The Future of Lost Ark: Highlights from the LOA ON Presentation

The long-awaited LOA ON presentation recently took place. We have compiled the key changes and features that await Lost Ark in the near future.

As a reminder, you can play Lost Ark on a low-end PC without downloads using the GFN.CO.KR gaming service.

1. Introduction of the New Class – "Guardian Knight"

A brand-new class, the "Guardian Knight," is set to be released, joining the Warrior archetype and wielding a halberd as her main weapon. The most significant feature of this class is her ability to summon draconic flames and transform into a mighty dragon. Her skill system is divided into three distinct types: Normal, Revelation, and Incarnation. Upon transformation, all of the character's active skills are replaced with new, powerful draconic abilities, while all equipped gems maintain their effects across both modes. This promises a unique and high-octane playstyle centered around switching between her human and dragon forms.

2. A New Endgame Structure: The Era of "Shadow Raids"

The game will introduce a completely new format of high-level content: "Shadow Raids." This content focuses on fighting Kakul-Saydon’s faction and his lieutenants, including prominent figures like Thaemine and Kharmine. Unlike traditional raids, Shadow Raids will be more condensed and dynamic; developers have eliminated long walks between bosses and reduced the time required to resolve lengthy mechanics. A shared revive system for the entire team has been introduced, alongside two new combat systems: the "Ramble Gauge," which allows the player to enter a different dimension for a short time to unleash empowered skills, and "Shadow Skills," which grant the ability to absorb and use boss abilities against them.

3. The Act 1 Climax and Massive World Expansion with Act 2

Lost Ark's storyline is entering a new phase, concluding Act 1 with a final one-on-one confrontation against Kazeros, set to be one of the longest story experiences in the game. This will be followed by the transition to Act 2, which begins with Kadarum Island and the introduction of a new continent: the Holy Empire of Sacria and the Sea of Aldebaran. With the launch of the new Act, the traditional "Adventurer's Tome" will be retired and replaced with a new local environment information collection system. Furthermore, Field Bosses will be replaced by a more challenging weekly World Boss, offering substantial rewards.

4. Radical Overhaul of Progression and Gold Economy

Developers have implemented a series of crucial system changes aimed at streamlining and optimizing progression. The most impactful is the removal of Gold costs for Tier 3 honing. To balance the economy, overall Gold earnings will be reduced, and Gold rewards for T3 content will become character-bound. Furthermore, the endgame progression system has been simplified: the mechanics of Elixirs and Transcendence have been entirely removed and integrated into the fourth row of the new "Ark Passive" Evolution Tree, which is intended to reduce the complexity of managing these parameters.

5. Massive Quality-of-Life Improvements and Content Streamlining

The game will receive numerous quality-of-life enhancements designed to improve player convenience. Guardian Raid maps will be significantly reduced in size to eliminate unnecessary travel time, and the "Pheromone Essence" item will be removed as redundant. To streamline older content, "Weekly Una Challenges," the Towers (Fatespire and Shadowspire), and all Hell Mode content will be removed from the game. Replacements for these older activities include new daily and weekly challenges, such as "The Rift of Chaos" replacing Kurzan Frontline and the "Hourglass of the Haal" replacing Ebony Cube.