Despite the South Korea server for Asta announcing its closure recently, and the China server (under ChangYou) dead after Closed Beta (the official game website is gone), a surprising news sprung up today in the Korean media. Webzen will apparently be publishing Asta through its global portal, which includes North America and Europe. Webzen recently purchased OnNet as well.
Update: I was informed the Latin America server will be published by Axeso5, and Closed Beta will supposedly begin earlier than Webzen’s North America and Europe servers.
Developer Polygon Games, as quoted by the articles, will now seek success in the overseas market, while committing to improving Asta. Closed Beta is expected to start as early as later this year, although I am skeptical about the schedule. Still, there is no doubt Asta is getting a revival overseas, and it seems Webzen’s ambitions for global MMORPG domination is real. Stay tuned for updates!
Update: Official Press Release
Webzen, a global developer and publisher of free-to-play games, announces that the upcoming MMORPG ASTA, developed by Polygon Games, will be available later this year.
Today, Webzen has signed its latest partnership with developer Polygon Games in order to bring the Asian fantasy MMORPG ASTA to Western players through the global gaming portal.
ASTA – The War of Tears and Winds is a lively MMORPG featuring a rich world inspired by Asian culture, and offers a unique element of Asian fantasy along with vibrantly coloured graphics. ASTA will offer players a variety of options for races, classes and characters, along with classic MMO features like PVP battlegrounds and guild battles, a broad crafting system, scenarios and quests with rich lore, a player-driven economy and rewarding dungeons.
In line with the ‘Asian Fantasy’ theme, ASTA also features a moving soundtrack. This will incorporate a harmony of Eastern and Western instruments, composed by ‘Yang Bang-ean’, a world-famous composer responsible for the soundtrack of the game ‘Aion’.
Richard Sunmyoung Moon, Head of Global Business at Webzen, states: “We are very pleased to bring this new game to MMO enthusiasts in the West through our portal. Having years of service experience with free-to-play MMO games, we will work along with the developer to continuously localize and develop the game for the Western market.”
He also mentions: “We will announce a schedule for the title soon, and reveal more details regarding the lore and the game systems, as well as some truly stunning in-game assets.”
