Inzoi's director admits early access was 'too much,' demo a hail mary
One year after launching in early access, Krafton's life simulation game, inZOI, is facing some blunt self-assessment from its director, Hyungjun 'Kjun' Kim. In a recent Q&A session with IGN Korea, Kim revealed a startling admission: developing a sprawling open-world life sim, even for a studio like Krafton (the creators of PUBG: Battlegrounds), proved a far greater challenge than initially anticipated—so much so, the early access phase was essentially a desperate attempt to prevent disaster.
The sims' legacy: a mountain too high?
Kim’s candor stemmed from reflecting on the game’s first year, a period that highlighted the sheer dominance of The Sims franchise. “Life sims are hard to master,” Kim stated, seemingly hesitant to revisit the design choices. He pinpointed the decades-long reign of The Sims, suggesting he now understands the architectural choices made by its developers, transitioning from the expansive world of The Sims 3 to the more modular, load-based structure of The Sims 4. “It’s very difficult,” Kim confessed. “Maybe no other team will try to do a life sim in an open world.”
The journey hasn't been smooth. A staggering peak of 87,000 concurrent players on Steam immediately following launch quickly dwindled to a current average of 1,500-4,000. While Krafton has seemingly downplayed the fluctuating player count, focusing instead on sales figures—the game surpassed one million units in its first week—Kim's admission underscores deeper issues.
The demo as damage control
Perhaps the most revealing moment came when Kim explained the rationale behind the inZOI demo. “After trying it, I realized I couldn’t do it well,” he said. “It was too much.” The demo wasn’t intended as a polished showcase, but as a necessary triage. “The reason we launched a demo was… it didn’t meet the requirements [technically]. So we did it to prevent people who wouldn’t fit the game from making a wrong purchase.”
Beyond sales: a philosophical reckoning
The Q&A also exposed a growing internal debate within Krafton regarding its business model. Kim questioned why the inZOI team should be so relentlessly focused on sales when PUBG: Battlegrounds operates as a perpetual revenue generator. “Do I really have to generate a lot of money?” he pondered, highlighting a potential shift in priorities. He mused on the diverse futures of games, suggesting that even if some projects drive substantial revenue, others should be allowed to explore innovative concepts.
Despite the rocky start and fluctuating player base, Krafton remains committed to inZOI. Future updates, like the Cahaya map expansion, aim to deliver a truly enjoyable player experience, a goal Kim prioritizes above all else. The road ahead is uncertain, but with a director willing to confront the game's shortcomings, inZOI might yet find its footing in a genre dominated by giants. The experiment continues, driven not by the allure of massive profits, but by the ambition to create something genuinely unique—a gamble that may yet pay off.