Recently we have been reading and having players write in about rumors and their worry over the future or iRO, and I just want to offer assurance that iRO’s future in good hands. As summertime arrives we will soon be officially celebrating our 23rd anniversary and updating “Episode 20 : The Undying” as well. Rest assured that the culmination of 20+ years of iRO player adventures will continue to grow on our Chaos server.
Continue reading…
Thoughts on AI Appreciation Day 2026
AI Appreciation Day is an awareness day that happens every year on July 16. It was created to recognize how artificial intelligence is showing up in everyday life. Let’s catch up with the team and get their takes on AI appreciation.
AI has been introduced, developed, and gradually woven into everyday life, and it has also become part of my own life for the better. While AI certainly has its controversial side, since it is AI Appreciation Day, I want to focus on what I appreciate about it and how I use it. I use AI almost every day, from simple suggestions about what to wear, including the colors of my top, bottoms, underwear, and accessories based on my Four Pillars of Destiny, or 사주, to recommendations for music that matches my taste and ideas for lunch or dinner. I also use it for grammar checks, writing assistance, and comparing products I am considering buying. Twenty years ago, people often had to know exactly what they were looking for, remember countless details, or become knowledgeable in many different areas just to make everyday decisions. AI has made my life easier, less time consuming, and less stressful. Of course, there may be certain things we lose by relying on AI, but there is no denying that it has made many parts of my life more convenient and manageable.
— Justin J, Asst. Project Manager
In honor of AI Appreciation Day, I wanted to share a bit about how I use AI in my everyday life. To me, AI has become the new search engine. When I’m looking for specific, tailored information, it’s my go-to tool for getting straight answers.
For instance, I’m definitely not an Excel wizard. Whenever I need a complex formula, I’ll ask AI to build it for me—or even help me structure an entire spreadsheet from scratch using my raw data. I also love using it for translations. Unlike traditional translation apps that just swap words literally, AI actually gives me the cultural context behind the phrases. Ultimately, AI has been an incredible productivity partner for my personal projects, and I’m genuinely excited to see how it continues to evolve.
— Kevin D, Client Success
I’ll admit that I use AI everyday.
What was once a ‘dip in and out’ of Grammarly workflow turned into ‘polish this or that’ with ChatGPT. Sometimes what needs a little appreciation is how AI can touch people or their daily work differently.
From AI that’s trained to detect illnesses doctors can’t detect or a game artist making variations of their own art to spark inspiration, AI can be pretty powerful, for better or worse.
Sure, there are lots of cases where AI is used illegally or unethically but I’m happy with some of the positives and how real people are being helped.
I’m personally against AI mastering games like doing speed-runs or beating humans at chess or League of Legends.
I just don’t see the point.
Teams of researchers with millions of dollars in funding against humans who have to compete the old-fashioned way is just not interesting to me. Let’s see how good AI is at games when it has to deal with physical setbacks or last night’s rough conversation with a loved one echoing endlessly in the corners of its mind when things get tough in a head-to-head battle.
All that aside, where AI gets interesting is in the times where you need help writing an outline or researching recipes for that friend who’s visiting that can’t eat cranberries or walnuts. Little things matter.
I think AI is amazing but humans are pretty cool too and, for the record, both can – and often do – create slop.
AI hasn’t cornered the market there!
— Mace T, Project Manager
Thanks for stopping by!
What are some of your thoughts on AI?
Share them in the comments below.
See ya next time!!
What We’re Looking Forward to This Summer and Beyond
After last’s post about the team’s fond memories of summer, we caught up with them to hear their thoughts on what they’re looking forward to this summer.
When I think of summer, I think of horror, thrill, and anything scary enough to give me chills. This summer, I’m especially looking forward to new horror games that may be released in July and August, as well as games that are already out and ready to play. Over the past few years, the idea of the Backrooms has become really popular through short amateur clips, and now it has even turned into a movie called Backrooms. Recently, a new game called Backrooms: Lost Runners also caught my attention. There are many Backrooms-themed games out there, but this one stands out because of its quality and multiplayer features. I’m really excited to play it myself and also watch other streamers experience it.
— Justin J, Asst. Project Manager
Well, I’m kind of cheating a bit here, but I am looking forward to No Rest for the Wicked on consoles. I’m a little torn tho as Sony’s latest stance on physical media is not sitting well with me and I planned on playing that game on PS5. Despite the fact that I mostly buy and play digitally I may have to really think harder about my options.
Regardless, I’m looking forward to No Rest for the Wicked as it’s been some time since a co-op action RPG with lots of depth and fluid class builds caught my eye, so I’m looking forward to it. I’m a big advocate for co-op games and this one looks grindy and challenging which i appreciate. “No Rest” also features cross-play which is exciting. I’m hoping to revive some of the magic of games like Champions of Norrath and the PS2 Baldur’s Gate games with this one.
We’ll see if it can help me thru the fall to winter period as I, like many others, reassess their hardware gaming stack… just in time for higher hardware prices. Yayyyy!
— Mace T, Project Manager
Summer Memories from Our Team
This week, we’re looking back on what summer means to us.
Summer is a little different for everyone which is what keeps it feeling no fresh and exciting year despite the hard-to-sleep nights and occasional sunburn.
Let’s catch up with the team…
For me, summer gaming has always meant horror. In South Korea, there is a beloved cultural tradition of consuming horror media during the hottest months of the year, from scary movies and ghost stories to TV horror specials, haunted houses, and summer-themed fright events. It may seem strange from a Western perspective, where horror is usually tied to Halloween and the colder months, but in Korea, fear is often used as a way to “scare the heat away.”
Physiologically, it almost makes sense: when you are frightened, your body releases adrenaline, your heart rate rises, your blood vessels constrict, and you may even get goosebumps or shiver. That reaction mirrors the feeling of being cold, almost tricking your brain into experiencing a chill.
Growing up, Korean media always treated summer as the season for scary content, and that carried over into my life as a gamer. When I was younger, my friends and I would gather at someone’s house, turn off all the lights, and play horror games like The House flash game or SCP-087-B, both of which I still remember vividly. I do not know if those games actually helped us escape the sweltering heat, but they definitely gave us unforgettable summer nights.
— Justin J, Asst. Project Manager
When we think of summer, our minds instantly drift to the classic Hollywood blockbuster. Over the years, the season has increasingly become a battleground for video game adaptations looking to make a splash on the big screen.
One of the most highly anticipated releases in this category was 2016’s Warcraft. Having dedicated my high school and college years to the iconic MMORPG, the prospect of a full-length cinematic adaptation was thrilling. While the film ultimately received mixed reviews and struggled to capture mainstream box office dominance domestically, it remains a nostalgic treat for long-time fans like myself. Seeing a world I spent years exploring brought to life on the silver screen was well worth the admission.
Looking ahead, the next major summer milestone for gaming fans is the upcoming Call of Duty film. Though the project’s expected release window is slated for June 2028, the sheer scale of the franchise ensures that anticipation will remain high. Adapting a first-person juggernaut is no small feat, but it is undoubtedly a summer blockbuster to watch out for.
— Kevin D, Client Success
Summer movies feel inseparable from the season because they share the same energy as the long summer I spent glued to the original Final Fantasy VII on PlayStation, a game that turned my living room into an epic quest and made everyday vacation time feel bigger, stranger, and more magical. That same feeling is what made the original Masters of the Universe stick with me, even with its more sci-fi style, because it took those lazy months and opened them into cosmic stakes and wild adventure. Around all of that is the softer nostalgia of going to camp, sitting by the pool, eating ice cream on a bright day, and knowing there’s a new movie or game waiting to take you somewhere else the moment you step inside or pick up the controller. Together, those stories didn’t just fill time. They became part of what summer feels like, a tradition of escape and imagination woven alongside the kind of summer sun that melts your ice cream, your soul, and sometimes your skin.
— Mace T, Project Manager
Summer Points Sale ’26 is Now Live!
Summer Savings are Here!
The best time to stock up is when every purchase goes further.
The WarpPortal Summer Point Sale 2026 is now live, giving you bonus WarpPortal Points on qualifying purchases through WarpPortal and Steam.
More points mean more upgrades, more style, and more ways to enhance your adventure.
Event Details:
Begins: June 25, 2025, at 17:00 PDT
Ends: July 06, 2025, at 23:59 PDT
This bonus applies to ALL point conversions during the event period for:
- Ragnarok Online
- Ragnarok Online II
- Requiem: Desiderium Mortis
- and DragonSaga
Warpportal Bonus Tiers:
Points Normal Bonus Add Total Bonus -------------------------------------------------------------------- < 1000 0% +0% 5% 1000 ~ 2499 10% +5% 15% 2500 ~ 4999 15% +5% 20% 5000+ 20% +10% 30%
Steam Bonus Tiers:
Points Normal Bonus Add Total Bonus Total Points -------------------------------------------------------------------- 500 0% +5% 5% 525 1000 0% +5% 5% 1050 1500 0% +5% 5% 1575 2000 0% +5% 5% 2100 3000 0% +5% 5% 3150 4000 5% +5% 10% 4400 5000 10% +5% 15% 5750
Don’t miss out on these limited-time bonus points!
Get ready for an epic summer in your favorite Warpportal games!
Our Favorite Things About Ragnarok Online
Ragnarok Online is celebrating its 23rd anniversary and we asked our team about some of their favorite features in the series.
Let’s check in with the team…
What I like most about Ragnarok Online is how strongly it triggers nostalgia, and I believe that is the strongest point of all RO IPs. The classic JRPG-style sprites, the colorful fantasy world, the feeling of exploring together with other players, and the storytelling all remind me of the games, anime, and comics I grew up with in the late 90s and early 2000s. For gamers from that generation, RO is not just another MMORPG IP. It carries a familiar mood and charm that makes people feel connected to their past, while still giving them a world they want to return to.
— Justin J, Asst. Project Manager
One of my favorite features in Ragnarok Online is War of Emperium (WOE). As a longtime PvP enthusiast, I love the thrill of large-scale guild warfare as alliances clash to conquer and control castles. It’s essentially a massive, player-driven raid — but instead of fighting NPCs, you’re battling real opponents in intense, coordinated fights.
What makes WOE stand out is the incredibly high level of strategy and teamwork involved. Success depends on perfect timing, smart class compositions, role coordination, and quick adaptation under pressure. Every battle feels like a high-stakes chess match with hundreds of pieces on the board.
Once a guild secures or successfully defends a castle, the real payoff begins. Guild members gain exclusive access to unique dungeons, valuable treasure boxes, and other rewarding benefits that make the hard-fought victory feel incredibly satisfying.
If you enjoy competitive PvP at its peak, I highly recommend jumping into the next WOE. The adrenaline, camaraderie, and sense of achievement are unmatched.
— Kevin D, Client Success
One feature from Ragnarok games that I think is genuinely kind of brilliant is the card system. You add a card to a piece of gear and it changes your build. Simple enough. But the more you look at it, the more absurdly good the design is. Cards turn grinding into this weird multi-purpose loop where you get stronger, make zeny, and actually have reasons to talk to other players. Some guilds team up to help key roles get the cards they need, and it almost feels like running a dungeon, except instead of solving mechanics or fighting some big dramatic boss, you’re just out there farming mobs together and hoping the blue rectangle finally shows up.
And that’s the thing. Cards become part of your story. The grind is real. The reward is real. The feeling of finally being done is very real. Maybe it’s a card that finishes your build. Maybe it’s a weird choice that somehow works. Maybe it’s something your guild helps you get because everyone knows it matters. It isn’t fair, and it isn’t trying to be. That’s why it sticks. Cards create memories, inside jokes, personal milestones, and all the little spreadsheet-brained nonsense that makes classic MMOs feel alive.
— Mace T, Project Manager
Thanks reading.
See you next time!