This article is the running comparison between MapleStory Classic World and the original MapleStory as it existed in its 2003 to 2008 classic era. Entries are tagged with a status badge so a reader can tell at a glance whether a change is confirmed against an official source, a rumor with one or more credible references, or a holdover explicitly confirmed to remain unchanged. New information is added near the top of each category as it surfaces.
Legend
- Confirmed: verified against an official source (developer blog, livestream, social post). Source link required.
- Rumored (High): corroborated by two or more credible references but not officially confirmed.
- Rumored (Medium): single credible reference; plausible.
- Rumored (Low): speculation, forum chatter, or thin sourcing. Included for completeness, not as a prediction.
- Unchanged: explicitly confirmed to remain the same as in the original MapleStory.
Each row in the tables below links to a numbered source in the Sources section at the foot of the article. Entries showing [?] in the Source column are awaiting a citation.
Pre-launch timeline
Announcement, betas, launch milestones.
Confirmed changes
Verified against official sources.
Rumored changes
Unconfirmed but reported, ranked by confidence.
Unchanged from MapleStory
Explicit holdovers from the classic era.
Sources
Numbered references for every entry above.
Pre-launch timeline
The public development arc of MapleStory Classic World, newest first, from the most recent milestone back through beta phases to the initial reveal. New events are added at the top as they happen. Each entry links to a numbered source in the Sources section.
Aug 21, 2026
Launch Nexon publishes the Ossyria Exploration Report, setting Founder's Package sales for September 2, Founder's Access for October 6, and Grand Launch for October 21, 2026. The report also states that Orbis, El Nath, and the 3rd job advancement are not part of the launch content and will be reworked before being introduced gradually. [13]
Aug 4, 2026
Closed Beta The second Closed Online Test goes live, running through August 12, 2026, following the first test in April. The build adds Ossyria, covering Orbis and El Nath, the 3rd job advancement, macOS support alongside Windows, controller support with customisable layouts, multiple language options, and additional GM events. [11] [12]
Jul 16, 2026
Sign-ups Registration opens for a second Closed Online Test, scheduled to run August 4 through August 12, 2026. [11]
Apr 16, 2026
Closed Beta The Closed Online Test goes live, running through April 23 (roughly 5,000 players participate). Selected applicants from the March sign-up window receive access, and attendees of MapleCon LA and the Los Angeles PC cafe event receive two days of early access ahead of the main cohort. [6] [7]
Apr 14, 2026
Mar 10, 2026
Sign-ups Sign-ups open for the Closed Online Test, scheduled to run April 16 through April 23, 2026. [6]
Jan 15, 2026
Playtest A public in-person PC cafe playtest opens at the Cyber City Esports Center in Gardena, California, running through February 13, 2026. Unlike the previous office session, this round is open to the wider community. [5]
Late Oct 2025
Demo MapleCon LA, Nexon's global anniversary convention (held in place of the former MapleFest), hosts a public hands-on demo of Classic World and reveals further details. A PC cafe test build is made available to attendees around this period. [?]
Jun 16, 2025
Playtest Nexon welcomes 30 invited players to its headquarters for the first in-person Classic World playtest. Attendee footage and first impressions surface publicly. [4]
May 15, 2025
Sign-ups Nexon opens applications for an in-person Classic World playtest at its offices, with priority given to applicants based in Southern California who can travel to the site. [3]
Apr 16, 2025
Announced MapleStory Classic World is unveiled by director Inkwell as part of Global MapleStory's (GMS) 20th anniversary developer video. [2]
Confirmed changes
Changes that have been verified against an official developer source. Every row cites the source by its numbered reference in the Sources section.
Gameplay & combat
| Topic | Detail | Status | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (no entries yet) |
Classes & jobs
| Topic | Detail | Status | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Four playable classes in Closed Online Test | The Closed Online Test (April 16 to April 23, 2026) ships with four playable classes: Warrior, Magician, Bowman, and Thief. All four branches advance to their 1st job at level 10. The original MapleStory's later additions (Pirate, Cygnus Knights, Dual Blade, Resistance, Demon, and so on) are not present in the test build, mirroring the four-class roster of the 2003 launch lineup. | Confirmed | [7] | May 26, 2026 |
| Magician 1st-job level requirement | The Magician 1st-job advancement requires level 10, matching the other three job branches. In the original classic-era MapleStory, Magicians could advance at level 8 while Warriors, Bowmen, and Thieves had to wait until level 10. The Closed Online Test release notes normalise all four branches to the level-10 requirement. | Confirmed | [7] | May 26, 2026 |
| 3rd job advancement added | The second Closed Online Test adds the 3rd job advancement for all ten specialisations: Crusader, White Knight, Dragon Knight, Mage (Fire/Poison), Mage (Ice/Lightning), Priest, Ranger, Sniper, Hermit, and Chief Bandit. Advancement takes place in El Nath, where the four instructors (Tylus, Robeira, Rene, and Arec) share the Chief's Residence. The 4th job classes are not part of this build. | Confirmed | [12] | Aug 5, 2026 |
Economy & progression
| Topic | Detail | Status | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crafting | Crafting is introduced in MapleStory Classic World as a system available to all players from level 10 onward, as confirmed in the Closed Online Test build. The original classic-era MapleStory (2003 to 2008) had no player-driven crafting at all; professions arrived years later in MapleStory's post-classic content and were gated behind much higher level thresholds and dedicated NPC training. Classic World threads crafting into the early-game progression rather than reserving it for late-game content. | Confirmed | [7] | May 26, 2026 |
| Player trading and item drops in the Netherlands and Belgium | Players accessing Global MapleStory from the Netherlands (and, under the same measures, Belgium) cannot trade items, use the Auction House or Meso Market, or drop and loot items. The restriction stems from the Dutch remote gambling law (Wet Kansspelen op Afstand, in force since 2021) and Nexon's broad application of it; it operates at the country level rather than per account. It is not unique to Classic World, since it already applies to live Global MapleStory, but because the classic-era game (2003 to 2008) predated the law, players in these regions traded freely then, so it is a genuine divergence from the original classic experience. Community campaigns have asked Nexon to narrow the restriction ahead of Classic World, where a player-driven economy is central, but no change has been confirmed. | Confirmed | [1] [9] | May 26, 2026 |
Maps & geography
| Topic | Detail | Status | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ossyria and 3rd job held back from launch | Orbis, El Nath, and the 3rd job advancement are not part of the initial launch content, even though the second Closed Online Test included them. Nexon says the three will be reworked before being introduced gradually after launch, and has not given a date for any of them. | Confirmed | [13] | Aug 23, 2026 |
| Forgotten Hollow region added | A new region called Forgotten Hollow debuts in the Closed Online Test, populated by ten monsters and one boss. Monsters: Glowshroom, Raffle, Golden Stirge, Aqumander, Echopus, Rafflesia, Duskmander, Myewood, Rotten Mushroom, and Sporewood. The boss is Rotten Mushmom. The region does not exist in any release of the original MapleStory; it is content authored specifically for Classic World. It is not in the game at launch (0.9.0). | Confirmed | [7] | May 26, 2026 |
| Ossyria added as Orbis and El Nath | The second Closed Online Test opens Ossyria, with two towns: Orbis, the sky city where the ferry from Ellinia arrives, and El Nath, the mountain town reached by descending the 15-floor Orbis Tower. Together they add 92 maps and 41 monsters, spanning roughly level 26 in the tower stairwell to level 90 in the Cave of Trial. Ossyria ships no boss encounter, and while The Door to Zakum exists as a map, no Zakum is present. | Confirmed | [12] | Aug 5, 2026 |
Visual & UI
| Topic | Detail | Status | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (no entries yet) |
Quality of life
| Topic | Detail | Status | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting ability points are chosen, not rolled | At character creation a new character's stats are allocated directly rather than randomised. Every stat starts at a floor of 4, and the character is given 9 ability points to place freely, so one stat can be opened at 13 while the other three stay at 4. In the original MapleStory the opening spread was a dice roll, and players re-rolled at the creation screen until they got a distribution they wanted. That loop is gone. See Character creation. | Confirmed | [?] | Aug 30, 2026 |
| Starting outfit and weapon are picked | The creation screen offers a short list for each starting slot rather than assigning a fixed kit: three tops for male characters and five for female, three bottoms and two respectively, and four pairs of shoes and three weapons shared between genders. See Character creation for the lists. | Confirmed | [?] | Aug 30, 2026 |
Release & launch
| Topic | Detail | Status | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launch schedule | Nexon has set the release schedule. Founder's Package sales begin September 2, 2026. Founder's Access opens October 6, 2026, and Grand Launch opens Classic World to everyone on October 21, 2026, with characters and progression earned during Founder's Access carrying over. There will be no third test: Nexon goes straight from the second Closed Online Test into live service. | Confirmed | [13] | Aug 23, 2026 |
| Permanent world within Global MapleStory | Classic World launches as a permanent world inside the existing Global MapleStory service rather than a temporary or seasonal event, and it is free to play. It is offered in the GMS regions (North America, Europe, and other non-Asian territories). Where the original classic-era MapleStory ran as a standalone client per region, Classic World instead lives inside the modern GMS client and account system while recreating the pre-Big Bang ruleset. | Confirmed | [2] | Jun 2, 2026 |
Rumored changes
Reports that have surfaced through community channels, datamines, or single-source leaks but have not been officially confirmed. Confidence is the editor's judgement of how strong the sourcing is, not a prediction of whether the change will ship.
Gameplay & combat
| Topic | Detail | Confidence | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (no entries yet) |
Classes & jobs
| Topic | Detail | Confidence | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirates not at launch | The Pirate class, which arrived in the original MapleStory as a post-launch addition (GMS: November 12, 2008), is reported to not be part of the playable roster at Classic World's launch. The Closed Online Test build corroborates this: it shipped with the four original job branches only (Warrior, Magician, Bowman, Thief), with no Pirate present. If the launch roster matches, Pirates would presumably be added in a later content update, mirroring the original game's release timeline. | Rumored (High) | [7] | May 26, 2026 |
Economy & progression
| Topic | Detail | Confidence | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (no entries yet) |
Maps & geography
| Topic | Detail | Confidence | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ossyria beyond El Nath | Orbis and El Nath were playable in the second Closed Online Test and are not in the game at launch (see Confirmed changes). The rest of the original continent, Ludibrium, Aqua Road and Leafre, has not appeared in any test build and no official source has confirmed it. Those pages remain documented speculatively, and their map images are approximations taken from a GMS v83 client. | Rumored (Low) | [?]
|
Aug 5, 2026 |
Visual & UI
| Topic | Detail | Confidence | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (no entries yet) |
Quality of life
| Topic | Detail | Confidence | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (no entries yet) |
Release & launch
| Topic | Detail | Confidence | Source | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| When the deferred content arrives | The launch date itself is no longer open: Nexon announced it in August 2026 and it is recorded under Confirmed changes above. What remains unknown is timing for the content held back from launch. Nexon has said Orbis, El Nath, and the 3rd job advancement will be reworked and introduced gradually, without naming a month for any of them, so any schedule for them is guesswork until Nexon posts one. | Rumored (Low) | [13] | Aug 23, 2026 |
Unchanged from MapleStory
Items here have been explicitly confirmed (by the developers or by direct gameplay parity) to behave the same as in the original classic-era MapleStory. The point is not to be exhaustive (anything not changed is assumed unchanged) but to flag systems the rumor mill has speculated about and put to rest.
| System | Detail | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Market | The Free Market returns as the central player-to-player commerce hub in MapleStory Classic World. Players still set up personal shops, browse other players' stores, and conduct in-person trades from inside the channel-instanced Free Market rooms, matching the function it has served since the original classic-era game. | Unchanged | [8] |
Sources
References are listed in the order they are first cited. Entries elsewhere in the article that show [?] in the Source column have a known basis but their formal citation has not yet been added below; replace the [?] with [[#srcN|[N]]] when the source is recorded.
- Coppersan, Closed Beta gameplay stream. Twitch VOD, twitch.tv/videos/2748026146, 26:16. Discusses Dutch player trade and drop restriction. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- Inkwell, Global MapleStory 20th anniversary developer video. YouTube, youtu.be/DhK1b17ApgE, 4:31. Reveals MapleStory Classic World. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- Nexon, "Sign Up for Global MapleStory Classic World Playtest". nexon.com/maplestory/news/general/27035. Posted May 15, 2025. Announces the office-based playtest with Southern California applicant priority. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- 30-player Classic World headquarters playtest, YouTube video. youtube.com/watch?v=XQtaOjgew5o. Published Jun 16, 2025. Documents the in-person test event held at Nexon's offices. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- Nexon, "Global MapleStory Classic World PC Cafe Event Sign-Up". nexon.com/maplestory/news/general/33974. Announces the public PC cafe playtest running Jan 15, 2026 to Feb 13, 2026 at the Cyber City Esports Center in Gardena, California. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- Nexon, "Sign Up for the Global MapleStory Classic World Closed Online Test". nexon.com/maplestory/news/general/35337. Posted Mar 10, 2026. Announces sign-ups for the test running Apr 16, 2026 to Apr 23, 2026. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- Nexon, "Closed Online Test Release Notes". nexon.com/maplestory/news/general/39217. Posted Apr 14, 2026. Details the four-class roster with shared level-10 advancement, universal level-10 crafting access, and the new Forgotten Hollow region with its ten monsters and boss. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- Free Market walkthrough, YouTube video. youtu.be/n3G0S8h553o, 0:16. Shows the Free Market intact in MapleStory Classic World, matching its classic-era function. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
- Nexon, "Netherlands Trade Limitations Update". Steam news, store.steampowered.com/news/app/216150. Posted Oct 19, 2021. Official notice of the trade, Auction House, drop, and loot restrictions applied to players in the Netherlands under Dutch gambling regulation. Retrieved Jun 2, 2026.
- MapleStory YouTube channel, "IGN Live 2026 Special Trailer | Global MapleStory Classic World". youtube.com/watch?v=q_e8qM8seJA. Posted Jun 6, 2026. Reveals the IGN Live 2026 trailer for MapleStory Classic World. Retrieved Jun 7, 2026.
- MapleStory (official), Instagram post announcing a second Closed Online Test for Classic World. instagram.com/maplestory/p/DadsyU9H-qy. Registration opens July 16, 2026; the test runs August 4 through August 12, 2026. Retrieved Jul 13, 2026.
- Nexon, "MapleStory Classic World Closed Online Test #2". nexon.com/mscw/classic-world-closed-online-test-2. Lists the additions for the second test: macOS support alongside Windows, controller support with customisable layouts, multiple language options, the 3rd job advancement, Ossyria featuring Orbis and El Nath, and additional GM events. Also states that all character data is deleted when the test ends. Retrieved Aug 5, 2026.
- Nexon, "Ossyria Exploration Report". nexon.com/maplestory/news/general/44359. Posted August 21, 2026. Sets the Founder's Package, Founder's Access, and Grand Launch dates, and states which content is held back from launch. Retrieved August 23, 2026.
How to add an entry
- Pick the right section: Confirmed if you have an official source; Rumored if not; Unchanged if the developers have explicitly addressed it as a holdover.
- Pick the right subsection by category (Gameplay & combat, Classes & jobs, Economy & progression, Maps & geography, Visual & UI, Quality of life, Release & launch).
- Add a row immediately after the header, pushing older rows down so the newest information is always near the top of each table.
- Cite a source. Add it to #Sources if it's new, then reference its anchor ID in the row. If you don't have a formal citation yet, put
[?]in the Source column and the entry will surface in the "needs citation" list. - Avoid em-dashes in the prose; the wiki house style uses commas, periods, parentheses, or restructuring instead.