Lost Ark is the Korean MMORPG praised for its stunning graphics, action-packed combat, and rich content. According to the official news, the game will launch in China on July 7th. And Tencent has already opened the game's official website and social media accounts in China and launched a pre-registration campaign that offers various rewards and benefits for players who sign up early.
Tencent has also revealed some of the features and content that will be available for Chinese players, such as:
•The game will have full voice acting in Chinese, featuring some of China's most famous and talented voice actors.
•The game will have exclusive costumes and mounts for Chinese players inspired by Chinese culture and mythology.
•The game will have a fair and balanced monetization system that respects players' time and investment.
•The game will have regular updates and events that match the global version of Lost Ark.
Due to China censorship, this game has to undergo drastic changes and modifications to comply with China's strict censorship rules and cultural preferences, so it is facing some controversy and criticism over its Chinese version. Some of these changes include:
•Change Zombies into humans.
•Covering up or altering some female characters' outfits, such as Vykas, the succubus NPC who seduces players with her words and appearance. In the Chinese version, Vykas wears a full armor suit that covers her entire body, leaving only her face and hair visible.
•Changing or deleting some of the religious or political references, such as the cross symbols on some of the buildings or items. In the Chinese version, the cross symbols are either removed or replaced by other shapes.
•Removing or toning down some of the blood and gore effects, such as the splatter of blood when enemies are hit or killed. In the Chinese version, the blood is either replaced by sparks or made white or black.
You can click here to see the more changes in the game.
These changes have sparked a heated debate among Lost Ark fans and gamers inside and outside China. Some of the reactions and opinions are:
• Some Chinese players are disappointed and frustrated by the censorship, as they feel that it ruins the original artistic vision and aesthetic of the game. They also worry that the censorship will affect the gameplay and immersion of Lost Ark, as well as its global competitiveness and reputation.
• Some Chinese players are indifferent or supportive of the censorship, as they understand that it is necessary to comply with China's regulations and preferences. They also appreciate that Tencent, the operator of Lost Ark in China, has promised to provide a fair and balanced monetization system and regular updates and events for Chinese players.
• Some non-Chinese players are outraged and disgusted by the censorship, seeing it as a violation of artistic freedom and human rights.
•Some non-Chinese players are indifferent or supportive of the censorship, as they see it as a separate issue that does not affect their version of Lost Ark. They also respect and sympathize with the Chinese players who have to deal with the censorship.
Conclusion
To cater to China's censorship, Lost Ark will spend a lot of human resources on Tencent Lost Ark, which means that the game's updates and progress will be slower for other version players. For example, Korean players have to wait for seven months for the Thaemine raid after the VolDICK raid. Also, I heard that Korea will only get two new skins in seven months.
So Lost Ark's launch in China has many challenges. They have to balance artistic integrity, player satisfaction, and regulatory compliance. It remains to be seen how Lost Ark will perform and evolve in China and how it will affect its global expansion and success.