Inside No Law: How a 24-Person Team Built a Cyberpunk RPG That Punches Above Its Weight
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Neon Giant explains how a lean team of 24 developers is using clever design constraints and tight verticality to build the ambitious open-world RPG No Law without a massive studio budget.
When developer Neon Giant first showed off No Law, it was easy to mistake the upcoming open-world RPG for a massive studio production on par with Cyberpunk 2077. As Julian Benson reported for Rock Paper Shotgun, the reality is far more intimate. Creative director Tor Frick and a core team of just 24 developers are building the game, relying on smart scoping and intentional limitations rather than endless crunch or bloated head counts to achieve their vision.
Set in Port Desire, a coastal city inspired by a blend of Lisbon and the Kowloon Walled City, the game ditches vehicle driving and sprawling flat landscapes entirely. Instead, Neon Giant leaned into verticality and tight density, opting for winding streets, steep hills, and buildings you can actually explore without breaking immersion through loading screens. By building a smaller landmass and focusing heavily on interlocking immersive sim systems, the team created a world where time of day and changing weather directly alter civilian routines and shift how you approach your targets.
For players fatigued by massive open worlds that feel wide as an ocean and deep as a puddle, No Law represents a refreshing return to focused, systems-driven design. It proves that sharp artistic constraints and clever spatial design can deliver the illusion of a massive, living metropolis without needing a thousand-person workforce. We will be watching closely to see how these ambitious mechanics land when the game finally hits our platforms.
Tags: Open World, RPG, Immersive Sim, PC Gaming, Indie Games
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun