Lost Ark
News, coverage and analysis tracking Lost Ark across the outlets.- PSA: Lost Ark is purging guilds with no active members over the last yearAmazon Games will be purging inactive guilds in Lost Ark starting the week of July 22nd as part of ongoing server health improvements. Guilds will be removed if all members have been permanently banned or have not logged in for over 12 months. This cleanup will not affect character data, inventory, progression, or currency, and players can create new guilds if theirs is removed.
5 Live Service Games to Quit in 2026 | TAGThis article provides a framework for players to quit live service games they no longer enjoy, arguing that obligation and FOMO should not dictate continued play. It identifies five specific games—Destiny 2, Diablo 4 seasonal, Warframe, Lost Ark, and older MMOs—as candidates for quitting in 2026, and offers a step-by-step guide to breaking free from the cycle of retention-engineered gameplay.- MMO Week in Review: Guild Wars goes mobile, Bungie gets layoffsThis week's MMO news includes Guild Wars launching on mobile, Star Trek Online's new update, and Throne & Liberty's summer expansion. However, the industry also saw significant layoffs at Sony and Bungie, impacting hundreds of developers working on Destiny 2 and Marathon. Other news includes Valve's Steam Machine pricing, the ongoing Ashes of Creation lawsuit, and updates on Grand Theft Auto VI's online multiplayer.
- Lost Ark announces an early end to several events to make way for the August server mergeAmazon Games announced that several in-game events for Lost Ark will conclude early on August 19th to accommodate the upcoming server merge scheduled for August. While progression events like the Kazeros Challenge Express are being shortened, new events are promised for September. The update also details upcoming quality-of-life improvements for July, including auto-equip functions and skill suggestions.
- Lost Ark’s summer roadmap teases a clock-wielding Warpweaver class for SeptemberAmazon has released the summer roadmap for Lost Ark, detailing content updates for July, August, and September. July will bring solo raid modes and an extreme difficulty option, while August includes a server merge. September is set to introduce the new Warpweaver class, themed around time manipulation, and a new express event.
- Lost Ark introduces fresh story content and a new ship with today’s Twilight Isle updateAmazon and Smilegate have released the Twilight Isle update for Lost Ark, introducing new story content in the Cadarum Isles and a new ship called Luminas. The patch also includes the Horizon Cathedral Abyssal Dungeon, new cosmetics, progression events, class balance adjustments, and raid gold changes.
- The Daily Grind: What was the last MMORPG you uninstalled, and why?This article discusses the practice of uninstalling MMORPGs to make space for new games, posing the question of which MMORPG players have last uninstalled and the reasons behind it. The author mentions uninstalling Brighter Shores, Albion Online, Lost Ark, and Throne & Liberty, while keeping The Elder Scrolls Online installed due to potential future engagement.
- Lost Ark previews some new cosmetics arriving exclusively to the MMOARPG’s global version this yearLost Ark is set to receive new, exclusive cosmetic items in its global version in 2026, with Smilegate RPG providing a preview. These dragon-themed cosmetics include gear skins, a draconic mount, and a dragon pet, alongside wallpapers depicting the fight with Kazeros.
Wemade Expands Starter Support Event for Global Launch of Legend of YMIR, Introduces Content for Indonesia - GameHauntWemade has expanded starter support for the global launch of its MMORPG, Legend of YMIR, introducing full Indonesian language support and region-specific content. The six-week event offers new players Rare to Epic-grade gear, daily bonuses, and cultural items like a Barong Ket-inspired Disir and Indonesian food buffs. This update aims to ease the learning curve for beginners while integrating local heritage, following a similar approach seen in the Philippines server launch.- Massively Overthinking: Which MMORPG tutorials are actually effective – vs. functionally useless?This article analyzes the effectiveness of MMORPG tutorials, distinguishing between those that genuinely teach players and those that are functionally useless. Contributors discuss examples like Albion Online's integrated newbie area and Star Wars Galaxies' lack of guidance, highlighting that successful tutorials often blend gameplay with instruction in a low-danger environment. The complexity of MMOs and varying player learning styles are identified as key challenges in tutorial design.
Lord Of The Rings MMO cancelled as Amazon explores ‘new game experience’Amazon Games has cancelled its Lord of the Rings MMO, which had been in development in various forms since 2019. While the MMO is scrapped, Amazon Games head Jeff Grattis stated the company is exploring a new game experience within Tolkien's world. This cancellation follows significant layoffs within Amazon's games division and the upcoming shutdown of their MMO New World.- Amazon ‘continues to explore a compelling new game experience’ for Lord of the RingsAmazon's head of games, Jeff Gratis, stated that the company continues to explore a new game experience for The Lord of the Rings IP, despite earlier reports suggesting the MMORPG's cancellation. While the development team for the previously announced Lord of the Rings MMO was reportedly cut, Amazon has not officially confirmed its cancellation and remains committed to exploring the intellectual property.
Amazon has cancelled The Lord of the Rings MMO, but promises it "continues to explore a compelling new game experience" set in Middle-earthAmazon has cancelled its previously announced Lord of the Rings MMO, though the company states it is still exploring a new game experience set in Middle-earth. The MMO, a partnership between Amazon Game Studios and Embracer Group, had been in early development and faced numerous setbacks including layoffs and a shift in company focus. While the MMO is officially shelved, Amazon remains committed to the intellectual property.
Amazon pressured one of its teams to develop an AI game, they scrambled to make it work - then got laid off anywayDevelopers at Amazon Game Studios were laid off in October 2025, following a company-wide push to integrate generative AI into game development. Project Trident, an AI-powered third-person action game, was cancelled despite internal promise and adherence to the AI mandate. The layoffs affected multiple teams, including those working on New World and The Lord of the Rings MMO, as Amazon shifted its strategy away from big-budget internal development.- Lost Ark’s latest patch sees the Return of Argos as a new standalone encounterLost Ark's latest patch, 'Return of Argos,' introduces a new standalone, limited-time boss encounter featuring Argos. Players can participate until July 15th to earn coins by defeating Argos and performing Perfect Blocks or Counterattacks. These coins can be exchanged for valuable in-game items like Argos Spirit Chests and Relic Engraving Selection Chests.
- Lost Ark preps a frost-themed Argos event and stat boost cards for May, delays server mergeAmazon has announced upcoming May updates for the MMOARPG Lost Ark, including new stat-boosting cards and a frost-themed Argos abyss raid event. The server merge, originally planned for May, has been delayed to an indeterminate future date to allow for further preparation and communication.
A Surprising 17-Years-Later Sequel Is Coming West This YearNCSoft announced that Aion 2, a sequel to the 2008 MMORPG, will receive a global release on PC via Steam later this year. The game, built on Unreal Engine 5, faced criticism for its microtransactions upon its South Korean and Taiwanese launch. NCSoft has apologized and vowed to make changes for the international release, with more details expected in May.- MMO Week in Review: Gorgon’s drama, TurtleWoW’s demise, Ashes’ docsThis week in the MMORPG genre saw significant drama and updates across various titles. Ashes of Creation's former boss released legal documents, Project Gorgon faced community backlash over bans, and TurtleWoW announced its closure following a lawsuit. Additionally, Book of Travels is transitioning to a solo offline game, while new content and updates arrived for games like Guild Wars 2, Final Fantasy XIV, and Elder Scrolls Online.
- Lost Ark rolls out a new raid with The Shadows Rise update as recent Steam reviews shrivelAmazon has released 'The Shadows Rise' update for Lost Ark, introducing the Serca, Witch Of Pain Shadow Raid, new Tier 4 progression gear, and other endgame content. This update aims to revitalize the game's community and improve its recent performance on Steam, despite recent layoffs and the potential transfer of the game's management to Smilegate.
Recent Ashes of Creation court filings reveal Riot tried to purchase Intrepid for $250 millionRecent court filings reveal that Riot Games explored acquiring Intrepid Studios, the developer of Ashes of Creation, for $250-500 million in 2022. At the time, Riot was heavily invested in its own MMORPG projects, including Hytale and a separate internal MMO, amidst a period of high player interest in the genre following the performance of games like New World and Lost Ark.