Why Throne and Liberty Will Succeed Where New World Fell Short

Amazon Games is taking another shot at the MMO genre with its upcoming game, Throne and Liberty, after the struggles of its Age of Exploration-themed MMO New World. Developed by NCSoft, known for its work on popular MMORPGs like City of Heroes and Guild Wars, Throne and Liberty is a fast-paced, fantasy MMORPG with a focus on action. Despite a thrilling trailer debut at the Summer Game Fest, the game still faces a challenging road to success, launching during a time when New World is losing players. To avoid a similar fate, Throne and Liberty must learn from New World's mistakes and deliver engaging gameplay that can compete with other top MMOs.

Throne and Liberty Can’t Follow New World’s Early Missteps

To avoid the identity crisis that Amazon Games' New World faced, Throne and Liberty must have a clearly defined focus. Additionally, NCSoft must ensure that the game's subsystems, including its economy and intra-guild combat, are polished to avoid technical and balance issues that can sour players' perceptions of the game.

Throne and Liberty Needs More Than Great Visuals to Compete in Today’s MMO Market

Throne and Liberty boasts impressive graphics similar to its predecessor, New World. However, NCSoft must acknowledge that in the already saturated MMO market, it takes more than just stunning visuals to attract and retain players. The game will face stiff competition from established titles such as World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy 14, and Lord of the Rings Online, all of which have loyal fan bases and ongoing updates. While Throne and Liberty's free-to-play model may attract curious players, the game must offer compelling content to keep them engaged. NCSoft could potentially take a page from New World's Season Pass system to provide high-quality unlocks and incentives for players to continue playing.

With its fast-paced combat and innovative traversal features, NCSoft is aiming to offer players a fresh and exciting MMORPG experience with Throne and Liberty. By avoiding the pitfalls that plagued New World and delivering a game with a concise vision and polished gameplay that complements its stunning visuals, Throne and Liberty has the potential to become the breakthrough title Amazon has been searching for to establish a foothold in the highly competitive MMO market. Currently, the game is being developed for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S platforms.