PUBG Dev Reveals Newest Game: A Steampunk Fantasy MMORPG

Bluehole, the folks behind PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, have just announced their second game. And it’s, uh… it’s not what you’re expecting, I can promise you that.



Called Ascent: Infinite Realm, otherwise known as A:IR, this high-fantasy steampunk MMORPG is being published by Kakao Games, the folks behind Black Desert Online, another high-fantasy MMORPG that was pretty much only remarkable for its comprehensive character creator tool. This game looks to stand out from the others in the MMO crowd with a focus on the steampunk setting and what they’re calling Realm vs Realm PvP, or RvR:

In RvR, factions fight for fame and glory, taking turns to lead offensive and defensive efforts using all kinds of fantastical flying vehicles. Players can also join the fight from the ground with mechs and the use of anti-air artillery to fight airborne threats―or initiate ground based aerial attacks depending on the map and strategy.

Various strategic weapons such as cannons, mines and attack buffs are at each faction’s disposal to tip the balance in their favour. The combination of ground-based and aerial combat makes each fight strategically challenging and dynamic.

The game looks, um… bad? I have to admit that despite the lag and the fact much of it looks air-lifted straight from the dozens upon dozens of Asian MMOs on the market, I’m a really easy lay when it comes to steampunk and server-wide PvP. Fortunately, not everyone is as blinded by the premise as I am, and so far reception to the news has been chilly, especially since Bluehole probably has no business releasing a second game when their first is still so broken.

Regardless, they predict that the game will be available in beta form come the first half of 2018. It’s possible we’ll get more details by then, but equally possible we’ll forget this exists altogether. Let’s see which actually happens.