AButton brought its new roguelite FPS, 'Guns and Dragons,' to ChinaJoy 2026. The team aims to gauge the game's market potential by actively identifying the needs of Asian users through on-site demos. Curious about the local reception, we sat down with Park Jun-woo, the director overseeing the game's development, to hear his thoughts.

Could you please introduce yourself and your company.

"I am Park Jun-woo, a director at AButton. We are currently developing three titles: 'Zeus: The God of Insolence,' 'Guns and Dragons,' and 'Project EA.' I am in charge of the development of 'Guns and Dragons.'

How do you feel about participating in ChinaJoy 2026? What has the general reaction been to the on-site demo?

"Many visitors have stopped by our booth, and I was pleased to see them enjoy the game exactly as our team intended in terms of flow and playstyle. One visitor who played enthusiastically despite having a cast on their arm left a particularly strong impression. We’ve also had players give us a 'thumbs up' after finishing a session; overall, the response has been very positive.

You participated as part of the Korea Pavilion with support from the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). Programs like this must be a great help to developers.

"Absolutely. We are very grateful for the support that made our participation possible. As a startup, it’s not easy to promote a game at a major show on our own, but this program made the process seamless. They provided smooth support for everything from booth setup to handling unexpected on-site issues. Furthermore, there is a great synergy in exhibiting alongside other Korean games. Activities like the stamp rally encourage users to visit our booth and discover our game, even if they aren't typically fans of the genre.

You mentioned being a startup and a small-scale developer. What is the secret to producing a game like 'Guns and Dragons' despite those constraints.

" The development team is fundamentally operated as a lean, elite group. We believe the key to our success is the motivation of each individual member. The biggest secret is that our developers are driven by their own ambition and a shared commitment to creating a great game, working together to foster an environment where the game can truly be fun.

To ask a question about the game itself: Asian users generally aren't as interested in art that uses cel-shading techniques. How does your studio view this.

" It is true that cel-shading is generally less preferred in Asia compared to the West. However, we developed the game with a global audience in mind, and since the Chinese-speaking market is too large to ignore, we wanted to use ChinaJoy to gauge the reaction. Given the sheer volume of people here, we’ve actually found quite a few who appreciate our art style. For the domestic market, we are considering an approach that emphasizes the feel of the gameplay and the core fun factor rather than just the art.

The concept is quite unique, so I imagine you faced some challenges or dilemmas during development.

" Honestly, every day is a challenge and a dilemma (laughs). The biggest hurdles were establishing the art style and the game concept. For the art, we went through several changes in art directors, which led to a lot of trial and error before arriving at our current style. As for the concept, we initially planned an 'isekai' FPS where only the enemies used magic and the player used modern firearms. But when we actually played it, it was difficult to make the clash between those two civilizations feel fun. We later experimented with dark fantasy before settling on the current 'magitech' concept.

If you had to pick one element of the game you want to emphasize most, what would it be.

" I would say the weapon crafting system. We currently have 23 base weapons, but the combinations result in a massive number of outcomes. Once we add the core customization system—the key feature of the weapons—we expect there to be over a million possible combinations. Creating and enjoying your own unique weapon is the core fun point of this game.

After receiving feedback from the Asian market at ChinaJoy, what is your next step.

" Our next immediate event is Gamescom. We plan to introduce the game in Europe and collaborate with overseas partners for marketing and interview-focused promotion. We are also currently running an open playtest in line with the ChinaJoy schedule, and we are grateful to see so many players participating.

Do you have a word for the domestic players looking forward to the game.

" I highly recommend 'Guns and Dragons' to anyone who enjoys roguelites and shooters and wants to play them in a more casual, lighthearted way. It’s a game better suited for chaotic, 'run-and-gun' clearing operations rather than precision aiming, so I hope you’ll enjoy it casually with your friends. We ask for your continued interest in the game.