Funktronic Labs released Scramble Knights Online on October 26. It is an action RPG the studio calls an MMO-lite, and it is available now on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC. It is also included with Xbox Game Pass from day one.

The launch is marked as a Game Preview, so the game is still a work in progress. According to the listing, it may change over time or may not release as a final product.

From battle royale to MMO-lite

In a post on Xbox Wire, marketing director Nikko Koruna explained that the game began life as Scramble Knights Royale, a top-down battle royale with questing, monster slaying and dungeon looting alongside PvP. Early playtesters liked the world and the exploration but were put off by the battle royale format, according to the post. Lobbies emptied, and commenters kept saying they would play it without the PvP.

The team tried other PvP modes, including Capture the Flag and Team Death Match, but kept returning to the moments between fights. A founder, Eddie Lee, reminded them of the original idea: Adventure With Friends. That led to an MMO-lite prototype built around a simple loop. You start in town, post a mission on a quest board, ready up with other players, drop into the world, finish the quest and return.

Funktronic Labs says it took nearly four years of building to reach this version, with the rebuild into an online game done in less than six months.

What you can do in Terracott

Players explore the kingdom of Terracott as a knight in training. The listing describes:

  • Solo or co-op play with up to 4 players in a shared online world
  • Top-down action combat with a range of weapons and abilities
  • Dungeons with puzzles, secrets and bosses
  • A Town Square for socializing, upgrading gear, fishing and forming parties
  • Crafting of weapons and armour from quest rewards
  • PvP encounters with other teams of knights
  • Online split screen, which is not available in the beta test
  • Chicken Mode, where a defeated player spectates as a chicken

With Xbox Play Anywhere, one purchase covers console, PC and supported gaming handhelds.

What it means for readers

If you have Game Pass on console or PC, you can try Scramble Knights Online without buying it separately. Pure Xbox listed it among the titles coming to Game Pass from the ID@Xbox showcase, with the October 26 date.

The sources we reviewed do not give a price or any Canadian or US pricing, so check the Xbox store page in your region if you plan to buy. Because it is a Game Preview, expect unfinished parts, and the developer points players to its website for the latest status and for giving feedback. The studio has not said when a final version will arrive.