Bae Jae-hyun, producer of "City of Embers," discussed feedback from the pre-test, stating that the team plans to reduce the difficulty in the early game and shared outdoor areas. During the test, some players faced obstacles at the beginning, and the team will adjust difficulty settings to address this issue.
"City of Embers" is an open-world multiplayer tactical shooter set in a Seoul altered by history, featuring a main storyline about a father searching for his daughter. Bae stated that the team conducted a three-day pre-test in North America in August 2026, with approximately 7,000 participants. Players praised the gunplay feel, sound effects, and narrative content, but criticized the initial difficulty, ammo acquisition balance, optimization, and the completeness of certain systems.
Bae admitted to misjudging the difficulty: skilled players quickly completed the intended test scope, while more casual players encountered obstacles right at the start. In addition to lowering the difficulty in the early game and outdoor areas, the team plans to offer difficulty options for indoor zones such as buildings or dungeons, adjusting rewards accordingly.
During the test period, developers monitored player feedback directly via Discord and released updated builds for three consecutive days. Bae also introduced their proprietary server-driven NPC system: the team aims to have characters react naturally based on line of sight and environment, avoiding repetitive actions that break immersion.
Regarding the story, Bae hopes to reveal the world-building through characters' personal stories and plans to add additional character chapters during ongoing operations. The next round of testing is expected to cover North America, Europe, and Asian regions including Japan, with specific arrangements subject to future announcements from the team.