Capcom will be releasing a new online open world action RPG this year based on its 2012 release, Dragon's Dogma.
Announced in this week's Weekly Famitsu, Dragon's Dogma Online is made to essentially be the original Dragon's Dogma, but fully online. The game was initially developed in parallel to the expansion, Dragon's Dogma Dark Arisen, and will allow players to battle monsters together in the same action-based manner of the original game.
The plot of Dragon's Dogma Online will revolve around a mystic "white dragon." Due to unknown reasons, the dragon has been weakened, and in order to resolve this problem, the white dragon seeks out scores of people, making them all Arisen to fight for it.
While the original game had some online elements – namely the Pawn system where players could share NPC versions of their characters – a fully online version was actually contrary to the initial concept of the game. " Dragon's Dogma was made with the concept of 'enjoying with a mild hint of connectivity' during a time when many online games were being released." director Kento Kinoshita said in an interview. "However, we had to consider the requests of Dragon's Dogma players and consider the advancement and evolution of the series, so I thought to myself, 'we should try to see if it can be done.'"
According to the developers, the world of Dragon's Dogma Online will be roughly the same size as the world of Dragon's Dogma, but will be expanded over subsequent updates to roughly 3 times its original size. The main story will also be continuously updated in "seasons," with each season serving as a full chapter in the story.
When creating a character, players will initially be able to select a character class from among 4 types: Fighter, hunter, priest, and shield sage. Other classes will be offered, although it is unclear as to how or if you can switch between classes.
Players will be able to create teams of up to 4 members, including AI pawns, to explore and battle creatures in the expansive open world. The game will have lobbies where up to 100 players can mingle and socialize before forming teams to go forth on their adventure.
For Dragon's Dogma Online, the game will focus on the action, offering things often seen in other online RPGs, like the ability to use characters as jumping boards or to climb on enemies to attack at close range.
Dragon's Dogma Online is scheduled for release in Japan on the PS3, PS4, and PC platforms in 2015. No word on an international release. The game will be free-to-play with payable elements.
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