Platform Accessibility: Why No Steam?

Perhaps the most questionable decision surrounding Blade & Soul Neo's Western release is its platform exclusivity. Unlike most modern MMO launches,Neo will not be available on Steam. Instead,it will launch solely on BnS NEO Classic Divine Gems NCSoft's proprietary platform,Purple.

From a business perspective,this makes sense. NCSoft gets to keep 100% of microtransaction revenue rather than sharing with Steam. However,the tradeoff is significant. Steam is the dominant distribution platform on PC,and for many players,it is PC gaming. Asking players to install yet another launcher—one that most have never heard of—creates a barrier to entry at a time when accessibility is key.

Even major publishers like Ubisoft and EA have backtracked from platform exclusivity in favor of returning to Steam after recognizing the value of its massive built-in audience. It's hard to see how Purple will succeed where others have stumbled,especially without a significant marketing push or incentive to join.

NC America seems aware of this concern. During a press Q&A,senior producer Andrew Long noted that efforts are underway to raise awareness of Purple and streamline onboarding. Still,for many gamers,the lack of buy BnS NEO Classic Divine Gems a Steam option could be a dealbreaker.