In the latest move, Smilegate is said to be preparing to launch Lost Ark Mobile at the upcoming G-STAR 2023 event.
Lost Ark Mobile marks the culmination of a 6-year development journey from the Korean game company. The mobile version of the globally famous PC MMORPG Lost Ark has attracted the attention of players and speculations about whether the success of the original game will help the mobile version break out.
Lost Ark Mobile was introduced in Korea. Photo: Smilegate.
Lost Ark Mobile takes center stage at G-STAR 2023. The game was built in 2018 through the direction and supervision of Smilegate RPG CEO, Ji Won-Gil. The project boasts a team of seasoned experts such as TD Choi Eui-Jong, who previously contributed to the titles Lost Saga and Icarus during his time at Neowiz, Wemade IO.
This new game was developed using the modern Unreal Engine 5 (Lost Ark was originally created on Unreal Engine 3, which was considered obsolete before release). Therefore, the unique images and mechanics of the mobile version certainly do not disappoint gamers.
Ji Won-Gil is best known for coordinating the Chinese version of Crossfire, having initiated development on Lost Ark at Smilegate RPG in 2011. The studio also embarked on Project W in 2016, expanding the team to around 30 people. member. However, development of Project W was stopped in August 2017. Then, with the successful launch of the PC version of Lost Ark, a dedicated team was formed to create Lost Ark Mobile.
Entering the 6th year of planning and team building, Lost Ark Mobile is a long-term project with a large investment. Although some speculated that it would release in 2025, it was not confirmed.
The game was developed for 6 years. Photo: Games Manuals.
As for the company situation, Smilegate last year achieved revenue of 736.9 billion KRW and operating profit of 364.1 billion KRW, setting the stage for the launch of Lost Ark Mobile. The success of the products in North America and Europe along with the strategic launch in China through Tencent in July has helped Smilegate achieve significant growth. The studio has revealed details about Lost Ark Mobile which will be showcased at the G-Star 2023 show from November 16 to 19.
Up to now, there is not much news about Lost Ark Mobile. The game is said to initially open exclusively for Korea and then expand the game’s popularity, with the game having a global release in the near future.
