ArcheAge 2 is indeed coming, as Kakao Games and XLGames confirmed today in a joint press release. The upcoming sequel to was first announced back in 2020 and confirmed to be running on Unreal Engine 5.
The announcement today states that the two companies are expecting to release ArcheAge 2 in 2024, with over 100 developers working on the MMO. XLGames' CEO Jake Song is confirmed to be leading the development of ArcheAge 2.
The press release states that the companies are hoping to deliver an MMO that delivers "spectacular action, as well as AAA-standard storytelling."
No word was said regarding the type of business model ArcheAge 2 might use, which could be a sticking point for many ArcheAge fans, considering the flip-flop nature of ArcheAge Unchained's business model. Kakao has taken over publishing of ArcheAge and ArcheAge Unchained for a while now from Gamigo, after helping Peral Abyss publish Black Desert Online for years before that company brought it in-house.
Kakao's CEO, Kyehyun Cho, acknowledged in the press release, though, that the expectations for ArcheAge 2 are indeed "high."
"The expectations for ArcheAge 2 are high, as it is a big title in which the years of development knowledge and experience of XLGAMES has been poured into. Together we will work hard to ensure that it becomes a success, and as we have obtained the global service rights through this contract, we aim to strengthen our MMORPG lineup.”
XLGames' Song, for his part, states that the team is hoping to create a title that "remains faithful" to what makes MMORPGs themselves fun.
“We are happy to join forces with Kakao Games with whom we’ve been working together for a long time. We hope to create a high quality game that remains faithful to the core elements that make MMORPGs fun — especially for all the ArcheAge players who have been waiting for a sequel.”
ArcheAge 2 was first announced back in 2020, with XLGames stating that they would be building this new world on Unreal Engine 5. This idea of honing in on the "core" of ArcheAge was a driving force even then, according to a statement by Jake Song, at the time. Taking place in the same world as the current ArcheAge titles, players will be traveling in a different time compared to ArcheAge and Unchained, though many of the core tenets of ArcheAge will still be present, such as player freedom. ArcheAge 2 is set to release sometime in 2024.
