Neon Giant Confirms Big Franchise Plans for The Ascent With Krafton Backing
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Neon Giant has confirmed franchise plans for its hit 2021 action RPG The Ascent, backed by publisher Krafton and paired with a major update arriving in November 2026.
Developer Neon Giant is finally looking to expand its hit cyberpunk universe, confirming to IGN that it has built a formal franchise plan for The Ascent. Released back in 2021, the original twin-stick action RPG pulled in more than 12 million players with its staggering environmental detail and punchy combat loop. While the studio initially wanted to explore other creative avenues after launch, studio co-founder Arcade Berg explained that backing from parent company Krafton has finally given them the resources to turn the standalone hit into a broader franchise.
Even better for players still returning to the neon-soaked world, Krafton recently announced a substantial November 2026 update for the original game. That patch is set to overhaul save-game reliability, player progression, and co-op teleportation five years after launch, proving that publishers are increasingly willing to invest in long-tail community health. Meanwhile, Neon Giant is keeping busy with its upcoming first-person immersive sim, No Law, slated for a 2027 release across PC and current-gen consoles.
While details on the exact form of future projects remain under wraps, Krafton has previously teased that the franchise could branch out into new genres. For a compact studio that famously punched above its weight by scaling from 12 to 24 developers, having the financial runway to take creative risks is a massive win. It means players can look forward to deeper world-building and potentially entirely new gameplay styles within a universe that clearly still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
Tags: The Ascent, Neon Giant, Krafton, Action RPG, Cyberpunk
Original article: IGN South Africa