Upcoming New Throne And Liberty Housing System Looks Fantastic

Throne and Liberty

Amazon Games

Later this month on September 18, housing is finally coming to Throne and Liberty in its Awakening update.

The developers at NCSOFT and Amazon Games posted a lengthy Q&A-style blog on the official Throne and Liberty website all about the new housing feature.

Throne and Liberty—Awakening Update Housing Feature

“Since most of our content has traditionally been combat-focused, there was both internal and external demand for non-combat content,” the blog states. “We wanted to offer players a space where they could express their individuality, set their own goals, and become immersed in a different kind of gameplay. If we could blend that with Solisium’s rich lore and beautifully detailed graphics, then all the better. Housing is more than just decoration. It’s a feature that allows players to showcase their creativity and personal taste. There’s no single “correct” way to do it. That sense of limitless possibility was what made us especially excited to develop it.”

Housing feels like something that’s been needed in the game ever since it first launched nearly a year ago. I think it would have helped, and hopefully will now going forward help, with player retention.

You have a tiny base of operations right now that’s a solo instance where you can send out some of your NPC creatures on expeditions to get crafting resources on a cooldown timer, which is neat, but it’s not a real housing system with customization or personalization features.

“We wanted the towns – places players have always passed through – to feel like more than just background scenery,” the blog states. “Our goal was to make them spaces players would actually want to stay in. With that in mind, we designed the houses to reflect the unique charm of each village. For example, in Kastleton we incorporated elements like plazas, markets, harbors, the sea, and city views to capture the lively atmosphere of the town. In contrast, Vienta was inspired by highland terrain. We designed the interiors with many stairs and gave the impression that the houses are perched somewhere along a cliffside, making players feel as if they truly live within that region.”

It sounds like they’re taking the right approach here. Making sure that everything is naturally integrated into each city is important for immersion and I think the guild hall entrance already serves that purpose well. Hopefully, this will feel like an improved extension of that concept.

We won’t have to wait too long to see it in action, because the new Awakening update for Throne and Liberty goes live on September 18.