If it seems as if you’ve been hearing about Albion Online for a long time, you’re not wrong. In fact, the game has delayed its testing periods multiple times for major revamps, to the chagrin of testers, but hopefully that’ll make today’s launch all the better. Yep, today the day this buy-to-play, economy-driven, indie PvP sandbox is finally here, at least if you’re in the top-tier of founders and starter pack purchasers.
“Developed by Sandbox Interactive, fantasy MMORPG Albion Online has officially arrived on PC, Mac and Linux, bringing with it a community of dedicated MMO fans. Kicking off their adventures with a clean slate after the beta server wipe, Legendary Founder and Legendary Starter Pack owners have already begun taking their first steps in the sprawling land of Albion, staking their claim on the untamed wilds and free markets therein. Epic Founders and Starters will be the next group to enter the fray, joining Albion’s servers on July 18th at 13:00 UTC, followed by Veteran Founders and Starters on July 19th at 13:00 UTC. Can’t wait to start forging out on your own adventure? Download the client and grab a Legendary Starter Pack to dive in right away!”
In an AMA over the weekend, Sandbox Interactive said it now counts 250,000 founders and almost $10,000,000 in funding.
We’ve rounded up a smattering of our articles from the last couple of years to bring you up to speed on the sandbox, and stay tuned for our launch-day stream later today!
The Stream Team: Launch day adventures in Albion Online - Today's the day Albion Online shuffles off its beta coil! Legendary founders pack and legendary starter pack owners get a headstart that started this morning, and Massively OP's MJ is…
Albion Online devs apologize for starter pack snafu - The Albion Online founder community has been none too pleased about Sandbox Interactive's original decision about what non-founders would get in their starter pack when the game launches a week…
The Stream Team: Albion Online’s beta winds down - It's been a long while since Massively OP's MJ has explored Albion Online, and she's eager to get back in before the beta doors close for good! Soon, the game…
Albion Online plans huge beta finale ahead of July 17 launch - Albion Online is finally making the transition from beta to launch this month. Sandbox Interactive has posted a timeline of events leading up to the formal July 17th release date,…
Here’s how Albion Online’s open-world raid bosses work - In anticipation of the upcoming launch of Albion Online, Sandbox Interactive has posted a fresh dev blog on the big bads of the game, known as Guardians. Pro tip, they're…
Albion Online’s fantastic beasts and where to find them - Albion Online is riding high -- in more ways than one. The fantasy sandbox is fresh off of the release of its Hector update and is rounding the bend toward…
Albion Online’s final pre-launch patch adds mammoths, destiny board, and more - The final pre-launch flight is boarding for Albion Online, and features are trying to cram through the door to get a seat on tomorrow's Hector update. When Hector drops on…
Albion Online’s black market is a brilliant solution for a sandbox economy - Albion Online Game Director Robin Henkys has a fresh video out today explaining the game's black market. Albion is one of those fairly rare MMORPGs that insists that all items…
Albion’s Hector update brings the Black Market, revised Hellgates, and revised Outlands - Hector is coming! That's not a person's name; it's the name of an update in Albion Online, so you can spare yourself getting a cake ready and all of that.…
Albion Online’s final pre-launch update is uprooting cities left and right - Before Albion Online seizes its destiny and launches on July 17th, it is going to have one last hot, sexy fling in testing with a guy named Hector. Well, it's…
Albion Online retools combination PvP PvE Hellgate maps - As part of Albion Online's pre-beta overhaul, developer Sandbox Interactive is retooling the game's existing Hellgates. No, not that Hellgate. In Albion, Hellgates are basically free-for-all PvP zones with seriously badass…
Albion Online infographic reveals a massacre of rabbits - Just in time for the Easter weekend is news of a horrific and widespread slaughter of innocent little bunny rabbits in Albion Online. This comes to us courtesy of a…
Albion Online has huge plans for its player-run economy, including all-crafted drops - Albion Online isn't letting up on the updates in the window of time from now to July when it launches for real, nope. Today, the studio's put out its plan…
Albion Online’s new gathering gear helps you get the goods - 25Have you ever wondered how strange it was that your fantasy MMO character ends up doing grunt work like farming, mining, or baking apple pecan pies with delicate flaky crusts…
You’ll need to put in about 20 hours in Albion Online to become competitive in PvP - As Albion Online barrels toward a summer release, the crew took to Reddit yesterday for a marathon AMA session to tackle any pressing community questions. Asked how much work an…
Albion Online AMA on pay-to-win, free trials, and global servers - Sandbox Interactive ran an AMA for its in-development indie MMO Albion Online on Reddit last night, covering everything from the game's business model to how players in far-flung locations fare…
Here’s how Albion Online is rebooting its PvP Outland zones - Sandbox Interactive Game Director Robin Henkys has another lengthy Albion Online dev recap today, this one all about the Outlands, one of the key pieces of content being rethought and…
Albion Online is revamping all of its cities for the Galahad patch - Still keeping an eye on PvP sandbox Albion Online? Sandbox Interactive Game Director Robin Henkys posted a new dev recap video this week that teases the core of the upcoming…
PvP sandbox Albion Online is planning instanced PvE dungeons - If you're wondering how ostensibly PvP MMOs are finding ways to implement PvE in 2017, look no further than Albion Online. Over the weekend, Sandbox Interactive put out a dev…
Albion Online on buffing tanks and gear for gatherers - Albion Online Game Designer Michael Schwahn has a long-form dev recap out that should satisfy both the visual and auditory learners out there in our audience as it comes in both…
Albion Online looks at the year in review and the year to come - A lot has happened in the past year for Albion Online. Yes, the game is still in its test phase, but it's a test phase that's adding lots of new…
Albion Online discusses reworking the shape of the world - It's a known fact now that Albion Online will remain in beta into 2017, but perhaps you're not entirely clear on why that's the case. The latest development video with…
Albion Online promises better PvE content in response to backer survey - The final beta for Albion Online rolls on, and it's going to keep on rolling well into next year. But what is the state of the game and what are…
Albion Online extends its beta deep into 2017 - To the chagrin of its playerbase, Albion Online has announced that it's significantly extending the duration of its current beta phase deep into next year. "Compared to Beta 1, we have…
Albion Online’s ‘Elaine’ patch brings new biome and faction to beta - Albion Online might still be working its way through its final beta phase, but that hasn't stopped it from working on a content release. In fact, that content release, dubbed…
Albion Online walks through the mechanics of the Reputation system - The developers of Albion Online want you to murder the heck out of your fellow players, but they also want to make sure that you're not exactly rewarded for your…
Albion Online plans massive world revision to better serve casuals and hardcores alike - The world of Albion Online is about to get a massive revamp when its final beta test lands later this summer and reveals the new map of the game. "We…
Albion Online on hardcore-vs.-casual player sandbox synergy - Just a day after launching its massive Darian patch, Albion Online has posted up a Q&A video and roadmap summary for its summer goals. Darian itself will be the last…
Albion Online publishes its first novel, Landfall - Does your MMO have an official novel? Well, Albion Online isn't even out yet and it is breaking literary barriers with its first published story. Landfall: The Tales of Albion,…
Albion Online extends beta test, nixes free-to-play for launch - Major changes are afoot at Albion Online -- and some might not make fans of the cross-platform sandbox too happy. Sandbox Interactive announced today that it will be extending the…
Albion Online celebrates 60,000 founders - Albion Online studio Sandbox Interactive has a lot to be pleased about today: It's reached a new milestone in the form of 60,000 total founders. Two weeks ago, the indie PvP…
Albion Online’s PvP zones and flagging explained - As Albion Online's development has progressed, Sandbox Interactive has utilized player feedback to refine the PvP system, acknowledging that for all the hardcore PvPers in game, there are many more…
Albion is aiming at an EVE-like metagame - The Videogame Backlog has interviewed Christian Ziegert, who is the head of operations at Sandbox Interactive and who is responsible for the fantasy MMO known as Albion Online. The title is…
Albion Online video explains how it’s bringing back player freedom - Sick of being penned into certain roles and linear progression in MMOs? Albion Online invites you to experience a game where player freedom and choice is king. In a new…
EVE Online’s Matt Woodward defects to Albion Online - EVE Online is less one developer today and Albion Online is richer by one, as Matt Woodward has jumped ship to work on the upcoming fantasy sandbox as a game…
Albion Online’s newest dev answers community queries, snaps at EVE trolls - Albion Online is surely milking its acquisition of Game Designer Matt Woodward for all its worth. After Albion heralded his arrival with a level of pomp normally reserved for royalty,…
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A lot about the game I find appealing. But since I’m not a PVPer I cannot justify the box price (even though $30 is pretty ok). Will check it out when they introduce a trial.
Where are the same haters and people who claim that FFA PVP centered sandbox with full loot don’t have audience and are fated to fail?
Fact is, people is so disgusted and bored of the same redundant themepark wow-clone with p2w cash shop, that even the more reluctant pvp hater will try to change mentality and surf the new sandbox open world trend.
What i have really see as failure these last years are the tons of themepark copy-paste that close after less than 6 months of service because once you reach the cap there is nothing left to do.
Jump and ride the wave freaks hypocrites! :)
Let us know how Albion is doing this time next year.
Even a year of service is 100 times betterand rewarding than 4 month of a crappy pve themepark wow clone with p2w cashshop.
If its core mechanic wasnt crafting i would love this game so much but alas its just too grindy for me.
Pretty much everything I would not want in an MMO, but I am just one person. I hope its audience enjoys it.
Even though it’s very far from the sort of thing I usually play, I’m still curious to try this one.
Whether I stay with it remains to be seen, but I expect I’ll be poking into the game in the next two weeks or so.
The lack of WASD is a turnoff.
Do they have a free trial?
They should if they dont.
Reminds me of vintage RuneScape. It’s very grindy and takes a lot to get what you want, and membership is needed to be competitive.
I’m not sure how I feel about player owned stuff. I foresee, as it has happened in many games, a small handful of players dominating the market and properties. I still want to try it regardless, looks kind of fun. Not sure how I feel about dying and losing all my gear though.
goodluck with your gankbox
250.000 users thanks you too.
Finally! Am having a blast playing. Playing with a few others, but it’s good fun. I really like the gathering/crafting in the game. It’s also really pretty, for the graphics being “below average”.