Blade & Soul is now available in North America and Europe to play for free. NCSOFT West ’s localization of the popular Korean MMORPG, Blade & Soul has enjoyed immense popularity in Korea, China, Taiwan and Japan, and Western fans have waited for years for this unique MMO to head overseas.
Blade & Soul dispenses with the holy trinity of tank, DPS and healer, replacing skill rotation and targeting with a series of flashy combos optimized for its seven starting classes. It takes inspiration from several places, including the speed and responsiveness of fighting games and the iconic windwalking of classic Asian martial arts films.
The initial character cap for Blade & Soul is level 45. The seven classes from which players may choose include classes like the ranged Force Master , the Summoner and their fierce Pet, and the precise and reactionary Kung Fu Master .
While Founder’s Pack members have had a head start since Jan. 15 and name reservation available since Jan. 11, all players will be able to enjoy over 30 dungeons, the first three acts of the Blade & Soul story, and the equalized PvP arena, where your attributes and gear don’t matter and only your skill can get you the win. (Expect e-sports competitions to follow up on the community tournaments that took place even in closed beta.)
In addition, two more epic-level dungeons will hit Blade & Soul upon launch: the pirate-themed Blackram Supply Chain and E. Supply Chain.
Blade & Soul has been out in Korea since 2012. Its 2016 launch means that North America and Europe will benefit from a flow of content to come, while launching with all of the features and quality of life tweaks that came out in bits and pieces elsewhere over the years. Don’t worry about exclusives, either -- North America and Europe will have their own region-exclusive goodies.
“The launch of Blade & Soul is a significant moment and represents one of the most important online launches for players in 2016,” said John Burns, Senior Vice President at NCSOFT West. “Fans finally have the chance to experience the amazing gameplay, distinctive action and dynamic combat that sets this game apart from others on the market.”
As for post-launch content, NCSOFT promises a slew of content updates and patches to keep their players sated. Between Korea’s four-year headstart and the needs of the local community, there should be more than enough of a content stream to keep new players interested for a while yet.
You can watch the Blade & Soul trailer below:
Blade & Soul may be downloaded here .
