Dragon Sword: Awakening Delayed One Hour Before Steam Launch
The last-minute delay, after a court cleared the legal path to release, shows that procedural hurdles with Steam's review process can be as disruptive as publisher disputes for indie studios.
Key Facts
- "Dragon Sword: Awakening" was delayed on July 23, 2026, one hour before its scheduled 7:00 AM JST Steam release.
- The game is priced at 3,480 yen for the Standard Edition on Steam.
- The Seoul Central District Court rejected Webzen's injunction to block the release on July 22, 2026.
- The game features 19 playable heroes and a party combo action system centered on status ailments and tag combos.
- HOUND13 plans to add four new heroes and a Sky Island region as post-launch content.
Reporting from 3 sources: 4Gamer.net, Automaton, Game Spark.
HOUND13's open-world action RPG "Dragon Sword: Awakening" was delayed on July 23, 2026, just one hour before its scheduled 7:00 AM JST Steam release. The developer announced the postponement at 6:00 AM JST, citing incomplete Steam application review. HOUND13 stated that review feedback had been addressed and the game was awaiting final approval, with a new release date to be announced once confirmed. The delay follows a legal dispute between HOUND13 and former publisher Webzen over unpaid royalties and contract termination, which led to the game being rebuilt as a buy-to-play title without gacha. The Seoul Central District Court rejected Webzen's injunction to block the release on July 22. The game is priced at 3,480 yen for the Standard Edition and features 19 playable heroes, a party combo action system, and exploration with collectible familiars inspired by "Breath of the Wild." HOUND13 plans post-launch content including four new heroes and a Sky Island region. The game currently has Korean voice acting with Japanese subtitles; the developer expressed interest in adding Japanese dubbing but cited cost and time constraints.
CEO and director Park Jungsic and PD Jang Yoonjin told Game Spark that the studio chose the buy-to-play model because a payment suspension by former publisher Webzen left them with no revenue. "Rather than see the game disappear, we wanted to leave it as a work," they said.
The combat system evolved from the studio's previous game "Hundred Souls." The team designed it around three keywords: status ailments, tag actions, and combos. Players chain status effects across party members to trigger "Signal Skills" and "Tag Combos" when switching heroes. Some enemies, especially bosses, resist certain ailments, so party composition requires adjustment per encounter.
The open world was modeled after "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild." Landmarks like windmills and goddess statues are placed to draw the player's eye from a distance. Terrain elevation changes hide discoveries that come into view as the player moves. Familiars are collectible exploration partners rather than a single mount. Each type has a unique skill: gliding from high places, climbing rocky areas, or swimming and diving. Collecting two or more of the same type shares the skill across all familiars.
Post-launch plans include four new heroes added over the second half of 2026: Riza (shock specialist), Jerome (knockdown focus), Veronica (bare-handed combat and guns), and Logan (shield tank). A "Sky Island" region is in development with puzzles, minigames, and unique monsters. Hero Requests telling backstories not covered in the main quest will arrive, starting with Othello's story then Riza's.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.