A LinkedIn Spell, a 'Korean Witcher' Whisper, and the Wild Rise of Project Windless
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Project Windless, from the creators of PUBG, is an ambitious open-world fantasy game with a surprising origin: a LinkedIn message promising a 'Korean Witcher' that drew Far Cry veteran Patrik Méthé into adapting a popular South Korean novel into a unique 'Hero King' power fantasy, focusing on player agency in a world at war.
Right, so you know that feeling when a random pop-up on your screen leads you down a rabbit hole into an entirely new dimension? That's pretty much how veteran Far Cry director Patrik Méthé ended up helming Project Windless, Krafton's ambitious new open-world fantasy game. And honestly, mate, the origin story is wilder than a rogue spell in a wizard's duel.
Turns out, it all kicked off with a simple LinkedIn message. Yes, really. Méthé, fresh from his time at Ubisoft, got a poke that led him to an article. The headline? Something like, 'The creator of PUBG is looking to do the Korean Witcher.' Now, if that doesn't scream 'click me, I dare you,' I don't know what does. Méthé, being the curious sort, was instantly hooked. "Whoa, okay. I'm very interested in that," he apparently thought. And fair play, that's a mighty compelling hook, isn't it?
Now, a quick bit of housekeeping: Project Windless isn't *actually* the 'Korean Witcher' – at least, not in the direct comparison sense. Méthé quickly learned that while Krafton (yes, the PUBG lot) had indeed snagged the rights to a hugely popular South Korean high fantasy series called *The Bird That Drinks Tears* (the CEO's apparently a massive fan, which is always a good sign), the specific direction for the game was still wide open. Instead of a direct adaptation, Krafton wanted Méthé's expertise to figure out how to bring this 'incredible universe' to the Western world, given its massive renown back home.
And from there, Méthé and his newly formed Montreal studio were given a frankly astonishing amount of freedom. Picture this: a blank slate, a beloved but unfamiliar IP, and the mandate to make it globally appealing. That's a developer's dream and nightmare rolled into one, I reckon. Méthé himself had never encountered *The Bird That Drinks Tears* before, but after diving into a rough English translation, he found it refreshingly 'far from the tropes that we know from more Western culture' and genuinely 'fresh.' Which, in a market saturated with medieval fantasy, sounds like a blessing.
So, how did they figure out the game's angle? Believe it or not, through job interviews. As the studio was just starting up, candidates would come in, spot the concept art from the novels – and consistently point to one particular character type: the Rekon. These musclebound, bipedal bird-humanoids just kept catching everyone's eye, with folks saying, "I hope I can play *this* character." It was an organic, almost chaotic process that slowly but surely nudged the team towards centring the game around one very mythic Rekon, the Hero King.
Officially, Project Windless is an open-world adventure with 'one-versus-many combat fantasy,' and its debut trailer certainly got people talking, drawing comparisons to *God of War* and *Dynasty Warriors*. Méthé can 'understand' those comparisons, but he's adamant that they're aiming for something 'very different.' And here's where it gets interesting: this isn't just about flashy combat. Windless is a 'game about war,' not just war as a backdrop. Every player action (or inaction) will genuinely impact the economy of the game and the unfolding conflict. You're a ridiculously powerful Rekon, a Hero King, the 'mightiest of them all,' but you still need alliances. It's about 'universal need of helping each other.'
And this 'Hero King' concept is a cracker, isn't it? You're not starting as some puny apprentice; you're a legend from the get-go. Méthé explains it's a 'really different mindset.' That initial reflex to back away from 100 rushing enemies? You quickly learn, 'Oh no, wait, I'm a legend.' You'll still progress, unlock new abilities, find gear – but the core idea is that you can take on dozens of foes straight away. This sounds like an incredibly satisfying power fantasy, a bit like those moments in an RPG where you finally feel godlike, but right from the off. It's a 'mix we've never seen,' he reckons, and I'm genuinely curious to see how they pull that off without making late-game progression feel pointless.
Méthé, having cut his teeth on the *Far Cry* series, clearly knows a thing or two about crafting open worlds. And it's not just about knowing what to do, but what *not* to do. "We don't want a checklist," he stresses, which is music to any open-world gamer's ears, isn't it? Instead, they're building the world and the context of war, then letting players decide how to carve their own path. Fancy finding a catapult to help repel an invasion? Or maybe an ally in an ancient tower? The choice is yours. Crucially, they want players to *care* – about the protagonist's motivations, and about hating the antagonist. That's the secret sauce for any truly engaging narrative, I think.
Now, don't get your hopes up for a release tomorrow. Project Windless (still a codename, by the way) has been cooking for 'a few years' and is currently 'somewhere between conception and alpha,' or 'pre-alpha' as Méthé puts it. So, a fair bit of wizardry still to be done. But the team, a blend of veterans and new blood, is 'super proud' of the positive reception to the trailer. It sounds like they're on a path to brew something genuinely fresh and impactful. And for those keen to dive into the source material, the English translation of *The Bird That Drinks Tears* lands this June. I'm keen to see if this 'Korean Witcher' whisper turns into a full-blown gaming phenomenon.
*** *Original Source: Eurogamer, "The creator of PUBG is looking to do the Korean Witcher" - How one small LinkedIn message convinced a Far Cry veteran to hop aboard Project Windless, by Matt Wales. Published Feb. 26, 2026. Article URL
Tags: Project Windless, Krafton, Open World, Fantasy RPG, Game Development
Original article: Eurogamer