosmetics for in-game currency so you can benefit from whales. I do that in Black Desert and I have more than 320€ in cosmetics I acquired with in-game currency... on EU, NA is whale land so it's even easier.

However, anyone be warn, at least the Korean version, LA have some FOMO predatory loot boxes with the good looking cosmetics behind 5% and each box can cost up to 8€ (and costumes are compose from various pieces and I'm not sure you get the full thing in one box). Not sure if NA/EU will have that, but for anyone susceptible to that kind of crap, please, stay away from the game.

Yeah, I don't mind the idea of 'pick a champion' if there is actually like a well established backstory and everything else. Still, I think it's an excuse to include the gender lock. Either way, in general, I don't really care about a genderlock as much as others. Rather, it won't make me stop playing a game over it, I'll play the class I like regardless.

I'll give it a good try, I did have my eyes on this game quite awhile ago. I have played BDO to endgame, but I never played much after. Pay to win is just kind of annoying in general, and pretty much ruins games. With all the nonsensical grind, and this "bad luck protection".

This game definitely does sound like a sort of Black Desert 'Lite' to me. Loot boxes are definitely pretty annoying, not surprised at all it has that.

Right now for most MMO's is a "pick your poison" situation.

Most definitely. It really has sucked for awhile for mmorpg players. When I say I consider FFXIV as the best currently, that is me saying the other ones are just worse. I like FFXIV, but I do still have issues with it.