Loong Online is a martial-arts fantasy MMORPG from the Shanghai studio Dacheng Network. It was released in China first and brought to Europe and North America by Gamigo, which opened a beta in late 2010 and launched the game in January 2011; the Western edition was later known as Loong: Dragonblood. Set in an ancient China shaped by the creator god Pangu and filled with gods, dragons and mythical beasts, it stood out for detailed scenery and kung-fu combat without fixed classes.

The Western version has since shut down, so for most players fan-run private servers are the way to play it now. They are few and usually small, which makes it worth knowing what the game offers and what a good server should keep intact.

Seven Weapons, No Fixed Classes

Instead of choosing a class, you choose a weapon. Combat draws on seven traditional Chinese weapon types, your role follows from what you hold, and you can switch weapons on the fly. Skills come from open talent trees with no class limits, so a character can mix abilities in ways most MMOs would never allow. Mounts and pets are drawn from Chinese mythology, and they come with useful skills of their own rather than serving as decoration.

PvP is open nearly everywhere outside a few safe zones, and guild wars and arena battles give it structure. That makes Loong a game where your guild matters from the first week, and where leveling alone in contested zones carries real risk.

What to Look For in a Loong Online Private Server

Which version and content

Loong grew through several updates, including the Dragonblood release that Gamigo promoted as letting players turn into dragons. Check which version a server runs, what the level cap is, and which zones, dungeons and systems actually work. A server that is honest about what is unfinished is easier to trust.

Build freedom and balance

Open talent trees and weapon switching create enormous freedom, and with it real balance problems. On a small server, one overpowered combination can dominate both PvP and guild wars. Look for staff who publish balance changes and explain them.

Open PvP rules

Players of the official game complained that open-world PvP invited griefing. Check what protection a server gives new characters, what penalties apply to killing far lower-level players, and whether the safe zones cover enough of the leveling path to let newcomers reach the cap.

Rates and the official grind

The official game had a reputation for grinding. Private servers often raise EXP and drop rates to fix that, which helps a small community reach the endgame together. Make sure the server still leaves something to chase once you get there.

Client language and population

Loong began as a Chinese game, and a private server may run an English client, a Chinese one or a fan translation. Check that quests and talents are readable for you, and look at the community channel to see when players are online.

Faithful or Custom

A faithful Loong server tries to recreate the game as Gamigo ran it, with rates and balance close to the original, which suits players who want to see the world they remember. A custom server changes rates, adds gear or events and often reworks balance, which suits veterans who already know every zone. Neither is wrong, but a custom server lives or dies on how often its team updates it.

Getting Started

Try two or three weapons before you settle, plan your talents around the one you enjoy, and join a guild early - open PvP is much easier with friends nearby. Vote for the server you play on; rankings here start again every month, so the list below shows where players are now.