On August 13, 2026, Balmora will celebrate the fifth birthday of the current edition of the server. To mark the occasion, a lengthy and very personal announcement from Sudden, who ran Balmora for years, was posted on the project's Discord. The anniversary also brings a big change - Sudden has decided to leave the team and hand over leadership to the remaining staff members.
For the community around Metin2 private servers, this is significant news. Balmora has for years been one of the projects that have earned a permanent place in the history of the Polish scene, and five years of the current edition is an occasion not only to celebrate, but also to begin a new chapter.
Five years of Balmora and a dream come true
In his post, Sudden did not limit himself to outlining organizational changes. A large part of the message is about the history of the project and the people who have been involved with Balmora over the years.
As he admits, creating the server was the fulfillment of a childhood dream for him. Metin2 had a big impact on his life, and the chance to build his own project allowed him to combine his interest in the game with working on something that grew together with its community over the following years.
He also mentions Bambus3k, whom he had worked with since the beginning of the project. It was his experience that helped Sudden run Balmora in its early years. Chrupek and Applause, who were previously part of the team, are also thanked.
Sudden points out that from the start Balmora was never built as a big corporation or studio. The project was meant first and foremost to be a venture by people connected with the game and interested in creating their own server on their own terms. Over five years, that brought both successes and the problems typical of the scene where Metin2 servers operate.
Changes in the Balmora team
Recently, other team members have been taking on more and more responsibility for the project's day-to-day operation. In his message, Sudden names several people who are currently in charge of specific areas of Balmora.
OJCIE3C has become heavily involved in running the server and managing the game day to day. Romantic handles advertising, social media and announcements. Laggerka is responsible for graphics, among other things, and Sudden particularly appreciates her dedication to the project.
Retribution has taken over the guild league and PvP-related activities. Nieuchwytny supports the team in his free time and when there is more work to do, while Mraskus helps with things like additional events.
According to Sudden, the current team has its own ideas and vision for Balmora's future. These are the people he intends to hand responsibility for running the project over to.
Sudden leaves the team
The most important news in the announcement is Sudden's decision to leave the Balmora team.
The outgoing leader openly admits that for some time he has not been coping well with running the project. In recent months his activity has dropped, and other team members have gradually taken over some of his duties.
Sudden believes that at this stage Balmora needs fresh energy and more consistency in its day-to-day operation. In his view, staying on as the person responsible for running the project operationally could hold back its development more than support it.
The decision does not mean he is cutting ties with Balmora completely, though. Sudden says he will remain available to the team and, if needed, will offer his experience and help with carrying out future ideas. Leadership of the project, however, is being handed over to the current team.
Balmora reborn will not happen in 2026
The announcement also addressed the long-awaited matter of the reborn.
Sudden confirmed that the Balmora reborn will not happen in 2026. As he admits himself, he did not manage to bring it to completion, and he takes the responsibility for that primarily on himself.
At the same time, the project has not been cancelled. The current team still wants to prepare it, but needs more time to do so. This means those waiting for the next edition of Balmora will have to be patient.
No detailed work schedule or specific date for a future launch has been presented yet. The staff note, however, that the project itself is still on.
Balmora carries on
Sudden's departure does not mean the end of the server. Balmora will keep running, and the current team has been given full authority to lead the project.
That is an important distinction, especially on a scene where Metin2 private servers often go through staff changes, mergers, resets or complete shutdowns. In Balmora's case, the announcement points to a change in who leads the project, not its end.
Sudden stresses that the current team has its own ideas and vision for the future. He also does not intend to disappear from the server's circle completely. If needed, he wants to support the new leaders and pass on the knowledge he gained over five years of working on Balmora.
Five years of work and the decision to step away
Sudden's post is also a look at the less visible side of running a big server. The now former Balmora leader recalls months-long stretches of working 14-16 hours a day, enormous stress and a constant sense of responsibility for keeping the project running.
From his perspective, five years of running Balmora were full of sacrifice and hard work, but also a time he does not regret. As he emphasizes, the project gave him a great deal and will remain an important part of his life.
Now he wants to focus on his family and on resting. He admits that for years he devoted too little time to those areas, so leaving the team should allow him to close a chapter and get more room for his private life.
What awaits Balmora after its fifth birthday?
For now, it is hard to point to a specific direction for the changes, as the staff have not yet shared full information about the future project. What is known is that Balmora will keep running, the reborn has been postponed and the current team will be responsible for running the server going forward.
Sudden ended his announcement by promising that after the fifth birthday things will be "only better and bigger". He did not reveal what exactly players can expect.
For Balmora, August 13, 2026 will therefore be more than just an ordinary anniversary. Five years of the current edition close one chapter of the project's history, and the departure of its longtime leader opens the next.
Among Polish Metin2 servers, Balmora is thus entering its sixth year with a new division of responsibilities. The reborn remains a plan for the future, while the day-to-day running of the server is being taken over by the current team. It will now be up to them how fast work progresses and what the next chapter of the project looks like in practice.