Bellatores: A PC MMORPG That Brings Back the Dream of True Freedom
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The new PC MMORPG Bellatores, developed by NYOU, will begin a 5-day closed beta test (CBT) starting July 30. Since it first made headlines in 2022 after securing a major investment, Bellatores has stood out for its commitment to being a PC-only MMORPG. Three years later, the project continues to focus solely on the PC platform, emphasizing realistic medieval warfare and sandbox gameplay with a high degree of freedom.
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Subtitled “The Ultimate Medieval War,” Bellatores introduces unique features such as factional conflict among five noble houses and a skill-based progression system. We sat down with Lee Gi Baek, Producer, and Yang Yong Hee, Creative Director at NYOU, to learn more about what players can expect from the upcoming CBT.
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Bellatores, a High-Freedom PC MMORPG Built on Skill-Based Progression
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Q. These days, when people in Korea talk about MMORPGs the default is mobilen. In that environment, Bellatores has drawn attention for sticking firmly to the PC MMORPG path. What has been the driving force behind taking—and continuing—this difficult road?
A. It was a shared belief across the entire team, not just the developers — we prioritized creating a truly fun game above all else. Rather than chasing profits, we chose to pursue our passion for PC MMORPGs. There may be a mobile adaptation in the distant future based on the IP, but for now, Bellatores is all about delivering the best possible MMORPG experience on PC. Cross-platform support isn’t a consideration at this stage.
Q. You're launching CBT two years after opening the brand in 2023. How far along is the development?
A. Bellatores is now at a stage where it’s ready for CBT. Most of the core content and systems are complete. Key mechanics such as combat and character progression have reached a stable state. The CBT will allow us to gather valuable player feedback and improve the game further.
Since this is our first public-facing version, we’ve also prioritized server and client stability. We’ve focused on creating an intuitive user interface (UI) and user experience (UX), and will use the CBT to validate how accessible and user-friendly the systems really are.
Q. So far, you've only described Bellatores as having a 'medieval-style' setting. Can you elaborate on the game’s world? What regions will be available in the CBT?
A. Bellatores isn’t a typical medieval fantasy world. The basic premise is that the king has died and a young prince takes the throne. However, a regent has seized control and is now ruling through oppression. Amid this chaos, five great lords each rise to claim the throne, pursuing their own ambitions and ideals. Players will align with one of these noble houses and take part in the resulting conflict and wars.
The story centers on political strife, power struggles, and ideological clashes between houses, rather than a single heroic narrative. Each house has its own culture and values, which affect both gameplay and how players experience the world. In the CBT, players will explore three regions: Collin and Erhardt, which are territories controlled by different noble houses, and Glaz — a strategic neutral zone where “Conquest War” occurs. Each area has a distinct atmosphere and landscape that players can fully experience during the test.
Q. Most MMORPGs start by introducing the name of the world or continent, but Bellatores begins with political conflict. It reminds me of games like Crusader Kings. Was that deliberate?
A. Yes, that was intentional. We wanted to present players with a simple but powerful goal: reclaim the throne. From there, players can shape their own stories within that broader framework. The main quest isn’t mandatory — think of it more as a navigational aid than a strict path.
Each of the five noble houses has its own motivations, desires, and political ideology. Players can choose to follow those narratives or carve their own path. The game is designed around two main pillars: combat and life skills. For those not interested in Realm vs. Realm (RvR) warfare, there’s rich content around gathering, farming, housing, and other lifestyle systems. Many of our developers are fans of sandbox MMORPGs like ArcheAge, so we’re thinking deeply about how to build robust non-combat experiences.
Q. The video showed icons for 12 weapon types. What kinds of weapons are available, and how do they differ in playstyle?
A. All 12 weapon types are inspired by realistic medieval weapons, each with its own distinct combat role and feel. Your weapon choice significantly alters the flow of battle.
For example, the one-handed sword is a close-range weapon focused on rapid combos and fire-based skills. The staff is the only weapon that can heal allies, making it essential for party support. The fire staff offers powerful long-range elemental attacks and excels at AoE (area-of-effect) damage.
During CBT, players can freely test all weapon types. We plan to refine balance based on player feedback from this test.
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Q. There’s also a mention of universal skills — what are those exactly?
A. These consist of Arcane Skills, and they function differently from your regular weapon skills. They serve as powerful utility abilities that require strategic thinking. Some examples include short-range teleportation, temporary attack power boosts, or brief immunity to damage and status effects.
These skills have short durations and long cooldowns, making them impactful but situational. You obtain Arcane Skills through skill books dropped by specific monsters, and you can equip up to two at a time. Choosing the right combination will significantly affect your combat strategy and party role.
Q. You’ve emphasized crafting and trading so far, so it’s surprising that skill books are ‘farmed’ from monsters. How does skill book acquisition work in Bellatores?
A. Basic weapon skills are learned by spending proficiency points, which you earn by using that weapon. However, Arcane Skills are obtained by collecting skill books that drop from specific monsters. It’s not just bosses — even regular monsters can drop them. Each monster type is linked to certain skill books.
Once you’ve acquired a skill book, you can use it to learn the Arcane Skill. To level it up further, you’ll need to collect those 'Arcane Tomes' from monsters as well.
We opted for this system to keep players excited about loot drops without relying on traditional gear-based rewards. It also introduces diversity — players who acquire different skills will develop unique combat identities. Importantly, you don’t need to gather dozens of materials to craft these skills — the books drop as complete items.
Q. It seems like weapon proficiency points can be reset and reallocated. How does this system work?
A. Weapon proficiency increases as you use a specific weapon, and with that, you earn skill points tied to that weapon line. We want players to freely explore and experiment with various combat styles, so we’ve made it easy to reset and reassign these points.
Reset items are intentionally designed to be accessible and not burdensome. However, to prevent players from abusing the system, there are minimal constraints in place. We’re still fine-tuning the balance between allowing flexibility and maintaining game integrity.
If you want to switch to a different weapon, simply reset your proficiency points and reallocate them.
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Q. In the developer interview, it was mentioned that there’s a limit to how many advanced crafting or professional skills a player can acquire. Could you elaborate on what that means? Personally, I took it to mean that no single player can master everything, which ultimately encourages cooperation with others. Was that the intention?
A. That’s right — players can’t learn every advanced profession on a single character. The system is designed to encourage specialization and cooperation. One player might focus on combat, another on crafting weapons or cooking, and so on. The goal is to create a living ecosystem where players naturally rely on each other.
We believe this will shine particularly in guild and house-based systems. In the CBT, players will be able to unlock up to 7 advanced professions. Based on feedback, we’ll continue to balance and refine this limit going forward.
Q. Since gear isn’t obtained through monster drops but rather through crafting and trading, does the game support direct player-to-player (1:1) trading outside of the exchange?
A. No, direct 1:1 trading will not be available in the CBT. We’ve decided to focus on a exchange-based system first. This helps us maintain item value balance and prevents economic disruption in the early stages.
However, if certain content or special circumstances arise where direct player-to-player trading becomes essential, we may consider supporting it as part of our long-term plans. For now, our focus is on allowing players to experience the exchange–based system, but due to stability concerns, the exchange will not be available during this CBT.
Q. In the developer video, gear tiers were mentioned. How are items beyond tier 6 crafted, and how much stronger are they compared to the lower tiers?
A. Tiers 1 through 6 can be crafted using basic materials. Two special gear types below tier 6 require materials dropped by bosses. While players may expect these boss-crafted items to be best-in-slot, we’ve intentionally designed them to only slightly outperform tier 6 gear. The real differentiator is their unique visual appearance.
In addition to tier, gear also has type and rarity, which are important factors. When crafting, items are randomly generated with one of three rarities and a type. The type affects which stat bonuses are applied, and the rarity is randomly set to Normal, Advanced, or Rare. We introduced these random elements to make crafting more exciting — to create that dopamine hit, so players aren’t just getting ordinary items every time.
Gear can be obtained either through crafting—using basic and special materials—or through trading.
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Five-Day CBT Aims to Gather Broad Feedback on Crafting, Combat, and Gameplay Loops
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Q. Five days seems short for an MMORPG CBT. What are you aiming to test within that timeframe?
A. The first three days are structured for early-game progression — players will experience early stage progression, complete quests, and explore basic crafting and gathering systems. We've increased the progression speed so testers can experience more content within the limited time.
From day four onward, we’ll offer accelerated growth and access to top-tier gear. This way, players can also test high-end content, and we can gather feedback on both early and late-game progression loops.
Q. The CBT supports only Korean, but are overseas players also participating?
A. Yes. While the test is focused on the Korean market, we opened sign-ups to international players as well — and to our surprise, overseas interest has been even higher than expected, especially from North America and Europe.
We did plan for a global audience from the beginning, but instead of rushing to provide a half-complete English version, we decided to polish the Korean build first. We’ll use this CBT to gather feedback and build toward broader international service.
Q. Seamless MMORPG environments are technically demanding. How are you addressing potential server issues, especially during large-scale battles?
A. We’re using a combination of dynamic server instance allocation and regional server segmentation to ensure smooth performance even during high traffic, like in large-scale PvP battles. We’ll monitor real-world performance closely during CBT and optimize accordingly.
Q. How is optimization shaping up so far?
A. Optimization is a critical focus for us, so we’ve been preparing in a variety of ways. In internal testing, we achieved around 150 FPS on max settings with DLSS enabled on an RTX 4070. However, due to testing limitations, we haven’t been able to cover a wide range of hardware setups. That’s why we’re looking to use the CBT to gather player feedback and push optimization efforts even further.
In particular, AMD’s Radeon lineup — including the 9070XT — has received strong reviews this year, so we’re working to support features like FSR4. That said, FSR4 presented some issues during internal testing, so for now, we’re launching with FSR3 support. After the CBT, we plan to improve Radeon compatibility and expand FSR4 support based on feedback and development progress.
Q. With such a high degree of gameplay freedom, what can players expect in terms of character customization?
A. We know players care a lot about customization, and we've prepared several options. However, we’ve intentionally placed some restrictions on body size and height to maintain balance — especially since PvP and RvR play major roles. Hitboxes and fairness in combat were key considerations in this decision.
Q. What are the key features players will get to experience during the CBT?
A. As mentioned earlier, this CBT will allow players to experience the foundational systems of Bellatores’ combat and progression. With non-targeted combat at its core, we’ve designed it so players can compare the feel and style of different weapons. Our goal is for players to observe how their character evolves based on their playstyle—whether through combat proficiency or life skill progression.
We’re especially focused on showcasing the gear acquisition system, where items are crafted rather than looted, and how performance varies depending on crafting results. We hope this core system resonates with players and look forward to their feedback. In addition, the CBT will introduce the Artifact system—offering a preview of another axis of item-based growth.
Q. This is the first time we’re hearing about the Artifact system — what is it exactly?
A. Throughout the world, players can find hidden dungeons and treasure chests containing Artifacts. These items provide bonus stats and can be upgraded over time. Even better, if you find duplicates of the same Artifact, you can use them to change its option effects — allowing for flexibility and synergy with any weapon build.
Q. When it comes to stats, do players need to build different ones depending on the weapon type — like Strength for melee or Intelligence for mages?
A. Not exactly. Traditional MMORPGs often tie Strength to melee, Dexterity to ranged, and Intelligence to magic, but Bellatores takes a different approach. For example, increasing the 'Valor' stat boosts both physical and magical damage, regardless of range or weapon. This way, players can swap weapons freely without feeling like they’ve built the wrong stat allocation.
Another unique aspect is that all stats are connected to life skills as well. For instance, raising 'Valor' also improves mining efficiency. Other stats similarly boost gathering, crafting, or other lifestyle mechanics. This encourages players to experiment with builds based not just on combat role, but also personal playstyle.
Q. The combat seems to blend Souls-like elements with traditional MMORPG-style mob hunting. How would you describe the balance between the two?
A. Non-targeted action combat often gets compared to Souls-like games, and we did draw some inspiration from that genre — but only partially. We’d say it's about a 50/50 split. The early-to-mid game is tuned so you can efficiently mow through groups of enemies as your character grows, but elite enemies and bosses require dodging, blocking, and careful positioning — leaning more into that action feel.
We plan to expand this further with future content, including solo challenges and instance dungeons that test individual skill. While it won’t reach full Soulsborne difficulty, we’re aiming for a 'Souls-lite' level of challenge that feels engaging without being overwhelming.
Q. When people think of MMORPGs, dungeons and raids often come to mind. How is Bellatores approaching these PvE elements?
A. In the CBT, a few instance dungeons will be available, but they’re not intended as full-fledged endgame content. Instead, we’ve prepared them to give players a preview of the dungeon format while placing greater emphasis on open-field content. Since gear is obtained through crafting rather than drops, dungeons are positioned more as “challenges” than loot runs.
That said, we believe dungeons and raids are core MMORPG content that best embody cooperation, challenge, and growth. Forming a team, assigning roles, and taking down a powerful boss isn’t just about farming gear—it delivers a sense of immersion and satisfaction that only MMORPGs can offer.
While Bellatores is fundamentally designed around PvP, we believe strong PvE systems are essential to support meaningful competitive play. Combat proficiency, item crafting, and teamwork are all developed through PvE, creating a positive gameplay loop that ultimately enhances PvP potential.
That’s why dungeons and raids aren’t treated as optional side content—they’re positioned as key pillars of the progression loop and vital to immersive group play. We plan to continue expanding PvE content in phases, deepening the experience for players who enjoy strategy-driven encounters.
Q. When players hear about war and conflict-focused MMORPGs, they often think of siege battles. How is Bellatores approaching siege content? And are there other large-scale competitive features in development beyond sieges?
A. In this CBT, we’ve prepared two major large-scale PvP modes: Conquest Wars and Territory Wars. In Conquest Wars, two houses compete for control over conflict zones. In Territory Wars, guilds can take over towns and hunting grounds, gaining various benefits from ownership.
We also plan to adapt the experience based on how players engage with the game. For example, house boss zones can be accessed by rival factions, potentially triggering spontaneous large-scale battles. It’s similar to how players in another game, might raid Orgrimmar or Stormwind with opposing factions.
Looking ahead, we’re planning to introduce full-scale siege battles where houses fight for control of the central royal castle, as well as competitive content like a 10v10 arena mode. These features will be rolled out gradually as development progresses.
Q. The developer video mentioned crafting gear, but will there also be non-combat content like cooking or fishing?
A. Crafting in Bellatores includes not only gear production but also content like cooking and alchemy, which provide buff effects. For this CBT, the focus is on showcasing the core system of gathering materials and crafting equipment. The types and methods of crafting will be expanded further in the full game. Fishing, for example, is currently in development and is planned to be added after the CBT.
Q. Much of the focus has been on cooperative gameplay. What can solo players expect?
A. This CBT is primarily aimed at collecting feedback on cooperative gameplay, which presents higher technical validation challenges. As a result, solo play content in the current build is centered around personal progression—such as general combat, farming, crafting, and achievements.
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“Focusing on Human Connection — Showcasing the Essence of the MMORPG”
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Q. These days, MMORPG players don't necessarily engage in conflict just because they’re in opposing factions. It seems like there needs to be some narrative or justification to drive that tension. Does the game’s story or worldbuilding account for this?
A. This is something we've discussed internally as well. Even among players who enjoy PvP, many now feel hesitant to attack others unless there's a clear reason or context for doing so. That’s why we're exploring ideas like hidden quests that activate after you've defeated members of a rival house multiple times—systems that provide narrative weight to conflict.
Another important point is that each house has a different quest direction. While this won’t be fully shown in the CBT, we’re preparing systems where, for example, some houses naturally lean toward war. If you belong to one of those, your quests will involve more frequent conflict with other factions. When members of such houses encounter others on the field, we expect that to naturally create tension and reactive dynamics at the house level—leading to emergent gameplay.
Q. The character outfits and armor shown so far look grounded and historically inspired. Will that remain the aesthetic going forward?
A. The overall art direction is focused on portraying a grounded medieval world—without leaning into exaggerated fantasy. All design work follows this principle, and we’re not currently considering other stylistic directions. While we are preparing paid cosmetic outfits, they will still adhere strictly to the medieval aesthetic we’ve established.
Of course, people sometimes joke that five years from now we might start selling Santa outfits or swimsuits—but to be clear, we have no such plans at this time. Who knows what the future holds, but as of now, that’s definitely not on the table.
As for mounts, other MMORPGs often introduce fantastical creatures or ones that feel out of place for the setting. In our case, only horses are available in the CBT. After the test, we plan to add about five more mount types, but even then, we’re working to avoid fantasy-style animals and maintain a historically inspired tone. In fact, we’re even considering a design contest to gather mount ideas from players—but that hasn’t been finalized yet.
Q. Seamless worlds can feel empty if not populated well. How are you designing the open world to feel rich and alive?
A. To ensure the vast seamless world doesn’t feel empty, we’re filling it with densely layered content that rewards both exploration and combat.
We’re placing hidden story fragments, secret locations, and undiscovered areas throughout the world, encouraging players to actively seek them out and enjoy the thrill of exploration. Weather and time-of-day systems will also introduce interactive elements that add depth to exploration, while unpredictable field events will bring tension and excitement to combat encounters.
Q. You mentioned environmental interaction like weather and time of day—will those elements eventually affect combat as well?
A. That level of interaction isn’t included in this CBT yet. However, we’re actively exploring ideas for future updates—like monsters becoming stronger at night, or players gaining passive PvP advantages depending on the time of day. Internally, we’ve been discussing a wide range of interactions—for example, lightning magic becoming more powerful during rain, or fire attacks being more effective in forested areas.
That said, weather and time aren’t just visual effects in the CBT either. Certain quests or artifacts will only appear at specific times, so players will still get a glimpse of time-based world mechanics.
Q. In other competitive MMORPGs, guild or alliance-based content often leads to internal disputes over profit sharing or tax distribution. We've even seen legal cases arise over so-called 'loot-and-run' situations. How is your team planning to address these kinds of issues?
A. As of now, we don’t have any planned content that involves directly distributing high-value resources within guilds or houses.
Q. In open-world MMORPGs, even if players just want to enjoy the game at their own pace, issues like excessive PK (player killing) or cyberbullying can cause people to quit. While the game is still in CBT, these seem like long-term concerns. How are you planning to address them?
A. Bellatores is fundamentally a PvP-oriented game. However, that doesn’t mean unrestricted PK is allowed everywhere. The world is divided into peace zones, neutral zones, and war zones to help regulate player conflict.
In major cities and key towns, PK will be disabled entirely, and some areas will feature allied guard NPCs to ensure basic safety. That said, for this CBT, we intentionally didn’t impose PvP restrictions in order to observe how player conflict naturally unfolds and identify areas that may need adjustment.
In the full release, we plan to introduce systems that limit indiscriminate PK and harassment in a phased manner. Our long-term goal is to strike a careful balance between open PvP freedom and player protection, and to shape our service model around that foundation.
Q. In a previous interview, you mentioned dynamic field events like roaming boss monsters and natural disasters. Will those be available to experience during the CBT?
A. Content like roaming bosses and natural disasters involves high technical demands and balance considerations, so those systems won’t be available in this CBT. We plan to introduce them at a later stage with a higher level of polish.
Instead, the CBT will feature fixed-location 5-player boss encounters. These are designed around traditional role-based group play, requiring players to coordinate as tanks, damage dealers, and healers. Bosses will respawn after a set amount of time following defeat.
In addition, we’ve prepared large-scale 100-player “House Boss” content. In the Collin region, players will face The Ruins Destroyer, while in the Erhardt region, The Abyssal Shadow will appear at scheduled times. Houses will clash over these bosses, defending against enemy invasions while attempting to claim victory in competitive battlefield scenarios.
Q. What is the core philosophy behind Bellatores as an MMORPG, and how would you describe the game's development principles?
A. From the very beginning of development, our guiding principle has been to focus on fun first—without relying on paid items or monetization systems. We've designed the game so that players can acquire gear and grow stronger through crafting, trading, and drops. There are no cash shop shortcuts—just time, effort, and meaningful progression. Even the auction house is being developed with a gold-based economy in mind.
That's because Bellatores is built around the essence of what makes MMORPGs special: human connection. Through large-scale raids and strategic open-field wars, players will come to rely on one another—facing challenges together, cooperating, and building lasting bonds. We believe that sense of camaraderie and belonging is at the heart of true MMORPG enjoyment.
Ultimately, Bellatores aims to go beyond being just an online game. Our goal is to create a space where players experience meaningful, fair competition—where they grow, laugh, struggle, and succeed together, forging a real sense of community along the way.
Q. Lastly, do you have a message for the players?
A. We know that this CBT won’t be able to showcase everything Bellatores has to offer as an MMORPG. However, we believe it will give you a meaningful glimpse into the world we’re building—through its core systems and gameplay foundations.
Every bit of honest feedback you share—whether it’s something you enjoyed, found frustrating, or think needs improvement—will be incredibly valuable in helping us refine the game. We genuinely encourage you to speak your mind and share your thoughts freely.
We’re committed to listening carefully to everything you send us and doing our best to reflect that in the game. With your input, we’ll continue working hard to make sure Bellatores launches as something truly worthy of the genre.
Reporter: Yoon Seo-ho (Ruudi@inven.co.kr)