Launched in South Korea in 2004, 'Flyff Online' was loved by players around the world for its fairytale fantasy universe and a flight system that allowed players to soar through the sky on brooms and hoverboards. An eleven-year-old boy playing the game on the French server with his friends grew up over the years to become a computer engineer. He then took on the challenge of recreating the nostalgic game he had spent the most time playing, bringing it directly into the web browser. This is the story of Loïc Saos, Executive Producer leading 'Flyff Universe' at Gala Lab.
Around 2017, while studying at INSA Lyon in France, the web-based prototype he started as a hobby evolved into an official project after meeting Gala Lab, the developer of the original game. In November 2019, he founded the development studio 'Sniegu Technologies' in France to work alongside the original development team. Through its global launch in 2022 and its South Korean service in 2025, the game established itself as a cross-platform MMORPG spanning PC and mobile browsers.
Now based in the Korean office and overseeing the entire game, Executive Producer Loïc Saos was met at the venue of the global esports tournament 'Flyff World Championship (FWC).' Expressing how deeply moved he is every time he sees players exploring and enjoying the world he built, he pledged to continuously create game content for players to enjoy.
"I hope the players and spectators enjoying FWC together can put down their smartphones for a moment and fully soak in this festival moment, which comes around only once a year."
For someone who achieved his dream and is still chasing new ones, here is a Q&A covering his vision for Flyff Universe, the secrets behind browser optimization achieved with just 200MB of memory, security concerns in the AI era, and his heartfelt gratitude for the time players have invested.
Your path to becoming a developer on a game you loved as a child is quite unique. What was the journey like from a college side project to your current role as Executive Producer of Flyff Universe?
"I first played Flyff in France with my friends when I was 11 years old, and I had a blast. It was my first MMORPG and the game I sank the most time into. Later, while studying computer engineering at university, I was looking for a personal side project. Hearing that web technology was advancing rapidly at the time, I thought, 'Wouldn't it be possible now to make a 3D game that runs directly in a browser without any separate installation?' That must have been around 2017.
While considering what to test it on, Flyff—my favorite PC game—came to mind. I judged that its cartoonish graphics were timeless and structurally well-suited for a web environment. Initially, it was just a proof of concept (PoC) to see if it would actually work, but as I built it, the results turned out to be quite interesting, so I continued development. After polishing the prototype for about a year, I hosted an online showcase in 2019 to gather user feedback and reach out to Gala Lab, the original developer. A few weeks later, Gala Lab contacted me, and after meeting at Gamescom, we officially began working together.
Some initially questioned whether you were running a private server. Given that it was an unofficial version using original assets, it existed in a gray zone. What kind of build was revealed at that time?
"When I revealed the prototype online, it was not a full-fledged MMORPG. Most core MMORPG systems were missing, and it was merely a technical demo where you could log in and connect to the game, so it's hard to call it a private server. However, since it was true that I used Flyff's assets without permission, I clearly stated on the front page of the website that 'this is merely a showcase prototype, and I hope to get in touch with Gala Lab.' Fortunately, Gala Lab appreciated our passion and ideas for the game, leading to an official co-development effort.
Running a massive MMORPG inside a web browser is technically challenging. How did you implement it internally?
"Online games are broadly divided into a client side running on the user's device and a server side. The server architecture is almost identical to traditional MMORPGs, with only minor differences in network protocols.
The truly tricky part was the client. Because it had to run within the browser's isolated security environment—the sandbox—there were heavy limitations on accessing hardware resources on PC or mobile devices. To solve this, we built our own engine and conducted fine-grained optimizations using C++, a low-level language that allows direct memory control. Tuning took a long time because minor mistakes could easily lead to bugs, but thanks to that, we were able to maximize device performance. Currently, the entire game runs within the browser sandbox using only around 200MB of memory.
While there is no installation, loading assets when first logging in or entering a town takes some time. Isn't connecting even more difficult in countries with slower internet speeds than Korea?
"Most of the data taking up initial load time consists of texture images used to render screen colors and surfaces. Considering the varying network environments across countries, we provided three texture quality settings in-game: Low, Medium, and High. Players in regions with slower internet speeds can lower the texture settings to finish loading much faster and enjoy the game, even if it means sacrificing a bit of graphic quality.
Recently in the gaming industry, hacking attempts involving client data extraction for AI training and decompiling via reverse engineering have been a headache. How are you addressing these security threats as an HTML5-based web game?
"Honestly, this is a shared dilemma faced by developers across all platforms in recent months, including PlayStation and Nintendo. Technically speaking, there isn't much security difference between a program running in a browser and one installed directly on a PC. In fact, while many are currently attempting to use AI to port existing games to web browsers, we already have a polished browser version years ahead of the curve, giving us a technological competitive edge.
Have you actually experienced hacking attempts or operational threats exploiting AI?
"As long as it's an online game, hacking attempts will always exist. However, rather than altering the core nature of hacking, AI has simply increased the efficiency of hackers' attempts. So far, there haven't been any critical issues with the server itself, but what we are truly cautious about is users easily creating external tools like 'bots' (auto-hunting software) by having AI handle the coding to play the game for them. Since Flyff Universe preserves the feel of classic PC MMORPGs by omitting auto-battle buttons even on mobile, we are heavily monitoring to ensure these AI bots do not ruin the game's ecosystem.
Given its web-based nature, you must experience limitations or regrets as a developer. Have you ever considered making a dedicated standalone client?
"It's true that there are overall performance constraints compared to native applications. Even when we want to add flashy effects or rich particle systems to make it look like a modern MMORPG, we hit the inherent limitations of the web version. We also cannot infinitely increase 3D model quality due to the network speed issues across different countries I mentioned earlier. From a security standpoint, commercial anti-cheat software cannot be directly embedded into a browser, so we must constantly develop alternative workaround defense logic to maintain security. Nevertheless, being able to connect safely and conveniently on any device without a separate installation remains a powerful weapon unique to web technology.
You became Executive Producer of the game you admired as a child and now lead development at the headquarters in Korea. You must have felt deeply moved when you first stepped into this role.
"It was truly exciting, but it didn't happen overnight. I founded my company (Sniegu Technologies) in France and worked with the original dev team for two years. Later, I decided it would be much easier to collaborate face-to-face in the Korean office, so I moved to South Korea. Even after joining the Korean office, my role expanded step by step from lead developer to head of development, and eventually to Executive Producer responsible for the entire game.
Even so, I still find it hard to believe at times. When I wake up in the morning, I suddenly think, 'I really pulled this off.' Remembering my 11-year-old self playing this game with friends in France, I never dreamed I would end up in Korea as the Executive Producer of this very game.
How do you feel when you see countless players logging into and enjoying the world you built?
"It's incredibly thrilling. I feel immense excitement especially whenever FWC takes place each year. But at the same time, a significant amount of stress comes with it because I feel a heavy sense of responsibility. All the players trust me and expect smooth game operations and future updates. Excitement and responsibility always coexist.
Are there any players who stand out in your memory while operating the game, whether in a good or bad way?
"Since an MMORPG is a community system where people gather, conflicts and toxic behavior inevitably occur, and we often have to mediate them. However, on the flip side, I feel happiest when I see players forming parties or guilds, connecting with one another, and creating their own stories. I often hear news that people who first met inside the game ended up meeting in real life and becoming true friends, and that kind of online community is the greatest charm of an MMORPG.
What would you pick as your most rewarding moment as Executive Producer, and conversely, your most nerve-wracking moment?
"The most rewarding moment was when I first visited the live FWC venue in person. Seeing the packed crowd and the players competing fiercely in the esports tournament right before my eyes made everything feel real for the first time. Looking at numbers online, having thousands of players doesn't quite sink in.
On the flip side, the most terrifying and stressful moments are server downtime caused by technical issues. I really hate situations where players cannot connect to the game. So whenever a problem occurs, we pour all our energy into recovering as quickly as possible so players can get back online in the shortest time possible.
Do you plan to continue developing Flyff Universe moving forward, or do you also aspire to take on a new next-generation project?
"It's both. However, even if I start a new project, it won't be a new title related to Flyff. For Flyff, it is right to continuously polish and improve the existing Flyff Universe. Our players have already invested a vast amount of time nurturing their own characters here. Right now, my top priority is focusing on improving Flyff Universe, and if I attempt another project in the future, it will be a browser-based MMORPG utilizing a different IP.
Do you believe web browser games will continue to evolve and remain competitive in the market moving forward?
"Most definitely. The gaming market will increasingly shift toward cloud gaming, including browser games. Web performance and capabilities are advancing rapidly, to the point where players will soon find it hard to distinguish whether the game they're playing is running in a browser or installed directly on their device. Looking at projects like Starlink, speeds are already fast enough to enjoy cloud gaming anywhere in the world, so internet connection speeds will no longer act as a bottleneck.
Lastly, do you have any promise or message you would like to share with the fans who cherish Flyff Universe and those who attended FWC?
"I want to promise our players that we will consistently deliver new content and updates without stopping over the long term. I believe that is what players want most. And for the players and spectators enjoying FWC, I hope you can put down your smartphones for a moment and fully soak in this festival moment, which comes around only once a year.
