Dragon Nest is officially launching next week! We sat down with Producer Davy Garaix to talk about all of the new content that's coming to the action MMO.

Nexon America just announced that Dragon Nest will officially launch next week on September 28. The launch update will introduce a ton of new content to the game, including a new level cap, a new town, new skills, 10 new dungeons, more than 500 new quests and over 250 new achievements!

We wanted to learn more about the features that are being added to the game next week, so we went straight to Producer Davy Garaix to discuss Dragon Nest's official launch and beyond. Keep reading after the jump for our in-depth interview!

Once you're done reading about all of the content that's coming next week, be sure to check out our Dragon Nest Armory to help you progress through the final days of open beta and prepare for the official release. We'll be sure to update our databases and tools to coincide with the launch, which will help you reach the new level cap and battle your way through the new dungeons!

ZAM: Dragon Nest has been in beta testing for about three months now as you gear up for the official launch. Have there been any surprising discoveries about North American Dragon Nest players in relation to, say, eastern Asian players?

Davy Garaix: It’s actually been closer to two months (one week closed beta, and two months for open beta), but that time has really flown by for us! One thing we’ve learned about North American players is that they don’t care much for restrictions on gameplay. That’s why we implemented the empowerment system for our region’s release of Dragon Nest, and we’ve been pleasantly surprised how popular it is among players. In other regions, the amount of time players can play Dragon Nest is restricted, which is a common feature in Asian MMORPGs. We flipped that around for our release, and we’ve found that players have responded quite positively to the benefits of the empowerment system as they level up.

ZAM: The official launch is bringing with it a ton of new content. Let's start off with the level cap, which will be raised to 32. Why that number? Is it tied directly to the amount of new content, or is there another reason?

Garaix: The level cap increase to 32 is indeed tied to all of the new content releasing next week, such as the new town, Saint’s Haven, the new dungeons and new skills. Acquiring new skills is one of the most exciting aspects of leveling up. If you thought the skills so far have looked pretty impressive, players will be wowed by what’s in store on the way to 32.

ZAM: Each class specialization will be getting six to eight new skills. Can you give us some more details? How will they affect the playstyles of each specialization?

Garaix: As you level up, several skill options will be presented to you and you’ll have to decide what specific skills you want to focus on. It’s up to you to spend your skill points in such a way that your skill set matches your preferred play style. The new skills being introduced are not only more powerful (and quite epic looking), they also help round out certain specializations. For example, the Swordsman, traditionally a very melee focused character, will gain some ranged skills like Cyclone Slash and Crescent Cleave.

ZAM: Speaking of skills, are there balance changes in the works for PvP in Dragon Nest, or are you waiting for players to make it to their second sub-class change post-launch before you start looking at PvP statistics?

Garaix: At the current level 24 cap, there’s a good variety of classes at the top of the PvP rankings, which indicates that the classes are pretty evenly balanced. We did notice for a time that Mercenaries and Paladins dominated the PvP battlefields, but that changed over time as players learned to exploit the weaknesses of those classes. The level cap increase and the new skills will certainly have an impact on PvP dominance as players master their new skills, and learn to use them against different combinations of opponents. I will say this: expect Acrobats to make a strong comeback!

ZAM: Players will soon be getting a new town to call home. What's the story behind Saint's Haven?

Garaix: Saint’s Haven is home to the young King Cassius. Saint’s Haven was the heart of the resistance during the war against the corrupt dragons from ages past. Players have been learning about Saint’s Haven from previous quests, and soon the Albatross will be shuttling players to a whole new territory.

ZAM: Are there any features that make the town stand out from the rest, such as NPCs or vendors?

Garaix: In addition to the usual vendors and class trainers, there are tons of new NPCs to meet in Saint’s Haven. The aforementioned King Cassius, as well as members of the royal court who will prove to be vital parts of the storyline.

Saint’s Haven also offers a daily quest for players level 24 and up. Players can clear daily achievements and weekly achievements (check the Achievements window by pressing L) and will be rewarded with Goddess Teardrops, which can then be turned in for various special items from the NPC Honest Ed. Through these new quests, players can obtain level 24 epic quality gear, powders for crafting and the Dawn Soul, a unique NX item that adds a beautiful glow to the players’ gear.

Another new feature players will encounter in town is the faction system, where players can build friendships with various NPCs and then spend faction points to obtain rewards like VIP membership coupons, used to get discounts on item purchases from faction vendors. Also available will be level 24 rare and epic quality gear, level 32 rare quality gear, an assortment of potential pouches, lustre pouches and other items used for enhancement.

ZAM: Dragon Nest is all about slashing your way through dungeons, so it's exciting to hear that 10 new dungeons will be added at launch. Can we get some more information on these additions?

Garaix: Five of the ten new dungeons will be in Port Hermalte, a dock area that connects the Northern Kingdom with the southern reaches of the continent. Those dungeons are: Black Mines, Desolate Isle, Lost Tunnels, River Ruins and Submerged Ruin. The other five dungeons – Rockthorn Gorge, Black Sovereign Domain, Stronghold of the Black Domain Guards, Marissa’s Dryspring, and Black Sovereign Assembly – are situated in the Black Mountain Path, former home of the Black Dragon and an area still teeming with monsters.

ZAM: Are any of the dungeons particularly innovative or unique? Which ones will make players say "wow, this is different" when they log into them?

Garaix: The Black Sovereign Assembly is definitely something that is going to wow players. This is where the player gets to see actual dragons and really feel the grand scale of the battle going on. We view it as the key moment of the game’s epic story so far.

ZAM: Will players be beating up on new monsters in these dungeons as they fight their way toward the boss? Also, can you give us any hints about some of the nastier boss battles?

Garaix: Players will get to fight against completely new enemies as well as ‘cousins’ of previously encountered enemies. The new enemies possess an arsenal of moves and attacks that players should definitely be challenged by. Two of the nastier bosses are Ruska, the four-armed cold-blooded reptile queen residing in River Ruins, and Clubby, the heavily armed giant ogre in Black Sovereign Assembly.

Quests, Achievements, Dragon Vault items and more on Page 2.