'VOID DIVER: Escape from the Abyss,' an extraction action RPG currently under development by Nemo Studio, a subsidiary of Loadcomplete, set up a booth at PlayX4 2026 to welcome visitors.

'Void Diver' is a 2.5D pixel-art extraction RPG where the core gameplay involves sending 'divers' into otherworldly dungeons to retrieve artifacts and escape. Since releasing a demo on Steam in late January, the game has received an enthusiastic response, surpassing 130k wishlists. The team is currently accelerating development with the goal of participating in the Steam Next Fest this June and launching in Early Access.

At the PlayX4 venue, we met with Baek Ho-young, the producer overseeing the development of VOID DIVER, to discuss the game's background and future direction.

First, could you please introduce yourself.

"I am Baek Ho-young, the lead for VOID DIVER at Nemo Studio. I am directly involved in all aspects of development, from combat design to BGM and sound.

While Loadcomplete is a well-known company, Nemo Studio is still unfamiliar to many gamers. I'm curious about your previous work and whether VOID DIVER is your first project.

"VOID DIVER is Nemo Studio's first title. Loadcomplete is known as a mobile game company, but as the mobile market became saturated, there was an internal consensus that we needed to explore new territory.

Many developers at the company love Steam games, and there had been ongoing requests to try our hand at one for a long time—it was a sort of developer's dream. Eventually, the atmosphere shifted to, "Let's do it this time!" and fortunately, it has been going well.

When people think of the extraction genre, they often imagine something hardcore and realistic like Escape from Tarkov. Combining this with cute pixel graphics is a quite unique choice. What was the reason behind this combination.

"We started with the thought that since extraction games are fun, they might become a major trend. We also felt that PvP was the biggest barrier to entry, so we decided to remove it and brainstormed how to make the experience more casual. As we considered how to maintain tension through PvE alone, we leaned toward incorporating horror elements, which naturally led to the current world-building.

Since there is no PvP, I am curious about how you plan to maximize the tension unique to VOID DIVER.

"While there are elements like difficulty selection and flashlights, managing both HP and stress during gameplay is the defining feature of VOID DIVER.

In the Cthulhu mythos, managing mental power is an essential element. While strange things happen when stress rises, you can also use it to your advantage to become stronger. Later on, you will be able to control stress through growth elements.

The demo version was released on January 26. The Steam reviews and reactions were quite positive; have any user suggestions been implemented?

"Auto-fire was added in the demo version. We received feedback that players' hands were hurting from having to constantly click for basic attacks, so we improved it so that holding down the button triggers automatic attacks.

There was a lot of feedback regarding quality-of-life improvements, most of which will be reflected in the Steam Next Fest version. We have prepared controller support, crosshairs, and auto-aiming features.

Controller support seems to have taken longer than expected. Were there any difficulties during development?

"There were no existing extraction games that properly supported controllers to use as a reference. The challenge started with how to implement things that are easy to do with a mouse, like inventory management, on a controller. It wasn't an easy task, but I'm glad it turned out well.

Based on the demo, it felt more beneficial in many ways to just quickly complete the set campaign and escape. Are there any elements being prepared to reinforce the tension between escaping and staying longer?

"We thought of the campaign as a minimum objective for the player. However, because the campaign rewards were so good, some people were just repeating that. So, we plan to separate the initial rewards from the repeatable ones. We intend to change it so that the story campaign gives good rewards only the first time, and afterwards, players will need to farm within the dungeon to extract.

We are also reworking the overall item crafting and drop systems, and introducing a gear repair system. Weapons and equipment will wear out like consumables, creating a structure that requires continuous farming.

I played on normal difficulty, but it was still quite high. It felt like the difficulty spiked significantly when the map changed to the city center. Was this intentional?

"The city center map is definitely designed to be more difficult than the residential area. However, we are currently rebalancing the overall difficulty, and we are completely overhauling the trait system, so the gameplay experience will feel very different even if the monsters remain the same.

I also found it disappointing that I couldn't pause while playing solo. Dealing with roaming monsters wasn't easy in the demo; is there room for improvement?

"We recognize the need for it internally. However, since we started development as a network-based game, it is not easy to implement in the short term. We are aware that this is something we must prepare for in the long run, and we will try to include it before the official launch.

Although it was locked in the demo, I noticed there are skill trees for each character. Is this just a simple stat-boosting element, or does it change the playstyle itself.

"We are aiming to make it change the playstyle entirely, rather than just providing simple stat boosts. Depending on character proficiency, the number of traits you can activate is determined, and you enter the dungeon with a skill tree combination of your choice. For example, we are considering changes at the level where Ga-young, a melee character, could switch to a ranged character as her talisman-throwing skill becomes her basic attack.

You recently introduced a new ranged character, Raven. After playing, I found her to be a traditional ranged dealer based on basic attacks. Won't this significantly diminish the standing of the melee character, Ga-young?

"Feeling that ranged is more comfortable is a general trend in games these days. Therefore, we intentionally designed the ranged characters to be weaker in terms of defense.

In fact, I think it's a rule of gaming that every character except the one you're playing looks stronger. Since this isn't a PvP game, rather than trying to achieve perfect numerical balance, we plan to create a structure where players can enjoy the game according to their own playstyle and 'romance' alongside exclusive traits.

Are more characters planned for the future? How many are you aiming for in total.

"We are aiming for about 6 to 7 characters by the time of the official launch.

The monsters were also impressive. There were many characters taken from urban legends, like the Teke Teke or the Slit-Mouthed Woman, and it was fun to see who would appear next. Will we continue to see these elements in later chapters?

"We are building a world that feels like a collection of ghost stories mixed with various urban legends. A new mini-boss will be added to the city center map in the Steam Next Fest version.

I understand the game was first registered on Steam early last January. When did full-scale development begin?

"At the time of the initial Steam page registration, we were in the idea-generation phase. We spent time exploring various options while deciding what to make, and full-scale development began last February.

It's been a little over a year since development started. What is the biggest change between the initial concept and the version that will be shown at the upcoming Steam Next Fest?

"When we first came up with the idea, we thought of a school setting. The concept was that students would enter dungeons as an after-school activity. Ga-young was originally a character in a school uniform with glasses, but after internal testing, people said she looked ugly, so we redesigned her into her current form. We might add an (old) Ga-young skin later that preserves the original design. We are currently developing a skin system, and we are also considering giving bonus skins to those who enjoyed the demo.

When is the official launch expected?

"It's difficult to give an answer regarding the official launch date right now. However, we are preparing to proceed with Early Access within the second half of this year, and we will try to share good news as quickly as possible.

Lastly, please say a word to the fans waiting for the game.

"I am just grateful for the love you have shown our game. Thanks to you, I am happy working every day, and perhaps that is why development is progressing steadily. We will do our best to meet you as soon as possible.