NHN Unveils Rootshooter’s New Title 'Darkest Days'... "Targeting North America, the Home of Shooting Games"

Major Content Previewed at Media Demonstration
Various Multiplayer Modes Including Cooperative Raid, Cooperative Defense, and Extraction Mode
More Realistic Than Reality 'Zombie Apocalypse'

Board game powerhouse NHN is seeking a new leap forward with the 'root shooter' genre. With the new title ‘Darkest Days,’ the company plans to aggressively target Western markets such as North America and transform into a global game company.

On the 18th, NHN held a media demonstration of Darkest Days at its Play Museum headquarters in Pangyo, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.

Darkest Days is an open-world root shooter game currently in development by NHN, aiming for release this year. The root shooter genre combines third-person shooter (TPS) and role-playing game (RPG) elements. It is characterized by delivering the thrill of shooting alongside the enjoyment of character growth and item collection.

Unlike other root shooter games that focus on sci-fi, near-future, space, or futuristic settings, this game is set in the modern era. It is being developed with an emphasis on portraying a diverse range of human characters in various ways through survivors who have endured a zombie apocalypse, an extreme scenario.

The concept began with the question, "What if a zombie apocalypse occurred in the present day?" It deals with various fears such as the rapidly spreading zombie virus, the temporary security vacuum that follows, the formation of survivor-centered communities, and the conflicts that arise among survivors as the virus’s spread subsides.

Sangho Kim, head of NHN’s game business division, introduced, "'Darkest Days' focuses on creating the atmosphere of a modern apocalypse, providing an experience that delivers tension with a realism surpassing reality."

Dongseon Kim, executive producer of Darkest Days, explained, “The scariest thing in zombie stories is other survivors and the groups they form. We worked hard to make players naturally feel this through the scenario and gameplay.”

On this day, NHN revealed core content that can be enjoyed at various stages, from beginner players to those who have reached the highest level. Darkest Days offers various multiplayer modes typical of shooting RPGs, including cooperative raids, conflict zones, cooperative defense, and extraction mode.

Early in the game, players can enjoy the core fun of slaughtering zombies and growing stronger by focusing on shelter construction and resident development in the PvE (player versus environment)-centered single world ‘Sandcreek.’ After becoming familiar with the game, players can actively use the ‘conflict zones,’ where free PvP (player versus player) is possible, to efficiently develop their characters.

For players who have reached the highest level, the ‘extraction mode’ is key. It offers the chance to acquire the highest-grade resources and equipment but is also the most dangerous mode. Unlike the ‘conflict zones,’ where players can leave the map anytime and easily escape to the safe ‘Sandcreek,’ in ‘extraction mode,’ players face only two choices: die or escape.

From the left, Jeong Jung-jae, Head of Game Business Division, Kim Sang-ho, Director of Game Business Headquarters, Kim Dong-seon, General PD

Executive producer Kim said, "We organized the types of quests, objectives, and ways to achieve them in various ways to refine the experience players feel while playing and properly convey the fun and essence of the game."

Darkest Days is currently being prepared as a PC and mobile cross-platform game, with plans to develop a console version in the future.

The business model (BM) centers on a battle pass (a product that rewards players based on progress after purchase). Executive producer Kim said, "Purchasing the battle pass allows players to acquire unique 'residents,' complete quests related to those residents, and earn rewards." He added, "While equipment can also be obtained through loot boxes, there are no items exclusively obtainable through loot boxes; all items can be crafted directly."

NHN aims to have Darkest Days recognized for its gameplay in North America, the birthplace of the root shooter genre. Joongjae Jung, head of NHN’s game business office, said, "North American users prefer shooter genres and also like zombie concepts. Since many people enjoy shooter games and the country has high accessibility, our goal is to have our game recognized in the United States."