It’s formally 2026, and as all of us shift our mind’s gears towards the video games to return, I had the chance to talk with Neowiz, the writer behind Lies of P, to debate the previous 12 months. In the e-mail Q&A beneath, Neowiz co-CEO Sean Kim (pictured above) and I focus on the writer’s 2025, final 12 months’s Overture enlargement for Lies of P, how the writer charts its launch course, generative AI, and extra.
And don’t be concerned: I requested in regards to the in-development Lies of P sequel.
Below, you could find the complete electronic mail Q&A between Kim and I:
An Interview With Neowiz Co-CEO Sean Kim
Game Informer’s Wesley LeBlanc: How would you describe Neowiz’s 2025? Were there any specific standout moments or surprises for Neowiz, or did it really feel like a 12 months of consistency?
Neowiz co-CEO Sean Kim: Late final 12 months, we did have some issues; nevertheless, the 12 months in the end delivered outcomes that exceeded our expectations. As a co-CEO of a public firm, there’s a clear duty to realize a sure stage of monetary efficiency every year. We knew that we had developed one thing new and extraordinary with Lies of P, however forecasting its monetary efficiency was one thing of a problem. We wager closely on the outstanding talent and keenness of our growth and publishing groups, and it paid off. Lies of P gross sales and sentiment numbers had been very sturdy.
Overture additionally had a cloth affect on the bottom sport numbers, bringing in a wave of latest gamers and increasing the neighborhood in untold methods. In that sense, the discharge was significantly vital, because it solidified the muse of an rising pillar franchise for us transferring ahead.
Winning the Golden Joystick and the Lenovo 3D Juego awards in a stacked area of opponents this 12 months was an added bonus. Having the sport acclaimed by gamers and critics alike made the expertise as personally gratifying because it was financially fruitful.
I feel, due to the success of Lies of P, Neowiz is most carefully related to that sequence now. But what else is Neowiz as much as past Lies of P?
Our purpose is to constantly introduce profitable IP that followers will proceed to help and sit up for over the lengthy haul, even 5 or ten years down the road.
Currently, we’re internally creating greater than 5 new PC and console titles, whereas additionally specializing in discovering international IP by means of collaborations with Western studios reminiscent of Zakazane and Wolfeye. We plan to proceed investing in sturdy companions worldwide as we transfer ahead.
Our lineup of third-party indie titles, a lot of them developed by proficient native Korean groups, can be price highlighting. In specific, Shape of Dreams and SANABI not too long ago achieved each essential and business success.
Neowiz not too long ago shared phrase of 5 unannounced video games in growth, starting from Lies of P’s sequel to a narrative-based RPG to life simulation and extra – how does Neowiz chart its path ahead, and does style play a task?
Our core technique is to broaden the scale of our fanbase and deepen engagement amongst gamers who take pleasure in our video games. We wish to outline IP as “content + fans.” No matter how a lot effort goes into making nice content material, we consider it’s tough to name a sport “great” if it fails to fulfill its followers.
We don’t got down to pursue a variety of genres as a matter of strategic path; fairly, we’re circumspect about what we at the moment have and opportunistic about what we might execute nicely. Of course, the Lies of P franchise will must be continued. That’s a given. But on the whole, our growth cycle doesn’t start with a selected style. Instead, it begins with the inventive imaginative and prescient of our administrators. We have a tendency to not start growth by fixating on a play model or sport idea first.
Instead, we consider proposals from our administrators based mostly on a number of key standards. First, is the style enticing, contemplating the present market measurement and aggressive panorama? Next, can we assemble a strong staff that may ship the venture at a excessive stage of high quality? Finally, is there a long-term technique for rising the sport’s fanbase and engagement?
We usually revisit our ongoing initiatives utilizing these identical standards to be sure that they keep aligned with our technique, which is centered on each content material and followers.
Can you inform me something in regards to the Lies of P sequel?
At this level, there’s nothing particular we are able to share intimately. I can inform you that the staff at Round8 Studio is worked up about their work and totally targeted on growth.
With the Lies of P DLC receiving additional recognition by means of its numerous award wins and director Choi Ji-Won expressing sturdy confidence within the studio’s subsequent venture, we hope followers will proceed to sit up for what’s forward as a lot as we’re.
How do Neowiz and Round8 really feel about Overture’s launch earlier this 12 months?
We are grateful to see that gamers all over the world have responded so positively to our imaginative and prescient and work product. It was a watershed second, including clear perception into the significance and potential of Neowiz’s franchise-driven IP technique, whereas additionally working towards what it takes operationally to ship strong leads to the worldwide market.
For Round8 Studio, the success of Overture was particularly validating, because it clearly demonstrated the competitiveness of the Lies of P IP on the worldwide stage, whereas recognizing the creativity, dedication, and ambition proven by all the growth staff.
Neowiz is publishing two third-party video games – one for Wolfeye and one for Zakazane. What does Neowiz search for in third-party companions, and what stood out about these studios and what they’re engaged on?
We first have a look at a sport’s imaginative and prescient and potential, in addition to the staff’s expertise and capabilities. It’s about ensuring we’re the writer that may really elevate them. For us, partnering isn’t solely about discovering sturdy initiatives.
At the identical time, we attempt to perceive whether or not a potential staff has a long-term plan to develop their sport’s fanbase and construct an IP at scale. If a sport exhibits promise however falls exterior of areas the place we are able to add worth, we’d fairly information the builders towards somebody who can do the most effective job with them. Ultimately, our precedence is seeing creators succeed, as a result of the video games themselves are what matter most.
In the case of Wolfeye, we noticed the potential for the wealthy and compelling worlds they’re constructing to develop right into a franchise IP with us. Similarly, our publishing partnership with Zakazane was pushed by our confidence that their sturdy narrative basis would enable them to broaden the present venture into sequels with our help.
When you, as a publishing lead, have a look at 2025, what do you suppose defines gaming this 12 months? Any surprises? Any disappointments?
For 2025, our focus was to proceed to create high-quality initiatives and solidify Neowiz’s place within the international PC and console market. As we’ve reached the tip of the 12 months, it’s felt like the beginning of a brand new period of gaming. Smaller groups are reaching sturdy outcomes, together with our publishing relationship with Lizard Smoothie. The launch of their debut title, Shape of Dreams, bought 500,000 copies in its first month, and the staff continues to be devoted to delivering the most effective expertise for his or her neighborhood. We look to take these successes and broaden our publishing efforts in narrative-driven sport growth with builders from all over the world.
Editor’s Note: After publication, Neowiz reached out to right Kim’s quote that claims Shape of Dreams bought 500,000 copies in its first month – it really bought 500,000 copies inside its first two weeks.
Generative AI is a sizzling subject this 12 months, with some studios/publishers getting behind it and others staying away from it. Does generative AI have a spot inside Neowiz’s publishing home, and the way does it work with builders?
Korea is reportedly one of many nations the place ChatGPT is used most actively. It’s laborious to discover a sport firm right here at present that isn’t utilizing AI indirectly. At the very least, corporations are utilizing both ChatGPT or Gemini.
For us, like all forward-thinking know-how firm, we’re actively exploring how superior studying instruments can improve our inside publishing productiveness. Our main focus is on analysis and growth to automate routine operational duties, reminiscent of take a look at case processing and analyzing massive volumes of operational knowledge.
AI utilization may allow our skilled groups to work sooner and focus their vitality on refining core methods with our companions to maximise participant engagement. By processing knowledge sooner, our groups will arrive at higher, extra knowledgeable strategic choices on how finest to help our builders and interact with our neighborhood.
South Korea, specifically, is changing into an increasing number of of a serious participant in sport growth/publishing. Mobile is an enormous a part of the market there, however I’ve spoken to sufficient devs there to study that there appears to be a push to consoles/PCs and triple-A initiatives – do you agree, and if that’s the case, why do you suppose that is?
That does appear to be the case. Given the present panorama, it’s comprehensible that management groups would see PC and console as vital areas for future development. Competition within the cell market has turn out to be more and more intense, and quite a lot of historically mobile-focused corporations are clearly trying to pivot towards PC and console growth. We’re already seeing studios in that area start to point out outcomes.
How are Neowiz’s cell choices doing in relation to its console/PC releases?
We are actively working live-service cell video games which are well-received by gamers worldwide. We nonetheless view our cell enterprise as an vital pillar of our firm. We discovered that our cozy video games resonate with Western shoppers, with titles like Cats & Soup. In specific, Cats & Soup celebrated its fourth anniversary in August and recorded over 60 million downloads of the sport final 12 months. We additionally expanded the IP with the launch of Cats & Soup: Magic Recipe this April, which was developed by the unique staff.
Anything else I missed or didn’t ask about you’d like to debate?
Not solely does Neowiz have a Korean staff with direct expertise within the international success of Lies of P, but it surely additionally has a robust international publishing staff throughout North America and Europe. With this basis, we sit up for assembly nice groups all over the world and constructing long-term partnerships.
This electronic mail Q&A came about in December of 2025.
