Smilegate takes over Lost Ark in 2027, plans to eventually synchronize Western and Korean server content updates

Q: Which specific items and features will NOT transfer (for example, friends lists, in‑game mail, chat history)?

Friends list memos, in-game mail, and chat messages and chat history will not transfer and will not be kept. Active subscriptions for the Amazon version of Lost Ark, such as Crystalline Aura, will be cancelled before the Smilegate transition.

Q: What options do players have if they want to opt out of the transition, and what happens to their characters/data if they do?

Players can choose to opt out of the transition. If they opt out, their characters and data will be wiped. The article also notes that active Amazon Lost Ark subscriptions such as Crystalline Aura will be cancelled before the Smilegate transition, and that certain items like preset names, stronghold names, and map and combat memos will transfer for accounts that move to Smilegate while friends list memos, in-game mail, and chat history will not transfer.

Amazon is handing Lost Ark's development over to Smilegate and distancing itself from MMORPGs starting in 2027, and Smilegate lays out future plans.

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Derek Strickland

Senior Gaming Editor

Published Aug 12, 2026 9:39 PM CDT

1 minute & 15 seconds read time

TL;DR: Smilegate will assume Lost Ark's development and operations from Amazon in early 2027; accounts, characters, progression, and some presets will transfer automatically while certain items (friends lists, mail, chat history) will not and users may opt out with data wipe. Smilegate plans to gradually align Korean and Western content update timing.

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South Korean developer Smilegate will take over Lost Ark in early 2027, and the studio plans to eventually sync content between Korea and the West.

Smilegate takes over Lost Ark in 2027, plans to eventually synchronize Western and Korean server content updates 1

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Amazon is getting out of the MMO game and is transferring operations of Lost Ark to the game's original developer, Smilegate. Details of the upcoming transition have been outlined, informing players on what they can expect.

Users have the choice to opt out of the transition, but their characters and data will be wiped. Some things will transfer over, like preset names, stronghold names, map and combat memos, and more. Other things, like friends list memos, in-game mail, and chat messages and chat history will not transfer over and will not be kept. Active subscriptions for the Amazon version of Lost Ark, such as Crystalline Aura, will be cancelled before the Smilegate transition.

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"When the transition happens, your account data will be transferred to Smilegate's service automatically. Your characters, progression, and items remain intact on servers owned and managed by Smilegate going forward."

As for content, it's tough to keep two different versions of the same MMORPG going for two separate markets, so the idea here is to better unify the Korean and Western versions of Lost Ark insofar as content and server updates.

Smilegate explains in a post on the Onstove website:

"That's why we are working to gradually bring our content update timing closer to the Korean service, with the ultimate goal of making it possible for you to play the same content at the same time. That said, we do not intend to close this gap all at once. If we tried to force the accumulated distance shut in one stroke, we believe it could put real strain on your progression and on the rhythm at which you enjoy new content. So rather than rushing to erase the gap, we want to narrow it step-by-step, carefully, while paying close attention to how you actually play.
"This is not an easy undertaking. Development, translation, localization, and balance adjustments all have to be aligned within a single pipeline, and internally we are still working through a great deal of deliberation and trial and error. We're taking it on anyway, because we want to reach a point where you are no longer left waiting on news out of Korea."

Frequently Asked Questions

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Question #1

What account data and player information will transfer to Smilegate during the transition?

When the transition happens, your account data will be transferred to Smilegate automatically, and your characters, progression, and items will remain intact on Smilegate servers. Certain settings and notes such as preset names, stronghold names, map memos, and combat memos will also transfer. Friends list memos, in-game mail, and chat messages/chat history will not transfer, and active Amazon subscriptions like Crystalline Aura will be cancelled before the transition.

Answered

Question #2

Which specific items and features will NOT transfer (for example, friends lists, in‑game mail, chat history)?

Question #3

What options do players have if they want to opt out of the transition, and what happens to their characters/data if they do?

Question #4

How will active Amazon Lost Ark subscriptions (such as Crystalline Aura) be handled during the handover?

Active subscriptions for the Amazon version of Lost Ark, such as Crystalline Aura, will be cancelled before the Smilegate transition. Your account data will be transferred to Smilegate automatically, but those active Amazon subscriptions will not carry over.

Answered

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