The team behind Domi Online, a blockchain MMORPG set in a medieval fantasy world, has announced a leadership change as it gears up for its next development phase. On October 6, the developers shared a post on X confirming that co-founder Harley Swann is now officially stepping into the role of CEO.

The announcement also included a video by co-founder and Creative Director PelleK, who showcased Domi's journey so far, from early sketches to the most recent public playtest held in September.

This change in leadership is not new behind the scenes. According to the team, Harley has already been handling strategic and operational roles for the past year. This update simply makes it official, letting him take the wheel fully to make fast and important business decisions going forward.

Meanwhile, PelleK continues as Creative Director, with full control over game design, lore, music, and creative vision. The post reassures fans that none of the game's creative direction is changing.

This move aims to let each co-founder focus on what they do best: Harley running the business, and PelleK building the world of Domi.

What Is Domi Online?

Domi Online is a free to play, play to earn MMORPG with no level or skill caps. The game features 3rd-person combat, high-stakes PvP, and meaningful consequences for death. If you die in Domi, you may lose your gear and even drop a level. This risk is part of what gives the game its edge, pushing players to think carefully before charging into danger.

The world of Domi is large and filled with zones like Saint's Rest, a safer starter area, and high-risk regions like Araenae Jungle, Batang Forest, and Leviathan Cavern. Combat takes place in real time, with visuals and systems that mix old-school RPG roots with modern mechanics.

Players can choose from 4 main classes: Warrior, Priestess, Sorceress, and Amazon. Each class has its strengths. Warriors deal high melee damage and carry more items. Amazons use bows and move fast, making them deadly at range. Sorceresses use area spells to wipe out groups, and Priestesses act as support units calling down divine wrath.

There are no restrictions on how far you can level up or how many professions you can learn. The game is built for long-term progression, player-driven economy, and high-risk exploration.

September Playtest Brought Major Upgrades

Before the leadership update, Domi Online ran a public playtest from September 17 to 28. This session introduced several upgrades and tested systems that may be part of the upcoming open alpha.

The playtest added a Conquest Guild system, updated map visuals, smarter enemies, improved loot drops, and server optimizations. The developers also rolled out a bug bounty program, where players could earn $AVAX or $DOMI tokens by reporting bugs.

The goal of this playtest was to let the community help identify high-impact issues while showcasing the game's new features. These included new world map art, visual and environmental updates, and a system called world chunks that helps deliver better performance by splitting the map into pieces.

Better Combat and Enemies

A key change in the September playtest was the overhaul of enemy NPCs. Monsters are now smarter and can chase players with better pathfinding, reducing the chances of easy kiting. Enemies also now scale in difficulty by tier. This makes some regions far more dangerous than others, keeping high-level zones unpredictable.

The loot system got a major revamp too. Players can now find better drops, with the option to share or steal loot. This ties directly into the game's high-stakes design. While you're free to collect as much loot as you want, dying can mean losing part or all of what you've earned.

Expanded Professions and Crafting

Professions have also been expanded. Players can now create new items using added recipes and materials. These systems are meant to give depth to the in-game economy and reward players who want to specialize beyond combat.

Whether you're gathering materials, crafting gear, or selling to other players, you can shape your own role in the world. There are no caps to worry about. You can max out as many skills as you want if you're ready to put in the time.

Conquest Guild System

The new Conquest Guild system gives players more structured gameplay. This feature is found at a set location in the world, where you can complete tasks and earn rewards by killing specific monsters.

It adds another layer to progression. Instead of just grinding solo or exploring aimlessly, you can now take on focused missions for better loot or token rewards.

Server and UI Improvements

Performance has also improved. Server-side NPC culling was added to reduce memory use and improve game stability. The user interface and social features were also tweaked, along with several QoL changes and balance updates.

Together, these upgrades made the September playtest the most polished version of Domi Online yet. The developers said in a Discord post that this session marked "by far our biggest leap forward yet."

How the Bug Bounty Worked

Unlike the last playtest in December 2024, which focused on leaderboard rewards, the September session gave players a chance to earn crypto for finding bugs.

The bug bounty program accepted reports through the in-game reporting tool or via the game's Discord server. Players who found unique, high-impact bugs could claim a share of a reward pool made up of $AVAX and $DOMI tokens.

The size of the pool wasn't shared publicly, but the reward depended on the bug's severity and whether it had already been reported.

Accessing the Game

Players could join the playtest by visiting the official Domi Online website, downloading the Windows launcher, and jumping into the game for free. While a Steam version is in the works, it wasn't part of this test.

There were no limits placed on progression. Players could explore, fight, and level up as much as they wanted during the test window. That said, the team reminded players that Domi Online is not a casual game. Death comes with risk, and progress can be lost if you're not careful.

What's Next for Domi Online?

With the leadership team now clearly defined (Harley leading the business and PelleK guiding the game's design), Domi Online looks to be setting the stage for its open alpha release. If the September playtest was indeed the final one before launch, players may not have to wait much longer to explore the world of Stannfyr in full.