Hello everyone,
I’m ThePhoenix, and I’ve been in the gaming industry for over ten years, working on live games, building communities, and helping studios bring players closer to the teams behind the screen. I joined Fawkes Games not long ago, and since then, my main focus has been Shaiya — a title that, despite its age, has a spark few games still carry.
In the past few months, I’ve spent much time learning about this world, not just the tools or systems behind it, but you, the community that has kept Teos alive for nearly two decades. And after diving into the game, talking with the devs, and reading your stories, I want to take a moment to talk openly about where Shaiya stands, what’s been going on, and what’s coming next.
The Reality: A Game with History, and a Heavy Legacy
Let’s start with something clear — Shaiya is old.
It was made at a time when most modern tools didn’t even exist. There were no multi-core CPUs, no efficient development pipelines, no modern engines to build upon. Every improvement over the years has been stacked on top of layers of legacy code, creating what developers call “technical debt.”
That debt has been slowing the team down for years. Even small fixes, like changing how a potion behaves or improving camera performance, could break systems that have worked untouched for a decade. It’s like restoring a 20-year-old car: you can polish the paint all you want, but until you fix what’s under the hood, it won’t run better. That’s exactly what this past year has been about. Not cosmetics but structure.
Looking Back: What We’ve Achieved So Far
Despite the obstacles, the Shaiya team has done more in the past year than most players might realize. Since Fawkes took over, the game has received over 150 updates, from emergency patches to major reworks, and many of those changes came straight from community feedback.
Here are just some highlights of what’s been done recently:
- Fixed the historical DDoS issues that once caused LATAM servers to go offline for 12+ hours.
- Reworked and unified the game’s network infrastructure across all servers.
- Adjusted Token vendors to better support new and returning players.
- Made most non-vanity items droppable again — bringing back the sense of reward to farming.
- Fixed the infamous gold duplication exploit and introduced a safer new currency.
- Delivered a community-driven class balance update — based on real player feedback.
- Unified GM stat items for consistency and fairness.
- Solved one of the oldest and most frustrating issues: PvP freezes (no more staring at the ground mid-fight).
All of that took time, coordination, and persistence, but it was only step one. Because while these changes fixed long-standing problems, they didn’t solve the root cause: the game’s age and technical limitations.
The Technical Update – Shaiya’s New Foundation
This brings us to where we are now — the Technical Update, the biggest behind-the-scenes upgrade Shaiya has seen in more than a decade.
Over the last year, the team has been working quietly on something most players will never “see,” but everyone will feel. The game’s technology has been rebuilt from the ground up; still the same Shaiya, but finally running on modern legs.
Here’s what’s changing under the hood:
- Visual Studio 2008 → 2022 (modern development tools)
- C++8 → C++17 (modern codebase)
- 32-bit → 64-bit (both client and server)
- Multi-threading support (finally using your CPU’s full power)
- New caching system (faster loading, especially during massive PvP)
- Separated networking layer (reducing lag, crashes, and data conflicts)
And what that means for you as players:
- Better performance: the game can finally take full advantage of your hardware.
- Less “delay” during big fights: faster character loading and smoother camera movement.
- Faster skill and potion use: no more noticeable input delays.
- More reliable stability: less risk of weird bugs or disconnects from background conflicts.
- Future-proof foundation: updates and fixes that used to take weeks can now take days.
This is the foundation for everything to come. It’s not glamorous, but it’s essential. Without it, new content or improvements would always be limited by the old structure. Think of it like rebuilding the roots of a tree. You might not see the change from above, but it’s what allows everything else to grow stronger.
Public Testing Server (PTS)
We’re now entering the final stage of this journey; testing.
Starting today, you’ll find a new entry in the Fawkes Launcher called “Shaiya PTS.” This is the Public Testing Server — a separate version of the game where you can help us test the new foundation before it goes live for everyone. It’s directly connected to the main game, meaning your progress carries over. You’ll keep your items, levels, and achievements when the PTS closes.
Here’s what you need to know:
- You can’t log into both the main world and PTS at the same time.
- You won’t see players from the main world while testing.
- The Auction House will be disabled in the PTS, so use it in the main one.
- The PTS may go down for maintenance or updates without notice.
It’s essentially a mirror of Teos, but rebuilt with new tech. Everything feels familiar, just smoother, faster, and more stable.
Help Us Test — And Earn Rewards
To make it worth your time, we’re offering rewards for those who help us test the new build:
- Actively play (we will check) at least 20 hours on the PTS → 5 Gold Pieces,
- Reach 25,000 kills during the PTS period → 10 Extra Gold Pieces,
- Reach 50,000 kills during the PTS period → 10 Extra Gold Pieces,
- Submit a confirmed bug report (with video proof) → 10 Gold Pieces,
- Plus, 5 random validated bug reporters will receive exclusive vanity rewards.
Essentially, if you played for more than 20 hours, and achieved +50,000 kills by the closure of the PTS, you will get 25 gold pieces, plus all the progression and benefits you would normally obtain from playing that time and having those kills, directly in the main server.
- If you find a bug that doesn’t exist in the live version, please report it using our short form.
- Extraordinary events and boosts will be announced – especially massive PvP events.
- We reserve the right to decide and/or communicate about valid reports.
What Comes Next
Once the Technical Update is fully tested and released, we’ll be able to move forward much faster with the updates you’ve been asking for; fixes and improvements that were previously blocked by the old system. Already lined up, almost done, and ready to follow the update:
- Warehouse expansion
- Inventory expansion
- Saving your username and password in the launcher
Next in line for development:
- Fix for the “Toxin debuff” death bug
- Combat logs overhaul in chat
- Status page update
- Extra potion slot
- Sublead functionality optimization
- In-game raid pings
- DEX formula fix
- Additional item slots in the trade window
- Debuffs shown in tabs
- In-game ranking system
All of these have been requested directly by the community, and now we’ll finally have the technical freedom to deliver them properly.
A Word from Me
I’ve worked on many online games, and one thing I’ve learned is that longevity only comes from care and foundation. Fast patches can keep a game alive for a while, but real progress comes from fixing what’s underneath. That’s exactly what this update is about.
This isn’t a small step; it’s a rebuild of what allows Shaiya to keep moving forward. It’s the moment that decides whether the next ten years of this world will be possible.
So to every Teos inhabitant, fighting, farming, helping newcomers, or just watching from afar — thank you. Your patience and your feedback made this possible.
I’ll be here, reading your messages, watching your reports, and talking with you as we bring this new chapter to life. Let’s make Teos stronger than ever.
See you in the PTS,
ThePhoenix – Producer, Shaiya
