NCsoft has announced the release of what it says is its largest expansion ever to its Lineage II franchise with a 1 gigabyte update called Kamael, which adds a new race of one-winged soldiers to the slate of available characters, along with new lands, instanced dungeons and new account services.

The Kamael expansion is free to all current Lineage II subscribers, which NCsoft says number 17 million worldwide. The company also says it will make game features such as character server transfers, name changes and gender changes available for purchase.

There's also a bit of a game balance adjustment, it seems, with items and enhancements available for newer players to support the single-player experience and make it more accessible, while also adding new areas for players over level 70.

Interestingly, players can record certain accomplishments and boss battles on video with a record and replay system, to let them create their own gameplay movies. Wonder if they'll be able to share and exchange videos?

Tim Tan, NCsoft’s North American producer of Lineage II, says, “The new Kamael race is very unique and adds a new world of playability to the game. The new high-level lands will benefit our longtime players seeking harder challenges, while the new-player and soloing features will make getting to the heart of the game easier for more players. The sheer amount of content in this expansion is unbelievable and I really look forward to seeing the players’ response.”