Dreamage: "First Major Title 'Architect' Aims for Success with High Quality"

Dreamage and Aquatri's Most Anticipated Title of the Year
'Architect' Launches Officially on PC and Mobile on the 22nd
Confident in 'Quality and Fun' Amidst MMORPG Competition
"High-Quality Graphics, Enjoyable Even for Free-to-Play Users"

"The massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) 'Architect: Land of Exile' (hereafter Architect) is a project that demonstrates the direction of growth for both companies. In the long term, we aim to steadily build a reputation as a 'game with plenty to do and lasting enjoyment.'"

Jung Wooyong, CEO of Dreamage, stated this at the media demonstration for the new title Architect, held on the 15th at GenZ GGX in Jung-gu, Seoul. He added, "Amid the trend of revitalization in the gaming industry, Architect will clearly showcase its own unique personality and direction."

On the 15th, at the GenZ GGX in Jung-gu, Seoul, during the media demonstration of the new title "Architect: Land of Exile" (hereafter Architect), Kim Mingyu, Head of Business at Dreamage (from left), Park Beomjin, CEO of Aquatri, and Jung Wooyong, CEO of Dreamage, are participating in a Q&A session. Photo by Noh Kyungjo

Architect is a triple-A (blockbuster-level) MMORPG that Dreamage and Aquatri have prepared as their most ambitious title for the second half of this year. The official launch for both PC and mobile versions is set for the 22nd. It comes about a year after its initial unveiling at last year's G-Star.

The game features vibrant graphics powered by Unreal Engine 5, outstanding character customization, and a vast seamless world implemented on a single channel. In addition to the genre's core competitive elements, players can also experience cooperative and challenge content, as well as exploration content that allows for special movements such as flying, swimming, and climbing.

Park Beomjin, CEO of Aquatri, the developer, emphasized, "We made efforts to carefully fill the content for users who struggle with the entry barriers and pacing typical of the MMORPG genre," adding, "We have continuously attempted to blend new genres in line with user expectations and trends."

He particularly noted, "Even before founding Aquatri, I had written down keywords such as seamless world, single channel, non-target combat, various exploration elements, and open-world games in my notebook," and added, "Throughout the development process, we maintained this direction without wavering, and the entire team has worked together to raise the level of completion."

He continued, "We made sure that the content does not feel like a 'chore' that causes fatigue for users," and added, "Even challenge gates and phantom vaults have an end." During testing, there were even requests from users for more 'chores' to do.

Currently, the team is focusing on 'optimization' work to stabilize performance while maintaining graphic quality. Park said, "The graphic quality on mobile screens is slightly lower than on PC, but internal tests have confirmed that the sense of completion and immersion in gameplay is maintained," and added, "We hope it becomes a game that a wide range of users can enjoy together for a very long time."

Minkyu Kim, Head of Dreamage Business Division, explained character customization at the media demonstration event for the new title Architect: Land of Exile (hereafter Architect), held on the 15th at Gen.G GGX in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kyungjo Noh

The business model (BM) has been designed to be user-friendly. Kim Mingyu, Head of Business at Dreamage, explained, "There are two types of probability-based items: costumes (appearance) and phantom weapons. Wings can only be obtained through in-game play, and mounts can also be upgraded to higher grades simply by consistently enjoying the game," adding, "The structure is much more relaxed compared to recently released MMORPGs, so players can enjoy the fun of growth and collection without feeling pressured to spend money."

The market is closely watching whether Architect will be a hit. As Dreamage's first large-scale project to be serviced in four years since its founding, there is interest in whether it will mark a turning point, allowing the company to break out of three consecutive years of losses. The pre-registration response has been positive, surpassing one million users within just two weeks of starting.

Competing titles include Aion 2, a sequel to the flagship intellectual property (IP) of NCSoft, and Chrono Odyssey, serviced by Kakao Games. Kim said, "It is true that market conditions are challenging, but regardless of competing titles or timing, we are confident in the quality and fun of Architect. We firmly believe it can succeed in the Korean market."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.