Publisher Krafton recently unveiled Project Windless, an open-world adventure drawing from South Korean author Lee Youngdo’s acclaimed high fantasy series The Bird That Drinks Tears. The reveal trailer spotlighted a muscular, bipedal chicken-like creature known as a Rekon, sparking curiosity among global audiences unfamiliar with the source material.
How a LinkedIn Message Sparked Interest
Project lead Patrik Méthé, a veteran director from Ubisoft’s Far Cry series, joined Krafton’s Montreal studio after a casual LinkedIn outreach. A linked article described the project as “the Korean Witcher,” piquing his interest immediately.
“It was purely a classic case of someone poking me on LinkedIn,” Méthé explains. “[The article said] something like, ‘The creator of PUBG is looking to do the Korean Witcher’, and for me, it was like, ‘Whoa, okay. I’m very interested in that.'”
Krafton secured rights to the series, popular in Korea, and tasked the studio with adapting it for Western players. “They were like, look, we have this IP – what can you do to bring it into the Western world?” Méthé says. The team received significant freedom to shape the game.
Embracing the Rekon Protagonist
Méthé’s first dive into The Bird That Drinks Tears revealed a universe “so far from the tropes that we know from more Western culture” and refreshingly original. After exploring various approaches, the team centered on the Rekon race.
“Every time a candidate would come [for interviews], they would look at the book… and say, ‘No matter what, I hope I can play this character’,” Méthé recalls. “It was a Rekon, everyone was really intrigued by this huge, half-bird humanoid.” This feedback steered the focus toward a mythic Rekon, the Hero King.
War-Driven Open-World Gameplay
Project Windless features one-versus-many combat in a fantasy setting, evoking comparisons to God of War and Dynasty Warriors. Yet Méthé emphasizes its uniqueness: “We’re very different from these games.”
The game revolves around war as a core mechanic. “Every action that you’ll do… will have an impact on the outcome,” he states. Players, as the supremely powerful Hero King, forge alliances and create their own legend. “You are very, very powerful as a Rekon [but] you’ll still need the help of other people.”
From the start, players tackle dozens of foes effortlessly, with progression unlocking new abilities. Facing the invading reptilian Nhaga army, choices like seeking allies or catapults shape unique journeys to repel the enemy.
Lessons from Far Cry Shape Freedom
Leveraging open-world expertise, Méthé prioritizes player agency. “We want to make sure that nothing is imposed on the player. We don’t want a checklist,” he notes. The narrative resonates through a compelling protagonist and antagonists players “love to hate.”
Development Progress and Outlook
In pre-alpha after several years, the project has garnered strong trailer feedback. “We’re super proud,” Méthé says, highlighting emotions stirred among veterans and newcomers alike.
An English translation of The Bird That Drinks Tears arrives in June, offering deeper insight into the inspiration. More details on Project Windless will emerge in time.
