After initial hints during Kakao Now, ArcheAge will be getting its new region, the Great Prairie of the West on June 23rd, along with a new multiplayer competition, Guardian Scramble. You can pre-register for some bonuses as of today too.
The Great Prairie of the West will be located over on the southeastern side of the Hiram Mountains. The new region looks lush and full of history, as it is intended to fit with lore and artifacts to explore, discoveries to be made, and judging by the teaser trailer, some epic Guardians.
The region does invite you to discover some of its history, as described in the official announcement:
“Back during the times of Auroria before the exodus, the Firran inhabited this place. For nomad Firran, this giant prairie was a great place to make their eternal lands. The words of the Firran's hero "Tahyang," said two thousand years ago, before his final battle that he would return to the Great Prairie, it is the dream of today's Firran to reclaim this place.”
The areas you can expect include the Wildflower Forest, full of trees and dew, which reportedly gives power to the local herbs. The Forgotten Spike, at the center of the region that features a mysterious, well, spike. But it seems to resemble the one used by Tahyang. Terena features long forgotten architecture from older times, damaged and with more to discover there. Finally, there’s an imposing mountain known as Plains Eye, and known as a place for rituals and the place where Tahyang gathered the Firran.
That brings us to Guardians. The new mode, Guardian Scramble, described as a complex faction competition, introduces legendary Guardians that will be both your allies and your targets. All around the Prairie, there will be six Guardian totems. Each faction can summon a guardian with an offering, with a hero summoning and commanding it. This is in addition to any wild guardians around.
Once the battle begins, you’ll have mission NPCs spawn but your goal is to advance your summoned Guardian to a Yearning Altar, hold it, and get faction points. All this in addition to defending and defeating those that try to stop you. There are various guardians of different types, each with their own abilities and advantages.
