Inside sources confirm delay
Korean media, citing inside sources at NCSoft, has reported that the highly anticipated MMORPG Throne and Liberty has been delayed, with a new release date set for October 2023. The game is now expected to launch simultaneously in South Korea and worldwide, with distribution handled by Amazon Games. Additionally, a closed beta test (CBT) is planned for both regions at the end of May, though participation requirements have yet to be disclosed.
Internal disagreement on delay
The decision to delay the release of Throne and Liberty came after internal discussions at NCSoft, with not all team members in agreement. Senior Vice President Kim Taek-heon, who oversees NCSoft's business operations, reportedly pushed for the delay, insisting that the game be released during the second half of the year.
Collaboration with Amazon Games
On April 19th, NCSoft's Throne and Liberty development and business organization met with Amazon Games' distribution business team to establish a collaborative system. A source familiar with the situation, quoted on April 20th, stated, "At the end of May, NC and Amazon decided to conduct 'TL' CBT in Korea and North America, respectively."
Simultaneous release planned
Although NCSoft and Amazon Games initially had no plans for a simultaneous release, the source added, "They have decided on a plan to open at the same time and reduce the gap in terms of service as much as possible."
Earlier rumors of delays
The original release date for Throne and Liberty was scheduled for May 2023. However, industry analysts speculated that the collaboration with Amazon Games and competition from the upcoming Diablo IV release prompted management to postpone the game's launch. This information, initially leaked a few days ago, appears to have been corroborated by the recent reports from Korean media. An official announcement has not yet been made. For more information on the earlier rumors, visit our previous coverage.
