Update-

Changes in the Dimension Trimming update's date along with the changes in the floor. (Update - 2/2 08:40 UTC-5)

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Dear CEOs, 

This is Kim Hyun Soo, the Head PD of CounterSide.

Through today’s CounterSide Origin 1st Anniversary broadcast, I briefly introduced the upcoming updates along with my first greetings to our CEOs.

I thank all the CEOs who have shown great expectations and support on the first greeting. Now, I will provide a brief overview and explanation of the upcoming update content that was introduced today in the broadcast.

[ Dimension Trimming Rework ] 

Dimension Trimming will receive a rework where its content focuses on obtaining the most powerful equipment materials in CounterSide, the Relic equipment.

The Dimension Trimming consists of 60 stages of [Swift: Trimming Trinity] and 100 stages of [Jungle: Trimming Wild] and [Volcano: Trimming Flame], with a gradual increase in difficulty. However, due to the sheer volume of each stage,  the inconvenience of having to conduct and clear similar stages arose. Therefore, to address this inconvenience, the Swift, Jungle, and Volcano stages will be compacted into 20 stages each. (Update - 2/2 08:40 UTC-5)

With the reduction in the number of stages from 60 to 20 and from 100 to 20, the difficulty of each stage will be also compressed and adjusted. The initial clear rewards will also be adjusted to ensure they are not lower than the pre-rework.

Additionally, as a token of gratitude to CEOs who have cleared Swift 60 stages or Jungle/Volcano 100 stages before the rework, special titles with unique effects will be sent out.

Please note that these special titles obtained after the rework will not come with special effects. Therefore, CEOs aspiring to obtain these special titles are encouraged to set their goal of clearing the final stage of each Trimming before the rework.

To give some time for our CEOs to have a chance to clear stages 100 for Jungle and Volcano and 60 for Swift, the rework update will be done on Feb. 28, instead of Feb. 7, 2024. (Update - 2/2 08:40 UTC-5) 

[ Shadow Palaces ]

The initial Shadow Palaces in CounterSide presented a difficulty level comparable to endgame PVE content. However, throughout the service period, the difficulty significantly decreased due to various strategies and the introduction of new employees with unique abilities. The Spectral equipment obtainable in the Shadow Palaces became a stepping stone before obtaining Maze equipment or T7 equipment.

Despite being equipment used as a stepping stone before gearing up to higher level equipment, there was a lack of defensive gear for frontline employees. In response, the development team is introducing new equipment with defensive options alongside the existing Spectral gear. This will provide a foundation for acquiring defensive equipment from the Shadow Palaces before farming equipment for the end-game contents.

The new set of Shadow Palaces equipment is named "Phantom,” consisting of a weapon, armor, and accessories. The set options for Phantom equipment are as follows.

【 SSR Weapon 】

【 SSR Armor 】

【 SSR Accessories 】

Additionally, the acquisition method for [Quantum Coords Crystal] will change from purchasing with Quartz to Eternium. The automatic daily recharge will remain.

With these changes to the entry method and the introduction of new Phantom equipment, we expect that CEOs who find it challenging to farm high-end equipment will transition more smoothly than before.

[ Early Entry Barrier Reduction ]

◆ Welcome! Buff Changes

The "Welcome!" item is provided to all new CEOs to help them settle into the game by providing various helpful buffs. However, the inconvenience arose as these buffs were provided in the form of items, requiring CEOs to manually use them from the storage. With the upcoming February update, the "Welcome!" buff will be automatically applied upon logging in, eliminating the need to manually use the item, and the buff will be permanent until CEOs reach company level 60.

◆ TASKFORCE Plan – Beginner's Plan Reward Adjustments

In the Beginner’s Plan, the rewards obtained upon mission completion will be changed from Employment Contracts to New CEO Coupons. While Employment Contracts are crucial for acquiring employees, this change aims to make early CounterSide play more convenient for new CEOs who may lack SSR employees. 

Additionally, one of the mission rewards previously given as unit data will now be directly as a corresponding employee.

Below is the table detailing the changes in rewards for the Beginner’s Plan.

◆ TASKFORCE Plan – Introducing Limit Fusion Plan

To access the rearmament or the Alternium Reactor system, employees must reach level 110 through Limit Fusion. However, the scarcity of Fusion Core has caused inconvenience for CEOs in using these contents. To alleviate the inconvenience, the new TASKFORCE Plan is designed to provide an additional supply of Fusion Cores.

The Limit Fusion Plan becomes available upon completing the  Beginner’s Plan, and completing all missions awards a total of 150 Fusion Cores. This new plan will be available to all CEOs, not just new CEOs.

◆ Selective Recruitment List Overhaul

While numerous employees have been released in CounterSide, the list of SSR employees in the selective recruitment, designed to facilitate early gameplay for new CEOs, has been limited to older employees such as Esterosa de Chevalier, Elizabeth Pendragon, and Nanahara Chifuyu, etc. This selective recruitment list will be overhauled to include a more diverse range of employees suitable for various available contents.

【 BEFORE 】

【 AFTER 】

[ Squad Tournament]

The Arcade mode was recently introduced in January 2024 and received great acclaim as lightweight and enjoyable content. 

In line with the Arcade mode, the development team has prepared a new content named Squad Tournament, allowing CEOs to engage in automatic battles with a squad that each CEO has assembled, ultimately determining the server's strongest. 

After freely composing the squad, simply participate in the tournament and a tournament bracket will automatically form. Afterward, the outcomes will be decided at specific times.

The squad's deployment order will not change, therefore CEOs aspiring for higher ranks are recommended to strategically compose the competing squad. 

CEOs who reach the round of 32 at the Squad Tournament will receive special rewards, including a unique title. CEOs who choose not to participate in the Squad Tournament can still earn rewards based on the prediction outcomes. Additionally, those who achieve perfect predictions will be rewarded with a special title as well.

[ Consortium Co-op Battle Rework ]

The Consortium Co-op Battle is a content where Consortium members cooperate to defeat a series of bosses and claim rewards. To defeat the Co-op Battle Boss, Consortium members need to clear the Arena first to obtain Artifacts before attacking the boss. However, limiting the Arena entry counts to 3 has resulted in cases where CEOs cannot obtain Artifacts up to the desired stage or fail to earn season rewards. To address this, we will give additional Arena entry counts to facilitate the acquisition of the season rewards and Artifacts more smoothly, as well as the boss raid entry count will also be increased to make the season rewards more manageable.

Furthermore, Extra Boss will be introduced after Stage 15. This is included for those members who did not have a chance to hit the boss but are already cleared by other members, to make sure everyone gets the season rewards. 

[ Gauntlet Season Rework & New Honorary Rewards ]

In the past, Gauntlet seasons were based on the schedule we set, causing inconvenience as CEOs had to check in-game information to know when each season would end. For 2024, we're making a dynamic change, operating four Gauntlet seasons aligned with each quarter. Each season will end at 8 AM on Sunday (UTC-5), hence some seasons may end earlier than the end of each quarter.

Furthermore, Gauntlet Exclusive skins will be added every two quarters, which will grant leisurely play while obtaining these limited rewards.

◆ Gauntlet Season Schedule

With these shifts in Gauntlet season operation, we are also introducing additional Honorary Rewards for each season. If you manage to secure a spot in the TOP 100 for a particular season, you'll receive an additional special title.

We hope the new Honorary Rewards could add an extra layer of motivation for engaging in Gauntlet.

[ Lobby Decoration Enhancement ]

Since the Lucky G.A.P. update in 2023, we have continuously enhanced various lobby customization elements, especially receiving considerable attention and praise for the Skill Cut-in Trophy of Awakened employees.

To take the lobby customization experience a step further, we have two exciting updates in store for our CEOs.

First, The lobby placement slots are expanding from the existing 6 slots to 8. With the increasing variety of customization options, we understand that the original 6 slots might have felt limiting. The addition of two new slots aims to provide CEOs with more room for creativity and personalization in their lobby.

Second, we are introducing Skin Skill Cut-in trophies, similar to the ones for Awakened employees. The first targets for skin skill cut-ins will be the two upcoming [Memorial] skins. For all skins with skill cut-ins released after Memorial skins, there will be a limited-time opportunity to acquire the Skin Skill Cut-in Trophy for two weeks following the skin's release.

Please note that after the initial two weeks of sale, the Skin Skill Cut-in Trophy for that specific skin will no longer be obtainable.

Moreover, considering the numerous existing skins, periodic events will be organized to grant skill cut-in trophies for specific existing skins. If you already own or purchased these skins during the event period, you'll be eligible to obtain the Skin Skill Cut-in Trophy.

[ Summary of Origin 1st Anniversary Event Rewards ]

As announced in today's broadcast, the rewards for the 1st-anniversary event summary are as follows.

Also, here is the list for all the employees that are included in the each Awakened, SSR Employees as well as Operators and Ships that will be available. 

We hope our CEOs will enjoy the Anniversary with these gifts!

※ If you select a duplicate skin, you will receive 1,440 Quartz instead.

[ New Skins ]

◆ Memorial

Many CEOs were disappointed when we didn't release anniversary-themed skins last year. We share that sentiment, and to make up for it, we are excited to announce the release of special Memorial Skins in celebration of our 1st anniversary!

The stars of these Memorial Skins are none other than the formidable Orochinagi Nanahara Chifuyu and the charming Lucrecia, both showcasing beauty of their own.

As mentioned before, all CEOs who purchase these Memorial Skins within the first two weeks of their release will receive an exclusive Skin Skill Cut-In Trophy that can be displayed in your lobby.

◆ Contest Skin

We extend our sincere gratitude to the original creator of the first contest skin, A Bow to the Flower, and all CEOs who showed great interest and appreciation for this skin.

The protagonist of our upcoming contest skin is none other than Stormbringer Jake Walker. As you may already know, this skin introduces a gender transformation for Jake Walker. 

Originally, we planned to release Karin Wong's skin first, but we have changed the SSR Karin Wong’s skin to the Awakening version. With the discussion with the original creator as well as the development issues related to Awakened unit effects, we have decided to release Jake Walker's skin first.

For CEOs who are fans of Karin Wong, we kindly ask for your understanding. Rest assured, we are committed to swiftly developing and releasing Minerva Karin Wong's contest skin shortly after the release of Strombringer Jake Walker's skin.

We appreciate your anticipation and support for the upcoming Storm Bringer Jake Walker contest skin.

◆  April Fools Day Skin

In the first half of 2024, we are preparing a brand new April Fools Day skin. Our team is working hard to bring you light-hearted content and amusing skins you can enjoy.

Stay tuned for more details! We will provide additional information in the March Developer Notes or Patch Notes.

[ Contest Emotes ]

The emotes selected from the contest will be released on February 7. These emotes can be used not only in Gauntlet but also in various platforms like HanaTalk.

[ Goodbye Tanaberin ]

In the upcoming Goodbye Tanaberin update, we are diving deep into the activities of one of the primary adversary factions in CounterSide, the "Elysium Philharmonic." Brace yourselves as Christina Brecht takes center stage in this unfolding narrative.

The Goodbye Tanaberin update brings in the much-anticipated arrival of two employees, an SSR Employee, Plaga,  and an Awakened employee, Griffin Rider Christina Brecht.

[ The First Half of 2024 ]

This concludes the brief overview of the updates shared during the Origin 1st Anniversary broadcast.

Although it might feel a bit awkward and incomplete to convey this news for the first time through the broadcast, we will strive to continue communicating with CEOs and make CounterSide an even better experience.

Thank you.

Kim Hyun Soo, the Head PD of CounterSide