Today (29th), Super Creative held “Succession of Eternity,” an event celebrating the 8th anniversary of its hero collector turn-based RPG Epic Seven, at Hyundai Department Store Sinchon U-PLEX. The 8th anniversary celebration featured a variety of programs for players, including a meetup between developer personnel and pre-invited players, as well as a month-long collaboration cafe.
Ahead of Succession of Eternity, the 8th-anniversary update released on August 27 introduced an offline Battle Delegation mode that allows farming even when the game is closed, story content for the First Era—the original Epic Seven world prior to Ras—and “Call of Chaos,” a new mode that streamlines real-time PvP into a more casual experience while adding roguelike elements. Additionally, several upcoming changes were teased, including a Chaos Zero Nightmare collaboration in September, the addition of a permanent roguelike PvE mode called “Dimensional Exploration,” and a Steam launch in the second half of this year.
As Epic Seven moves forward by gradually stepping away from elements it had previously adhered to, what is its ultimate direction? Prior to the meetup with players, we spoke with Producer Kwang-jin Tak and Development Director Dae-gyun Huh at the venue.
Q. Epic Seven has reached its 8th anniversary. How do you feel? Also, it has been a very long time since you held a user and media event—is there a special reason for this?
PD Kwang-jin Tak: Thank you for coming today. Under the excuse of developing and servicing the game, we haven’t had many opportunities to speak with you directly. Realizing that this was an area where we fell short, we organized this gathering with the media and players for the first time in a long while. Moving forward, we will make sure to meet more often with good news.
Honestly, the 8th anniversary doesn’t quite feel real yet. When we first started, I never imagined what the 8th anniversary would look like, and I believe getting to this point is entirely thanks to the support of our players. Because of that, we were able to try many new things. Reaching the 8th anniversary was never our end goal; we see it as a step in moving further forward. Today’s event is an extension of that journey.
DD Dae-gyun Huh: Epic Seven has continued to host anniversary events, and we are deeply grateful for the immense interest shown every time. There is plenty of positive feedback as well as constructive criticism, but we view all of it as care and affection for the game, and we intend to listen closely and make improvements. We hope everyone enjoys the event, and today especially, we hope it becomes an occasion where everyone can smile and have fun.
Q. With Epic Seven turning 8, what do you think is the biggest change over the past 8 years from the development team’s perspective? Also, what core value do you aim to preserve throughout its service?
PD Kwang-jin Tak: The biggest change is how the development team perceives Epic Seven. Early in service, there were many shortcomings, so we focused on polishing and completing the game. Now that it is on a solid track, we are looking for ways to introduce changes while respecting the play experience that players have built over time.
The value we have sought to protect from the very beginning to now is, naturally, charming characters and high animation quality. We view the fun of turn-based strategy stemming from combinations of Heroes and gear as Epic Seven’s identity, and we have constantly contemplated ways to reinforce it.
Q. As you look toward the 10th anniversary, what is your vision for continuing to receive players’ love for another 10 years?
PD Kwang-jin Tak: To last for more than 10 or 20 years, we believe even higher quality is needed. This applies to both art quality and content quality. Rather than releasing content frequently, we think it is crucial to craft it properly before presenting it to players. We want to respect the gameplay experience players have had so far while introducing new content distinct from existing modes.
DD Dae-gyun Huh: Epic Seven is often called a “salmon game” because many players step away for a while and return during specific updates. This shows a solid core player base already exists, and we believe the service can only be maintained long-term if this core player base and new players integrate well. Therefore, we pay close attention to narrowing the gap between different player demographics.
Analyzing data shows that player preferences vary greatly. There are core World Arena PvP players, but also quite a few who avoid PvP and enjoy PvE. Some players don’t engage heavily in the content itself, yet consistently participate whenever a new character is released. We recognize these diverse player playstyles, and rather than forcing them into a single mold, we are thinking about updates that allow as many players as possible to be satisfied in their own ways.
Q. When preparing the 8th anniversary showcase, what did you think players would like the most, and what were you worried about?
PD Kwang-jin Tak: What we thought players would like most was the offline Battle Delegation support, as it drastically improves quality-of-life. On the other hand, we were worried about the Chaos Zero Nightmare collaboration. In-house IP crossovers can evoke mixed feelings, so we had concerns.
To demonstrate our commitment to this collaboration, we have introduced a new permanent content called “Dimensional Exploration.” The future direction and focus of Epic Seven’s narrative will involve exploring new worlds and characters, as well as delving into the backstory of existing characters. The upcoming Episode 6 Part 2 will introduce welcome Heroes and offer an interesting continuation of the story. Additionally, Episode 7 is planned for next year and will feature a completely new world setting with new villains and a different side of the protagonist, Ras. The developers also plan to continue releasing side story updates periodically.
As for the Chaos Zero Nightmare collaboration and seasonal content like Dimensional Exploration, the developers aim to introduce new settings and themes that will engage players and provide a challenge. The next setting for Dimensional Exploration is expected to be showcased around Q2 or Q3 next year.
Regarding controller support, the game will naturally support Xbox controllers and DualSense, with plans to add support for Joy-Cons and Steam Controllers. The developers are also preparing for seamless play on the Steam Deck, although there are still some compatibility issues being addressed.
In terms of collaborations, the developers are in discussions with multiple companies for collaborations with various anime and external IPs beyond the Chaos Zero Nightmare collaboration. Follow-up collaborations will be considered based on player reactions and feedback from the current event. The game focuses on the excitement of conquering dungeons with diverse Heroes and loot combinations. Each run is aimed to last around 30 minutes, and as we haven’t introduced many PvE modes requiring longer playtimes in the past 8 years, we are carefully monitoring player feedback on this new feature.
In terms of future real-time PvP content, we aim to introduce various modes centered around the World Arena core. Similar to how other games have different modes for ranked play and casual play, we want to offer lighter modes for players who may feel overwhelmed by World Arena. Additionally, we plan to expand into esports with a narrative structure connecting regular seasons, Masters, and the E7WC.
As for the World Championship and Masters, we believe that building player narratives through increased exposure and match counts will foster fandom and support. By connecting World Arena from the regular season to the World Championship, we aim to create a seamless narrative that carries through the entire competitive scene.
Regarding the World Championship Grand Final venue selection, we chose a venue with optimal viewing environments to enhance the spectator experience. We are focusing on providing comfortable seating, a clean view, and great accessibility for attendees to enjoy the event.
In terms of esports, we see it as a way to maximize immersion in World Arena. Watching matches and player strategies can inspire viewers and motivate them to play the game themselves. Our focus on “spectating enjoyment” sets us apart from other esports, as our turn-based gameplay highlights individual Hero skills and strategic plays.
As for collaboration cafe events, we believe they deepen players’ bond and affection for the game by allowing them to interact with favorite characters in physical form. This offline experience strengthens fandom solidarity and can lead to long-term companionship with the game.
When designing characters, we emphasize creating appealing characters with a strong narrative buildup. We pay close attention to player feedback and preferences to ensure our characters resonate with the player base. Looking into the latest character releases, it’s clear that players are most engaged when they can connect with a character’s rich backstory and careful preparation.
PD Kwang-jin Tak explains that they have introduced the “Milestone of Radiance” to help players acquire limited Heroes and have expanded Moonlight Hero pools through special Mystic Summon discounts. They have also enhanced equipment settings by introducing features like automatic recommendations, batch equipment, and inventory gear sorting to simplify optimal setups without the need for extensive research. Removing unequip costs was also done to make equipment management more accessible.
When asked about collaborations, PD Kwang-jin Tak reveals that although there were internal challenges with the CZN collaboration, they decided to collaborate with Chaos Zero Nightmare, an in-house IP. They are aware of player concerns and are working on more frequent and diverse collaborations with external IPs.
In response to the evolving gaming market, PD Kwang-jin Tak emphasizes the importance of actively communicating with players to earn their trust and love. They believe that staying connected with players is essential for the game’s survival and growth.
In closing, PD Kwang-jin Tak expresses gratitude for the players’ support during the 8th anniversary event. They promise to maintain regular communication streams to keep players informed about updates and collaboration news. The team is committed to evolving Epic Seven in harmony with its player base. Please rewrite the following sentence for me.