The much-anticipated MMORPG Blade & Soul has just recently announced it's official North American and European server launch date, set for January 19th at 12AM Eastern.

Blade & Soul Launch Announcement

The senior director of marketing at NCSOFT West had this to say about the news:

“This is a big day for us, as we’re able to share the official launch date of Blade & Soul for all Western players. We’ve already had tens of thousands of players in our first two closed beta weekends, and look forward to welcoming many more beginning with the next beta weekend on November 24th and all the way through launch.” - Tim Granich

For Founder's pack purchasers, the game will be available in a limited "Head Start Access" slightly earlier on January 15th next year.

Players who have purchased either of the highest-tier packs (Disciple and Master) will also be able to reserve their in-game names a full week in advance, beginning January 11th.

The free-to-play MMO, which recently completed its second closed beta weekend, will feature launch content including 7 classes for players to choose from, 30 dungeons, a character level cap of 45, and the popular skill-based 1v1 Arena. 

eSports Info

In addition, NCSOFT plans to have North American and European representatives participate in the 2016 World Championship for Blade & Soul, expanding the game’s growing eSport’s presence. Pre-season rankings in North America and Europe will begin soon after launch.

The 1v1 Arena is the highlight of the game’s burgeoning eSport’s presence, as NCSOFT recently hosted the 2015 World Championship for Blade & Soul in Busan, Korea with over 6,000 people in attendance over two days. The plans to have North American and European representatives participate in the 2016 World Championship will follow a competitive PvP tournament qualifier in the West. Additional details for the pre-season rankings in North America and Europe  will be announced at a later date.

Closed Beta Weekends

The next Closed Beta weekend for Blade & Soul  begins on November 24 and runs until November 30. For more information about Blade & Soul and to sign up for future closed betas, visit the game's official website.

Remaining Test Dates

Closed Beta 1:  Oct 29–Nov 2
Closed Beta 2:  Nov 13–16

Closed Beta 3:  Nov 24–30
Closed Beta 4:  Dec 11–14
Closed Beta 5:  Dec 18–21

Blade & Soul Overview

Blade & Soul, developed by NCSOFT's Team Bloodlust, tells the story of players' quest for vengeance and redemption against a backdrop of Asian fantasy, set in a beautifully crafted online world. Blade & Soul prominently features martial arts inspired combat and Windwalking movement, as depicted in classic Asian martial arts adventure films.

Founder's Pack Information

For those interested in getting in early, or just looking for some additional in-game perks, Founder's Packs can be purchased directly from NCSoft via the game's Founder's Pack Page. There are currently three tiers of pricing available.

Initiate - $25

  • Gain access to all Closed Beta Tests
  • 3 Day Head Start
  • 2 Character Titles
  • 20,800 Premium Points

Disciple - $75

  • Gain access to all Closed Beta Tests
  • 3 Day Head Start
  • 3 Character Titles
  • 34,400 Premium Points (+ Level 3)
  • 30-Day Premium Membership
  • 1 Name Reservation Slot
  • 1 Character Alteration Voucher
  • 2 Extra Character Slots
  • 2,400 NCoins

Master - $125

  • Gain access to all Closed Beta Tests
  • 3 Day Head Start
  • 4 Character Titles
  • 48,800 Premium Points (+ Level 4)
  • 90-Day Premium Membership
  • 2 Name Reservation Slots
  • 2 Character Alteration Vouchers
  • 5 Extra Character Slots
  • 7,200 NCoins
  • Unique Head Accessory
  • Unique Weapon Skin
  • Unique Costumes


To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Blade & Soul Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 21, 2016

About The Author

Alex has been playing online games and RPGs for quite some time, starting all the way back with Daggerfall, EverQuest, and Ultima Online. He's staying current with the latest games, picking up various titles and playing during his weekly streams on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings with both MMOs and MOBAs being feature plays. Hit him up on Twitter if you have a stream request for Freeplay Friday! Two future games he's got a keen eye on are Daybreak's EverQuest Next and Illfonic's Revival.

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