CEO Park Beom-jin: The MMORPG has been a staple in Korea for quite some time. I view it as an all-encompassing genre that captures the essence of various gaming experiences. We are constantly experimenting by fusing new genres to match the rising standards and trends of players. However, we acknowledge the inherent barrier to entry. We've worked hard to fill the game with content for those who find the genre's slow pace daunting. Ultimately, I want this to be a game where a diverse player base can thrive together for a long time.

Director Kim Min-kyu: There’s a lot of chatter about how all these market-saturated MMORPGs feel the same. Architect goes beyond the basics; if you find hunting tedious or hit a wall, you can progress through challenges and exploration. Our goal is an 'MMORPG for everyone.' We don't want this to be a niche product, but rather a title loved by everyone from casuals to hardcore genre veterans. While, naturally, we want to see strong monetization figures, our primary goal is to be recognized by players of all ages.

CEO Jung Woo-yong: This is the first massive project from the collaboration between AquaTree and DreamAge. I believe the MMORPG genre is where the dreams and desires of a development team truly collide. We’ve poured everything into this, and while we’re hoping for commercial success, I’d be just as satisfied if people simply told us, 'There is so much to do in this game' or 'It’s worth playing even if you’ve never touched an MMORPG before.'

CEO Park Beom-jin: We designed the game to satisfy various player types while offering the joy of progression. Our motto is 'A today different from yesterday, a tomorrow better than today.' Beyond repetitive hunting or static tactics, we focus on world exploration, collection, commerce, and content like Illusion Vaults or Challenge Gates to provide unique avenues for growth.

CEO Park Beom-jin: Some content is designed for PvP from the ground up. While field PvP is possible, we’ve marked early zones as safe areas to ensure standard players aren't harassed. Eventually, we plan to update with PvP-exclusive world battle content following the Divine Stone Occupation War.

Director Kim Min-kyu: Because it’s a seamless single-channel world, competition and cooperation occur organically. There is always the debate on how to handle 'outlaws' or those who engage in 'unprovoked killing.' We’ve implemented numerous safety nets to prevent excessive PvP from spoiling the experience, including defensive measures for those who prefer to avoid conflict.

CEO Park Beom-jin: Swimming and climbing are essential. Fragments of Giants and treasure chests are hidden across the map. You’ll need these skills to reach destinations faster than others—especially climbing, which can even be leveraged for tactical advantages in combat. There are specific skills usable while flying that require you to climb to high vantage points first. Mastering these traversal methods is key to maintaining an edge in battle.

CEO Park Beom-jin: Growth is paramount. We do offer an offline mode. It provides 8 hours by default, with an additional 2 hours available via purchase. The game simulates your play patterns, so the character keeps hunting and growing on the server even after you log out. Upon logging back in, you get a detailed display of your rewards. This system also kicks in if your app happens to crash during auto-hunting.

CEO Park Beom-jin: Our challenge is to disperse players efficiently by moving them to new hunting grounds or different content as they progress. We’ve run extensive tests, and even with thousands of players entering simultaneously, we’ve confirmed that hunting remains smooth.

That said, popular hotspots will exist. We see that as part of the inherent competitive nature of an MMORPG. We also have mechanisms to adjust monster spawn rates in specific areas during high-traffic periods to ensure everyone moves to the next stage quickly.

CEO Park Beom-jin: The World Bosses revealed today are a core part of the endgame. The Challenge Gates and Illusion Vaults also have high-difficulty tiers. For cooperative endgame content, we have raids, including World and Field bosses, plus secret hidden bosses.

For PvP, the endgame is the Divine Stone Occupation War. Since it takes place on the seamless world map, thousands can participate at once. Because there are multiple objective spots, you’ll need strategy to attack several locations simultaneously. The Tower of Giants also features floor-specific bosses, combat, buffs, and territory control.

CEO Park Beom-jin: The destruction system was a tough call. Back then, I prioritized 'stacked growth' to lower resistance, but that meant players rarely replaced gear. Here, we want to encourage players to move on to new gear obtained through new content. We believe a virtuous cycle—where you produce, reinforce, fail, and get bonuses—can be fun if the production rate is balanced.

The 'Deluge' events are different from my previous work. It’s an expanded system; the 'Grand Deluge' occurs once a day. When the entire server works together to defeat it, everyone gets rewards. It acts as both a boss raid and a server-wide festival.

Regarding the 'chore' factor, yes, there is a lot, but Challenge Gates and Illusion Vaults have a clear end. You 'graduate' from the content. Once you clear them, you’re done. We are keeping a close eye on the volume of daily tasks.

Director Kim Min-kyu: Some games let you teleport everywhere. But in a seamless open world, that isn't the direction we’re taking. Movement strategy—deciding whether to walk or teleport when a battle or a Deluge breaks out—is part of the gameplay.

CEO Park Beom-jin: Convenience is important, but we intentionally force player intervention or pauses in certain zones to encourage learning. Making everything accessible via teleport removes a lot of the fun. Teleport towers are placed strategically. For the Divine Stone Occupation War, you have to plan your movement and team distribution across three different locations.

Director Kim Min-kyu: There are two types of gacha products: costumes and Phantom Weapons. Wings and mounts are not gacha items; they can be obtained through gameplay or direct purchase. Wings are entirely earnable in-game, and mounts can be obtained via gameplay or the 'Giant’s Vending Machine.' We’ve designed a more reasonable monetization structure that feels less burdensome than recent titles.

Director Kim Min-kyu: It’s hard to put an exact ceiling on it because gacha tickets can be earned through in-game rewards like the Deluge. You can reach tier 4 costumes through events, and with enough tickets, even higher tiers are possible. Tier 6 can also be obtained through synthesis. We’ve included plenty of safeguards to mitigate the frustration of probability-based systems.

CEO Park Beom-jin: The strength of our team is the primary reason. Also, we never wavered from our initial vision. We stuck to the notes we made before development started: seamless world, single channel, non-target combat, exploration, and open world. Keeping the team aligned on these goals throughout the process was the key.

CEO Park Beom-jin: We are focusing heavily on optimization, especially for mobile. We noticed frame drops on mobile when the screen was flooded with skills. For PC, a GeForce RTX 3060 or higher will run it at high quality. On iOS, an iPhone 14 or higher is required. Android users will need at least a Galaxy S23 for a smooth experience; the S20 might run it, but you'll have to lower the settings.

Director Kim Min-kyu: We wanted to show the game at its peak potential during the demo, which explains the frame drops on some setups. However, the in-game graphic options are very granular. Adjusting them by resolution will keep the game running smoothly.

CEO Jung Woo-yong: It is stressful. Every game has its own personality, and I hope those unique traits resonate with players to revitalize the Korean online game market. Of course, I’d be lying if I didn’t say we want to be the most successful one of the bunch.

Director Kim Min-kyu: It’s a tough environment for a business lead, but I can confidently say that Architect has what it takes to succeed in the Korean market. I hope you give it a try.

CEO Park Beom-jin: You’ve played the completed build for the first time. Seeing some crashes or hurdles in the tutorial was nerve-wracking, but we will polish those parts before launch. We’ve worked hard to avoid the 'same old' tropes and try something new. We’ve debated endlessly on how to create fresh fun by fusing new genres with classic formats. Please look forward to Architect.

CEO Jung Woo-yong: We will do our absolute best to ensure everyone can enjoy a variety of content. We ask for your continued support.

Director Kim Min-kyu: I haven't shared the full roadmap, but we will have weekly updates until next March. You won't hear anyone saying there’s nothing to do. We are pouring our sweat into this to keep the experience fresh, and from a business standpoint, I’ll ensure the economy is flexible enough to keep the 'negative' talk to a minimum.