Hound 13 released a teaser today (the 29th) ahead of the Steam Next Fest demo for 'Dragon Sword: Awakening.'

The teaser introduces the Kingdom of Orbis, the first region players will explore, along with its key heroes. It features three characters: Ceris, Captain of the Orbis Magic Order of Knights; Reina, Captain of the Royal Guard; and Calcion, King of Orbis, each performing actions that hint at their combat styles or attributes. Notably, Ceris has been redesigned; her original 'bun' hairstyle has been changed to a bob, and the somewhat bulky hood of her cloak has been removed.

Prior to this, on the 27th, Hound 13 published answers to an AMA conducted since the 22nd via its Steam page. The team received a total of 70 questions from both domestic and international users via Discord, which were answered in writing by key developers, including Hound 13 CEO Park Jeong-sik.

Content and play volume were the most frequently asked topics. Hound 13 explained that the game features eight main story chapters, with the main quest alone taking approximately 20 hours to complete. Players can enjoy the game for much longer by engaging in sub-quests and other content, and the developer confirmed that the previous fatigue system has been removed. To reduce repetitive gameplay, they are preparing to increase the availability of items that allow for sub-option rerolls or locking main options.

The game is a single-player package title, though some boss dungeons and raids support cooperative play. General boss dungeons allow up to two players, while raids support up to three, with identical rewards for both solo and co-op modes. Post-launch, the 'Tower'—previously mentioned in the mobile roadmap—will be added as end-game content. The team is currently expanding the number of floors and polishing the combat experience; rewards from the Tower will include materials for crafting exclusive Karma keys.

The team also provided clarity on the business model. The 19 heroes available at launch can be recruited using resources earned through in-game main requests or exploration, without additional purchases. At launch, character costumes and mounts will be sold as DLC, and a digital edition including the soundtrack and a digital artbook will also be available. In response to related questions, the team reiterated that this is a 100% package game that can be played to the ending without an internet connection.

The developers also addressed feedback from two previous developer live streams. They explained that some shortcomings in graphics and shaders were due to initial mobile-focused considerations, but as the game is now PC-exclusive, they are currently refining the overall lighting and volume. They also noted that 'Othello,' shown during the live stream, is currently unfinished and will be polished to a higher quality. Regarding a console release, they stated that development is currently prioritized for the PC version, with internal R&D for future platforms underway.

Some future plans and development status were also shared. A composer who worked on the 'Dragon Nest' OST participated in 'Dragon Sword' but has since left the project for various reasons; consequently, some later tracks were completed with other composers and firms. There are no plans to support PVP or a market, and multiplayer emotes or interactions have a low development priority and are unlikely to be included in the official launch version.

The team mentioned that it takes approximately six months to create one character, citing the time required for action verification and polishing. However, as they have been working on several characters in advance, they plan to release new characters sequentially starting after the July launch, beginning with 'Liza.' They also announced that a new world, 'Floating Island,' is being prepared as part of a large-scale update.

'Dragon Sword: Awakening' is scheduled for release in July, following a demo at Steam Next Fest on June 16. The full 70-question AMA and further details about the game can be found on the Steam page.