Interview] At that time, "Lineage" was indeed another reality! A legendary player who has been playing the game for 20 years, so he understands the appeal of this game.

With social networking sites, video streaming sites, remote communication via the Corona Disaster, etc., in the year 2022, there is a strong sense that reality and the Internet are now connected to the ground. However, about 20 years ago, the Internet was another new world.

The pioneering MMORPG that became popular in the 2000s

*The screenshots used are from 2005

Among them, MMORPGs were the ones that captivated game users with their outstanding scalability. Among the PC online games that were popular in the 2000s at that time, the first "Lineage" boasted a large number of users. This time, we asked Mr. H, a "wizard" user, and Mr. I, a "dark elf" user, who have been playing the game for 20 years and celebrated the 20th anniversary of its service in Japan on February 12 this year, about the 20-year history of the game and its unchanging appeal.

Mr. I (left) and Mr. H (right)

Lineage" is an MMORPG that was launched in Korea in 1998 and officially launched in Japan in 2002 by NC Japan. The game features a "castle siege" in which players form "blood alliances," the equivalent of guilds in other games, and fight each other for castles. There are currently 10 classes to choose from: Monarch, Knight, Wizard, Elf, Dark Elf, Dragon Knight, Illusionist, Warrior, Fencer, and Lancer. Note that it is not possible to change classes with the same character after the start of game play.

Mr. H has been a "wizard" since the beginning of the service, and prefers solo hunting. The reason why he chose this class was because he was looking forward to playing a "wizard" like Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings," who not only provides logistical support but also can buff himself and engage in physical combat, with both magical and physical abilities.

H: I was in high school when I first touched "Lineage," and I remember playing an average of double-digit hours every day. At first I decided to use a wizard because I thought there seemed to be a lot I could do, but it wasn't until I had strengthened myself to a certain degree that I was able to fight on the front lines (laughs).

Mr. I was originally a friend of Mr. H's in real life, but he became interested in Lineage because Mr. H was pushing him too much in the middle of playing.

Mr. I: When I was playing with Mr. H, he would interrupt me in between games with "I want to play Lineage! I was interested in the game, but at that time, I was not interested in the game. That's how I got interested in it, but at the time the line was still ISDN (laughs), and I remember spending about half a day getting Mr. H to install ADSL.

Mr. I initially used a "Knight" character, but when he learned that a "Dark Elf" character with a ninja-like appearance and play style would soon be implemented, he used his "Knight" character to temporarily raise funds in the game, and has been using the same class for 19 years since the "Dark Elf" character was implemented. He has continued to use the same class for 19 years since the "Dark Elf" was implemented.

It was so fresh that a vast world separate from reality was created!

The MMORPGs that began to proliferate in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including "Lineage," overturned the previous conception of gaming and were what we would now call a "metaverse" in themselves. At the dawn of the Internet culture, they were truly running ahead of their time, and were seen as fun that could not be experienced before.

Mr. H: First of all, I was amazed at the fact that MMORPGs allow you to play the same game with players from all over the world at the same time. And in fact, in "Lineage," I could chat with players in the game, and it felt like there was another world apart from reality. It was also a new experience for me at the time that the game was not bought and paid for, but rather updated. 500 hours of playing would make you wonder what would happen, or 5,000 hours would give you a glimpse of what was to come, but there was no glimpse at all. It was like looking into an abyss. It was a very fascinating stimulus.

I: The first thing that interested me was the ability to have pets in the game. It is not so unusual nowadays, but I was very interested in the fact that pets in the game could die of hunger. The same pet would die and never come back. I was shocked to learn that you can't start over in a game!" I was shocked. The same is true for the player, who cannot reset the game at the right moment and resume it. If a player's character was knocked down during play, he or she would be penalized with a death penalty, which made me quite nervous.

From the start of the service until 2009, the game was paid monthly, and after March 3, 2009, basic play was free. It can be said that "Lineage" players were among the first to experience what is now known as subscription (subscriptions) and item charges.

Mr. H was one of those who were looking for his own unique way to enjoy the game.

H: I belonged to a blood league, but from the beginning I mainly did solo hunting. That kind of enjoyment has been possible for a long time. Some people think of online games as being about human relationships, but in fact, I got the impression that it wasn't that bad, and that each individual decided what role he or she wanted to play and enjoyed the adventure. There are quite a few people who are like me, and if I meet someone from another bloodline early in the morning when I am hunting, I just say, "How often do you see each other?

Mr. I is one of the players who enjoyed the Blood League and PvP systems, but valued the basic aspects of multiplayer play over the Internet.

Mr. I: PvP is of course one of the parts of the game that I enjoy, but back then there were no social networking services or remote face-to-face meetings via apps. I was happy to be able to meet my friends just by playing the game. I think it is common nowadays for people in different positions, such as working adults and students, to become friends, but it was rare back then. My family was very strict, so when school exams were coming up, we were "not allowed" to play, but there were times when I secretly met with my in-game friends during the exam period. Incidentally, when Mr. H sent me a chat when I was playing stiffly, he would say, "Don't talk to me! I'm busy right now!!!" (laughs).

Lineage" has also developed as a communication tool beyond the boundaries of the game, and in the past, a large-scale offline meeting called "Lineoff" was held by player volunteers. Off-line meetings by bloodline alliances have not been uncommon since the service was launched, and in some cases, players have met at such meetings and married in real life.

Newcomers and returning players are now being supported through campaigns that are friendly to newcomers and returning players.

Speaking of "Lineage," both Mr. I and Mr. H, who have been playing for many years, agree that the game was "masochistic" in that it was very difficult to gain experience, and when the game was launched, a death penalty of 13% of experience was imposed if a player's character died. However, after 20 years, new and returning players are welcome, and there are campaigns and environments to assist them.

Mr. I: We have come from a time when there was no free distribution of items and the level would finally go up by one level after a year of play, but I think it would be harsh to ask people to do that now (laughs). Currently, we are distributing a set of useful armors to new and returning players, and we are also doing "special log-in stamps" where items are distributed every day, so people can play more casually.

Mr. H: When I was deprived of experience due to a death penalty, it was enough to put me to sleep (laughs), but now there is no penalty even if you die up to level 55, and there is a system to restore experience, so I feel safe. The system is fun up to a certain point, and just when you start looking for a challenge, the system has changed to make it tougher on the player. The stomach-churning thrill was one of the exciting attractions when we started (laughs), but now I think the game has changed to one that can be played easily and for a long time, so I feel that returning players and newcomers who are interested should definitely give it a try.

Twenty years have passed since the service was launched, and "Lineage" is still the same, entertaining players every day. Nowadays, everyone has a smartphone and can easily connect with others through social networking services, but many people are tired of being too connected to the Internet and reality. Both Mr. H and Mr. I said that "Lineage" has a different charm from the communication through smartphones, and they will continue to play "Lineage" in the future.

Mr. H: It can't be the same as the energy and motivation of 20 years ago, but the conversations we have through the MMORPG "Lineage" are different from those on SNS, and this appeal is universal.

I: "Lineage" has become another "home" separate from the real world. It's not like logging in and playing a game; it's more like a homecoming. I think this is an experience you can't have in a normal game.

Outline of the "Lineage" game

Lineage" is a free-to-play online RPG with an epic story that unfolds in a fantasy world of swords and sorcery with a history of over 20 years. The game is an epic story that unfolds in a sword-and-sorcery fantasy world with more than 20 years of history, where thousands of users cooperate with each other to defeat enemies and chat with like-minded friends on a daily basis. The game continues to provide players with a high degree of freedom and fun that was previously unthinkable in home video game consoles and PC games.

Title Lineage
Genre MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer RPG)
Amount of usage Basic play is free (items are charged)
Official website #
Official Twitter #
Official YouTube # ( C)

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