This Week in RPGs – July 2nd, 2023

Happy weekend from Fextralife! If you’ve been too busy to keep up on the latest in the games we cover or are looking for a refresher we’ve got you covered! Here’s a bite-sized version of the Top RPG news of the week. Taste all the latest news across the Fextralife Wiki Network.

Check out the video above and read on for the text!

Lost Ark

• Lost Ark got a host of new content announcements for the ARPG. Smilegate RPG’s LOA ON SUMMER event provided exciting updates and plans for Lost Ark. Specifically, they catered to the interests of fans eagerly awaiting new content. While the entire showcase is a preview of what’s to come immediately in the Korean version, a lot of the QoL changes will find their way into the West much earlier. 
• Held last June 24th, the LOA ON SUMMER announcement was a 3-hour-long showcase. Amazon Games Studios took the time to outline some of the changes we’ll be getting much earlier. This is separate from the Lost Ark Roadmap 2023 which was revealed back in April. 
• July will bring a wave of quality-of-life changes to enhance the overall player experience and prepare the ground work for the major progression updates coming in August. These changes include more accessible progression mechanics such as increased success rates for honing gear, reduced requirements for honing materials and gold costs. 
• As there was a lot announced here’s a quick rundown on some of the major news. A new Soul Eater class will be introduced. This dark knight-type class uses a scythe weapon. A new 8-player Vykas Legion Raid will be coming to the game. This will be the first Legion Raid to be coming to the Western version of the game.
• A new power growth system will be released in future called the Transcendence system. It will make use of a new progression mechanic. Future details are expected later in September.
• Players can also look forward to the new Super Express event letting players level up much faster and the new Maharaka Festival summer event which offers new activities and rewards.
• Before we get into more RPG news, we just want to thank Roccat & Turtlebeach for sponsoring us! Get a gear discount down in the description below.

For more on this news find it here in Lost Ark LOA ON SUMMER 2023 Reveals Plans for the Game Moving Forward.

Atelier Ryza 3

• Atelier Ryza, the budding alchemical protege, has a lot to celebrate. Her game trilogy has sold a surprising number of copies worldwide. 
• The Atelier Ryza series celebrates a remarkable milestone as it surpasses 2 million copies sold worldwide! Koei Tecmo and Gust, the publisher, and developer, proudly announced this achievement on Twitter. The series has moved an additional 400,000 units since its last report on March 17th.
• Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key made a strong debut when it was released on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam on March 24, 2023. As of April 27, 2023, it has shipped and digitally sold an impressive 300,000 units worldwide. While this is certainly an impressive feat, it is important to remember that the earlier entries in the series also played a part in the overall success.
• In this latest entry, players got to explore a vast open world, seamlessly connected with multiple maps. The open world is a series first and allowed players unrestricted movement and a heightened sense of freedom. A groundbreaking addition to Atelier Ryza 3 was the introduction of the “Keys” system. These enigmatic artifacts possessed unknown powers that unlocked various gameplay features. 
• As with all news mentioned in this video, if you want to know more the link is in the description below.

For more on this news find it here in Atelier Ryza Series Collectively Sell Over 2 Million Copies.

Remnant 2

• We got a new trailer for Remnant 2 which will be unleashing on July 25th. The new video focuses on the area of N’Erud. This decaying biome is full of echoes of the past. A science lab is overgrown with what looks to be escaped experiments just waiting to greet players. We see although the location has power, creatures are wandering the landscape. AI robots also whizz about doing some jobs left over from the time before.
• What makes this footage so eerie is its quiet surroundings, with occasional whooshes of opening doors. Then there’s the crawling on all fours, backward beings that scuttle in and out of camera view. 
• This new setting for the sequel Remnant 2 looks big and dangerous. The video description explains that the “denizens, the Dryzr” have uncovered a supermassive black hole that could lead to revealing the “mysteries of creation”. However, what exactly has happened to the Dryzr in the process is even more curious.
• Remnant 2 will launch July 25th for PC, Playstation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

For more on this news find it here in Remnant 2 Unveils N’Erud Biome in New Trailer.

Guild Wars 2 Secrets of the Obscure Expansion

• A new expansion is heading to the long-running MMORPG Guild Wars 2. The fourth expansion Secrets of the Obscure will be released on August 22nd this year.
• Taking place in the new region of Tyria, the Crystal desert which is situated in the skies. Players will embark upon exploring two new maps at launch with a further map coming in a future update.
• The expansion not only brings a new region but a new mount the Skycale, letting you soar through the skies. New Masteries will grant new abilities to help explore this new area beyond the clouds. Plus new combat options that hone in on new specialisations for each profession
• In this new chapter players are called upon to join forces with the Astral Ward, a valiant group dedicated to defending Tyria against the encroaching Kryptis forces. These malevolent entities emerge through rifts in reality, launching a siege on the celestial domain of Amnytas.

For more on this news find it here in Guild Wars 2: Secrets of the Obscure Expansion to Release this August.

Baldur’s Gate 3

• Major news this week for upcoming full launch of Baldur’s Gate 3. It turns out the game will be leaving early access at least for PC 4 weeks earlier than expected.
• In a surprising turn of events, in a world filled with countless different delays for various reasons, Larian Studios has decided to move up the release date. This is a surprising move, considering the amount of delays and postponements that happen in gaming development. So instead of launching on August 31st like originally announced, the game will now be released on August 3rd.
• The downside? The PlayStation 5 version has been delayed to September 6th. This means it will be arriving in the same month as another awaited major RPG Starfield. 
• Larian Studios has announced that the development of Baldur’s Gate 3 for the PS5 edition requires additional time to achieve the desired 60 frames per second. Rather than compromising on quality, the studio has decided to postpone the game until it meets its standards.
• Regarding the Xbox version of BG3, Larian acknowledged the technical limitations of the Series S console as a potential roadblock. While the studio remains optimistic about bringing the game to the Xbox Series X, their priority is to ensure optimal performance across the entire Series X|S ecosystem.
• As for version 1.0 there is plenty to look forward to as the CRPG comes out of early access. In fact we’ve rounded up details in a recent video which goes into details about the new classes, races, companions and much more. Two new races have been confirmed, new class Monk and new subclasses. Be sure to visit our Baldur’s Gate 3 wiki as we’ll be adding all the latest info as it releases.
• Baldur’s Gate 3 will be leaving early access on August 3rd for PC.

For more on this news find it here in Baldur’s Gate 3 Will Surprisingly Be Released 4 Weeks Earlier, at Least on PC and Baldur’s Gate 3 Launch Details Show Off New Classes, Races, Companions, and More!.

Final Fantasy XVI

• The Action-RPG Final Fantasy 16 has now reached a massive 3 million in copies sold worldwide says developer Square Enix. The title which launched on Playstation 5 on June 22nd has already this staggering amount. The news was announced via the official game’s Twitter account.
• In case you missed it, the latest entry into the long-running franchise goes a touch darker than previous entries. Shaking up combat has the main character being able to channel the power of Eikons as a Dominant. This means being able to fight in human form and utilising major powerful moves as a Dominant. This is a departure from entries past, where characters could use summon moves.
• This entry is a much darker rendition, set to bring not only emotional damage but a story about sides vying for power. In our review, we gave it a 9.3, which is high praise. It takes the “core elements” of the franchise adding new features. Be sure to check out our video if you want to know why Cas called it one of his “favourite entries in the series”.
• If you’re about to venture into the world of Valisthea check out our Final Fantasy XVI Beginner Guide.

For more on this news find it here in Final Fantasy 16 Surpasses 3 Million Copies Sold.

Pathfinder Abomination Vaults

• The ARPG set in the Pathfinder’s immersive world has now smashed its original Kickstarter goal. That means it’s fully funded which is great news.
• Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults is being developed by Quebec-based developer BKOM Studios. They are doing something quite different to the usual video games based on the pen-and-paper roleplaying game. This time developing an Action-RPG that can be played in co-op.
• The game can be played as a single-player or in co-op with up to four players. Couch co-op is also promised. Players can venture as either a barbarian, wizard, cleric, or ranger.
• What’s most interesting about this game is the deviation from turn-based or strategy-based combat. Previously we’ve had titles such as Pathfinder Wrath of the Righteous or Pathfinder Kingmaker. Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults is however inspired by the 2E ruleset and taking those elements into action-based combat.
• This isn’t the only recent Pathfinder title to be announced in development by BKOM. The spinoff bullet hell roguelite Pathfinder Gallowspire Survivors was also revealed.
• Pathfinder Abomination Vaults will be coming to PC via Steam and GOG.

For more on this news find it here in Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults Kickstarter is Now Fully Funded.

Wo Long Fallen Dynasty

• Two major games inspired by ancient China have now collided in an epic crossover. Wo Long Fallen Dynasty the Action-RPG has gotten a collaboration with the fast-paced action title Naraka: Bladepoint. This free update arrived this week with players gaining both the “Loyal Drunk” and “Crimson Night” equipment sets.
• There are some quality-of-life updates such as being able to now equip 8 Wizardy Spells. Players will also be able to store Genuine Qi and hold onto it even when they die.
• One big ticket item in this update is the addition of 10 new Wizardry Spells. New spells can be obtained by gaining the item Hidden Tomes. Tomes are dropped by defeating bosses on the Path of the Rising Dragon and further.
• But that’s not the only addition. The game is getting a new DLC Battle of Zhongyuan which adds further content and challenge for the brave. Wo Long players will gain access to this paid DLC which grants further stages, enemies, a new difficulty level, a further weapon type and more.
• The paid DLC adds new weapon category called cestuses which is available at the beginning of the game. This new fist weapon type certainly packs a punch and will drop at random. A further difficulty mode called “Path of the Soaring Dragon” adds more challenge to the game. Players will need to have conquered a certain number of battlefields before this is made available.
• Wo Long Fallen Dynasty is available on PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One and PC. The Battle of Zhongyuan DLC is now available alongside the free update Ver. 1.10.

For more on this news find it here in Wo Long Crossover with Naraka: Bladepoint and Zhongyuan DLC Now Available.

Well, that’s it for the Week in Wikis. Please join us next week for yet another great week of gaming! Remember to check out our VIP program for some exclusive supporter benefits, and budding writers should take advantage of our Become an Author initiative! Thanks again for being a part of this great community. Keep checking in with us for news, reviews, YouTube streams and vids, and general wiki goodness!

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