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Launch Hub

When can I play, and what should I expect?

The launch-day corner of the field manual. Sourced answers for every Classic World launch question, plus the unknowns we're honest about - so you know exactly what is confirmed before the servers open.

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Launch timeline

Grand Launch

Servers open October 21, 2026 at 6:00 PM UTC (11:00 AM Pacific, 2 PM Eastern, 8 PM CEST, 4 AM AEST October 22).

Getting in: the Classic World client can only be downloaded on launch day - in the Nexon Launcher, open MapleStory and switch on the MapleStory Classic World toggle. On Steam the games are bundled, so installing and updating the base MapleStory game ahead of time makes the launch-day patch much smaller.

  • Level cap stays Lv. 100. Job advancements at Lv. 10 and Lv. 30 only - no 3rd Job at Grand Launch.
  • Six bosses on Victoria Island: Mano, Stumpy (new), Mushmom, Shade, Zombie Mushmom, Jr. Balrog. See Bosses.
  • New area: the Excavation Site in Perion, with eight listed monsters.
  • New systems: Housing and the Lie Detector Test, both tied to Citizenship.
  • Trading unlocks 24 hours after a character on the account reaches Lv. 15.
  • Kerning City Party Quest runs on Channels 3 - 12 only.
  • Not yet: Forgotten Hollow opens in November.

Full breakdown, plus corrections to earlier versions of this site: What's in Grand Launch.

Mark of Beta

The quest is '[Event] The Marks We Leave Behind'. Characters Lv. 25 and above accept it from Jay in Henesys, then follow its clues around Victoria Island to a hidden treasure: the Mark of the Beta.

It runs October 21, 12:00 AM UTC through November 18, 11:59 PM UTC - about four weeks, ending earlier than the "late November" we published from earlier announcements.

Launch events

  • The Journey Begins (Oct 21 - Nov 18): Lv. 10+ daily check-in. Trade 30 Maple Leaves to Maple Administrator for a 14-day reward ladder, once per day per account.
  • To Classic Beginners: Closed Online Test players who finished the event quests get Classic Beginnings rings by mail.
  • Halloween Candies and Slime Attack (Oct 28 - Nov 18): candy collection for Malady, with the Pumpkin Basket sword from a hidden mission.
  • GM events: jump-quest challenge Oct 22, Coconut Harvest Nov 6, Up And Up Dec 19 - each 12:00 to 2:00 AM UTC.

Dates, reward tables, and the Magic Box item list: Grand Launch Event Calendar.

Confirmed launch features

Developer vision

On October 2, 2026, Nexon published a long-form interview with Hanbyeol Oh (Inkwell), CPO of Nexon America and head of Global MapleStory, covering the design philosophy, team structure, and long-term direction of Classic World. The three commitments below are the most consequential for players deciding whether to buy in. Each is quoted verbatim.

In an experience like Classic World, the time players invest is itself a fundamental part of progression - the progression should feel earned through time and effort. Because of that, we want to avoid selling Cash Shop items that directly affect character stats or growth. Our basic approach is to focus primarily on cosmetics and appropriate convenience items.

Inkwell on monetization · The clearest public commitment yet that Classic World will not become a stat-gated Cash Shop grind.

Internally, we sometimes talk about "the beauty of taking it slow." A lot of online games today are built around very fast progression, constant updates, and competition. We intentionally want Classic World to feel somewhat different. We want players to be able to step away for a while and come back without feeling, "I am hopelessly behind."

Inkwell on update cadence · Sets expectations that Classic World will update slower than regular Global MapleStory - by design, not by neglect.

Classic World may look back toward the past, but ironically, I think of it as a project designed to help prepare MapleStory for the future.

Inkwell on the long-term framing · The planning horizon Inkwell names explicitly in the interview is "3, 5, and 10 years from now" - not just the launch window.

Inkwell also confirmed the full post-launch roadmap preview is scheduled for MapleStory Fest in October 2026, including a new boss in development. Read the complete 19-question interview on nexon.com.

Not yet announced

Systems

  • When does the Lv. 100 cap raise, and when does 3rd Job arrive?

    Awaiting Confirmation

    The Grand Launch release notes keep the maximum level at Lv. 100 and document only the Lv. 10 and Lv. 30 job advancements - 3rd Job is not part of Grand Launch. Inkwell's Oct 2 interview said 3rd Job and some regions will release sequentially after launch, not in original historical order. The MapleStory Fest roadmap teases a 3rd Job test server in 2027 but gives no date for 3rd Job itself or for a cap raise.

    Expected from: A Nexon post confirming the 3rd Job test server timing, or a future patch's release notes

Mark of Beta

  • Is the Mark of the Beta per character or per account?

    Awaiting Confirmation

    The Grand Launch release notes describe how to earn the Mark of the Beta (Lv. 25+, start with Jay in Henesys, Oct 21 - Nov 18) but not whether each character can earn one or whether it is account-bound or tradable.

    Expected from: In-game verification after launch

Official sources

Every claim on this page traces back to one of these entries. Each card includes a summary, the confirmed facts we draw from it, and links to the original page and an archive snapshot.

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