InZOI, the Sims competitor developed by Krafton, the creator of PUBG, was launched a year ago in early access. During a recent Q&A session at the Seoul studio, IGN learned more about the challenges and successes of its first 12 months. An eye-opening experience for the developer, especially the director of InZOI Studio, Hyungjun “Kjun” Kim.
“Life simulation games are difficult to master,” said Kim. “If you asked me if I would go back in time to do it again, I think I would hesitate.”
InZOI had an impressive launch on Steam, reaching a peak of 87,377 concurrent players. Krafton later announced that InZOI had sold 1 million copies in a week, becoming the fastest-selling game by the South Korean giant. It topped the global Steam best-sellers list (in revenue) just 40 minutes after its release. Krafton’s CEO Changhan “CH” Kim mentioned plans to develop the game as a long-term franchise.
However, the number of concurrent players on Steam has decreased since the launch, with a 24-hour peak of 4,196 players.
Kim reflected on the dominance of The Sims franchise over the years and the challenges of creating a life simulation game. He expressed regret for the initial shortcomings of InZOI and the necessity of early access to gather feedback from users.
Looking ahead, Kim questioned the emphasis on sales targets over fan satisfaction, considering Krafton’s other successful title, PUBG. He pondered the future of the gaming industry and the priorities for game developers.
Kim also shared a personal anecdote about bonding with his son over life simulation games, highlighting the generational impact of gaming within their family.
For more details about InZOI, check out our early access review.
