It’s been a very long road, but Crowfall is finally launching today. Yes, a crowdfunded MMO with a real launch! MMO readers will recall that we’ve been covering this game since its original Kickstarter back in 2015. It’s undergone multiple delays along the way, but those have come with big boosts in investor funding and major design changes – for the better.
ArtCraft’s J. Todd Coleman spoke with Twinfinite about the launch, saying that the team will be “nimble” when it comes to the game since it has no idea what players will do since there are few rails to keep them in check. “I think the immediate goals after launch are going to revolve around scale,” he says. “We have a fun game, and we know it works. Beta doesn’t provide you the sheer numbers that you need, though, to find out where the rivets are going to pop under extreme pressure. This touches everything: the registration and install process, the new user experience, server scalability, economy balance, distributing player load… everything.”
Do note that this “throne war PC MMO” has always been planned as a buy-to-play title with an optional sub, so you should read up on the business model before leaping in. We’re keeping an eye on the game’s population too. Stay tuned for later today, when we’ll deliver our launch impressions from the last few weeks of beta! [Edit: That’s live now.] And of course, ArtCraft is streaming today at noon EDT.
Our top coverage of the game through its whole development:
Crowfall PvP MMO Game is Live: Highly anticipated dark fantasy online world puts players in control
AUSTIN, Texas, July 6, 2021 — ArtCraft Entertainment, an Austin, Texas-based independent game studio, today announced the commercial launch of its genre defining, competitive PvP MMORPG, Crowfall™. Gamers looking for a new take on player vs. player (PvP) battles will be right at home in Crowfall with an innovative design that thrusts them into constantly changing campaign worlds, each one with different maps, politics and rule-sets. For a first look at this world, check out the new Crowfall Launch Trailer, Glory, Wealth and Power.
“Crowfall represents a new frontier of online gaming,” explains Crowfall Creative Director J. Todd Coleman. “It was designed to be a constantly changing, dynamic feudal world. The story of Crowfall will be written by the players. They will claim territory, build massive fortifications, lay siege to their neighbors, forge alliances and topple empires. Their deeds will become the history of this world.”
Crowfall breaks from traditional Massively Multiplayer Online game design in other ways, as well. With an incredibly fast advancement curve, players can become competitive in hours—but the deep and multi-faceted advancement system (which allows millions of unique combinations of race, class, promotion class and subclass disciplines) provides months or years of exploration for players who want to master the intricacies of combat, harvesting and crafting.
“Most games force the player through hundreds of hours of questing to reach the ‘end game’ experience,” said Coleman. “We decided to shortcut that, and put players right into the action. In Crowfall, the end game IS the game.”
Happy Launch Day!
Tune in to the Crowfall July Community Livestream TODAY 11 AM CDT // 6 PM CESTCelebrate Crowfall's Launch with the team and find out what's next as we start our journey!
We are so thankful for our Crows, without you we would not be here!#crowsofafeather pic.twitter.com/QJXEKdI0T5
— Crowfall (@CrowfallGame) July 6, 2021
