NCSoft’s MMORPG Throne and Liberty is rolling out a fresh challenge this week that’s anything but ordinary. The 12-player raid, The Altar of Calanthia, officially opens on June 26 for both consoles and PC, marking the climax of the ongoing Road to Raid event that started on May 29.
For those not in the know, Calanthia is a witch with a dark past. She destroyed the Isle of Children, and now, along with the Arkeum Legion, she serves the commands of Kazar. Her goal? To gather the star fragments of Sylaveth and unlock devastating powers. Sounds intense, right?
The Raid’s Design and Difficulty Tiers
In an exclusive with Game Rant, Jaehyeon Kim, NCSoft’s Lead World Content Designer, and Daniel Lafuente, the Globalization Design Manager, shared insights on why this raid is being added now and what players can expect.
Kim explained that raids bring a level of complexity and teamwork that goes beyond typical party play. They wanted a weekly, long-form challenge that pushes players to coordinate and commit. But what about matchmaking? That’s usually a nightmare for large groups in MMOs, right? Lafuente says the raid will have three difficulty tiers: Normal, Difficult, and Nightmare. Normal and Difficult will be available at launch, with Nightmare coming a few weeks later.
Players can queue for matchmaking on Normal difficulty, but the devs recommend teaming up with friends or guildmates. The higher tiers, however, are strictly for pre-made groups, emphasizing strategic planning and communication. Lafuente notes that success in these more challenging modes relies heavily on practiced execution, so grab your crew!
What to Expect in the Raid
The interview also touched on the kinds of enemies players will face. While the details are a bit under wraps, the team clearly wants to challenge players’ coordination skills. If you’re curious, check out the full interview for some handy tips from the devs.
Throne and Liberty has been free-to-play since its launch on consoles and PC last year, with Amazon publishing the title. It’s been steadily updated with fresh events, fixes, and content. The community reception has been quite positive, which is impressive considering the crowded market of free-to-play MMOs.
What do you think about this raid mode? Are you hyped to jump into The Altar of Calanthia and tackle those tiers with your squad?
