"We believe catch-up mechanics should be integrated into the core game": Amazon Games talks Throne and Liberty's upcoming update, server parity & more

Throne and Liberty's highly anticipated Wilds of Talandre update is merely a few days away. The update will bring the titular new zone called Talandre, alongside new Abyss Dungeons, 3-star Dimensional Circle Dungeons, Solo Dungeons, T2 Gear, two Archbosses, PvP and GvG updates, and so on.

Throne and Liberty is one of the best success stories regarding modern-day MMORPGs, so I've been extremely hyped about the Wilds of Talandre's launch on March 6th. Better yet, I recently got to talk to the brilliant developers who brought their vision of Solisium to life.

My conversation with Daniel Lafuente, Globalization Design Manager at Amazon Games, revolved around all the potential hurdles encountered during the development of Talandre and how the developers fixed the issues. We also discussed content synchronization between all the existing regions, quality-of-life features, hyperboost servers, and much more.

Amazon Games developers discuss Throne and Liberty's Wilds of Talandre, future development prospects, and more

Herba Village will serve as your home away from home in Talandre (Image via NCSoft)

Q: First thing first: Congratulations on the Wilds of Talandre release. What was the biggest challenge during Talandre's development process?

Daniel: Thank you. It’s an exciting time for our team and the entire Throne and Liberty community. We’re excited for everyone to finally get a chance to experience it! The biggest challenge has been prioritizing the numerous improvements and changes we wanted to implement. We've focused intently on delivering the features and content our players have been asking for with Wilds of Talandre, and I'm incredibly excited about what we've achieved.

Q: Talandre has been out for the Korean servers for close to a year now. What are the biggest lessons you've taken from this extended period of development cycle?

Daniel: While we've gained valuable insights from NCSOFT's experience with the Korean service, our players can expect a fresh experience with this expansion. We've taken a different approach to content rollout compared to the Korean service, tailoring it specifically for our global audience. Our focus has been on creating a journey where players can progress meaningfully toward their personal goals in the game.

Q: What's next for Throne and Liberty, now that all the servers are effectively on the same playing field?

Daniel: We recently returned from Korea where we discussed all the new content we have planned for this year. While we're not ready to share specifics yet, our commitment is to continue delivering compelling content for players to conquer. We're incredibly excited about our future plans for Throne and Liberty and can't wait to share more when the time is right. Stay tuned for future announcements!

Also Read: Throne and Liberty: How will Server Consolidation work?

Q: Considering the three regions are different thematically and gameplay-wise, how does the team approach the development of a new region?

Daniel: This would be a better question for our partners at NCSOFT as they lead the core development of new regions.

Q: Are there any new larger regions being planned in the future? Or will the team instead focus on the smaller playing fields seen in Nebula Island?

Daniel: There's so much more to the world of Solisium for our players to explore! While we can't reveal specific details yet, expanding the world of Throne and Liberty remains a key part of our plans for the future. We'll be back with future announcements to share information on new maps and regions. Be sure to check for more info on this in the future and stay tuned to our official channels for exciting updates!

Q: The Spear is an extremely fun weapon to play around with. Will any new weapons be joining the roster of classes?

Daniel: The Spear has been a great addition to players' arsenals, and we're thrilled with how everyone has embraced it. We're amazed by all the innovative builds players have created. With every new weapon comes new gameplay possibilities. I can confirm we are adding more, but you'll have to stay tuned for more details!

Throne and Liberty's locations always possess an aura of mystery (Image via NCSoft)

Q: As of now, there is only one weapon each for Tanks and Supports (Healers) that can be considered a true-class weapon. Are there any plans to diversify that aspect?

Daniel: Role diversity has been a key consideration in our weapon design planning. We want all roles to have multiple playstyle options while fulfilling their core functions, so you can expect these options to expand over time.

Q: A lot of the bosses fall on timers that are not conducive to at least a fraction of the playerbase. Is it not better to have a rotating list of bosses throughout the day?

Daniel: Boss timing is always one of the trickier things to get right. Our goal is to make bosses more accessible to all players, regardless of their play schedule. We're implementing improvements to our boss structure in Talandre, which we'll detail in our upcoming Tico Talks at the end of February.

Q: Are there any plans to make Archbosses spawn more than once per week?

Daniel: I’m happy to share that we’ll have more info for you on this topic in our upcoming Tico Talks episode coming later this month. Check back soon!

Also Read: Field bosses in Throne and Liberty are changing from PvP to Riftstone-like GvG affair

Q: I love character customization features that are smaller scale. Are there plans to expand the new Artifact system with newer sets as the game continues to grow?

Daniel: We’re constantly looking for ways to improve our systems for players and Artifacts is no different. Since launch, we’ve focused on expanding existing systems to provide new experiences, builds, and metas. We'll be applying this same philosophy to Artifacts as we move forward. Throne and Liberty is a living, breathing game that we are continuously working to improve. There's always more to come!

Q: Can you provide any details regarding any other smaller-scale character customization options? As in are they in development? And what aspect of the progression will they focus on?

Daniel: Great question. Character customization is very important to us and while I can confirm we're actively developing features in this area, I can't share specific details just yet.

Q: Let's talk about events. The studio has introduced a new QoL feature for dungeons that enables players to extract multiple rewards in one go. Will event-specific dungeons also get the same treatment?

Daniel: We’re always looking to improve the experience for our players and our Halloween Event dungeon provided valuable lessons for us. Future events with similar experiences will be adjusted to ensure players can focus on enjoying the content rather than feeling overburdened.

Festive events in Throne and Liberty are as fun as they are rewarding (Image via NCSoft)

Q: Are there any plans to expand the matchmaking UI, say for Abyss Dungeons?

Daniel: Currently, we plan to maintain the existing LFG chat option for Abyss Dungeons without expanding the matchmaking UI. Player feedback and input are critical components of our development process. We encourage players to share their thoughts on existing systems to help us improve the overall experience.

Q: Will the hyperboost server feature become a reality for the global release?

Daniel: No, we do not have plans for a hyperboost server at this time. We believe catch-up mechanics should be integrated into the core game rather than segregating new and returning players on separate servers. We want all players to be part of our unified community.

Q: Throne and Liberty simultaneously services a Korean and Global playerbase. These are at different places in terms of game health and update economy. What are some things that Amazon intends to do differently in Global compared to the Korean version?

Daniel: We're committed to maintaining a single version of the game with NCSOFT while adapting our service approach to meet our players' needs. This includes adjusting content cadence, difficulty, and core system design based on our community's feedback. We've successfully implemented key changes and will continue to evolve the game based on our players' input.

Thank you for all of the great questions! We're looking forward to seeing players' reactions to Wilds of Talandre. It's a huge expansion with so many new things for players to discover and explore. See you in Solisium on March 6th!

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Edited by Aatreyee Aich