Buy-to-Play Model

DragonSword: Awakening is a buy-to-play (B2P) release of an originally free-to-play Korean game. Hound13 has been explicit that the Western version is designed as a single-package purchase rather than a live-service F2P product.

Core Policy

In Hound13's own words, through Steam FAQ answers by a studio manager operating under the name Hooon:

• "DragonSword: Awakening is a B2P title, and we are not considering selling monthly subscriptions (passes)."

• "All heroes and equipment in DragonSword: Awakening can be obtained through the story and in-game activities."

• "It is a single-player RPG where the story and exploration in an open world are the main focus."

• "We support cooperative play via invite codes for certain content (subjugation and raids)."

What the Korean Version Had

The original DragonSword launched in South Korea on January 21, 2026, as a free-to-play title on PC, iOS, and Android published through Webzen. That version used gacha distribution for heroes and live-service F2P progression systems. Publishing operations ran into contractual disputes when Webzen failed to pay the remaining minimum guarantee tied to the deal, and Hound13 formally terminated the arrangement on February 13, 2026.

What the Western B2P Version Removes

• No gacha pulls for Heroes. All 19 Heroes are obtainable through story progression and in-game activities.

• No monthly subscriptions or battle passes. Hound13 has said on record they are not considering selling passes.

• No server-based F2P stamina or soft-gating on progression. Everything that previously supported multiplayer (subjugation, raids) is preserved as opt-in P2P co-op rather than as a funnel into monetisation.

• Single-player first. The campaign is a self-contained single-player experience with optional Co-Op for specific content.

What Remains Paid

Hound13 has publicly scoped the store-side monetisation for the Western release to two categories, with expansion packs layered in on top:

• Character costumes. Purely cosmetic outfits for the playable Heroes.

• Additional Familiars (mounts). Extra mount options beyond those obtainable through gameplay.

• Expansion packs. Future paid content introducing new characters and worlds, with World 2 (the floating islands) named as the next expansion.

Park Jung-sik on the Pivot

Hound13 CEO Park Jung-sik has said publicly that the pivot to self-published B2P came out of necessity rather than roadmap planning. After the Webzen payment and contract dispute cut off revenue, the choice was between letting the service shut down and letting the game disappear, or preserving the work as a package game on Steam. The Steam rework was framed as a choice to preserve the game.