How did the development of Game of Thrones: Kingsroad begin? Considering the Game of Thrones series concluded almost six years ago, what was the driving force behind starting the game?The development of Game of Thrones: Kingsroad wasn't just about leveraging a popular IP. We were well aware that quite some time had passed since the Game of Thrones series ended, But what really stood out to us was the lingering curiosity, a sense that many fans were still eager to explore the world of Westeros.That's where we began. We asked ourselves: What if the player belonged to a noble house that existed within Westeros? Instead of simply following the show's familiar storylines, our goal was to give players a chance to experience the world as seen in Season 4 but through a fresh perspective. We wanted to fill in the gaps left by the original story and allow players to craft their own stories within that space.At its core, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad is a game designed to expand the world of Westeros, to let players explore places, characters, and consequences that weren't fully explored in the show. It's our way of offering a new kind of immersion for fans who still love this universe and want to be part of it in their own way.What kind of world can players expect in Kingsroad? What are the core gameplay mechanics, and how do the solo and multiplayer experiences work together?Game of Thrones: Kingsroad is a story-driven action adventure RPG set in Westeros after the events of Season 4 of the Game of Thrones series. Players take on the role of the heir to a fallen house, navigating a world of politics, war, and survival.As they journey across Westeros through familiar locations like Castle Black, Winterfell, Highgarden, and Oldtown, they'll encounter both iconic characters from the show and entirely new faces and events. At its core, the game combines action-based combat, narrative-driven quests, and open-world exploration. We've integrated a variety of activities, like puzzles, dynamic encounters, and bounty hunting, to keep the experience immersive and varied without feeling repetitive.One of the key features of Game of Thrones: Kingsroad is how organically single-player and multiplayer are connected. While progressing through the story and developing your character, you can also take on large-scale encounters, like the Altar of Memories, or field bosses, such as Drogon, alongside other players. Each mode is self-contained but still influences the other, so whether you play solo or with others, it truly feels like you're living and surviving in Westeros.From a technical perspective, what was the experience of using Unreal Engine to develop Kingsroad? What were the biggest optimization challenges for mobile, and how did you address the technical demands of delivering a cross-play experience? What's it like using Unreal Engine for mobile development?Unreal Engine 5 provided us with a powerful toolset for achieving high-quality visuals, features like Lumen allowed us to create richer, more immersive environments. However, supporting multiple platforms, especially mobile, came with its own set of technical challenges. We built a structure where core logic is handled on the server side, which made it easier to ensure cross-platform connectivity. At the same time, we put significant effort into maintaining a consistent visual and gameplay experience on mobile devices that's comparable to PC.Optimization, in particular, was a major focus for the team to support seamless cross-play. We disabled some of UE5's heavier features and used the mobile renderer while also implementing LOD adjustments, simplified materials, mobile-specific environment settings, and texture atlasing for UI assets. These efforts helped us stabilize memory usage and maintain smooth frame rates across devices. Initially, Unreal Engine felt a bit heavy for mobile use, but we came to realize that with the right tuning and its flexible feature set, it can deliver impressive quality on both PC and mobile platforms.Given that Kingsroad features an original storyline, how does it expand the Game of Thrones world, and does it align with or diverge from the events of the books and the series? Game of Thrones: Kingsroad is set in the world of Game of Thrones, but at its core, it tells a completely original story. The narrative begins after Season 4, following the end of major wars, as the great houses begin to regroup and rebuild.This setting gave us room to explore untold regions and events that weren't covered in the show, allowing us to expand the lore while staying true to the established universe. Our goal as a development team was to create a new and immersive experience from the perspective of "someone else" living within Westeros without disrupting the flow of the original storyline.For example, players step into the role of the last heir of a fallen minor house, House Tyre, and travel across regions like the North, the Reach, and the Stormlands. Along the way, they'll interact with familiar factions such as the Night's Watch, wildlings, and maesters.These touches give fans something that feels both familiar and refreshingly new. In terms of narrative structure, we conducted extensive research to ensure our story wouldn't conflict with major canonical events. Instead, we designed an independent storyline that can be influenced by but doesn't alter the core narrative of the original. In that sense, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad serves as an expanded piece of content that respects the show’s foundations while offering a "possible story" that could exist just beyond its borders.What does the future look like for Kingsroad after launch? Will there be any gap between the Early Access players and the new ones, and how will Early Access players be rewarded for their support?Our main post-launch plans include regular updates that expand the story through new chapters and regions, along with the addition of new content, such as raids.While there may be some differences in progression between Early Access players and new players, Game of Thrones: Kingsroad is primarily a single-player experience where players can follow the story at their own pace. This means that the gameplay remains fully accessible and enjoyable regardless of when a player joins. As a token of appreciation, those who participated in Early Access will receive additional rewards such as exclusive costumes and emblems.Game of Thrones: Kingsroad is now officially available on both PC and mobile, so learn more about the game and download it here.Hyun-il Jang, Executive Producer at Netmarble NeoInterview conducted by Amber Rutherford #rediscovering #world #westeros #game #thrones