RingGames, the developer of 'ABYSSDIA', is gearing up for a second leap forward. As a first step, the company took over the service of 'ABYSSDIA' from its publisher, NHN, last May. Consequently, RingGames is now directly handling both development and service. While this was by no means a light decision for a developer, it was a strategic choice made to communicate more closely with users and respond more swiftly to their needs.

The company is also preparing its next moves. RingGames is considering raising the age rating for 'ABYSSDIA'. The plan is to introduce deeper stories and expressions that were previously difficult to incorporate under the current rating.

Development of upcoming titles is also progressing smoothly, led by 'Metal Slug Rush' and a new 'pretty girl' RPG project. While 'ABYSSDIA' focuses on building its own unique territory beyond familiar gameplay through enhancements, 'Metal Slug Rush' aims to penetrate the casual game market by leveraging the power of a strong IP.

Of course, pursuing multiple projects simultaneously is a daunting task even for large developers. Why, then, is RingGames expanding its business so aggressively? We met with RingGames CEOs Ahn Jin-hong and Yoon Jun-ho at their headquarters in Gangnam District to hear about their blueprint for a new leap forward through global market expansion and a broader lineup.

Service Transfer for 'ABYSSDIA': Aiming for a Rebound with a 15+ Age Rating

You have been operating 'ABYSSDIA' directly since last May. Development and operations are clearly different fields; were there any difficulties.

Yoon Jun-ho = Looking back, it was a whirlwind, but fortunately, we are operating without any major issues. To be honest, it wasn't easy. We had been using NHN's infrastructure for all operations and services, so we had to build our own from scratch in just two weeks before the transfer—a very tough challenge for us.

Of course, we didn't do it alone. We signed a contract with Oracle and received a lot of help. They practically lived in our office for those two weeks, helping us move almost everything that needed to be transferred, from server settings to the entire database, allowing us to complete the transition without major problems.

We are currently busy preparing for launches in global markets, including Taiwan. It's demanding, but as this is a crucial moment for global expansion, we are preparing to ensure everything proceeds without a hitch.

Service transfer is not an easy task. I'd like to hear the reason behind it.

Yoon Jun-ho = It wasn't because of any specific negative issues. Rather, it was a result of both companies' positions aligning; please view it as a choice made to provide a smoother service for 'ABYSSDIA'.

Ahn Jin-hong = There are pros and cons to both a game company handling everything and having a separate publisher handle operations, so it's hard to say which is better. However, we decided that it would be better for us to handle both development and service to communicate more closely with our users.

How has the performance been since the transfer?

Ahn Jin-hong = We are maintaining a level similar to when we first onboarded. Honestly, what worried us more than clear revenue metrics was the users' perspective and the atmosphere surrounding the game. Service transfer is not a decision that can be made lightly, so there were many concerns after the announcement. The most common suspicion was, 'Are they planning to shut down the service?' To resolve this, CEO Yoon focused on reassuring users by sharing the service roadmap and various information through live broadcasts early on. Fortunately, as the transfer was completed successfully, those anxieties have mostly disappeared.

Yoon Jun-ho = At first, there were even self-deprecating reactions. But perhaps because we consistently kept our promises and communicated through weekly live broadcasts, the community atmosphere is not bad now, with users even cheering us on during the streams. Since we are in a relatively stable state, we plan to focus more on promoting the game.

Other subculture games are also running return events recently, and we will strive not to fall behind them.

You are currently servicing in Korea, Japan, and globally. Could you give us a rough idea of the proportion by country.

Yoon Jun-ho = It can be broadly divided into three areas: Korea, Japan, and other regions. Initially, the proportion for each was similar, around 1/3. However, now that Korean users have decreased slightly and Japanese users have increased, the structure has changed to 50% Japanese users, with Korea and other regions accounting for 25% each.

Is there a special reason or trigger for the increase in Japanese users?

Yoon Jun-ho = Korean users tend to leave and return quickly. If a new game comes out, they try it and naturally stop playing the previous one. In Japan, however, once they develop an attachment, they don't let go easily. The fact that 'ABYSSDIA' has been consistently serviced seems to have worked positively. In addition, when a new character is released or an interesting scene that is easy to spread in the community appears, it seems quite a few users get interested, try it out, and then settle in.

I understand you plan to expand your service regions to China and Taiwan soon. However, China is a fierce battleground for subculture games, so I imagine you have as many worries as you do expectations.

Yoon Jun-ho = Rather than worrying, we intend to prepare calmly and respond. In that sense, we are in a more advantageous position now that we are operating our own service. In the past, there were many cases where we had to consult with others, but now we decide for ourselves, so we can respond faster. We intend to leverage this advantage to proceed with the expansion of our services in the Greater China region, including China and Taiwan, without any setbacks. Meanwhile, we are also considering having dedicated servers specialized for each region's service.

A license (ISBN) is essential for service in China. How are you preparing for this.

Yoon Jun-ho = We are also working to resolve the license issue. Meanwhile, partners for Taiwan and Southeast Asia have already been largely decided, and we are in discussions to launch at the appropriate time.

What is your secret weapon for targeting the Greater China and Southeast Asian markets?

Yoon Jun-ho = In the past, we decided on update directions in consultation with the publisher, but now we can judge and decide quickly ourselves. Even if it's not a 'secret weapon,' I think this is our greatest strength. In fact, if we judge that users will like something, we release it immediately, check the reaction, and then decide the next development and update direction. Fortunately, the users' reactions are not bad. We will continue to use communication as our weapon to continue the service.

On the other hand, we are also considering re-establishing the game's branding. A prime example is the age rating. 'ABYSSDIA' is currently a 12+ rated game, so it is true that there are restrictions on expression. There are limits to descriptions and direction, so we are considering raising the rating to 15+ to resolve this. Through this, we plan to capture not only the depth of expression but also aspects that we couldn't show before.

You mentioned the depth of expression; should I understand that as referring to the story?

Yoon Jun-ho = That's right. Until now, it was difficult to show a heavy story because it was a 12+ rated game, and it was also trickier to pass censorship. We rewrote the entire story once when we started our own service, and we plan to touch it up once more after raising the age rating. We are also considering adding a world-building white paper or various behind-the-scenes stories so that users can delve deeper.

Reducing external restrictions is also an important point. Once it becomes a 15+ rating, we can also introduce attractive skins that we couldn't show before. Since the reaction was good when we revealed the skin system on the last broadcast, we believe this part will also have a positive impact on 'ABYSSDIA'.

Generally, raising the age rating also means the user base could narrow, so it must have been a difficult choice.

Yoon Jun-ho = We had a lot of internal deliberation. However, considering the trend that the market is becoming more sophisticated and the main age group of the subculture genre is also rising, we weighed the pros and cons and judged that raising the rating was more advantageous. Raising the age rating can be seen simply as a means to increase exposure, but for us, the fact that the range of what we can express expands was more important.

For example, in the current story, there are scenes where girls blindly like the protagonist, the 'Coordinator,' but the explanation of why they like them is lacking. This is also connected to the protagonist's identity—exactly what kind of being the Coordinator is. Since we can now unfold the reasons why the girls follow the protagonist so much, and other parts that we couldn't explain until now, in more detail and sometimes more heavily and deeply, we judged that this is the way to increase the game's completeness and decided to raise the rating.

Ahn Jin-hong = Although it hasn't been revealed yet, there is a setting where one 'coordinates' something, such as coordinating someone's personality or coordinating a specific situation to prevent a crisis. Depending on how you look at it, it can also be read as mind control. We plan to unfold a deep story that couldn't be shown before, including these elements.

'ABYSSDIA' is often evaluated as having a 'familiar taste.' It means the gameplay is familiar, but I think such an evaluation is a double-edged sword.

Yoon Jun-ho = I agree. I think it's a task we need to solve. In fact, I think the lack of an exceptional element to move to the next level might be the reason for the sluggish box office performance. Of course, there is also an evaluation that it is worth enjoying consistently, and I see this as a result of that familiarity.

As you asked, what 'ABYSSDIA' needs most right now is something that goes beyond the 'familiar taste.' Starting with adding depth to the story by raising the age rating, we will make it so that you can feel depth in combat and game systems in the future. We are currently preparing a lot for this.

There are often cases where a game with a lukewarm reaction at launch shows its potential later through its story or direction. Since you've announced story improvements, I imagine internal expectations are high.

Yoon Jun-ho = It would be a lie to say there are no expectations, but I don't have the naive thought that it will be a guaranteed success just by improving the story. 'Blue Archive' can be cited as a representative work in this regard, and I see it not as popularity exploding in one moment, but as the result of steady accumulation finally bearing fruit. The recently released 'Eversoul' is also gradually climbing up in Japan through consistent service. We will also walk steadily with these games as our goals.

Full-scale marketing or brand development is difficult, but if we don't give up and continue to improve and promote the game, these efforts will accumulate and become our strength at some point, and I think the day will come when we can use that as leverage to attempt something.

In that sense, we are currently in a stage of building trust rather than showing something off. In fact, at the beginning of the launch, there was a lot of sentiment that 'this game will fold soon,' but now those concerns have almost disappeared. We will steadily build trust and eventually unleash our potential, so please look forward to it.

Metal Slug Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary: What's the Secret to Securing the License?

Let's talk about 'Metal Slug Rush.' The original is a side-scrolling run-and-gun genre; could you explain what kind of game this is.

Ahn Jin-hong = In terms of genre, you can think of it as a game in the genre commonly called 'Survivor-like.' We tried to incorporate the sensibility and impact of the original work here. In terms of the system, it is most accurate to view it as a side-scrolling shooting game that mixes the Survivor-like genre and the 'Archer' Legend-like genre. In this concept, it can be seen that the two games established the grammar of the genre, so we used them as references.

You mentioned sensibility; what do you think is the identity of Metal Slug, and how did you incorporate it into 'Metal Slug Rush'.

Ahn Jin-hong = Visuals and art are important, but personally, I think it's the impact. In fact, it's the part we refined most meticulously internally. For example, we tested repeatedly to capture the original's impact, such as how fast the pistol shots should be to produce such impact, and what sound should be made when eliminating an enemy to make the impact come alive properly.

Survivor-like games have now become a common genre and concept. I'd like to hear what you think about this perception.

Ahn Jin-hong = Since Survivor-like games generally look similar, I think that perception is inevitable. We are aware of this, so we added elements unique to 'Metal Slug Rush' to solve it. For example, Metal Slug is a great fun point not only for its impact but also for the ability to use various weapons. While bringing this in, we borrowed the level-up system of 'Survivor.io' to some extent. I personally had an experience of being deeply immersed because I was curious about what it would look like if I grew a weapon to the end, and I really wanted to include this element in 'Metal Slug Rush.' Through this, we intend to provide the fun unique to 'Metal Slug Rush' that is different from existing Survivor-like games.

It's one of the IPs that once dominated arcades; how did you manage to sign the license agreement?

Ahn Jin-hong = I have some experience in IP-related business from before. Then, an opportunity to bid arose through a company we were working with, and thanks to that, we were able to make the game together like this. Japanese companies often don't give out their IP well to places that haven't handled their IP before, so I think my past experience worked favorably.

As it is a game with an original work, I imagine there were many parts to be careful about. If there is a reason why you proceeded with the 'Metal Slug Rush' project despite that, please explain it clearly.

Ahn Jin-hong = There is also a personal reason. I have really liked Metal Slug since I was young, and I thought there was no IP that fits as well as Metal Slug in the Survivor-like genre. These reasons combined led us to develop 'Metal Slug Rush.'

While the original is side-scrolling, 'Metal Slug Rush' is a Survivor-like, so you have to move in all directions—up, down, left, and right. If you add original elements to this, it seems the original sprites would not have been enough; how did you solve this part?

Ahn Jin-hong = We drew some sprites that didn't exist originally, and by separating the upper and lower bodies to make them rotate, we implemented actions that were not in the original, such as shooting backward while moving forward, as naturally as possible.

Yoon Jun-ho = The IP company even provided sprites that were in their storage. Based on that, we created the parts we needed ourselves, and after completing them, we had to get them inspected and passed by the IP company again. Since we both did our best to preserve the sensibility of the original, I don't think there will be any awkward parts.

What is the level of completeness of 'Metal Slug Rush,' and when is the release date scheduled.

Ahn Jin-hong = The game is already in a completed state. It is currently waiting for store review, so it is effectively at a stage where we just need to press the button. We plan to decide the release date as soon as the marketing schedule is confirmed.

I understand that 'Metal Slug Rush' corresponds to 'Little' in your 'Big & Little' strategy. Then, please introduce what kind of game you are developing for 'Big.'

Yoon Jun-ho = We once received a proposal from a Japanese game company saying, "The game is good and your development ability seems good, so let's work together," and that story has developed into the current new project. Please understand that it is a bit too early to reveal it, so it is difficult to disclose detailed information.

Can you at least reveal the concept of the game?

Yoon Jun-ho = I can only reveal that it is a pretty girl RPG with a completely new IP. We are putting so much effort into it that we have even formed a detachment internally, and I think we will be able to disclose more detailed information in 2027.

It means that some of the existing development team has moved to the new project; are you worried that it will affect 'ABYSSDIA'.

Yoon Jun-ho = Not all of 'ABYSSDIA's core development team is leaving for the new project. The main PD is still developing 'ABYSSDIA,' and the new project was filled with newly hired personnel. You don't need to worry about the core development team leaving.

You are preparing for a second leap forward with 'ABYSSDIA' while also preparing for many things, including 'Metal Slug Rush' and a new project. Please tell us your aspirations for the future.

Ahn Jin-hong = I think RingGames' strengths are fast development ability and a high understanding of IP. As we aim to be a developer that is sincere about games, we will continue to strive to make good games in the future.

Yoon Jun-ho = Usually, in other game companies, the developer handles the game and the publisher handles the business, but even though we are a small game company, we are doing both development and operations ourselves. I think this is RingGames' greatest strength. If we didn't have this strength, I don't know what would have happened to 'ABYSSDIA' as well as 'Metal Slug Rush' in the middle. We want to continue to leverage this strength to overcome the current difficult times and settle down.