Lost Ark just received its second update of the month, and while this one doesn't add new endgame content per se, it does give players more ways to earn upgrade materials while also cracking down on the MMO's bot problem.
Many of the update's new additions were already outlined earlier this month, when Amazon and Smilegate RPG said it was a "mistake" to release the game's previous update so soon. The root of the problem stemmed from the Hunt for the Guardian Slayer update coming so quickly after the game's launch, as it pressured many players to progress faster through the endgame faster to reach the new content, sometimes by resorting to spending real money to purchase upgrade materials.
To ease some of that pressure, the game's latest update adds new ways for players to earn upgrade materials in the form of Casual Guardian Raids. Once per day, per roster, players can complete easier versions of some of the game's Guardian Raid endgame encounters to earn a currency that can then be exchanged for different materials. Amazon and Smilegate are also giving all players a selection of gifts including legendary card packs, a Mokokon pet chest, and Moko-board chest to celebrate the game's launch. In addition, players will receive multiple chests with a number of different gear upgrade materials to choose from.
Botting has been a major problem for Lost Ark, with the game's various chat windows filled with gold-seller spam and automated farming bots hurting the game's economy. This new update looks to take further action on the issue by reducing access to the game's economy and social systems for accounts that have not reached "Trusted" status on Steam or Lost Ark.
"Players who have a Steam account in good standing and have met the small purchase requirement needed to use Steam's social systems shouldn't be impacted," the patch notes read.
Accounts that have not reached "Trusted" status will have smaller daily Steam purchase limits, won't be able to exchange Royal Crystals for Gold, can't send in-game mail with attachments or in-game gifts, and won't be able to initiate player-to-player trades (though they will still be able to receive trade offers). Amazon recently said it banned more than 1 million Lost Ark bot accounts since the game's launch.
The March 24 update also kicks off the game's first competitive PvP season, where players can battle it out in game-types like Team Deathmatch to improve their rating and receive rewards.
Lost Ark is still among the top-played games on Steam, having previously broken concurrent player records on the platform. Though there are currently no concrete plans, Amazon recently said the company would consider bringing Lost Ark to consoles if there is enough interest.