Team Update - Kazeros Release Plans

[p]Heroes of Arkesia,[/p][p]In our previous team update, we discussed that we’d been reviewing lots of feedback around the Kazeros The First clear race along with the raid release plans. Today, we’re sharing an updated plan based around player feedback to ensure the release of the climactic battle against Kazeros is the best experience possible for the Lost Ark community.[/p][h2]Updated Release Plan[/h2][p]We’ve been reviewing player feedback and collaborating heavily with Smilegate RPG to customize the release plan and find the solution that best meets the needs of the Western Playerbase. We investigated several release plans but ultimately decided on the raid rollout listed below. You can dive into the final version of the plan, including dates and commentary on our reasoning for selecting this release plan.[/p][h3]Major November Update - November 19[/h3][p]Kazeros Raid: Act 4 and Kazeros Raid Denouement: Final Day will be released together as part of the major November Update on November 19. We were initially hesitant to release both raids on the same day as it could be overwhelming for players, but when looking through various scenarios, we think this will best meet the needs of our diverse playerbase for the following reasons:[/p]

• [p]For the top raiders, this will grant a practice window to level the playing field against players who have been practicing in other regions.[/p]
• [p]For hardcore players, this will be a lot of content, especially when talking about multiple characters, but should prove to be an exciting update as players progress through one battle after another. If Hard or Normal mode for Denouement proves to be too much for the first week, there will be second week to clear before the first round of Frontier nerfs.[/p]
• [p]For less hardcore players, where clearing as fast as possible is not a top priority and who enjoy the assistance of the Frontier System, this will allow a natural progression into the Frontier System in Denouement if the first few weeks after the update are spent learning Act 4. While normally we’d want to ensure that everyone is able to experience the original form of the fight before the Frontier system, Kazeros Raid Denouement will have a difficult version preserved for the foreseeable future with The First Mode allowing players to have a challenging experience on demand, even if they miss it in the first few weeks.[/p]

[h3]Kazeros the First Race - December 3[/h3][p]The First Mode (along with first clear race) will unlock two weeks later, on December 3, along with the first wave of Frontier Adjustments for both Kazeros Raid: Act 4 and Kazeros Raid Denouement: Final Day. We chose this date for 3 reasons:[/p]

1. [p]This will help level the playing field against players who have been practicing in other regions, by giving players two weeks to experience Hard Mode. While The First Mode will still present a greater challenge, this preparation time should help address a top concern amongst the broader community.[/p]
2. [p]We also saw concerns that the race would be taking place during North American holidays, which would prevent players from participating. This date will ensure players in North America are home and ready to play.[/p]
3. [p]The first wave of the Frontier Nerfs will allow players to reclear homework content faster than normal, for players who want to try their hand at The First Mode, without sacrificing the rewards from reclearing Act 4 and Denouement.[/p]

[h3]In Game After Race Leaderboards – After Top 10[/h3][p]The in-game After Race leaderboards will unlock during the weekly update after the leaderboard is full. This event will live in-game for the duration of the First Mode (until it ends at a future date, which is to be determined) allowing players to score their fastest clear time on character-based leaderboards and be rewarded with exclusive cosmetics and prizes![/p][p]We hope this mode will prove fun for players who want to improve and prove they are skillful enough to master the battle against the Lord of the Abyss. While all players can participate in this secondary leaderboard event, our primary enforcement focus and restrictions remain centered around the First Clear Race for Kazeros, as the rewards for the After Race are on a rolling weekly grant. Seasonal Rewards are subject to additional reviews when the event ends at a date to be determined. Should an account on the After Race Leaderboard be found in new violation of our ToS, Code of Conduct, or event conditions, there may be action taken against the offending player, depending on the violation. This includes account-wide disadvantages, such as invalidating the clear’s eligibility, removing achieved ranking records and event rewards or an account ban.[/p][h3]Looking Ahead[/h3][p]We have seen a lot of player questions about the race and policies and will share the full policy document in the near future as we head toward the race. In the meantime, we hope the dates are helpful as you begin to determine your plans to meet the Lord of the Abyss in battle next month. We appreciate the passion and feedback we’ve seen from players on this topic and will continue to factor in the community’s voice to find the best path forward![/p]