Early Access Launch on Steam Set for the 28th of This Month
Free DLC and Updates During Early Access Period
Krafton will release its new game 'inZOI' in early access form on the 28th. The early access sale price is set at 44,800 KRW, and downloadable content (DLC) and updates will be provided for free.
On the 19th, Krafton announced the main content and future development direction of the game at the inZOI Global Showcase held online. The showcase, broadcast live worldwide via YouTube, featured Kim Hyung-jun, CEO of inZOI Studio and the overall director of inZOI, as the presenter, who introduced the background of the game's development and his colleagues.
At the end of last year, Krafton established a new corporation, 'inZOI Studio,' appointing Kim, the overall director of inZOI, as CEO. inZOI Studio is a studio mainly composed of CEO Kim and the inZOI development team, established to strengthen the independence of the development organization.
inZOI is a game where players become new employees of a company managing virtual reality, controlling and observing characters called 'JOI' who have diverse thoughts and interact like humans. It is a rare 'life simulation' genre among games released by domestic game companies, a genre dominated by the 'The Sims' series, serviced by the American company Electronic Arts (EA).
Users can indirectly experience various life stories in the game through the character 'JOI.' It is possible to make friends, get married, and raise children within the game, just like in real life. Players can also experience various job activities and create a virtual life.
The strengths of inZOI lie in realistic graphic depiction and experiences similar to reality. CEO Kim emphasized that the core development goal of inZOI is 'realism,' explaining that realistic experiences were implemented in various aspects such as simulation, settings, and art. To achieve this, inZOI was developed based on 'Unreal Engine 5,' the latest game graphics engine developed by Epic Games in the United States. To highlight realistic experiences, the showcase background was set as the augmented reality (AR) library within inZOI.
AI-based game elements were also added. inZOI provides creative tools utilizing Krafton's AI technology, such as motion generation functions, a 3D printer system, and video-to-motion. At the same time, various production systems are offered, including ▲clothing and furniture creation ▲accessory customization ▲facial capture ▲motion capture ▲photo studio ▲city editing ▲event system. Additionally, features for game enjoyment such as crowd control and sales systems are supported, with modding and new cities planned for future updates.
CEO Kim stated, "inZOI is the game that best matches AI among existing games," adding, "It will show much deeper and more realistic AI-based interactions than typical games."
inZOI will be released in early access at 9 a.m. (KST) on the 28th through the online game distribution platform 'Steam.' The early access sale price is set at 44,800 KRW (39.99 USD). DLC and updates will be supported for free until the official release. Upcoming content includes ▲freelancer jobs ▲ghost play ▲the cat island 'Kucingku,' inspired by Southeast Asia ▲swimming pools and swimming ▲family trees ▲new jobs. These contents will be released sequentially according to the development roadmap.
CEO Kim said, "I would be truly happy if players can experience things they cannot in real life through inZOI, feel a sense of control over life, and have an opportunity to look at life from a bit of distance," adding, "It has not been an easy process, and there may still be shortcomings, but we will listen carefully to fans' advice, continuously improve, and aim for a quick official release by enhancing completeness."
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