**Calling All Large-Scale, Guild-Focused PvPers: Warborne Above Ashes Launches!**
A new MMO is on the horizon—*Warborne Above Ashes*—which soft launched late last night on Steam. Back in May, I had the opportunity to dive into Warborne during its open beta event, and I came away really impressed. The game merges many familiar gameplay elements and strongly encourages groups to work together to dominate territory for their faction.
This past week, I was fortunate enough to chat with the team at Qooland Games to learn more about what Warborne has to offer. Read on for the full story!
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### What Is Warborne Above Ashes?
**MassivelyOP:** Before we dig too deep, how would you describe *Warborne Above Ashes* to new players unfamiliar with the title?
**Qooland Games:** Warborne is a sandbox MMORPG built around large-scale wars. On the world map, players fight for territory, resources, and strategy. When battles break out, they jump into real-time fights that play like a MOBA. We want players to enjoy both the macro strategy of leading a war and the thrill of fighting together in battle.
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### Getting Started in Warborne
**MassivelyOP:** For newcomers, what’s a good way to get started? How do you go from newbie to joining the greater faction and guild war?
**Qooland Games:** In the first few hours of each season, players land on the edge of the sandbox map and learn basics such as resource points, upgrade points, and building character gear. Soon, they’ll encounter enemy factions in the Verge Zone, where early resource fights and skirmishes take place.
Players then need to join a warband (guild) and prepare for territory wars. Early territories along the map’s edge mostly focus on PvE races, but rival guilds may cause trouble. Around day 4 or 5, players break through fortress gates and move into the central map area, where resource battles intensify.
With large-scale wars underway, preparation costs skyrocket, crafters and support players produce supplies, and front-line fighters clash over resources in epic battles.
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### Updates Since the Last Beta
**MassivelyOP:** I played during the May beta and loved it. Has the game been completely overhauled or mostly refined?
**Qooland Games:** We took player feedback seriously and made many improvements and optimizations. Here are some highlights:
– **Season Settlement System:** We changed this so the final Warband ranking is decided by Conquest Rating, based on how many hubs a warband holds and their tier. This promotes strategy and diplomacy over just rushing the central hub.
– **Cross-Server Auction House:** Now players from different servers can list and trade items, stabilizing prices and allowing players on smaller servers to participate fully.
– **Faction Capitals:** New design additions mean if a faction holds its capital, it earns significant buffs and a chance to fight back, improving weak faction protections.
– **Faction Switching Improvements:** We refined switching systems and protections for weak factions for better player experience.
– **Resource and Reward Rebalance:** Encouraging more small-group play and reducing grind with more tradable resources allows players to choose between casual play, ganking, or grinding.
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### Who Is Warborne For?
**MassivelyOP:** Who is the primary gamer you expect to see in Warborne? It reminds me of Albion Online and League of Legends fans.
**Qooland Games:** Honestly, we’re mixing genres, so it’s hard to name a perfect audience. But anyone who enjoyed PvP in MMORPGs will feel right at home. Strategy players and MOBA fans also connect deeply with parts of the game. We’ve seen players of different types find their own fun, which is great.
Personally, I love open-world PvP like back in the early days of *World of Warcraft* or *PlanetSide*. These days, few games deliver that experience—*Warborne* aims to bring it back.
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### The Scale of PvP Battles
**MassivelyOP:** The massive 100 vs. 100 player PvP battles are a big draw. Was this scale always the plan? Were there technical limitations?
**Qooland Games:** We wanted a full-scale war game where players can engage in anything from solo raids to huge 100 vs. 100 battles. Right now, 100 vs. 100 is the sweet spot for balancing scale and performance to ensure smooth gameplay. We’re continually optimizing and may increase this number, but player experience always comes first.
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### How Do Large-Scale Battles Start?
**MassivelyOP:** Do big battles happen naturally or are they scheduled by guild leaders? How does this compare to games like *New World*?
**Qooland Games:** Early large battles are organic, much like Verge Zone skirmishes where players converge over resources—similar to *WoW’s* Southshore fights where Horde and Alliance randomly met and fought.
As seasons progress, battles become more organized and strategic centered around objectives and hubs. All of this takes place in the open world, making for a huge sandbox dynamic—almost like a game of Go.
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### Why Six Factions?
**MassivelyOP:** Why did you choose six factions instead of factions in groups of two or three like other games?
**Qooland Games:** Six factions give players more choices and, crucially, more room for diplomacy—alliances, betrayals, and so forth. Future seasons might experiment with different faction counts, from two or three factions (like the Three Kingdoms era) to maybe even factionless setups. It depends on the story we want to tell each season.
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### Smaller-Scale Battles and Additional Game Modes
**MassivelyOP:** For players who prefer smaller scale or solo PvP, what content is available? Are there 1v1 or small-party modes?
**Qooland Games:** Yes! We fine-tune resource spawns, visibility, and reward rules to reduce the advantage of large zergs, opening up more small-group opportunities.
We offer activities tailored for individuals and small teams such as:
– **Stealing from Hub Vaults:** Organized small teams can eliminate Custodians at hubs to steal accumulated Starfall Tokens and Solarbite.
– **Supply Crates:** Randomly spawning treasure chests defended by monsters, triggering small-scale skirmishes.
– **Vein Hole Extracts:** Anonymous dungeon brawls with cross-server matchmaking, great for solo players or friends queuing up together.
Future seasons will introduce even more content tailored for small teams, though that’s a secret for now.
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### Other Features: Base Building and Logistics
**MassivelyOP:** Can you talk about base building? Is it fleshed out enough for players who prefer support roles over frontline combat?
**Qooland Games:** Absolutely! We’re integrating a full logistics production chain. Players gather materials, then upgrade their DriftMark tech tree (similar to a strategy game) to craft potions and tactical items. They can also produce personal fortifications for map defense.
Materials can be submitted to a Warband’s resource center, managed by a Quartermaster, to produce war beasts, vehicles, and defensive structures. This significantly changes warfare dynamics, allowing logistical players to influence wars far from front lines.
We’re continuously refining this with new recipes and plan to introduce new logistical Drifters in the future!
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### Quick Play Sessions
**MassivelyOP:** What content would you recommend for players wanting quick 1-2 hour sessions? Can they feel successful in short playtimes?
**Qooland Games:** For new players joining at season start, quickly leveling up and heading to the Verge Zone for battles is a great way to jump into combat.
More adventurous players can sneak into higher-level maps to scavenge resources, but watch out for enemy players—this adds excitement!
Mid-season joiners should immediately find a Warband and join their activities. Warbands have diverse play styles, so find one that fits your preference.
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### Progression in Warborne
**MassivelyOP:** What kind of progression can players expect? Is it loot-driven or skill/level-driven?
**Qooland Games:** Progression comes from three main paths:
– **PvE Scavenging and Leveling:** Moderate risk due to possible PvP encounters.
– **Gathering and Upgrading:** Safer but slower; gathering resources and purchasing experience books.
– **PvP Leveling:** Highest risk and reward by killing and looting other players, granting significant experience.
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### Drifters: Heroes With Variety
**MassivelyOP:** I really liked playing Drifters. How varied are they? Are they hard to unlock? Will you add more?
**Qooland Games:** We have over 40 unique Drifters at launch, categorized by Strength, Agility, Intelligence, and Logistics. These fall into roles like healers, offense, tanks, and warriors. Each Drifter has unique skills and combos with weapons and equipment, supporting diverse play styles.
Unlocking Drifters is similar to MOBA gains—you collect or earn in-game currency to unlock them; it’s not too difficult.
We plan to introduce new Drifters every season alongside major seasonal mechanics that evolve combat, keeping the gameplay fresh and exciting.
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### Group Finding and Guild Limits
**MassivelyOP:** Is there a group finder? How large can guilds get?
**Qooland Games:** We currently have a “looking for group” chat channel where players can connect. A more sophisticated group finder tool is planned for the future.
Warbands (guilds) have a 200-member cap to prevent oversized guilds and maintain a connected community.
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### What’s Next? Upcoming Features
**MassivelyOP:** Any hints on new features or major upcoming updates?
**Qooland Games:** We’re deep into developing our second major season, which will especially excite small-team players.
There will be many new mechanics that dramatically change warfare in Warborne, shaking up gameplay. More details will come soon, but the player base is going to be very excited!
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**Thanks to Qooland Games for chatting with us right before launch!**
If you’re eager to jump in, *Warborne Above Ashes* launched late last night on Steam—check it out and join the war!
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*Stay tuned to MassivelyOP for more updates and coverage on Warborne Above Ashes!*
https://massivelyop.com/2025/09/19/interview-warborne-above-ashes-the-guild-centric-post-apoc-themed-pvp-mmo-has-arrived/