'King Arthur: Legends Rise,' which is currently being prepared by Netmarble's North American subsidiary, Kabam, is a collectible strategy RPG.

It is a global project developed through collaboration between three studios: Kabam Los Angeles, Kabam Vancouver, and Gurobal Games from Seoul.

'King Arthur: Legends Rise' is seamless cross-progression and cross-play on mobile and PC. The game’s Open Beta Test(OBT) is currently in progress. (United States, Australia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Philippines, and Hong Kong)

Medieval Worldview and Immersive Storyline! 'King Arthur: Legends Rise,' Aren't you curious about what game it is?
Let’s meet up Now!

Q1. Hello! Please introduce yourself.
Jong-sub Shin: Hello, my name is Jong-sub Shin and I’m the CEO of Gurobal Games, where we make games that will surprise the world. This is my first time introducing myself with “King Arthur: Legends Rise”, and I’m very glad to be here.

Nick Anderson: Hello! I’m Nick Anderson, Head of Publishing at Kabam, supporting Jongsub and his team to make games that surprise and delight the world!
 

Q2. We’ve heard that the game’s currently on OBT in the US, Australia and more. Please explain to us what kind of game it is. 

Jong-sub Shin: “King Arthur: Legends Rise” is a squad RPG game where players can enjoy various adventures and battles based on Arthurian lore. It is well known to a lot of people, but we believe that we will give a totally different experience through our recreation of the story. Gamers will not only be immersed in the game through collecting and upgrading diverse legendary characters including King Arthur, but also experience a whole new level of fun while solving puzzles and participating in the story through Adventure mode.  

Other than that, there is a lot of unique content such as the “Estate,” which means that users can expand their land according to how the story unfolds, there is also strategic content like "Expedition,” in which users can run five units of up to eight heroes and implement diverse strategies, and we also have a large-scale war content called "Avalon," which isn't open yet. Users can experience a whole other level of gaming, compared to traditional collective RPG games. We ask for your continuous support and interest!

Nick Anderson: King Arthur: Legends Rise is a cinematic turn-based game taking you through a reimagined Medieval Britain. The game features an immersive story featuring tragedy, triumph, and humor amidst a backdrop with beautifully crafted cutscenes, set pieces, and dialogue. 

Players can explore a multitude of environments filled with fun interactive elements and discover more about the world we have built. Combat is strategic and dynamic, allowing players to build teams, execute combo attacks, and exploit enemy weaknesses. Our unique 'Relics' system adds a layer of customization, encouraging players to adapt characters to their play style. With various game modes, the game promises a compelling and diverse gaming experience that will surprise and delight veterans and newcomers alike.

Q3. We are curious what your team’s expectation for this game is, since it’s launched soon. 

Jong-sub Shin: All our team members are busy with OBT related work and preparations for the upcoming launch, but the team has high hopes for the game and we’re thrilled to find out what you think. Our team has been working on this game for a long time and we can’t wait to communicate with diverse users. We will do our best not to lose focus until the end and pay attention to even the smallest details.

Nick Anderson: As Joseph said the teams at Kabam have been hard at work to nurture our game and learn from our audience. What they like, what they love and what they want to see more of. This is at the heart of a live service. That said, we see many great signals of future success in our data and from the organic content creators that have shared their love of our game.

Q4. We also would love to know how the internal test went.

Jong-sub Shin: The internal test response was very important because “King Arthur: Legends Rise'' was the first collaborative project done by 3 organizations: Gurobal Games, Kabam LA, and Kabam Vancouver. During the internal testing period, all three companies put in a lot of effort in playing and analyzing the game, and thoroughly recorded and fixed issues.

Through this process, we were able to extensively improve the quality of the game. This is when I came to believe that all our passion and effort will lead to success. This is when I came to believe that all our passion and effort will lead to success. The internal test also boosted our confidence because we could see that the game is improving day by day.

Nick Anderson: Internal Testing has been pivotal to gauging the potential of our game. Here we can learn from other passionate game makers with a variety of experiences to better improve our game. Through our collective effort we can polish, improve and clarify to provide the best user experience possible.

Q5. How are the user reactions for OBT in the US, Australia, Denmark, Norway and more? (You can answer just the major countries)

Jong-sub Shin: We carefully observed user reactions and feedback from diverse countries through the Open Beta Test. Regardless of the country they live in, users expressed high hopes for the game, complimenting the graphics, hero design, and the strategic thrill of the battles. Users also uploaded different walkthroughs and their own gameplay videos.
It was great to receive real feedback from the players. One of the feedback phrases that especially lingered in my mind was “The perfect ‘Raid’ Killer…”. We got feedback from users all around the world, including users who play the Adventure mode to enjoy the traditional RPG style, to users who love the gameplay of upgrading their heroes and Relics and attacking dungeons. These opinions all contributed to the excitement we had in launching the game. 

Nick Anderson: Across all of our Open Beta Service regions the reactions have signaled surprise and delight. Surprise that such a game can run on their mobile device. Delight at the immersive story, thoughtful and convenient battle and navigation systems. Most especially, across all regions, there has been high anticipation and excitement for our upcoming PC version on Steam. This fills us with more confidence in choosing the path of cross-platform as the audience for our games is everywhere.

Q6. KA: LR is a global project that involves Kabam Vancouver, Kabam LA and Gurobal Games (which is the Seoul studio for Kabam). What was the most impressive part of the co-working process?

Jong-sub Shin: Yes, you’re right. “King Arthur: Legends Rise” is a global project that involves three studios. It’s true that we have different timelines and cultures, and since we are all passionate developers, we did have some trials and errors at first while sharing ideas and solving issues. However, we shared the same goal, which was to make a game that we can enjoy and, at the same time, astonish the world.

Clearing hurdles on the way to achieving this common goal somewhat felt like an RPG game on its own. Each developing studio contributed their local characteristics and developing experiences into the game, making it more diverse and creative. I believe that this process actually helped us improve our skills, and as a result, add creativity and uniqueness to “King Arthur: Legends Rise.”

Our journey was definitely not easy, but through this project, we learned that through cooperation, we can transcend cultural differences and the limits of space and time. Of course, developing a game is hard work, but at the same time, it was a rewarding and interesting journey.

Nick Anderson: The most impressive part of collaborating across geographies is the sharing of knowledge and experience. Each studio comes from a different context and brings with it new and fresh ideas and tactics. This is not without difficulties but with openness and consideration we have collectively crafted a game in many ways unlike any other; where cultures collide to bring about something new much like the world of King Arthur: Legends Rise itself.

Q7. As a collective strategic RPG, it seems quite special from other games - please give us a detailed explanation of the game’s genre. 

Jong-sub Shin: “King Arthur: Legends Rise” aims to provide squad RPG users with a whole new experience with AAA-level graphics, epic battles, and immersive stories.

We wanted to approach users with a game that maintains the features of traditional RPG and has upgraded factors that users can unravel during their journey, with strategic elements that get more interesting with the game.

Users can plan and strengthen their own strategies considering various factors such as the weather system, skill vigor system, attribution, class, and more. We especially put a lot of thought into adding strategic content such as the “Estate,” which is a system where players can unlock new areas as the story unravels, and other modes like “Expedition,” so that traditional RPG users can easily get immersed into strategic content as well.

Through the combination of RPG and strategic elements, the users can get immersed in the expanding world and enjoy the strategic content as they play the game. We also expect them to experience a new kind of excitement, unlike other traditional collective RPG games through cooperating and competing with other clans.

Nick Anderson: Thank you for saying so! I think it’s quite special as well. And what makes it special is that it expands the genre. In King Arthur the character does collect characters and battle in a turn-based fashion as you would expect but we also have an interesting mechanic in Vigor that creates a push and pull and strategy. Also, we have a variety of surprising content. For example, the Estate is where players can cultivate and grow and improve their castle town and unlock features to help them in the quest. We also have a unique labyrinth like mode where players manage multiple teams with a unique story all to itself. There’s so much to this that we’ve poured our hearts into. I really hope people enjoy it!

Q8. We are curious what brought you to choose the Arthurian lore for the backdrop of the game’s story. 

Jong-sub Shin: King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is a famous legend known worldwide, and I personally loved the story. I still remember the soundtrack of the comic, Knights of the Round Table, which was a great hit when I was young. If the most well-known legendary story from the East is the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, I believe that in the West, there are Knights of the Round Table.

Though the story is familiar to many people, we chose Arthurian lore because there are many parts from the original story that are not famously known to the public. The original legend has a lot of variations and supplementary stories, but what was most intriguing was that we could add our unique characteristics and many elements of fantasies.

We renewed the world by incorporating additional stories such as the conflict between god and humans, and we also added elements that we at Gurobal Games recreated from the original story. We expect that players will have a lot of fun comparing and guessing which parts of the world are in line with the original story, and what parts are different while playing the game.

Nick Anderson: As Joseph said, the story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table is well-known globally. What many people do not know is that there is not just one telling! This, for us, was a great opportunity to create a mark upon history and bring various aspects of these stories together for a unique story that will surprise and delight fans and welcome in a new generation. We have added much to this story which we think many will not expect. Please be excited to play it.

Q9. What would be the (either) content or the development part that you prioritized the most in the game development process?

Jong-sub Shin:  To a parent, every child is precious. All the content in this game is made out of our utmost effort, and I believe that we came up with the best possible balance through years of planning, developing, and concentrating on user feedback.
We used Unreal Engine 5, which is also a path that original collective RPGs didn’t take, to build the vivid graphic quality both on mobile and PC. Moreover, we paid careful attention to optimizing the game so that players can enjoy the game in cross-platform settings without delay.

I’m also thrilled to talk about the battle system that we’ve perfected through numerous trials and errors, starting from our prototype until now. We thought that the fun and quality of the game all come down to the details, so we really focused on perfecting even the smallest details. Our whole development team is doing their best even at this moment, and we believe that our users will feel and enjoy the difference in detail.

Nick Anderson: I think the area where the most focus has been applied is to the core game loop. These are the actions that the player repeats most often. It must be interesting and compelling in order for the person to stay. Where, as Joseph said, this manifests most in our combat system. At the core of all turn-based RPG is the battle system and so it’s a priority for us to ensure it was as fun as possible.

Q10. We know the game’s AAA quality overall but would there be a specific part (ex. story, impact, design, etc) you are especially confident with?

Jong-sub Shin:  As you mentioned, we aspire to have AAA quality for every part, but if I had to pick one specific trait, I would choose graphics. We wanted to maintain the foundation of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table to capture the heart of the global, especially North American users, but at the same time, add some spice and creativity to the graphics.

Through our collaboration with Kabam, we designed the heroes to reflect their individuality and characteristics and to have appealing and beautiful Western-style features. Furthermore, we crafted the in-game environments and backgrounds in Adventure mode with intricate details and stunning graphics so that players can be immersed in the world and enjoy the game. 

Nick Anderson: The areas that I am most confident in relate to our presentation and that comes in two places. First, our graphical fidelity. I believe we have created lush and interesting environments and characters that will be compelling to players. Second, is our narrative or story which is what animates these things and gives them meaning. I believe that when people play our game on mobile or PC they will see the care that we have put into crafting these things.

Q11. Were there any difficulties in the development process as this game is a cross-platform game?

Jong-sub Shin: Realizing the desired visual graphics in a cross-platform environment was an extremely challenging task for us. While we live in an era where high-quality graphics are taken for granted on consoles and PCs, it was not easy to showcase the same level of quality graphics within the limitations of mobile devices.

We conducted various tests and pondered how to retain details, and by effectively designing heroes and backgrounds and selectively optimizing details, we gradually found solutions and were able to provide players with surprisingly impressive graphics across different platforms. Specifically, adapting the game to accommodate controllers and stem decks that are familiar to Western players is also an equally hard challenge, but we plan to offer these features upon the game's official launch.

Nick Anderson:  I agree. From the beginning being a cross-platform title was very important for us and with this comes balancing the needs of the game, the platforms and the audience. I have witnessed the team does phenomenal jobs to ensure that we have systems that enable us to scale the graphical fidelity to suit each platform its played upon and as we saw from a recent first look with influencers; we’ve accomplished that goal.

Q12. Please share if there is any particular character that you like or remember. 

Jong-sub Shin: It’s hard to pick one specific character. King Arthur: Legends Rise has a diverse cast of heroes, each with unique traits, making the storyline rich and immersive. I’m being careful not to give spoilers, but I'd like to introduce Isolde, a character I enjoy playing at this moment. Romance plays a crucial role in the story, and Isolde is one of the main characters in that sense. Moreover, Isolde is one of the essential healing heroes that are very important in battles. When you play the game, you'll naturally get to know why I chose this character!

Nick Anderson: Good point! No spoilers but for me an initially memorable character is Tristan but it is not for romantic reasons;  it’s because he has a really cool weapon! 

Q13. The animated motions are very impressive - what kind of efforts were made to create high-quality character animations?

Jong-sub Shin: As we were aiming for super realistic animation, we actively utilized motion capture technology to implement various dazzling motions. We worked with professional motion-capture actors to accumulate data, and through additional keyframe work, created top-quality animations. Furthermore, to achieve realistic fantasy battles resembling live-action, we developed effects and employed various camera angles to design engaging and dynamic directions.

Nick Anderson: The team has taken a very thoughtful approach to choreographing and framing each movement and action in our game to create a sense of dynamism. As Joseph said, technology was used in great effect to achieve this but it starts with an artisan spirit which Gurobal applies to every aspect of the game; I’m glad to see that is shining through and resonating with you.

Q14. We’ve heard that there is an 8v8 turn-based mode called “Expedition”. Please tell us a little more about that mode. 

Jong-sub Shin: Expedition is a mode where players can engage in strategic gameplay by operating a squad composed of up to 8 heroes. Moreover, users can manage up to 5 squads of 8 heroes each, allowing them to utilize a diverse roster of up to 40 heroes in their gameplay.

In the Expedition battles, the heroes can be placed on the front or back row of the battle line, which allows users to come up with the strategic placement of heroes and skill usage. Users can constantly experience the joy of utilizing and developing their own strategies and methods.

Additionally, we have prepared a war content called "Avalon," where clans engage in large-scale battles. The preparations made through Expeditions will be crucial for these massive clan wars. We ask for much anticipation and interest in the upcoming Avalon battlefield as well.

Nick Anderson: In this unique mode players are pulled into an environment much different from other parts of the game they had experienced so far; a larger-scale battlefield where they control multiple teams of 8 and issue orders to secure victory. In the creation of this mode we have striven to balance traditional rpg concepts of team formation with concepts often found in strategy games like Fire Emblem. We hope that players will get a unique thrill from playing this mode.

Q15. We’ve heard that you chose the latest Unreal 5 to create AAA quality graphics with medieval backgrounds and fantastical elements added to the story. Could you tell us to what extent/level you created these graphics?

Jong-sub Shin: King Arthur: Legends Rise is set in medieval England, and our development team has extensively utilized the Unreal Engine 5 to build a visually captivating fantasy world with realistic yet captivating heroes.

We chose Unreal Engine 5 because it offers great capabilities to create epic, high-quality graphical results not only for PC but also for mobile platforms. By maximizing the potential of Unreal Engine 5, we were able to realize a visually stunning and immersive world with rich fantasy elements. 

Unreal Engine 5 has fantastic rendering functions such as showcasing the intricacies of light and texture, which greatly added to our team’s efforts in expressing the mythical realm with a sense of realism.

Nick Anderson: In addition to the enhanced fidelity options provided by Unreal 5; it has enabled us to easily create a game that can scale up to meet pc player expectations and amaze mobile player's expectations. It also contains a range of features that our developers find useful to focus on creating content and exploring ideas instead of building technology.

Jong-sub Shin: In particular, the facial expression system in the animation tools made it possible for us to create characters with more lifelike and empathetic emotions. We also used diverse special effect systems to enhance the immersive experience and produce dazzling visual effects. 

With these meticulously designed graphics, users will have the opportunity to directly immerse themselves in a world full of life-like graphical wonders, featuring majestic natural landscapes, legendary heroes, and creatures from myths, all beautifully rendered for an unforgettable gaming experience.

Q16. Please tell us about the roadmap and plans ahead after the launch. 

Jong-sub Shin:  The best games are created in harmony with the players. Even after the launch, we plan to keep on improving the game through constant communication and feedback from our users. We are working tirelessly to fill in any shortcomings to create a game that surprises the world. Moreover, there are many knights of the round table and stories that have not been revealed yet, so we ask for your continued interest!

Nick Anderson: At this stage we are focusing on two things. First, to listen and learn from our audience. We have put forward bold new ideas and we want to ensure that those things are resonating; so far, so good there! Second, we want to continue to pour our passion into creating a new, fun and never before seen experience for our players. We are just getting started!

Q17. Any last words for your players?

Jong-sub Shin:  Thank you for waiting and showing interest in King Arthur: Legends Rise. You might think that phrases we use to describe this game such as “interesting storyline, diverse charismatic heroes, and strategic battles” are rather cliché or often overused as promotional slogans. However, if you ask me if King Arthur: Legends Rise is fun, I can answer with confidence that it most definitely is. We have prepared this game for a long time and put in a huge amount of effort. We ask for your continuous interest and love!

Nick Anderson: I cannot say it any better than that. Please be excited as we make the polishing touches on King Arthur: Legends Rise. And we’ll see you in Camelot!