World structure, exploration systems, and launch feature priorities

Scars of Honor presents its world as a large open environment built for exploration, questing, gathering, and long-term system growth. Several supporting features are discussed in terms of both design intent and launch prioritization.

Open world structure

The world is described as large in scale, with no loading or warding screens during open-world traversal. Zones are level-based rather than scaling to the player's current level.

Exploration is treated as an important playstyle in its own right. Hidden or rare content is described as important for players who primarily enjoy discovering the world rather than only following combat progression.

Gathering and crafting systems

Gathering and crafting use minigame-style interactions rather than instant completion. This is justified mainly as an anti-bot measure, especially because the game is free-to-play and cannot rely on account purchase friction to deter repeat botting.

The stated goal is a cleaner, more player-driven economy. Failing a gathering or crafting interaction can result in wasted materials or no resources gained, although the easiest success threshold is described as intentionally forgiving.

Players are not limited to only a small number of professions. The system is compared to RuneScape in the sense that all gathering and crafting skills can be learned, but raising many of them to a high level is expected to be difficult.

An auction house is also planned.

Economy and anti-bot philosophy

The economy is described as intended to be player-driven. The minigame approach is presented as a structural defense against bots rather than a cosmetic feature. This is considered especially important for a free-to-play MMORPG, where banned bot accounts could otherwise be replaced immediately at no purchase cost.

Mounts and housing

Mounts are expected to launch in a relatively basic form. The desired long-term ambition is something more advanced, but the initial version is described as closer to a standard mount system while core features such as combat, PvE, PvP, battlegrounds, and open-world activities take priority.

Housing was discussed earlier in development but is deprioritized. The reasoning given is that housing is not viewed as a core launch feature for the type of MMORPG Scars of Honor is trying to be.

Demo, release preparation, and scope control

The planned demo is stated to target Q1 2026. Before that release, the team's focus is said to be bug fixing, polishing, and content work rather than adding entirely new systems. The recap frames the current stage as one of consolidation: the major systems are already in place, and the priority is to deliver them in a stable state.

Multiple playtesting events are also said to be planned during 2026.

Steam and platform direction

Scars of Honor is confirmed to be coming to Steam. PC is treated as the main platform, while mobile remains a later optimization target rather than an immediate focus.

Studio scale and development background

The project is described as having begun as a small passion project before growing into a larger production. Development is said to have started privately around 2016, with official studio development beginning later and the project reaching a team size of more than 100 people by the time of the recording.

Source

• Recording: Yearly Recap, new Scars OF Honor Features, Talents, Scars, Dungeons, Arenas, Crafting and more.
• YouTube: Watch on YouTube
• Published: Sunday, December 21, 2025 at 8:22 PM UTC