[Digital Today reporter Ho-jung Lee] Npixel is in the final stages of preparing its new title “Eclipse: The Awakening,” or “Eclipse,” which it is developing and which Smilegate plans to publish, with a 2026 release as the target. Npixel, which proved its presence in the subculture market with “Gran Saga,” has positioned its next title as a traditional massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), and it is touting “light gameplay.”

On Jan. 15, we met Sang-moon Lee (이상문), executive producer leading development of “Eclipse,” and Dong-hyuk Kim (김동혁), lead artist, to hear about the game’s core direction and the weighty worldview embedded within it.

◆ The essence of “lightness”… growth design that removes the compulsion to log in

Lee defined “Eclipse” as an MMORPG that anyone can enjoy without feeling burdened. He stressed that with the existing MMORPG market saturated, the most important direction is to lower entry barriers so that even users who had avoided the genre can feel it is “worth playing.”

To do that, the developers focused on removing the chronic MMORPG problem of “pressure to play.” The game introduces an “idle accumulation system” in which currency and experience build up even when players are not logged in, as well as a system in which all characters in an account share growth. Lee said it removes the burden of having to keep the game running and significantly reduces fatigue from raising secondary characters.

It also set out measures to ease player-killing (PK), a major source of stress. The strategy is to clearly separate safe zones and danger zones, and to use system controls to prevent indiscriminate slaughter, naturally steering players toward competitive content.

The key content supporting this “lightness” is the “Sanctuary.” The Sanctuary is a space where players obtain idle rewards and see visual changes in character growth. Kim said the Sanctuary’s lighting effects change and statues are completed as users grow, allowing them to feel through intuitive visuals that their characters are becoming stronger.

◆ A worldview expressed through the “Sanctuary”… a weighty narrative within a light system

“Eclipse” pursues lightness in its systems, but its worldview contains weighty philosophy. For this title, Npixel chose a more somber “dark fantasy” based on Unreal Engine 5, rather than its previous bright animation style.

Kim reinterpreted the game’s title “Eclipse,” saying the sun is a god’s authority and gaze, and a solar eclipse signifies a phenomenon in which human desire and jealousy cover the god’s eyes. He said the light that leaks out from behind the obscured sun is the “free will” humans should have, and that the story of special individuals gathering that will and shooting it up at the god was woven into the visuals.

That narrative also connects to the “Sanctuary” system. The Sanctuary is set as a place where a god once bestowed power on humans, but which became ruins abandoned after war. The game’s central narrative is that the protagonist reawakens the Sanctuary to convey human will to the god. Users are not simply raising the Sanctuary to obtain rewards, but become the agents who directly complete the game’s story.

◆ A choice aimed at 2026… a “slight” difference built through completeness and communication

The developers said that after adjusting the release schedule to 2026, they are determined to stake everything on completeness and communication. Lee said they are refining details so users can feel it is a game filled with many attempts and efforts, rather than simply following existing games.

He also signaled active communication by leveraging the know-how of publisher Smilegate. Lee said he has no intention of going against the trend and taking a passive approach, and he stressed that whether through broadcasts or briefings, he will step forward actively when there is an opportunity and accept unfiltered feedback.

As the interview ended, the two developers expressed hope that their intense 고민 and efforts to date would reach users.

Kim said he does not want it to be a game that simply repeats automatic hunting, but wants to give players excitement as they play and wonder what the next content will be. He said he will do his best to prepare so that users can feel “Eclipse is slightly different” and that they paid attention to even small things.

Lee also said that because they have packed various attempts and efforts into light gameplay, the biggest goal is to create a game loved for a long time through stable service. He added a greeting, asking for strong 기대 for the remaining period until launch and wishing everyone a happy new year.