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RAVEN2

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
RAVEN2
DeveloperNetmarble Monster
PublisherNetmarble
EngineUnreal Engine
PlatformsAndroid, iOS, Windows
Release
  • KOR: May 29, 2024
  • TWN/HKG/MAC: November 20, 2024
  • JPN: May 28, 2025
  • WW: October 22, 2025
GenreMMORPG
ModeMultiplayer

RAVEN2 (Korean: 레이븐2) is a dark fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Netmarble Monster and published by Netmarble. It is the sequel to the 2015 mobile action role-playing game Raven, released internationally as Evilbane: Rise of Ravens.[1] RAVEN2 launched in South Korea on May 29, 2024, simultaneously on Android, iOS and Windows with cross-platform play, and was subsequently rolled out region by region: to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau in November 2024, to Japan in May 2025, and worldwide across 150 countries on October 22, 2025.[2][3][4]

The game was a significant commercial success in South Korea, entering the top three of the revenue charts on both major mobile app stores within days of release, and won the top prize in the multi-device category at Google Play Korea's Best of 2024 awards.[5][6] Critics praised its graphics and cinematic cutscenes, but faulted its lack of differentiation from other Korean MMORPGs, its heavy reliance on automated combat, and its aggressive monetization.[7][8]

Gameplay

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RAVEN2 is a third-person massively multiplayer role-playing game set in a dark fantasy world. The player creates a member of a "Special Corps" marked by a "Cursed Stigma", who investigates sinister phenomena and battles demons while gradually uncovering the fate of a decaying world.[4] The story is delivered through cinematic cutscenes, and the game emphasizes a grim, mature aesthetic with graphic depictions of violence.[9][7] RAVEN2 supports cross-platform play, allowing the same character to be played on mobile devices and PC.[6]

Six character classes were available at launch: the Night Ranger (a bow user specializing in critical hits), the Berserker (a greatsword-wielding melee fighter), the Divine Caster (a staff-wielding healer and support), the Vanguard (a sword-and-shield tank), the Elementalist (an area-of-effect mage using elemental orbs), and the Destroyer (a crossbow user who slows and repels enemies).[10] The chosen class is permanently tied to the character and cannot be changed through normal play; some classes are gender-locked.[10][11] Additional classes were introduced in later updates, including the Assassin, Deathbringer, Gunslinger and Warlord.[12][13][14][15]

Combat is built around target selection and skill use, and the game allows combat, movement and questing to be fully automated. Character progression involves acquiring and upgrading equipment, collecting items that grant permanent stat bonuses, a "Holy Garment" system of stat-boosting costumes of varying rarity tiers, familiars, and stigma branding.[11] The game features guilds with their own dungeons, crafting and donation systems, daily dungeons, field bosses, and large-scale guild-versus-guild battles; a player-to-player marketplace unlocks at character level 55.[11][4]

RAVEN2 is free-to-play with in-game purchases, including paid equipment summons, season passes and a monthly subscription; the developers recommended that players wanting to limit their spending prioritize the pass and subscription.[16]

Development

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The original Raven, published by Netmarble in partnership with the web portal Naver in 2015, was one of the most successful Korean mobile games of its time: it topped the App Store and Google Play revenue charts in South Korea, reached one million daily active users within 40 days, and won six prizes at the 2015 Korea Game Awards, including the grand prize.[17][18] The game was renamed Evilbane: Rise of Ravens for its international release.[1]

A sequel was first announced on January 27, 2022, at Netmarble's 5th Netmarble Together with Press (NTP) showcase under the working title Raven: Arang, as one of twenty new projects. It was presented as a cross-platform MMORPG from Netmarble Monster, intended to retain the original's signature action while adding the multiplayer modes and large-scale battles the first game lacked.[19] The project was later given the final title RAVEN2.

The game was directed by Cho Doo-hyun. According to Cho, nine years after the original the team sought to expand the series' universe while keeping the game accessible for busy players, prioritizing "familiar enjoyment" over complexity.[9][20] The game was built on Unreal Engine with a focus on cinematic storytelling.[4]

Release

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Pre-registration in South Korea opened on April 19, 2024, and had surpassed one million sign-ups by launch.[21][18] Ahead of the Korean release, the game held an open beta test in Thailand and Canada, topping the Thai App Store's popularity and revenue charts.[22] On May 22, 2024, Netmarble held a livestreamed showcase with popular streamers in which gameplay was shown publicly for the first time.[9] The game launched in South Korea on May 29, 2024, at 8 p.m. local time.[18]

On November 20, 2024, RAVEN2 launched in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, alongside the opening of "Noah", the game's first global server shared between South Korea and the new regions.[2] The game launched in Japan on May 28, 2025.[3]

In September 2025, Netmarble announced a worldwide release[23], which took place on October 22, 2025, making RAVEN2 available in 150 countries in 16 languages. The global service is divided into three regions — North America, Southeast Asia and Oceania, and Europe — each comprising two "worlds" of twelve servers; the PC version is distributed through the Epic Games Store and Netmarble's own launcher.[4][24]

Post-release updates

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The game has received regular major updates. The first new class, the Assassin, was added to the Korean version in October 2024.[12] In May 2025, for the game's first anniversary, the Deathbringer class was added along with "Pia", a unified world shared by players from all five serviced regions.[13] A November 2025 update introduced the Gunslinger class and the accelerated "Legend" world.[14][25] In May 2026, for the second anniversary, Netmarble opened ZERO, the game's first special-ruleset server, and added the Warlord, a spear-wielding commander class.[26][27] A July 2026 update added the new Valtar region and a skill development system.[15]

Reception

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Critical response

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The South Korean press gave the game a lukewarm reception. Hong Su-min of Gametoc praised its "console-quality" cinematic cutscenes, solid graphics and consistently grim aesthetic, but criticized the weak delivery of a predictable story and the near-total absence of differentiation from other competitive Korean MMORPGs. She noted that because of the game's predetermined-hit combat system, manual control quickly becomes meaningless and play devolves into watching automated combat, while the odds of obtaining top items from paid summons run to hundredths of a percent.[7] Korean outlets broadly characterized the game as well-made but "too familiar a taste".[7]

Western critics reviewing the game after its global launch reached similar conclusions. Writing for Massively Overpowered, a columnist called RAVEN2 "beautiful and gruesome", praising its visuals and combat presentation, but argued that its automated combat "goes too far": automation is the game's foundation rather than a convenience, and within minutes the player is simply watching the character do everything on its own.[8] A NoobFeed preview was more positive, highlighting fluid animations, thoughtful world design, and the balance between the mobile and PC versions.[11]

Commercial performance

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RAVEN2 performed strongly at launch in South Korea: within two days it had risen to second place on the Korean App Store revenue chart[22], and within a week it entered the top three grossing games on Google Play and the top ten on both major app stores.[5][28] More than half of the game's revenue came from its PC version.[6] In the third quarter of 2024, RAVEN2 accounted for 6% of Netmarble's total revenue, and together with Solo Leveling: Arise was one of the new releases credited with improving the company's results.[29][28]

Accolades

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In November 2024, RAVEN2 won the top prize in the multi-device category at Google Play Korea's Best of 2024 awards, which recognizes games offering the best cross-platform experience; Netmarble's share price rose 4% following the announcement.[6][30]

References

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  1. 1 2 "Raven becomes Evilbane as Netmarble renames its top grossing Korean RPG for international release". PocketGamer.biz. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  2. 1 2 '레이븐2', 글로벌 서버 '노아' 오픈...대만 등 4개 지역 론칭 [Raven2 opens global server Noah... launches in four regions including Taiwan]. Newspim (in Korean). November 20, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  3. 1 2 레이븐2 일본 출시, 국내도 접속 가능한 서버 오픈 [Raven2 launches in Japan, opens servers accessible from Korea]. GameMeca (in Korean). May 28, 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Netmarble's Brutal Dark Fantasy MMORPG "RAVEN2" Launches Worldwide" (Press release). Netmarble via PR Newswire. October 22, 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  5. 1 2 넷마블 레이븐2, 출시 1주일 만에 구글플레이 매출 3위 달성 [Netmarble's Raven2 reaches No. 3 in Google Play revenue within a week of launch]. ZDNet Korea (in Korean). June 4, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 넷마블 '레이븐2', 구글플레이 '올해를 빛낸 수상작 2024' 최우수상 수상 [Netmarble's Raven2 wins top prize at Google Play's Best of 2024 awards]. ZDNet Korea (in Korean). November 19, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Hong Su-min (May 30, 2024). 레이븐2 찍먹 리뷰 "잘 만들었어도 너무 익숙한 맛" [Raven2 first-taste review: "Well made, but too familiar a taste"]. Gametoc (via Daum) (in Korean). Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Fight or Kite: Raven2 is beautiful and gruesome, but it goes too far with autobattler gameplay". Massively Overpowered. November 29, 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 넷마블 '레이븐2', 세계관 확장한 게임 플레이 첫 공개 [Netmarble's Raven2 gameplay revealed for the first time with expanded worldview]. GameVu (in Korean). May 23, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  10. 1 2 내가 원하는 직업 컨셉 찾자! 6종 클래스 스킬 둘러보기 [Find the class concept you want! A look at the skills of the six classes]. Inven (in Korean). May 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Raven 2 Preview". NoobFeed. October 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  12. 1 2 레이븐2, 신규 클래스 '어쌔신' 추가 대규모 업데이트 [Raven2 major update adds new Assassin class]. ThisIsGame (in Korean). October 23, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  13. 1 2 넷마블 '레이븐2' 1주년, 5개국 통합 서버와 신캐 '데스브링어' 등장 [Netmarble's Raven2 first anniversary brings five-region unified server and new Deathbringer class]. GameVu (in Korean). May 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  14. 1 2 넷마블 MMORPG <레이븐2>, 신규 부스팅 월드 '레전드' 등 대규모 업데이트 실시 [Netmarble MMORPG Raven2 gets major update including new boosting world Legend]. Hankyung (in Korean). November 20, 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  15. 1 2 "Raven 2 — обзор и оценки, описание, новости, вся информация" [Raven 2 — review and ratings, description, news, all information]. GoHa.Ru (in Russian). Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  16. ↑ 레이븐2 "과금 부담 크면 시즌패스와 월정액 우선 고려" [Raven2: "If spending is a burden, consider the season pass and monthly subscription first"]. Gametoc (in Korean). June 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  17. ↑ "Netmarble's Raven sweeps 6 game awards". The Korea Times. November 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 넷마블, 신작 '레이븐2' 29일 오후 8시 출시 [Netmarble to launch new title Raven2 on the 29th at 8 p.m.]. Inven (in Korean). May 29, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  19. ↑ [NTP] 넷마블, 2022년 총 공세 예고...신작 20종에 블록체인·메타버스도 띄운다(종합) [[NTP] Netmarble announces its 2022 offensive... 20 new titles plus blockchain and metaverse]. TechM (in Korean). January 27, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  20. ↑ "Interview: Raven2 boss Doo-Hyun Cho on the western launch of Netmarble's grimdark fantasy MMORPG". Massively Overpowered. October 27, 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  21. ↑ 넷마블, '레이븐2' 사전등록 진행… 다양한 이벤트 보상 마련 [Netmarble opens Raven2 pre-registration with various event rewards]. Digital Daily (in Korean). April 19, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  22. 1 2 넷마블 '레이븐2', 출시 1주일 만에 국내 구글 매출 톱3 진입 [Netmarble's Raven2 enters domestic Google Play revenue top 3 within a week of launch]. Digital Today (in Korean). June 4, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Netmarble confirms global release for dark fantasy mobile and PC MMORPG Raven 2". Massively Overpowered. September 2, 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Netmarble's Raven2 MMORPG Launches Globally October 22 with Massive Guild Battles and Unreal Engine Power". Inven Global. October 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Netmarble's Brutal Dark Fantasy MMORPG RAVEN2 Introduces New Gunslinger Class to Mark One Month Milestone". Barchart. November 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  26. ↑ 2주년 레이븐2 "제로 월드로 고착화된 경쟁 구도 흔든다" [Raven2 at two years: "Shaking up the entrenched competitive order with the ZERO world"]. GameMeca (in Korean). May 2026. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Raven 2 Launches Teaser Site for 2nd Anniversary 'ZERO Update'". Inven Global. May 2026. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  28. 1 2 '레이븐2'도 매출 10위권 안착...넷마블, '나혼렙'과 연타석 흥행 [Raven2 also settles into the revenue top 10... back-to-back hits for Netmarble with Solo Leveling]. TechM (in Korean). June 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  29. ↑ 여전한 '나혼렙'의 인기... 넷마블 3분기 매출 6,473억원 기록 [Solo Leveling still popular... Netmarble posts Q3 revenue of 647.3 billion won]. Inven (in Korean). November 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  30. ↑ "Netmarble's Raven 2 is Google Play's 2024 Game of the Year; Shares Jump 4%". MarketScreener. November 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
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