Past Fate Launches in Early Access With Rocky Start

Icy North Games has released their medieval MMORPG Past Fate into Steam Early Access, though the launch has been far from smooth. The developer has acknowledged that PvP servers remain unavailable and are expected to open within the next day or two, while also warning players to expect bugs and crashes.

The World of Nendhir

Past Fate is described as an open-world MMORPG where player freedom takes center stage. The game is set in the mystical and harsh world of Nendhir, divided between two warring factions: the northern territories controlled by the Valfolk alliance of vikings and barbarians, and the central lands held by the Morsat coalition consisting of Edaria, Drosus, and the Korian Empire.

Against this backdrop of conflict, darker forces are rising. In the south, the Voxix cult awakens alongside ancient dark lords, while in the western Hordof swamps, the powerful dragon Iddrad threatens to consume the world in flames. Players must choose their own destiny, helping their faction conquer new lands while confronting these nighttime threats.

Features and Gameplay

The game promises exploration across vast continents and islands, ship construction for dangerous sea voyages, and the ability to hire and train mercenaries for kingdom battles. Players can uncover secrets, discover treasures, and encounter ancient powerful beings. Those wielding dark magic can transform into dangerous creatures at night to hunt other players.

Past Fate also includes naval combat where players can command ships, recruit crews of archers, mages, and artillery specialists, or engage directly in melee combat with enemies.

Technical Issues Plague Launch

However, the Early Access launch has been severely hampered by technical problems. Recent Steam reviews paint a concerning picture of the game’s current state. Multiple players report the game being completely unplayable, with servers struggling under the load. Common complaints include characters spawning underwater in endless blue voids, severe performance issues with frame rates dropping to 30-45 FPS even on high-end hardware like the RTX 5070 Ti, and game-breaking bugs such as the /stuck command launching players 5 kilometers into the sky rather than fixing their position.

Several reviewers with extensive MMO experience spanning two decades have called this one of the worst launches they’ve witnessed. The tutorial system appears non-functional, with players teleporting randomly around starting areas, and the quest system lacks basic features like objective markers on the compass. Character models phase in and out of clothing, and many players report needing multiple restarts just to get the game to load.

Pricing and Availability

Past Fate is available on Steam with a 20% discount until January 14th. The developers have cautioned that some features and mechanics may not work correctly in this early version, an assessment that current player feedback strongly supports.

While the concept of an open-world medieval MMORPG with naval combat and faction warfare has potential, prospective players should be aware that the game appears to need significant development time before it reaches a playable state. Those interested might want to wait several months or more for substantial improvements before making a purchase.