Issue Focus

Webtoon Meets Unreal Engine 5 : Webzen Bets on Tower Defense IP

This deal illustrates how Korean webtoon IPs are increasingly being adapted into high-quality,

engine-driven games, signaling strong transmedia potential for narrative-heavy IPs.

♦  Strategic IP Partnership Between Webzen and Naver Webtoon

      • Webzen signed an official IP licensing agreement with Naver Webtoon to develop and service a game

          based on The Tyrant of the Defense Game

      • Subsidiary Webzen Crevix will develop the title while Webzen handles domestic and international

         publishing, securing full game production and service rights

♦  Proven Narrative IP with Strong Fandom

      • The webtoon adapts a novel about a protagonist who completed an impossibly difficult game solo,

          then reincarnates as a character struggling to survive

      • Detailed narrative and emotional storytelling depicting brutal combat, character growth, and relationship

          dynamics have built a loyal fanbase

♦  High-End Game Development Using Unreal Engine 5

      • Webzen Crevix is developing a hybrid genre combining tower defense and dungeon offense mechanics

          on Unreal Engine 5

      • The project signals Webzen’s push toward premium visuals and global quality standards, moving

          beyond traditional MMORPG formats into strategy gaming

♦  Distinctive Visual Direction and Global Market Targeting

      • A refined 2.5D dot-graphic art style is being adopted to design original webtoon backgrounds and

          characters with unique aesthetic appeal

      • Original planning and systems are being added during development to differentiate gameplay in the

          domestic and international strategy game market

Source

ZDNet Korea (2025.12.10)

https://zdnet.co.kr/view/?no=20251210102302