Free-to-Play MMO dominates SteamDB rankings after successful relaunch

First launched in 2012, Royal Quest Online was discontinued in 2017, likely due to a lack of players. Now, developers 1C Online Games and Forward Gateway are giving the game a second chance. The relaunch on December 19 introduced four new servers, two for America, one for Asia and one for Europe, but no apparent updates were made to the graphics or gameplay.

Royal Quest Online remains a free-to-play MMORPG set in the fantasy world of Elenia, home to creatures like goblins, werewolves, orcs and dragons. Players can choose from four main classes, warrior, mage, hunter and thief, each branching into two sub-classes. For example, warriors can specialize as crusaders for tanking or as dark knights for dealing damage. The game features a classic tab-targeting combat system, familiar to fans of titles like World of Warcraft, Ragnarok Online and Lineage II.

Alongside quests and dungeons, Royal Quest Online includes PVP battles through castle conquests. Guilds compete for control of key fortresses, which provide not only prestige but also valuable resources and a steady income. A fresh addition is the option to trade rare items on the integrated Steam marketplace, offering a new incentive for dedicated farmers.

"Very positive" reviews on Steam

Just days after its relaunch, Royal Quest Online has already amassed over 1,000 reviews on Steam, with 81 percent being positive. On SteamDB, the MMO currently tops the "Popular Releases" rankings. However, the game has faced criticism for its pay-to-win mechanics, allowing players to gain significant advantages through real-money purchases, such as faster leveling or stronger gear. This has sparked frustration within the Reddit community, where some users also describe the gameplay as generic and uninspiring. Still, for MMO enthusiasts, it might be worth checking out, especially since Royal Quest Online is completely free to play on Steam.