Buying Lost Ark: Is it free-to-play and does it have a subscription service
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If you’ve heard aboutAmazon’s new RPG you might be thinking about buying Lost Ark. After years in development, the Korean MMORPG is finally ready to go global. The game is now available now through various Founder Packs and will release to all players on February 11.
Smilegate’sDiablo-like MMO has exploded on Twitch already and it’s not even officially out. The title feels primed to become another smash hit, much in the vein ofNew World.
Working with a framework of isometric looters of old, Lost Ark is all about big spells and even bigger weapons. The fantasy title originally launched in December 2019 in Korea and has been rolling out slowly across the world since. It is finally hitting Europe and the US in full later this week though. Players all around the world are now running around, smashing all kind of dragons and monsters with wildly overpowered spells.
However, some might be wondering - how do you get into the game? Is it free-to-play? What goods can you get for buying the various packs? Getting your head around what to pick up is a little much, but don’t worry. If you are a little confused and want some easy answers, you’ll find them below.
Is Lost Ark free-to-play?
Lost Ark is free-to-play - or it will be. The game is currently in a 3-day early access period for paying customers, but as of February 11, the game will be free for everyone. Once it opens up, players will be able to jump in and try it to see if it is something they want to invest time and, potentially, money into.
Lost Ark has a ton of resources to spend money on if you want to. Does that make the game pay-to-win and how far does ‘free’ take you in the game? Well, it seems that money isn’t used to win, but instead speeds up the grind or resets timers. Everything you need to progress is available to free players, just at a slower rate.
If you’d like a detailed explanation about how far the free experience goes,this Reddit post is denseand goes over what you can expect as a non-paying player. The long and short of it though is that you should get plenty of hours of fun out of Lost Ark without paying anything.
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Does Lost Ark have a subscription fee?
It does not, but also… it sort of does. Just not in the traditional way you might think with MMOs. UnlikeWorld of Warcraft, for example, you don’t require a subscription to log in and play. Nor do you need it to get into new content.
However, there is a subscription-like item that you may want to consider buying. The Crystalline Aura is an item that gives a buff to timers, reduces the cost of fast travel, and allows gives you extra item slots. When you activate a Crystalline Aura it applies its effect to your character for 30 days.
The full list of benefits is below:
The Crystalline Aura costs 420 blue crystals and lasts for 30 days. After that, you will have to buy a new crystal to continue to get the benefits.
However, there is good news if you are an Amazon Prime member. If you have it, you can head over toPrime Gaming you can pick up the Lost Ark Battle Pack for free.This comes with a Crystalline Aura included.
What to buy? Lost Ark Founder Pack tiers and what comes in them
Now, while Lost Ark is free-to-play, there are of course ways you can invest in the game right now. These are the Founder Packs, and they come with a tiered system. Getting any of them will let you start playing the game from right now as each offers 3-day early access until the game launches on February 11.
However, there are four editions you can buy with various levels of access. The rewardsas listed on the Lost Ark websiteare:
Bronze
Price: $14.99, £13.20, AU$19.95
Silver
Price: $24.99, £21.99, AU$33.96
Gold
Price: $49.99, £43.99, AU$66.50
Platinum
Price: $99.99, £87.99, AU$132.95
Looking for other free games?
Patrick Dane is TechRadar Gaming’s Guides Editor. With nearly a decade in the games press, he’s been a consistent voice in the industry. He’s written for a plethora of major publications and travelled the world doing it. He also has a deep passion for games as a service and their potential to tell evolving stories. To wit, he has over 2000 hours in Destiny 2, over 1000 in Overwatch and is now deeply into Valorant.
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