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Development and Release
Cinder City is a brand-new original property developed by BigFire Games, a studio under NCSOFT, and published by NCSOFT. The project is led by Jaehyun Bae, the CEO of BigFire Games, and it is built on Unreal Engine 5. As an open-world MMO tactical shooter, the game represents an ambitious original IP for the studio rather than an entry in an existing franchise. For a broader introduction to the project, see Cinder City.
Studio and Engine
BigFire Games handles development as an NCSOFT studio, with NCSOFT serving as publisher. The choice of Unreal Engine 5 underpins the game's visual ambitions and its large, shared open-world spaces. Direction sits with project lead Jaehyun Bae, who as BigFire CEO has guided the title from its early codename phase through its public reveal.
From Project LLL to Cinder City
The game was first announced in November 2022 under the codename Project LLL. For several years it was known by that working title while development progressed. On August 18, 2025, the project was formally renamed Cinder City, and the following day, August 19, 2025, marked its gameplay debut, giving players their first proper look at the title in action. Project LLL and Cinder City refer to the same game; the codename was simply the placeholder used before the official name was revealed.
Timeline
The following timeline captures the key public milestones confirmed so far.
Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
November 2022 | Announced as Project LLL |
August 18, 2025 | Renamed Cinder City |
August 19, 2025 | Gameplay debut |
Second half of 2026 | Planned release |
Release Window and Beta
Cinder City is targeting a launch in the second half of 2026. Ahead of that, an open beta is planned for around the early-to-mid 2026 window, though that timing should be treated as approximate and not yet locked. The beta is expected to give a wider audience hands-on time before the full release. For details on confirmed platforms and the technology shown so far, see Platforms and System Requirements.
Business Model
The game's business model has not been finalized. The one firm decision shared so far is that Cinder City will not be pay-to-win, an early commitment that signals the direction the studio intends to take. Beyond that, specifics such as how the game will be sold or monetized remain undecided and unannounced. As the studio confirms further details on pricing, monetization, and the beta schedule, this page will be updated to reflect the official information.