NEOWIZ’s global publishing & originality — a Q&A with Brand Director Justin Carnahan

Inside NEOWIZ: 28 years of publishing, partnerships, and what’s next

Founded in 1997 in South Korea, NEOWIZ is a developer–publisher known for series like
DJMax and the award-winning Lies of P, with a portfolio spanning PC, console, and mobile. Recently, we conducted a NEOWIZ interview to gain insights into their creative process.

With a home base in Korea and teams in the U.S. and Japan, the company combines regional leadership
with global resources to support distinctive projects worldwide.

Thanks to NEOWIZ Brand Director Justin Carnahan and the NEOWIZ team for their time.
Learn more on the NEOWIZ About page.

Publishing Philosophy & Global Reach

NEOWIZ works across multiple markets — how do you balance creative identity from Korea with international appeal?

Although NEOWIZ is headquartered in South Korea, our publishing team is spread across all major regions, so we operate as a global organization. Every project is a team effort, but we put extra weight on the perspectives of the regional leads in the markets where we expect a game’s primary audience to be. That way, the people closest to that community can take the lead in shaping strategy, while our headquarters and other global counterparts provide the foundation and resources to support them. It’s an approach that keeps us true to the developer’s vision while ensuring our actions connect with players worldwide.

What typically motivates NEOWIZ to sign a new game — is it originality, market fit, something else?

The first thing we look for is a truly distinctive experience. That might come from a rich and immersive world like Kill the Shadow, deeply satisfying gameplay mechanics like in Shape of Dreams, or the perfect balance of both, as seen with Lies of P. In other words, the game needs to have an edge that players cannot easily find elsewhere. At the same time, commercial viability is essential. Awards and critical acclaim are meaningful, but long-term success depends on finding and sustaining a wide audience.

That’s also why we think beyond just a single project. We look for partnerships that can grow over time since many of the best games emerge from a developer’s later efforts. Even if a debut title isn’t a breakout hit, reaching the right audience and building a loyal fan base can become a strong building block for future success.

In a world full of copycat titles, how do you define and pursue originality as a publisher?

It’s worth noting that we aren’t just a publisher, we’re also a developer ourselves. Originality is something we care about deeply, both for the games we collaborate on with external studios and for the first-party projects we build from scratch at the ideation phase. When we evaluate a project, we look for developers with strong core competencies that can serve as the foundation for a solid game, ideally benchmarked against titles that have already proven successful, while also showing the ability to push the genre and their own capabilities forward. That’s because we believe true originality often comes from being slightly uncomfortable and treading into the unknown. The projects that stand out nowadays are the ones that spark real excitement while carrying just enough risk to keep things bold, without crossing the line into something unfeasible.

Industry Insight & Personal Taste

As someone leading the brand, do your personal gaming tastes ever influence NEOWIZ’s direction?

My personal gaming tastes don’t have a significant impact on our company’s overall direction, but they might play a small part. Everyone on our publishing team is a passionate gamer, and picking projects is never an exact science. While it’s necessary to evaluate how similar titles performed, relying on our intuition as gamers is also a key part of the review process.

Even then, belief from one person isn’t enough. If we think a game has strong potential, there needs to be several members of the publishing team who genuinely love it and understand the genre inside and out as players themselves. We then make sure those people have a central role in supporting the project. In that way, personal taste plays more of a reinforcing role than a guiding one. By the time personal passion comes into play, though, we’ve already evaluated the game’s potential from an analytical standpoint and ensured it fits within our broader portfolio strategy.

Everyone’s got that one universe they’d love to work in — for you, what series, film, or world would be a dream to help bring to life, and what twist would you add?

It might not be the most mainstream choice, but the Redwall series by Brian Jacques comes to mind first. As I get older, I find myself drawn to experiences that spark nostalgia, and exploring that world as an RPG would bring back a sense of childhood wonder for me. That’s part of what fascinated me about our game, Lies of P. It took a story I knew well from my youth and reimagined it with a darker, unique spin. I think the same could be done with Redwall. I’ve also always been drawn to anthropomorphism, which feels especially well-suited to games and gives developers incredible creative freedom in how they bring characters and worlds to life. The possibilities with that series would be nearly endless.

AI & the Future

You’ve got some new titles on the horizon, what can you share about NEOWIZ’s direction right now? What kinds of games or genres are exciting the team most heading into 2026?

We’ve only recently started to raise our profile in the West, so many people may not realize that NEOWIZ has been around for more than 28 years. We also have a long history in PC and console games, supporting multiple hit titles in Korea in the early days.

Over the last decade, we’ve invested more heavily in that side of the business, and today we operate with a dual pipeline: first-party projects from ROUND8 Studio, the team behind Lies of P, and a publishing lineup of third-party titles ranging from indie to AA.

On one end, you have Shape of Dreams, a pure action roguelite created by two college students who are overflowing with talent. On the other hand, we’re partnering with WolfEye Studios, the creators of Dishonored and Prey, who are returning to their roots with a bold new project. The common thread across all of these games is that they deliver experiences that can’t easily be copied. I don’t want to spoil too much about what’s ahead just yet, but you can be sure we’ll continue to showcase projects that feel distinct and exciting.

Shape of Dreams launches September 11 — full details

Kill the Shadow & Goodbye Seoul

Kill the Shadow has a gritty, stylish tone that sets it apart from NEOWIZ’s other titles. What can you share about how that project came together, and what kind of audience you’re aiming to reach with it?

While exploring opportunities in China, we connected with Shadowlight’s CEO and quickly realized how strongly their vision aligned with ours. The project stood out immediately with its fusion of pixel art and 3D visuals, paired with a modern concept that gives it a signature style.

Detective games like this resonate with players because they combine immersive problem-solving with meaningful player choices. Kill the Shadow taps into that appeal while also presenting a setting and tone that feel bold and fresh. We’re confident its accessibility and high quality will resonate with players worldwide

With Goodbye Seoul, the fusion of dystopia and Korean identity feels timely and bold. How did this concept take shape internally, and what does it say about NEOWIZ’s direction when it comes to culturally grounded narratives?

Some of the boldest concepts come from solo developers, who often have the freedom to take risks and break conventions. They’re also able to put more of themselves into the game, drawing on personal experiences to create something authentic. Goodbye Seoul is a great example of that. Created by a solo Korean developer, it presents a dystopian setting where the identity of the city still shines through, giving the game a soul that makes it deeply immersive.

It also arrives at a moment when Korean culture is resonating globally, which makes a project like this especially timely. As a Korean company, we’re proud to support local talent and showcase games that highlight our culture in ways that can connect with players everywhere.

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