From the New "Horizon" Set to Shine at Next Year's Game Shows to a Rich Lineup of Subculture Games

G-Star 2025 Closes
Over 200,000 Visitors Attend

G-Star, the largest game show in Korea, concluded its four-day run this year, drawing support from over 200,000 visitors.

NCSoft unveiled the unreleased new title "Horizon Steel Frontiers" during the opening session at their booth at "G-Star 2025," held on the morning of the 13th at BEXCO in Busan. Photo by Kyungjo Noh

Among the participants, NCSoft stood out the most at this year’s G-Star, which combined immersive experiences with storytelling. Serving as the main sponsor for the first time since its founding, NCSoft unveiled a lineup of upcoming titles, including "Aion 2," as the company looks to make a fresh leap forward. Among these, visitors got an early look at a new title set to make waves at domestic and international game shows next year: "Horizon Steel Frontiers."

This mobile MMORPG is being developed using the intellectual property (IP) of Sony’s flagship "Horizon" series, which has sold a cumulative 40 million copies worldwide. The decision to move beyond the single-player format of the original was influenced by NCSoft founder and CEO Kim Taekjin.

Through a trailer, CEO Kim explained, "When I first encountered 'Horizon,' the massive mechanical lifeforms and mysterious narrative piqued my curiosity and drove me to explore the world to its limits. I thought it would be even better to adventure through this captivating universe with others, rather than alone."

The game is targeting a showcase at Gamescom next year. Gamescom is the world’s largest game show, held annually in Germany. Lee Sunggu, Executive Producer at NCSoft, emphasized, "We will create a unique identity for 'Horizon Steel Frontiers.' It is a completely different game from 'Lineage.'" This statement was intended to dispel concerns that the game would share the same business model as "Lineage," which relies heavily on probability-based items as a key revenue source. He added, "We have been working to transform NCSoft for the past three to five years. I hope the market will recognize this determination in both this year and the next."

Indie games and subculture games inspired by Japanese animation were also a major presence at G-Star. Webzen introduced its new title "Gate of Gates," targeting the subculture market. The game features charming female characters who blend the fun of the strategy defense genre with subculture sensibilities. "Noah," a collectible subculture RPG exhibited by Wemade Connect, depicts battles and survival in a dystopian future setting alongside alluring agents.

Neowiz, which is actively expanding the indie game ecosystem, introduced "Sannabi Gaiden: Possessed Day," a sequel to Wonder Potion’s "Sannabi." The story follows the popular original character, Major Song, as she investigates a mysterious incident in a robot scrapyard.

At BEXCO in Busan on the 13th, the Neowiz booth for "Sannabi Gaiden: Possessed Day" was bustling with visitors at "G-Star 2025." Provided by Neowiz

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