In the original ArcheAge, gliders were a signature feature of the game. (Whether the original physics-based glider system returns in Chronicles' current build has not been confirmed; Chronicles' marketing has described "land, sea, and air" exploration but has not detailed the aerial mechanic.) Original gliders were a signature feature of the original ArcheAge. Unlike simple flying mounts in other MMOs, gliders were physics-based. They accounted for gravity, launch altitude, flight duration, and obstacles. Higher launch points meant longer flights, and most gliders limited flight to about 3 minutes (rare variants could reach 10 minutes).
Obtaining and Upgrading
Players received their first glider through an early quest. Upgrades were crafted at Carpentry Workbenches using blueprints purchased with Gilda Stars. Each upgrade tier improved speed, duration, or maneuverability.
Magithopters
Added in the Revelation expansion, Magithopters were a different type of aerial vehicle. They could hover in place and had tighter turning radii than standard gliders. They were slower overall but more height-efficient, allowing vertical exploration that regular gliders struggled with.
Tactical Use
Gliders were not just for travel. In PvP, launching from a high cliff to dive-bomb enemies with abilities was a common tactic. During Siege Warfare, gliders allowed attackers to bypass walls entirely. In the crime system, Haranian prisoners used gliders as their escape route.
In Chronicles
ArcheAge Chronicles includes air travel as part of its "land, sea, and air" exploration design. Whether the glider system returns in its original physics-based form or is replaced by a different aerial mechanic has not been specified.
Chronicles Marketing Framing
The official Steam store description and the September 2024 PlayStation State of Play reveal both describe ArcheAge Chronicles' world as fully explorable by "land, sea, and air," placing aerial traversal alongside ground mounts and ships as a first-class mechanic. The PlayStation State of Play reveal post additionally highlights "airship technology" as a marvel of the Age of Pioneers setting, and the central Nightsky Tragedy storyline is built around a catastrophic airship crash. This confirms aerial travel exists as a system; what it has not confirmed is whether player-controlled physics-based gliders are part of that system or whether short-range air traversal is delivered through a different mechanic.
Open Question
As of the most recent producer's letter and the April 2026 internal-playtest update, XLGAMES has not described a Chronicles glider mechanic in detail. The original game's physics-based glider was one of its most distinctive features, and player communities have raised the question repeatedly on Steam and on the official Discord. The studio has not committed either way: glider returns in some form, glider is replaced by a different aerial mechanic, or glider is folded into airship travel as the only aerial system. The wider closed-beta cycle planned for later in 2026 is the most likely venue for the system to be detailed.