The Latest Updates on the Social Sandbox MMO Pax Dei

Pax Dei, the medieval-themed social sandbox MMO from Mainframe Industries (which boasts many former EVE Online developers), launched into early access on June 18 . The team doesn’t shy away from acknowledging that the game is in alpha and “heavily” under development. New updates can be found on their site.

The development team wants players to experience the game together. That’s why hefty crafting requirements feel less daunting when a group coordinates to sweep the land for clay or hunt down enemies for gnesis stones.

Update 1.1.2

Pax Dei is a social sandbox MMO set in the world of fantasy 12th – 13th Century Europe. Players can build castles and kingdoms, create guilds, or simply enjoy the game at their own pace.

The game will have no NPC settlements, nor will it impose specific group sizes for instanced dungeons or zones that require a minimum level of play to enter. Instead, players will explore the world themselves and can choose to visit other player villages or join up with random friends they encounter in the wild.

Pax Dei has a subscription model, with three preorder tiers to choose from. The cheapest, the Journeyman tier, will provide one plot of land, two character slots, founder’s finery and chausses, shoes, a mantle, coronet and emblem, as well as a founder Discord role to keep forever. The more expensive tiers will also include additional plots and gear. There’s no word yet on a release date, but Mainframe is inviting players to sign up for the Alpha now.

Update 1.1.3

Pax Dei is a game that’s being sold on a promise, but that promise could pay off big time if the developers can pull it off. $40 is a lot to spend on what amounts to an alpha test right now, but if this can become a successful MMORPG down the line then it may be worth the price of entry.

The game’s world is designed to come alive through player interactions. It’s a social sandbox MMO with players able to build their homestead and open up shops and inns. These will form small villages and the game also allows players to go into the Wilderness in search of treasures and resources.

The game’s graphics are stunning to maximize the feeling of being in a medieval fantasy world. The game’s weaponry and structures are heavily inspired by old Europe as well and they aim to create a feeling of having hopped into an ancient era with history all around you!

Update 1.1.4

Pax Dei is a game that’s being sold on a promise – and it’s one that could see the studio’s new MMO become a major player in the genre. That makes it hard to review based on its current state, but there’s no denying that it’s interesting enough for players to consider sinking $40 into the experience.

As a social sandbox, the game is meant to be played with friends or clans. The team wants to create a world that feels alive through the actions of its players and that will thrive with artisan guilds, communities, and towns with churches, cathedrals, castles, forts, and more. It’s a massive project, which is why crafting can feel overwhelming at times, when you need to gather tons of clay or hunt down monsters for lockets to level your smithing recipes.

Update 1.1.5

Pax Dei is a game designed to provide thousands of hours of joy alone or with friends (old or new), at your own pace. Developer Mainframe Studios comes from the EVE Online world with co-founder and game director Reynir Hardarson, so social sandbox games are their wheelhouse.

At its core, the game is about exploration and discovery. There are no NPC settlements in the game, instead it asks players to branch out and discover their own stories with their friends. The draw distance is massive, so that cave in the distance might hold untold riches and valuable recipes – or it could be full of dangers waiting to be found.

Pax Dei launched into Early Access on June 18th. The studio is charging $40 for this, which makes it clear that the game is still a work in progress and that you’re buying into a promise of what it could be when finished. The funds that are raised will be directly used to continue development alongside the community.