New Title from Former Blizzard Developers
Dream Age to Publish in Korea and Japan
"Teamwork and Decision-Making Determine Victory"
Playtest Scheduled for September 20-22
"If developers find joy in the process of making a game, I believe that emotion is fully reflected in the player's experience. That's what makes 'Arkheron' special." (Rob Pardo, CEO of Bonfire Studio)
At the media briefing for the new release "Alkeron" held on the 15th at Gen Z GGX in Jung-gu, Seoul, representatives from the publisher Dreamage and the developer Bonfire Studio are posing for a commemorative photo. Provided by Dreamage
Dreamage and Bonfire Studio unveiled their new title, "Arkheron," on September 15 at Gen Z GGX in Jung-gu, Seoul.
"Arkheron" is a team-based player-versus-player (PvP) game currently under development by Bonfire Studio. In the game, teams of three compete to ascend a mysterious tower built from fragments of the past. A total of 15 teams (45 players) participate simultaneously, but only two teams (6 players) can make it to the fourth and final floor.
Rob Pardo explained, "After launching the studio, we nurtured seven ideas out of 35 through internal discussions, and unanimously chose 'Arkheron' as the project to pursue." Bonfire Studio was founded in 2016 by key developers who contributed to the success of Blizzard Entertainment titles such as "StarCraft," "Diablo," and "Overwatch."
He added, "We took inspiration from games like 'Battlegrounds,' 'Diablo,' and 'Dark Souls,' trying out various approaches, but felt they didn't quite fit us. Since then, we've been developing 'Arkheron' in its own direction. The game features non-targeting combat from a top-down perspective."
He continued, "We wanted to create the kind of game we truly want to play. At this point, the development team is so engaged that I have to remind them to focus on development. 'Arkheron' is taking shape within a virtuous cycle where we play the game every morning, hold feedback sessions, and implement improvements."
"Arkheron" requires players to demonstrate precise control. The narrow field of view adds strategic elements such as sound-based play and positioning. Teamwork and decision-making are critical to victory. Players can also collect and combine items in real time to create their own unique builds, with the depth of combat and strategy varying based on their choices.
Bonfire Studio has naturally incorporated Blizzard's development philosophy of "validating games with players" into "Arkheron." Starting with internal testing, they are gradually expanding to external developers and player communities, with the intention of learning from these groups.
The release date will be finalized after playtesting and once the team is confident in the market response. Playtesting is scheduled for September 20 to 23. Kim Min, Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) of Bonfire Studio, stated, "We are considering launching on console and PC platforms, but for now, our focus is on making the best possible game."
Dreamage is responsible for servicing "Arkheron" in Korea and Japan. Bonfire Studio explained that among several publishers, Dreamage showed the deepest understanding and most passionate enthusiasm for "Arkheron." Korea is also the only country where they have an overseas partner.
Jung Wooyong, CEO of Dreamage, said, "Before signing the contract, I visited Bonfire Studio several times to play 'Arkheron' and fell in love with the game. I believe this project will bring new competitiveness and experience to Dreamage."
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