Hello

The key term for this post is patch notes, and I have put together information that may be useful for newer players who are trying to find them.

With that in mind, I have also gathered how to check the regular patch schedule, along with related abbreviations and a few main points that are worth reviewing together. These are topics people tend to wonder about from time to time, but once you understand them once, that is usually enough, so I believe they should be helpful.

Where MapleStory’s official update information is posted

MapleStory’s official patch notes are posted in the announcements section by category at the same time the update goes live. They are written in more detail than many people expect, with each section clearly separated, so while summary posts or videos can certainly be helpful, these official notices themselves have become quite easy to read compared to before because the layout and overall readability have improved.

If you click the relevant button on the right side of the official homepage, you can view the main highlights of each update together with images.

Event details and Cash Shop information can likewise be checked in their respective categories together with the related images.

How to check the date of a “live server” update (patch)

MapleStory updates are carried out in the order of the Test World, commonly called the test server, first, and then the live server, commonly called the main server.

The test server usually opens 1 week before the live server, and for both servers the update day is fixed on Thursday. This update was also carried out on Thursday, January 15, and although it may have been different much earlier, it has consistently been done on Thursdays for the past several years.

The maintenance start time varies, but on the day itself it is generally set at either 2 AM, 3 AM, or 4 AM, while the end time is fixed at 10 AM. In some cases, it may be extended.

The update cycle is either 4 weeks or 5 weeks. In a month such as February, when there is a long holiday period, it follows a 5-week cycle, while most other cases are almost always 4 weeks. Events also usually follow this schedule.

The most accurate way to determine the exact update date is to check when the currently ongoing events end. Since events end at 23:59 on Wednesday, the day before the update, the following day becomes that month’s update date.

The current ongoing events can be used as examples.

Since the events ending in February have an end date of February 11, the update date for February is February 12.

Since the events ending in March have an end date of March 18, the update date for March is March 19.

Since all events related to [Challengers World Season 3], which ends in April, have an end date of April 15, the update date for April is April 16. The reason it is marked above as ending on April 16 is that server operation itself continues until before the April 16 maintenance.

In this way, you can check through each event period, and if [Challengers World] is currently running, you can also confirm it through the pre-transfer period as shown above. This is because pre-transfer is available until 23:59 on the day before maintenance, and then reopens after the update maintenance ends.

There are, however, a few exceptions in this case.

First, this applies only to events that started together with the update, so it does not apply to events that were added midway after the update. A recent example would be the Christmas event shown above.

There are also cases where an additional 1-week grace period is given. Representative examples are <아이템 버닝> and event skills obtained by using SP, commonly called tonic, which are made available for 1 extra week compared to other events. In months when these events end, it is best to use the end dates of the other events, excluding these, as your reference point.

Lastly, in the case of the <Premium PC Room Cumulative Reward Event>, it runs until 23:59 on Thursday, the update day itself, while other PC room events run until Wednesday 23:59 like other events. Accordingly, the rewards from the cumulative reward event are made claimable in Challengers World.

“Test server” Test World schedule

Content revealed on the test server may, depending on the case, be partially changed or have additional details by the time it is applied to the live server, but in most cases it arrives largely as shown there, so it plays a very important role when planning your Maple life.

As mentioned earlier, the test server mainly opens on Thursday, 1 week before the live server, but depending on the update schedule, there are very occasional cases where it stays open for 2 weeks, such as when new 6th job skills are being added.

The opening time is not fixed, but recently it has usually been between 4 PM and 6 PM.

For the test server, access is available from the bottom of the official homepage, and once you apply for access, you can enter after downloading the game. When you log in, you can preview the contents of the next update in advance, and through the tester support box, you can also try on Boutique Gift items, new outfit items, and similar additions beforehand. With recent improvements, the character import function from the live server has also been improved, making it easier to test new bosses as well.

In addition, the official YouTube channel also holds a live broadcast called “Maple Now,” hosted directly by the director. It is usually conducted almost at the same time the test server opens, and the exact start time is announced in advance through the YouTube community before the broadcast begins.

Since it is hosted directly by the director, you can hear a general explanation of the update along with related comments. However, although it had been conducted in the same fixed format for more than 2 years, a change in format has currently been announced for after March, so for how it will change afterward, it seems we will need to check the relevant remarks in the February Maple Now.

Disconnect patches, minor patches, maintenance, and Burning Field refills

After a live server patch, there are times when channel maintenance and minor patches like the one shown above take place. In such cases, notices and in-game messages explain which channel ranges cannot be accessed and during what time periods. Maintenance that makes access unavailable in this way is called a disconnect patch. Naturally, this also includes the regular live server updates mentioned above.

When a disconnect patch ends, the Burning Field stage is reset and set again to a higher level. This is called a Burning refill, and because it applies even to popular hunting maps without exception, it can be quite advantageous if you are able to log in immediately after maintenance.

Also, among the notices, the type labeled above as “Nexon regular maintenance” is completely separate from maintenance within MapleStory itself, so it is not a disconnect patch, and accordingly it does not trigger a Burning Field refill either.

What about the showcase schedule?

In summer (June) and winter (December), a showcase is held to promote and introduce each season’s major update. In many cases, an offline event is held as well, and since ticketing may be required depending on the event, anyone who wishes to participate will need to check the conditions each time. It varies by situation, but it is generally held on a Saturday 1 to 2 weeks before the live server update date.

This can also be checked through the update date mentioned earlier. Since the events ending in June have an end date of June 17, the update date for June is June 18. Accordingly, the first summer update in June 2026 will be on June 18.

When is Sunday Maple uploaded?

This is a recurring event whose effects change every Sunday. When there is a major update like this, more benefits than usual are applied under the title <Special Sunday Maple>.

It is posted in the Events tab on the official homepage every Friday at 10, and if Friday is a holiday, it is revealed earlier at the same time. Very occasionally, it is also previewed in advance during a showcase or live broadcast.

As shown here, Special Sunday Maple can provide fairly worthwhile effects. Since certain fixed effects return on a regular cycle, if you keep an eye on it for a long time, you may eventually be able to prepare in advance with a rough sense of which benefits are likely to appear next.

Thank you for reading.