SEOUL – November 11, 2024 – NEOWIZ and ZAKAZANE aim to bring the spirit of the West to life with their $8 million global publishing rights partnership for the Warsaw, Poland-based game studio's debut title. 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.
“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, NEOWIZ. “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 and co-founder, ZAKAZANE. “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 Jan 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.
NEOWIZ is a South Korean game company that is a global leader in console, PC, and mobile gaming. 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.
To learn more about NEOWIZ’s publishing initiatives, please visit the NEOWIZ website.
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About NEOWIZ
Established in 1997, NEOWIZ is a global leader in gaming, renowned for blending remarkable storytelling with exceptional gameplay mechanics. With a legacy spanning over two decades, NEOWIZ has solidified its position as one of Korea's foremost game companies, captivating audiences worldwide with diverse PC, consoles and mobile titles. Recent successes include Lies of P, Brave Nine, DJMAX RESPECT and Cats & Soup, all emblematic of NEOWIZ's commitment to excellence and gamers worldwide. Welcome to NEOWIZ, where legends come to life.
About ZAKAZANE
ZAKAZANE is an independent video game developer with a mission of making distinct genre games with an unapologetic identity. Games for mature audiences who crave deep storytelling, surprising game mechanics and exploration of mature themes. Studio’s debut title is an Old West RPG about a sheriff whose life unravels as he fights to bring justice to a small mining town on the edge of turmoil.