Lost Ark dev breaks down roadmap of Summer updates, from Elgacia to Aeromancer

Lost Ark debuted in the West last February, and the MMORPG’s potent mix of Diablo-esque ARPG gore and a more long-term progression system, plus its huge roster of classes made it one of the best free-to-play games of 2022.

Now continually expanding, the devs at Smilegate RPG have revealed an ambitious Q2 roadmap leading into Summer. Between Raids, the Thronespire, and plenty more, there’s a lot to dip back into, and we were able to sit down with Roxanne Sabo, Product Community Manager on Lost Ark, to talk more about what’s coming to the game for players.

Free to slay

Lost Ark’s nature as a free-to-play MMO with flashy combat and a huge world to explore make it an easy pick for players looking for a "pick-up and play" experience, and that’s something Amazon and Smilegate RPG are proud of.

“New players are coming to Lost Ark’s world of Arkesia every day,” Sabo says.

“The free-to-play design of the game is certainly a big draw for new players, as there’s no barrier to entry and trying the game out.”

While Sabo is understandably proud of the game’s update cadence (working closely in sync with the rollout of content in the game’s original Korean release to ensure parity is achieved as soon as possible), she also admits it can be overwhelming for newcomers.

“The large amount of content to experience can also be intimidating to new players, making them feel like there’s a lot of catching up to do,” Sabo explains, pointing to log-in events for new players and the game’s Hyper Express event which powers through levels as great catch-up mechanics.

“The teams at both Amazon Games and Smilegate RPG have been listening closely to feedback from all types of players, and a main focus for this year will be making adjustments to the game that make it more accessible to new and returning players.”

What's new is new, what's old is new

Those tweaks include free battle items being added to Guardian Raids at entry level, while Knowledge Transfer will tweak requirements for levelling alternate characters. Still, what about those that jumped headfirst into Arkesia and found themselves looking for a reason to come back?

“For new content coming to the game, there’s a lot to look forward to,” Sabo explains, highlighting both the Slayer and Aeromancer classes joining the ranks in Summer.

"With the addition of Slayer, players are going to have access to a new melee class that is built for dealing heavy damage on the battlefield.

“Aeromancer joins Artist as the second Specialist Advanced Class, and is able to manipulate the weather to devastating effect on the battlefield,” Sabo adds.

“The Aeromancer’s playstyle is also very versatile, and this class will be easy and inviting for new players to pick up.”

There are more areas to explore, too, with a new continent, Elgacia, arriving that will have big story ramifications.

“Elgacia comes to the game in July, and it is an island continent in the sky which will provide a major turning point to the Lost Ark story,” Sabo says.

“In Korea, Lost Ark saw a 176% increase in the number of new and returning players following the Elgacia update, so we expect players in the West will want to check it out too.”

Smilegate RPG is also working to tweak existing content, with the gear progression system being streamlined, and early raids having been tweaked in May to make them easier to play through for newer or less experienced MMO players.

Long Ark

So, where is the ceiling, then? Where does Lost Ark go from here? Sabo is bullish on how much more there is to come.

“Lost Ark remains one of the most played games on Steam today, with new players joining daily. We’ve shared content that’s coming to the game throughout the summer, and will have another roadmap to share with players later this year,” she said.

“As we release more content and get closer to parity with the Korean version, we’ll still be bringing new content to players once it’s released in Korea and we’ve had time to localize it for the Western audience.”

Have you checked out Lost Ark before, or does this roadmap have you excited to play? Let us know your thoughts via our Twitter.