Amazon’s new free MMORPG hits impressive Steam peak during $40 early access

Throne and Liberty, a game that has been in development at NCSoft since the Stone Age (2011), has finally hit Steam in early access. Despite its long time cooking behind the scenes, the title has captivated an absolutely massive audience ahead of its full release in a period where you still have to pay to play the game. Clearly, the cost of starting the game ahead of its free-to-play launch was no deterrent for many as the game’s peak player count is already reaching massive new highs.

Throne and Liberty is a game that’s been lurking under the surface for a very, very long time, especially for those who follow the MMORPG space consistently. Games with a development cycle of over a decade don’t often launch with as much fanfare as Throne and Liberty has.

The MMO kicked off its early access on Thursday September 26, and instantly skyrocketed up the Steam player count charts. According to SteamDB, the game’s all-time peak player count reached a whopping 53,884 on that same Thursday.

To put this player count into perspective, when Throne and Liberty fully launches on Tuesday October 1, it will be a completely free Steam game. The players blowing up the Steam charts right now are those who’ve opted to buy the $40 early access pack, which is entirely optional and is merely the entre level as some paid even higher amounts, making the number just that much more impressive.

The game has been such a success so far that the Throne and Liberty developers announced on Saturday September 28 that the server population cap for American players would be increased to allow even more players to hop in and play.

Although it’s still early days, and it’s always tricky to tell if an MMORPG has the legs to last a long time, many signs are pointing up for Throne and Liberty, showing it might be a new mainstay in the genre.

If you’re interested in beefing up before you head in, our guide to all current Throne and Liberty codes will help you get a little something for free, and our best Throne and Liberty weapons guide will give you a head start when tackling the MMO’s developing meta.

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