Publisher KRAFTON and developer KRAFTON Montreal Studio have officially announced Project Windless, a single-player open-world action RPG adaptation of the Korean fantasy novel series The Bird That Drinks Tears that first began development in 2022. It will launch for consoles and PC, including PlayStation 5. A release date was not announced.
Here is an overview of the game, via KRAFTON:
A New Premium Open-World Action RPG
Designed as a player-driven open-world experience, Project Windless centers on a continent-spanning conflict, combining epic storytelling with visceral, mastery-driven combat and massive real-time battles. Built with Unreal Engine 5, the game features a non-linear structure where player decisions shape alliances and the broader conflict unfolding across the world through exploration, combat, and interaction with key factions.
Set in the World of The Bird That Drinks Tears
While Project Windless is designed to stand on its own for new players, its world is rooted in The Bird That Drinks Tears, a landmark Korean fantasy series by author Lee Yeong-do. Instead of directly adapting the novels, the game is set approximately 1,500 years before the original story, during a largely unexplored mythical age when legends were still being formed. This approach allows Project Windless to serve as an entry point for global audiences while also expanding the universe for longtime fans. The world features four intelligent races: Humans, Rekon, Nhaga, and Tokkebi. Each race has its own culture, conflicts, and worldview.
Play as the Hero King
In Project Windless, players assume the role of the Hero King, a legendary mighty warrior of the Rekon race. Rekons are towering humanoid bird beings known for their overwhelming strength and ferocity. Armed with twin star-forged blades, the Hero King stands as a powerful force facing overwhelming odds—cutting through dozens of foes simultaneously, confronting massive creatures, and leading allied forces when battles escalate to epic scale. As players build reputation and forge relationships across the world, they unite different races and factions, shaping the foundations of a future kingdom through their actions.
Large-Scale Battles Powered by Mass Technology
At the core of Project Windless is Mass Technology. This technology enables thousands of soldiers and massive creatures to clash in real time across dynamic battlefields.
Combat is fully real-time, fast-paced, and skill-based. Players fight directly within massive engagements rather than issuing commands from a distance, combining precise combat mastery with tactical decision-making to influence the flow of battle. The result is a one-versus-many combat experience that blends personal action with the scale of full-scale warfare.
“From the start, we asked ourselves what it really means to play a legendary figure in a fantasy world,” said KRAFTON Montreal Studio head and creative director Patrik Methe. “For us, that meant giving players real agency, not just in combat, but in how wars unfold, how alliances are formed, and how history is written. Project Windless is built around the idea that legend is not something you observe, it is something you actively create through play.”
A Global Development Effort
Development of Project Windless is led by KRAFTON Montreal Studio, KRAFTON’s AAA development hub in North America, in close collaboration with teams in Pangyo, South Korea. This partnership combines Western AAA development expertise with a strong focus on cultural authenticity and worldbuilding inspired by Korean mythology.
First Developer Diary Now Available
Alongside the reveal trailer, KRAFTON also released the first developer diary for Project Windless. The video offers early insight into the game’s creative vision, world design, and development philosophy, and is available now on the official Project Windless YouTube channel.
Project Windless is designed as a premium, single-player experience with no multiplayer or live-service components. The game is currently in development for PC and consoles. Additional details, including the release window, will be announced at a later date.
Watch the announcement trailer below. View the first screenshots at the gallery. Visit the official website here.