AButton brought its new roguelite FPS, 'Guns and Dragons,' to ChinaJoy 2026. Through the demos at the event, the team aims to gauge market potential by actively identifying the needs of Asian users. Curious about the local reception, we sat down with Park Jun-woo, the director overseeing the game's development, to hear his thoughts.

Could you please introduce yourself and your company.

"I am Park Jun-woo, a director at AButton. We are currently developing three titles: 'Zeus: The God of Insolence,' 'Guns and Dragons,' and 'Project EA.' I am in charge of the development of 'Guns and Dragons.'

How do you feel about participating in ChinaJoy 2026? What has the general reaction been to the on-site demos?

"Many visitors have stopped by our booth, and I was pleased to see them enjoy the game using the movement and playstyles our team intended. I was particularly impressed by one visitor who played enthusiastically despite having a cast on one arm. We've also had players give us a 'thumbs up' after finishing a session, and overall, the response has been very positive.

You participated as part of the Korea Pavilion with support from the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). Programs like this must be a great help to developers.

"Absolutely. We are very grateful for the support that made our participation possible. As a startup, it’s not easy to promote a game at a major show on our own, but this program made the process seamless. They provided smooth support for everything from booth setup to handling unexpected on-site issues. Furthermore, there is a great synergy in exhibiting alongside other Korean games. Activities like the stamp tour encourage users to visit our booth and discover our game, even if they aren't typically fans of our specific genre.

You mentioned being a startup and a small-scale developer. What is the secret to producing a game like 'Guns and Dragons' despite those constraints.

" Our development team is essentially run as a small, elite group. I believe the most important secret is the motivation of each individual member. The developers themselves are ambitious, and we strive to create an environment where the game can be truly fun. Everyone is working with the single-minded goal of 'making a great game,' and I think that is our biggest strength.

To ask a question about the game itself: Asian users generally aren't as interested in art that uses cel-shading techniques. What is the developer's perspective on this.

" It is true that cel-shading is generally less preferred in Asia compared to the West. However, we developed the game with a global audience in mind, and since the Chinese-speaking market is too large to ignore, we wanted to gauge the reaction here at ChinaJoy. Given the sheer size of the population, there were actually quite a few people who preferred our art style. For the domestic market, we are considering an approach that emphasizes the feel of the gameplay and the core fun of the experience rather than just the art.

The concept is quite unique, so I imagine there were some challenges or dilemmas during development.

" Honestly, every day is a challenge and a dilemma (laughs). The biggest hurdles were likely establishing the art style and the game concept. For the art, we went through several changes in art directors, which led to a lot of trial and error before arriving at our current style. As for the concept, we initially planned an 'isekai' FPS where only the enemies used magic and the player used modern firearms. But when we actually played it, it was difficult to make the conflict between the two civilizations feel fun. We then tried dark fantasy before finally settling on the current 'magitech' concept.

If you had to pick one element of the game you want to emphasize most, what would it be.

" I would say the weapon crafting system. We currently have 23 base weapons, but the number of possible combinations is enormous. Once we add the system to customize the 'cores'—the core functions of the weapons—we expect over a million possible combinations. Creating and enjoying your own unique weapon is the core fun point of this game.

After receiving feedback from the Asian market at ChinaJoy, what is your next step.

" Our next immediate schedule is participating in Gamescom. We plan to introduce the game in Europe and conduct marketing and interview-focused promotions in collaboration with overseas partners. We are also running an open playtest in line with the ChinaJoy schedule, and we are grateful that so many players are participating.

Do you have a word for the domestic users looking forward to the game.

" I highly recommend 'Guns and Dragons' to anyone who likes roguelites and shooters and wants to enjoy them in a lighthearted way. It’s a game that’s more about chaotic, fun-filled clearing operations than precise aiming, so I hope you enjoy it casually with your friends. Please continue to show your interest in the game.