Kakao/Bluehole's Ascent: Infinite Realm Merges Fantasy And Steampunk

Kakao Games (Black Desert Online) and Bluehole Studio (TERA, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds) are teaming up to publish a new MMORPG in the West. Formerly known as Project W, Ascent: Infinite Realm wraps up steampunk and high fantasy in a pretty package that features airships, jetpacks, magic, dragons, and more.

Fittingly abbreviated "A:IR," the trailer for the new game shows off a bunch of the sky-reaching action that will be at the heart of the game's PvP gameplay. Ground support in the way of mechs and anti-air weapons will also play a part in such battles.

For when you're not in the air or inside a mech, A:IR offers five classes: warlord, sorceress, gunslinger, assassin, and mystic, promising that the classes are "fully customizable," while appearing to be gender-locked. You'll also be able to construct and grow your own estate and "work with your neighboring estates to build a community."

Kakao and Bluehole plan the first closed beta test for A:IR for early 2018. We don't technically know if it's a free-to-play game, but we'll keep our ears to the ground for an official announcement. Learn more about Ascent: Infinite Realm on the game's teaser website.