Sword of Justice, a new multi-platform MMORPG that recently debuted on Steam, entered the market with notable anticipation. Marketed as a free-to-play MMO without pay-to-win elements, it drew significant attention from genre enthusiasts, especially after receiving encouraging feedback during its closed beta. However, since the global release, the game’s reception has shifted sharply, and nearly half of its Steam reviews have turned negative.
Rising Concerns Following Launch
Developed and published by ZhuRong Studio, Sword of Justice launched on Steam on November 5, with global servers going live on November 7. Within days, the game accumulated over a thousand user reviews, with roughly 49% expressing dissatisfaction.
While many players acknowledge the game’s strong visual presentation and potential, several recurring issues dominate the negative feedback. A substantial portion of reviewers argue that Sword of Justice feels like a direct port of a mobile game, suffering from performance problems and poor optimization on PC. Others highlight time-gated progression systems, which they claim hinder the natural flow of advancement and diminish long-term engagement.
Criticism Extends Beyond Steam
The reception has not been significantly more favorable on mobile platforms. The Android version holds an average user score of 2.9, while the iOS release sits closer to 3.9. Some players state that Sword of Justice is essentially a rebranded PC adaptation of an existing mobile MMORPG, contributing to concerns about design limitations carried over from its original version.
At this time, ZhuRong Studio has not issued a public response addressing the negative feedback, leaving players unsure of the roadmap for improvements.
Positive Feedback Still Present
Despite widespread criticism, not all players are expressing frustration. Supporters of Sword of Justice praise its expansive open world, polished visuals, and casual-friendly progression. Many consider the grind rewarding without resorting to aggressive monetization, a rare point of praise for a modern free-to-play MMO.
Before its global debut, Sword of Justice had already amassed more than 40 million downloads across Asia and secured millions of pre-registrations in Western regions. These numbers indicate strong initial interest and a large potential player base.
Can Sword of Justice Recover?
The game’s turbulent launch raises questions about its long-term trajectory. If ZhuRong Studio addresses optimization concerns, rebalances progression systems, and improves communication with its community, Sword of Justice could still stabilize and build on its early potential. However, if current issues persist, the MMORPG risks joining the long list of titles that failed to maintain momentum after a promising start.
For now, Sword of Justice stands at a crossroads—its future dependent on both developer action and player patience.
