Gaming: Level-up CEO on Ragnarok Online 2
As most of you guys know, Level-up Games is gearing up to release two major titles this year. The first game is Perfect World. The game focuses a lot on competition, especially with the city battle feature. Perfect World is also free-to-play and it is one of the most awarded MMORPGs in China. The second blockbuster game is the much awaited premium title - Ragnarok Online 2: Gate of the World. Developed by a team of engineers from South Korea and Japan, this game promises to be the next big thing in the Philippine online gaming industry. Unlike most games in the market today, Ragnarok Online 2 focuses a lot on community and quest aspects - making it light and fun. They also modified the job system, making it more customizable and giving players a chance to be truly unique. It’s also good to note that they’ve learned alot from RO1. In RO2, you can actually dye your armor and clothes and even customize facial and body features. There is also a competitive aspect looming as the RO2 War of Emperium is already under development. Let’s not forget that WoE is still the standard of competitive gaming here in the country. Anyway, our Chief Executive Officer, Jane Walker, recently was interviewed by GAME! Magazine on pRO2. Read on to see the interview transcript.
GAME! Magazine: Level Up! Games is currently on a roadshow showcasing its most successful title, Ragnarok Online, partly to entice new players and partly to bring back into the fold old players who felt alienated when issues on botting and hacking were still unresolved.
With Ragnarok Online 2 already in the pipeline, won’t the roadshow affect negatively whatever publicity or hype you have generated for the newer game?
Jane Walker: We always put the needs of the gamers above all else. The Ragnarok Online community is important to us and its continued loyalty and camaraderie inspires us to serve them even better. And with the great player turn out during the first few legs of the Ragna Rally, it is heartening to know that the diehard players appreciate our efforts.
The two games will attract a different set of gamers and we believe that our continued support for Ragnarok 1 is a confirmation of Level Up’s commitment which will have a positive effect on all our new contents including Ragnarok Online 2.
GAME!: When is Ragnarok Online 2 slated for release? When Level Up! Games releases this game, will it affect the market of its predecessor? Or will the company shut down Ragnarok Online in favor of increasing the market, and thereby ensuring the viability, of RO2?
Walker: Ragnarok 2 is an entirely different game. The original Ragnarok will continue to co-exist as its community is bound together by long term friendships developed through the years. Together with Gravity, Level Up is committed to support both games. As for the schedule of release, we are still ironing out the details with Gravity at this point.
- Source (Game Magazine Website)
Just a quick FYI: the Level-up Game Specialist team is now testing PW and RO2 here at the office. I’ll try to get them to contribute pictures and videos here from time to time so that you guys get a glimpse of everything happening here at the office. Ragnarok Online 2 and Perfect World are coming and that’s the bottom line, coz er… I said so. Lol. Sorry about that, I’m a huge wrestling fan. I’m kinda sure most of you have noticed by now already.
Rok On!
April 30th, 2007 at 1:14 pm
For me, RO2 will surely have a big impact on the RO1 community. After RPC 2006 the number of players in RO dwindled down dramatically and I can only imagine what will happen when RO2 is released.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Sana merong buy 1 take 1 heheehe.. pag nag buy ka ng game time sa RO2 kasama na din ung RO1
April 30th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Sana pareho kapareho ng ro1 yung game time rate ng ro2
April 30th, 2007 at 2:42 pm
Sir Wauks,
Pls clarify: Will RO2 be F2P (Free to Play) or would it also be a TUF (Top Up First) Game? Wish ko lang F2P rin ito.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Wow, lalong dumadami na mga MMO games ng LUG ah, sure win nanaman siguro sila sa susunod
.Anyways, what happened to hyperrelay? Alam ko meron LUG nun eh, pero di ko na maaccess yung website 
April 30th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
naku ayaw ko nyan 3d laki yan
naku lalu na pag seige rami malalag dyan
kung baga sa ragnarok medya lagh pag nag seige lagi pang sira yung britoniah yung mga map
e dyan pa kaya
wag nyo bura e2 plsss
April 30th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
It will probably be Pay-to-play. I’ll need to confirm with Gravity though. They haven’t decided yet on the final business model.
April 30th, 2007 at 4:48 pm
hmm sana malapit na ilabas tagal ko na inaantay eh…
miss ko na youth programs huhuhu sana ma oncall ako uli miss ko na mag events!!! miss ko na din yung ginagawa ko during ojt ko sa lug
April 30th, 2007 at 7:06 pm
April 30th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Yehey d mawawala yung RO1
April 30th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
I think what they could do is make RO2 P2P and then make RO1 F2P.
Or they could link up the gametime of both. Lets say 350 load for 1 Month unlimited play of RO2 and RO1.
April 30th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
Di mawawala RO1 mga tange, di ba kayo marunong magbasa ng ingles?
April 30th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
April 30th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
I’m having a blast with RO2! Screenies and videos to come soon.
May 1st, 2007 at 1:28 am
i agree sa game time..hehe..no offense po sir wauks..pro juz loading up RO mabigat na s bulsa..considering na college plang aq..taghrap p pera ngaun…sna example nlng..sa 1 week load ng RO1 mag free game time na 8 hrs 4 RO2..vice versa pra at least d bmba ung population ng RO1..nkkalungkot n dn kc icpin na from 5k players dti sa iris na ummabot p minsan ng 6-7k..ngaun down to 2k nlng..woe p un..pag normal days 1.3-1.5k tops…
another thing..gs2ng gs2 q tlga try RO2 when it comes out..kya lng d q n kkayanin magload ng 2 accounts..hop i made my point..
@sir wauks
stig u bro!(haha feeling close?) nhra lng kc q mkkakta ng mga tao n devoted tlga sa s career nya..kinda reminds me bout ung gokusen dunnno kng npanuod nyu un..hehe nwei un lng..keep RoK’in!!
May 3rd, 2007 at 8:34 pm
Sir Carlo,
…RO2 screenies and videos please.. and btw… what’s your IM? para ung mga NDAed stuff dun na lang. haha
May 9th, 2007 at 11:43 am
yeheyyyyyyyyyyyy~!!! RO1 will not be remove!!!!!!!!
MAHIRAP NA TALIKURAN ang kinalakihan =P
BUT for sure i will play RO2 pero try muna… marami tao nahihilo sa 3d games ahehehe.
Yep sana maging Free to play RO1 BUT NO MORE BOTS!!!! or kung inde pede free to play times 2 na ang load example. 350=1 month if may RO2 na 350=2 months. then 100=1week???? if ro2 100=2 weeks…. babawi na lang lvlup sa mga headgears na bebenta nyo. kaya naman e…
hurayyyyyyyyyyyy RO2 naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
can’t wait… hehehe
May 12th, 2007 at 11:42 am
Wish ko lang wala nang 3rd party program gaya ng bot para mas masaya.
May 24th, 2007 at 6:34 am
I’ve heard some rumors that levelupgames officially release Ragnarok2
on December 2007, But it’s not confirmed yet. As i heard after the Open beta test (OBT) on may 28th of these May will finalize the game (Not included the English version)….Hopefully levelupgames can lunched the game A.S.A.P after the OBT.
September 24th, 2007 at 6:42 am
mawwlan ng load ang RO1? :D back to RO 1 nah ahahahahahaah!! kelan b tlga release ng RO2? excited n ko eh >.