EVILBANE is developed by Netmarble Monster and published by Netmarble. The game is built on Unreal Engine 5 and is described as a spiritual successor that expands the studio's Raven universe. The team has framed it as a way to grow that brand into a co-op action RPG, rather than as a continuation of any earlier title's content.
Studio and Engine
As the developer, Netmarble Monster is responsible for the game's design and production, while Netmarble handles publishing. The choice of Unreal Engine 5 supports the dark fantasy visuals and the real-time, melee-and-ranged combat the project is built around. During early testing, the team's stated focus was on tuning the fun and feel of combat before expanding other systems.
Reveal Timeline
EVILBANE has surfaced at a number of industry events since 2025. The table below lists the public showings announced so far. Wishlist pages for the game went live on Xbox and Steam on September 25, 2025, the same week as the Tokyo Game Show broadcast.
Date | Event | What Was Shown |
|---|---|---|
June 2025 | IGN Live | First reveal of the game |
Late September 2025 | Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2025 broadcast | A new trailer aired |
November 2025 | G-Star 2025 in Busan | First public playable demo, with four characters and an exclusive mission, played on the ROG Xbox Ally X handheld |
Early Testing
A pre-alpha test ran through a console insider program on Windows PC from August 29, 2025 to around November 24, 2025. It began in the United States and Canada, expanded to Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France in September, and from early October was open to every region except South Korea. The test's stated goal was to tune the feel of combat. A separate Steam playtest had not formally begun as of early March 2026. More on these test phases can be found on the playtests page.
Developer Communication
Since the reveal, the team has leaned on talking directly with players. Starting in April 2026 it has published a monthly developer note, sharing new game information and progress, and has held a question-and-answer session with the community. Recent notes have covered systems such as the home base and character customization, introduced new enemies, and walked through art and production direction. The studio has described folding player reactions into development from the early stages as a core principle for the project.
The team has also said it is looking into external IP collaborations, though nothing specific has been confirmed. Treat any crossover as exploratory until an actual partner or content is announced.
Positioning Within the Raven Lineage
EVILBANE has been positioned as part of the broader Raven universe that Netmarble has built over the years. The studio has described the project as expanding that world into a new genre and platform set, though it has not detailed how closely the story or characters connect to earlier entries in the lineage.