With the deepest character customization of any game currently on the market, Black Desert Online allows for unprecedented detail in character creation. Its intuitive controls, beautifully designed world, and extensive lore will enthrall both newcomers and veterans of MMO games and action RPGs.
The upcoming Western release will differ in many ways from the already launched Russian and Korean services, such as the game's balancing, progression and monetization model.
Black Desert Online has sold 400.000 copies in its first month on the European and North American markets, and is expected to become one of Korea's most successful games in the West as it is drawing exceptionally favorable early responses with its new player base.
"Considering the upward trend, I expect that the game will achieve over one million sales this year. What’s impressive is these figures far exceed those in the domestic market," Daum Games Europe CEO Min Kim said in an interview in Seoul, last Wednesday.
Daum Games attributes much of the success to adopting a premium business model for Western audiences as opposed to the free-to-play model used in Korea. After purchasing the game once, players have access to all content updates for free as they become available. Daum Games is planning to catch up on the Korean service by delivering near-monthly content updates for European and North American players to enjoy.
Furthermore, Black Desert Online’s cash shop is also performing extremely well. "A game with a buy-to-play business model normally has a much lower conversion rate for paid in-game items compared to free-to-play games," explains Kim. "But Black Desert Online is recording a much higher pay ratio than the average 11 percent normally seen in free-to-play games."
Black Desert Online now boasts an average of 100.000 concurrent users.
Key Features
- A beautifully designed open world that’s as expansive as it is alive
- Heart-pounding skill-based combat
- Unprecedented character customization with incredible detail
- Crisp next-generation graphics
- Extensive open world PvP modes (Arena mode, guild vs guild, node wars, castle siege, and more)
- Engaging story with deep lore and epic quests
- Unique farming system - grow and perfect your crops
- A personalized stable - catch, tame, and breed wild horses
- Deep crafting, housing, fishing, hunting, and alchemy systems
- Intuitive action gameplay complete with gamepad support
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