Dreamate Games has released its magical steampunk RPG New Arc Line in Steam Early Access. Previously, the developers got into a scandal because of the Czech publisher Fulqrum Publishing, which has Russian roots.
Dreamate Games has released its magical steampunk RPG New Arc Line in Steam Early Access. Previously, the developers got into a scandal because of the Czech publisher Fulqrum Publishing, which has Russian roots.
«Before you jump into adventure and riches, it’s important to note that the game is in early access — you won’t be able to complete your character’s story at this time. We are extremely grateful to everyone who decides to support us and join our development path», — Dreamate Games said.
New Arc Line is an old-school turn-based single-player party RPG. It’s set in a golden age of magic and steampunk technology, where «elves, dwarves, and mysterious creatures» coexist with steampunk gadgets, zeppelins, and Tesla guns.
According to the developers, in the early access version, players will be able to complete about a quarter of the main story and a third of the total content that they plan to add to the game. Depending on the chosen difficulty level and play style, this will take approximately 10-12 hours.
«One of the main areas we want to focus on is optimization and the technical state of the game. Thanks to the various tests and early feedback we’ve received, we’ve been able to improve the game significantly since the release of the demo version last month», — says the studio.
The release of the full version should take place in a year, along with a major update. In addition to new game races, abilities, spells, recipes for crafting items, quests, and locations, New Arc Line will feature various new game systems and features. In particular, a system of subclasses for further customization of characters, a hub for recreation and the ability to develop romantic relationships with companions.
Although the developers previously promised to add a full Ukrainian localization to the project, including voice acting, currently only English language support is indicated on the game’s Steam page. In the Ukrainian region, New Arc Line is sold for UAH 352 with a 15% discount, in addition, it is available in Russia, where it has the lowest regional price — UAH 226 (almost 37% cheaper than in Ukraine).
At the end of the summer, user X (Twitter), who called himself a former employee of Dreamate Games, claimed that «most likely the company is already in catastrophic debt», 75% of employees have been sent on unpaid leave, and the development of the New Arc Line may be canceled. The studio denied his words and said that they will soon announce the release date in early access.
Previously, Ukrainian players were confused that the project is published by Fulqrum Publishing, formerly known as the Russian publishing house «1C Entertainment».
The studio replied that activities that would in any way contribute to the aggressor country are unacceptable for Ukrainian developers. The statement indicates that Fulqrum Publishing is a European company that was founded in 2002 as Cenega Publishing and later, along with a number of other European companies, was acquired by 1 °C Entertainment. All this time, under the name «1C Publishing EU», supposedly independently of the Russian company, they worked on publishing games in Europe.
