Neowiz has signed an agreement to publish a noir-themed Wild West video game being made by Poland’s Zakazane game studio.
Seoul, South Korea-based Neowiz is the make of Lies of P, an action role-playing game loosely based on Pinocchio. Now it will be the global publisher for the Old West RPG coming Warsaw-based Zakazane, which was started in 2022 by a team of developers from studios such as CD Projekt Red (The Witcher, Cyberpunk 2077) and 11bit Studios (War of Mine and Frostpunk).
Neowiz said the global publishing rights partnership is an $8 million deal, meaning Neowiz as publisher has provided that money for Zakazane to finish the game. The single-player noir Western RPG centers around a sheriff in a remote mining town tasked with solving a case that threatens to tear the community apart.
Zakazane, which has 20 employees, is focused on games for mature audiences who crave deep storytelling, surprising game mechanics and exploration of mature themes.
“Neowiz is committed to delivering remarkable, story-driven games that resonate with gamers worldwide, and we’re actively searching for talented developers with a passion for well-crafted narratives,” said Seung-Cheol Kim, co-CEO of Neowiz, in a statement. “When we first met Zakazane, we felt an immediate kinship around their passion for developing projects that profoundly captivate audiences. Their upcoming neo-western RPG will be a key addition to our portfolio and reflects our ambition to build lasting franchises across PC and consoles. Together, we will create a brand that unites quality and storytelling for gamers to cherish for years to come.”
“We found a great understanding of our vision with Neowiz, who got excited about our debut title the minute we showed them the demo,” said Jan Bartkowicz, CEO of Zakazane, in a statement. “In conversations that followed, they never tried to steer us away from our principles but rather to make sure we stick to our guns. It’s clear both sides understand that games can become important to people on a personal level, making them both valuable works of culture and good business.”
Led by Bartkowicz, Piotr Chomiak, Radosław Gwarek and Marta Sobek, Zakazane is composed of developers from prominent Central European game companies, including CD Projekt Red and 11bit Studios. The studio previously raised $1 million in pre-seed investment led by The Games Fund to kickstart the development of their first game.
Previously, Bartkowicz led the writer group for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, the anime streaming series on Netflix. With the rise of neo-westerns in mainstream movies and TV shows, Zakazane saw the opportunity to expand this genre into the video game landscape.
Started in 1997, Neowiz has made games focused on the console, PC, and mobile gaming markets. Its diverse catalog of titles reaches audiences across different mediums, including Lies of P, Skul: The Hero Slayer, Sanabi, and more. Last November, Neowiz announced a strategic investment in Polish developer Blank Game Studios, whose development team primarily consists of CD Projekt Red alums.
Neowiz recently launched the Contract Wars character pack for the mobile RPG BrownDust2 with Gamfs N Co. Neowiz has over 1,000 employees.
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