Newcomer MMORPG 'Bless Online' Arrives on Steam Early Access

“Bless Online,” an all-new massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), has arrived on Steam Early Access.

Early access to the game commenced Monday, May 28, for players who purchased the game's Founder’s Pack (starting at $40). Meanwhile, those who bought the base edition of the game, for $30, can start playing "Bless Online" on Wednesday, May 30.

In a press release (via Gamasutra) developers from Neowiz described “Bless Online” as a buy-to-play game. This means that access to the game only requires a one-time payment and any post-launch content will be available to players without any added cost. However, Neowiz confirmed that the players can still purchase additional cosmetic items that will grant them with special XP boosts.

“It has been an incredibly long journey for all of us making Bless,” said Sungjin Ko, executive producer of Neowiz Bless Studio. “Bless has always been a labor of love, and with the Steam version of our game, we think we’ve created the best possible 'Bless Online' experience for players. But today is only the beginning. We have loads of new content in the works, including new classes, new dungeons, new PVP scenarios, and more. We cannot wait to show you all everything there is to this massive fantasy world.”

Although the game is joining an already abundant list of MMORPGs, reports note that “Bless Online” is packed with gameplay elements that introduce a fresh take of the genre. For example, players will have the chance to tame one or some of the 660 distinct creatures to be added to the game.

While “Bless Online” is an MMORPG where players will join battles between opposing teams with up to 100 participants, developers still added an option to join PvP sessions, which can be a good in-game break from the massive fights.

Players can choose which side to fight with as “Bless Online” allows players to select among seven distinct races that belong to three different factions.

The game’s plot revolves around the never-ending struggle for power between the Hieron and the Union factions. The third faction is simply Neutral and composed of a single race described as travelers from a different continent looking for a new home.

Neowiz is yet to announce the full version release of “Bless Online.”