For some reason the idea of living in a grim medieval world is an enduring and appealing one. As if life doesn’t already have enough problems, there’s something in our brains that looks at a medieval peasant grubbing about in the dirt which spits out a tiny molecule of endorphin. With the return of Life is Feudal: MMO to Steam, that fantasy comes to life again, with lashings of mud, hanging corpses, and forbidding castles.
Originally released back in 2017 as a spinoff from the earlier Life is Feudal: Your Own, Life is Feudal MMO was a completely open sandbox MMORPG which allowed you to choose your own path through a medieval world. You could attempt to rise the ranks as a warrior, becoming a knight, forming a guild, and building a colossal fortress together, or you could simply live in that world, chopping down trees and living as a farmer.
In 2021, however, the game was shuttered following a reported dispute between developer Bitbox and the game’s publisher, Xsolla. For two years the MMO languished in purgatory before being revived by new developer and publisher Long Tale Games in 2023. Since then the MMO has been playable through the developer’s own website with a switch from being free to play to requiring a subscription.
Now, Long Tale Games has announced that the MMO is making its return to Steam along with a 2024 roadmap and a new ‘Balance Restoration Campaign’ event, aimed at bringing back previous players of Life is Feudal: MMO. This event will reward players who made any prior purchases in the game with a new LiF Coin currency which can be exchanged for subscription time.
“We are incredibly excited to bring Life is Feudal: MMO to a wider audience through Steam and to give back to our community with the balance restoration campaign,” publishing director at Long Tale Games Evgenii Romin says. “This initiative shows our appreciation for our players’ support and aligns with our commitment to provide a fair and rewarding gaming experience for everyone.”
One of the things that sets Life is Feudal: MMO apart from the crowd is its focus on community. While it’s possible to play by yourself, the game hinges upon players coming together in varying ways. Forming a guild or participating in the game’s economy means all the difference between wasting your time and achieving your goals in its harsh, medieval world. After all, there’s no point breeding animals if there’s no-one to sell them to and there’s no point being a feudal lord of a vast dominion if your lands are empty.
Life is Feudal: MMO returns to Steam Thursday April 18. You can head over to Steam to join in, with subscriptions coming in at $14.99 per month. Players who have dipped toes into the game before, either in its previous incarnation or via the Long Tale Games website, will be able to claim some free gametime to kickstart their medieval adventures.
If you’re looking for something massively multiplayer that won’t hit your bank balance, check out our guide to the best free MMORPGs you can play on PC right now. Should your hunger for everything middle-ages be unsatisfied and you need a little more to fill your game-tummy, our guide to the best medieval games will set you in the right direction.
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