[Dev Notes] Future Development Direction

Greetings, Captains.

This is StarSavior Director Lee Sungwon.

Following last week's Half-Anniversary broadcast, this Dev Note has been prepared to provide additional detail on our operational direction and to address outstanding questions from the community.

Previously, much of our communication was delivered through Ryuko-chan. Going forward, the development team will endeavor to communicate more directly and with greater frequency.

While there is still much to refine in this regard, delivering timely and transparent information on the state of the game and our plans remains a top priority.

Regular communication through Dev Notes and other formats will continue going forward.

Today's Dev Note covers the key items currently in development, a review of previously announced content, and the team's approach to addressing identified gameplay issues.

Where possible, the intent and reasoning behind each decision will be explained alongside the details themselves.

1. Key Items in Development

1-1. Gear Presets

As discussed during the broadcast, the Gear Presets system is currently in development, with a late June update as the target.

With the introduction of Gear Presets, the existing Gear Engraving system will be removed.

The Gear Presets system is designed to allow Captains to swap and utilize gear more freely. The current Gear Engraving system, by contrast, strongly binds specific gear to specific Saviors — a structure that is fundamentally at odds with the direction Gear Presets is intended to support. On this basis, the decision was made to remove Gear Engraving upon the introduction of Gear Presets.

The primary concern for Captains is expected to be the loss of stats previously gained through Engrave. To address this, stats obtained through Engrave will be absorbed into the gear's base stats, ensuring that combat performance is not diminished relative to the current state.

The overall gear system will continue to be refined toward a more intuitive and accessible experience. Gear Presets represent one step in that ongoing process.

To address this, stats previously obtained through Gear Engraving will be absorbed into each gear piece's base stats, ensuring that Captains do not incur any loss in combat performance relative to the current state.

The overall gear system will continue to be refined in a more intuitive and accessible direction going forward. Gear Presets is one step in that process, and we hope Captains will understand it as such.

1-2. Cube Palace Expansion

An expansion to Cube Palace is also currently in preparation, proceeding in two directions.

First, higher difficulty tiers will be added to the existing Cube Palace, introducing new challenges while providing additional means to obtain Skill Cube. Given the increased difficulty, this is intended to serve as content where Captains can make full use of their developed Saviors.

Separately, a new event-format content called [Overload Cube] is also in preparation.

Overload Cube builds on the challenge content framework found in current events. However, rather than functioning as a simple one-time high-difficulty encounter, the content has been designed so that the act of play itself carries greater meaning and engagement.

Specifically, the Charm system used in Journey has been adapted in the form of a Replication Code, creating a mode in which Captains strategically work through a series of powerful enemies in succession.

Overload Cube will be operated on a seasonal basis, with the goal of offering a distinct configuration and battle experience each season.

1-3. Gauntlet (PvP) Rotation Ban

A Rotation Ban system is currently in development for the Gauntlet.

Under this system, buffs or debuffs will be applied to specific Saviors on a weekly basis, informed by factors such as usage rate and overall influence. Saviors that have demonstrated excessively high influence over a given period will receive downward stat adjustments, while Saviors with low usage or influence will receive compensatory boosts to improve their viability.

The primary objective of this system is not to unilaterally restrict specific Saviors, but to foster an environment in which team compositions and battle dynamics shift meaningfully from week to week.

The Rotation Ban system is being developed for application to both Ranked Match and Strategy Battle, with the broader aim of creating a Gauntlet environment that supports a wider range of Saviors and strategies.

Gauntlet balance will continue to be monitored closely and adjusted on an ongoing basis.

1-4. Deep Mining Operation

A new game mode, [Deep Mining Operation], is currently in development.

Deep Mining Operation is being designed as content that can be engaged with at a longer, more sustained pace than existing modes. However, this does not refer to simply increasing playtime or adding repetitive daily tasks.

The development team recognizes that the current daily and weekly play structure already represents a significant time commitment for Captains. Deep Mining Operation has not been designed to compound that burden.

This content is primarily intended for Captains who, having completed available content, wish to continue playing. The minimum rewards and objectives are being structured to be achievable without undue pressure, while those who wish to engage more deeply will have the option to do so — exploring varied strategies and extended battle scenarios at their own pace.

Development is currently underway across multiple fronts. A separate, more detailed announcement will be made once the content's overall structure has been finalized.

Deep Mining Operation is being prepared as one of StarSavior's defining new play experiences.

1-5. Server Merge

Preparations for a server merge are currently underway.

Following the global launch, it has been observed that a considerable number of Captains, regardless of their region of residence, have been playing on the Global or Asia servers. This has made it difficult for those Captains to naturally form communities or play alongside Captains on the existing Korea and Japan servers, a situation the development team likewise recognizes as an unsatisfactory experience.

To address this, a merger of the Asia, Korea, and Japan servers is being prepared, with the goal of allowing all Captains to communicate and play together within a broader shared community, irrespective of their chosen server or region of residence.

In the event of a server merge, the introduction of auxiliary features such as auto-translation is also being explored, with the aim of facilitating smoother communication between Captains across different language regions.

The server merge is currently being targeted for September at the earliest. A separate announcement with specific scheduling and details will be provided as preparations progress.

1-6. Other

Items such as Position Buff and Challenge Journey have been referenced in previous Dev Notes and broadcasts as content in preparation. Following an internal review of priorities and the current needs of the game, the scheduling of certain items has been adjusted. This does not represent a halt in development, but rather a re-evaluation of the appropriate form and direction for each item given the current state of the game, and we hope Captains will understand it as such.

Regarding the Position Buff system: the original intent was to address underperforming classes. However, upon further review, it was determined that the primary driver of the issue is the performance and usability gap between individual Saviors, rather than the class structure itself. Accordingly, direct balance adjustments to underperforming Saviors are now being prioritized over structural changes such as Position Buff.

The position system itself has not been abandoned. The current position assignment mechanic is considered to function more as simple placement than as a meaningful strategic decision, and future improvements will aim to give position selection genuine strategic significance.

Regarding Challenge Journey: this was originally in development as a standalone high-difficulty Journey mode. Following the addition of the Journey difficulty setting, however, concerns arose that two pieces of content with similar play structures could be consumed in close succession over a relatively short cycle. As a result, the direction has been adjusted, with development continuing in the form of [Deep Mining Operation], a content experience designed to offer a distinctly fresh feel.

This adjustment reflects a deliberate recalibration of overall content flow and play experience pacing, not a cancellation of the underlying concept, and we hope Captains will understand it as such.

The development team will continue to give careful consideration to content structure and release cadence, with the goal of ensuring Captains have access to a varied range of content that remains consistently engaging.

2. Identified Gameplay Issues & Improvement Directions

2-1. Combat Power Discrepancy

Significant combat power discrepancies have been identified as a result of differences in stat configurations across classes and characters.

One specific case currently under review involves Savior Fei, whose displayed combat power has been found to fall substantially below what her actual performance warrants — even when the recommended critical damage-focused build is applied.

To resolve such inconsistencies, the team is exploring the application of class- and character-specific combat power calculation methods, calibrated to each Savior's recommended stat structure.

A fix will be implemented as promptly as possible.

2-2. Gauntlet

The current Gauntlet season will be the last regular season, after which the game will transition to a pre-season period.

The development team would like to express its appreciation to all Captains who participated in Ranked Match Regular Season 1 [Thorn] and Strategy Battle Regular Season [Thales].

During the pre-season, the overly granular tier structure in Ranked Match will be simplified, and the score ceiling will be modestly reduced to lower the barrier to tier achievement. For Strategy Battle, the weekly reset that currently activates too aggressively from Grand Master tier onward will be moderated. A broader adjustment to score gain amounts, aimed at further easing tier achievement, is also under review.

The pre-season will serve as a period for implementing and validating these improvements, with the goal of delivering a more stable and enjoyable Gauntlet environment at the start of the next regular season.

2-3. Cosmo Gate

Absolute RES, one of the elements identified as a significant source of player frustration, was removed from the Cosmo Gate in the May 21 update.

Beginning with current Cosmo Gate season bosses Gille and Tiria, all subsequent bosses will appear without Absolute RES applied.

Future Cosmo Gate boss design will also shift away from unilateral pattern execution toward encounters where countering a boss's patterns and mechanics yields a clear and satisfying reward.

New bosses will continue to be introduced, and the cadence of new boss additions will be increased relative to the current pace, with the goal of delivering a more varied range of battle experiences.

2-4. Lack of Play-Based Content

The development team has received substantial feedback indicating that Captains feel there is insufficient content to engage with upon logging in. This has been identified internally as the most pressing issue currently facing the game.

The team is addressing this from three directions.

[Progression Feedback]

A marked decline in the sense of progression has been observed as Saviors approach the level 200 range. This weakened feedback loop contributes to extended stagnation on specific stages in Operation and Corridor, generating frustration and a sense of inertia — which in turn leads to the perception that there is nothing to do.

To address this, additional elements designed to restore the sense of progression are in preparation. A review of increased stat growth efficiency for Tactical Analysis is currently underway, alongside consideration of infrastructure-based growth elements modeled on Arcana Tactical Analysis.

The objective is not to introduce additional growth systems for their own sake, but to ensure that regular gameplay activity translates naturally into a tangible sense of advancement.

[Content Availability]

Even after obtaining and developing new Saviors, there is currently a shortage of content in which Captains can freely deploy those Saviors. Operation and Corridor are affected by the progression stagnation described above; Cube Palace and Flash Point function primarily as one-time challenge content; and Cosmo Gate carries a level of competitive pressure that raises the barrier to entry.

The Cube Palace expansion and Deep Mining Operation are being prepared with this gap in mind. The aim is to minimize competitive pressure and provide content in which Captains can engage directly with the Saviors they have built.

[Skip Battle]

The Skip Battle feature was introduced to reduce fatigue in Corridor and Guild Defense.

However, it is the team's assessment that the scope of its application exceeded the original intent. While the feature has been effective in reducing repetitive burden, it has also accelerated the rate at which the play experience is consumed, an outcome that was not intended.

Going forward, the team is considering how to preserve the current level of fatigue reduction while reinforcing the play elements themselves. Adjustments to Corridor and Guild Defense may follow in accordance with this direction.

The goal is for active engagement with content to carry inherent value, rather than play being reduced to repeated skips in search of a favorable outcome.

Adjustments to the play-based experience will continue beyond the elements outlined above.

In a similar fashion, the challenge difficulty for the [Wedding Wars: For the May Bride] event, running alongside the Half-Anniversary update, will be partially adjusted.

While the difficulty has been adjusted, all rewards previously obtainable from event challenges will remain accessible at stages comparable in difficulty to those experienced in prior story events.

This change is intended to provide Captains seeking a greater challenge with a more demanding tier of content to engage with.

Future updates will aim to address points of friction in the play experience without undermining what is already working, while introducing new elements for Captains to engage with.

Following the conclusion of the Half-Anniversary event, a player survey will be conducted in June. The development team intends to gather direct feedback on how Captains experienced the various content prepared alongside the Half-Anniversary update, including what was satisfying and what fell short of expectations.

The development team remains committed to ongoing review and improvement across multiple areas of the game. Captain feedback serves as an important basis for determining the direction of future development.

A drawing will be held among survey participants, with a small in-game reward provided to selected respondents. Participation is strongly encouraged.

A roadmap detailing upcoming content in greater specificity will be shared in a future communication.

Approximately one week remains until the Half-Anniversary update. The development team has invested considerable effort in this update and hopes that Captains find it to be an enjoyable experience. The team remains committed to delivering continued improvements.

Thank you.

※ System/content names and details are subject to change during the development process.