The 'Project DM' development team at Neople, which had been crafting a Monster Hunter-esque hunting action game based on the Dungeon & Fighter IP, has been disbanded.

Nexon announced on the 9th that its subsidiary Neople has officially terminated the development of the new project, Project DM, and placed the development team on standby. This decision is interpreted as a result of failing to meet internal review standards amid a recently tightened development management policy. Consequently, Nexon's long-term strategy to introduce diverse new titles based on its core IP, 'Dungeon & Fighter', is expected to undergo some adjustments.

Project DM was being developed using Unreal Engine 5. According to recruitment postings, it was a title that aimed to feature photorealistic graphics and diverse combat elements based on the Dungeon & Fighter universe. It was known to be in development as a new PC/console title following 'The First Berserker: Khazan'. However, as Nexon's criteria for both new and existing projects have become more rigorous, it appears the project could not clear the final hurdle and has been canceled.

Nexon stated, "We decided to terminate the development of Project DM after comprehensively considering the development status and internal priorities. We will do our best to present more competitive projects in the future based on the experience gained from this production." The company added, "We will actively support the affected team members so they can be reassigned to other internal projects where they can utilize their experience and capabilities."