Director’s Comments | Development Status and Future Update Roadmap

This is Ray, Director of The Midnight Walkers. First, I sincerely apologize that the pace of updates over the past few months has not lived up to your expectations. During this time, we have been focused on stabilizing our live service and restructuring fragmented foundational systems and code so that future updates can be delivered more quickly and reliably.

From your perspective, I understand it must have been frustrating to see so few visible changes. The Midnight Walkers was developed with Speed prioritized in many areas to meet a tight launch schedule. To put it simply, the structure was like a car with its wheels welded to the axles—making later replacements and improvements quite difficult. Our original plan was to continue the live service while simultaneously developing new content and overhauling the underlying systems.

However, in practice, responding to countless real-time issues while also restructuring the core architecture and preparing new content turned out to be far more challenging than anticipated. So today, I'd like to share specifically what problems we're currently addressing and what direction we plan to take with future updates.

1. Short-Term and Mid-to-Long-Term Update Milestones

The systems currently being overhauled will be rolled out across two major update milestones by June.

[Planned for Late April]

• Combat balance adjustments

• Economy balance adjustments (Including NPC buying/selling, and overall value of Recycling and Craft)

• Complete Workbench overhaul

• New player onboarding system (In-game Tutorial and intro video)

• Full rework of the Armor Rating formula and redefinition of the Skill Power stat

• Survival mode loot drop table overhaul

• Daily Mission additions

• Guard system enhancements

• Proximity (VOIP/open Microphone) chat introduction

• Hardcore mode addition

[Planned for Early June]

• Boss raid prototype (Boss fights with different patterns and mechanics per phase)

• Inventory improvements (Quality-of-life enhancements such as auto-sorting)

• Friend system addition

• Complete Trade market UI/UX overhaul

• Full Mission redesign

• Extraction bonus system (Random rewards upon successful extraction)

• Coin de-itemization

2. Lowering the Early Entry Barrier and Reducing Farming Stress

Currently, The Midnight Walkers suffers from a lack of a Tutorial and high early-game difficulty, causing many new players to leave before they can fully experience the core fun of the game. Our top priority is to create an environment where anyone can understand the basic game loop and naturally adapt.

In-Game Tutorial and Training Ground

A Tutorial Level will be added that provides a short but dense experience covering combat, item farming, and the extraction process. This space will also serve as a permanent training ground where players can return at any time to test their Loadout and practice combat.

Out-of-Game Tutorial Addition

We plan to provide intuitive guides to help players more easily understand Lobby systems such as the Store, Trade market, and Loadout setup.

PvE Test Expansion and Extension

Since the introduction of Exploration mode, we have confirmed positive changes in playtime and revisit rates among newly joined Survivors. However, it was difficult to say that this was sufficiently leading to long-term retention. Therefore, to more accurately verify whether PvE mode genuinely helps new player retention, we plan to expand related tests and extend the operating period.

3. Reshaping the Combat Ecosystem and Respecting Play Diversity

We recognize that a war-of-attrition structure where the one who strikes first has the advantage, or where the side with higher gear stats wins one-sidedly, is something that clearly needs improvement. We aim to create small variables that can turn the tide of Survival, and build a combat ecosystem where diverse playstyles are respected.

Guard System Enhancements

We plan to expand the guard feature, currently available only with certain weapons, to be usable with other weapons as well. By setting guard gauges per weapon and enabling immediate counterattacks after a successful guard, we aim to enhance the mind games and options available in melee combat.

Active Gadgets and Environmental Variables

In the long term, we plan to introduce Tactical gadgets such as throwable Smoke Bombs and barricades to secure escape routes or compensate for the weaknesses of certain Classes.

Power Shutdown System (In Planning)

We plan to shut down main power for a short period immediately after the game starts, disabling shutters and elevators. This is intended to mitigate the flow of players rapidly moving between floors early on to one-sidedly hunt other Survivors, and instead guide players to clear their starting areas before engaging in earnest encounters.

Diversifying Survival Routes

To ensure that direct combat is not the only answer, we will also provide various means to avoid fights. Additionally, through an extraction bonus system that grants reward boxes to players who successfully extract, we will give clear value to Survival itself.

4. Sustainable Reasons to Stay

The Midnight Walkers is a game where a single defeat can feel devastating. That's why we believe long-term motivation that offsets that sense of loss and brings players back is equally important.

Your Personal Social Space: The Locker Room (Within the Second Half of the Year)

Targeting the fall, we are preparing a Locker Room system where players can decorate and manage their own base using resources accumulated through gameplay. From listening to music on a turntable to inviting friends to test weapons, we aim to make it a personal space where you can catch your breath between the constant tension.

Workbench Overhaul and Loadout Modification

Going beyond the existing linear Craft structure, we plan to segment the Workbench into specialized stations for weapons, Armor, utilities, and more, and introduce a Blueprint-based unlock system. Additionally, through a Loadout modification system that grants additional abilities and changes the appearance of standard gear, we will provide clearer farming goals.

Hardcore Mode

We plan to add a Hardcore mode with higher difficulty and higher drop rates. In the long term, we aim to update it with gameplay on entirely new maps.

In Closing

Right now, we are filling in essential gaps and rebuilding the foundation to create a better ecosystem, even if these changes aren't always immediately visible.

Through the two milestones leading up to June, we will elevate the game's quality to the next Level. Thank you once again to all the Survivors who have waited patiently.

Thank you.

Ray, Director of The Midnight Walkers