Trailers for the new open-world RPG The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin have been seen at Future Games Show, Summer Game Fest, and the opening night of Gamescom, whetting the appetite of gamers globally. The picture-perfect art pulls the player directly into the globally popular anime, and the sneak peeks we've been provided promise unique skills, dynamic combat, and tons of engaging activities throughout the world of Britannia. The game also recently announced its official launch on January 28, 2026 and fans can check out its playable demo at Tokyo Game Show 2025 firsthand at the on-site booth.
All of this must be pretty daunting for a game developer. How do you honor the source material while telling your own story? How do you fill an open world without making it repetitive? What does it take to walk this tightrope?
We spoke with Koo Do Hyung, the executive producer overseeing the development of The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin, to dive deeper into his creative process. If you're one of the millions of viewers who have already fallen in love with the story of The Seven Deadly Sins anime or simply a player ready for a AAA-quality open world, this interview is for you.
A new generation's starting point
"The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin is a next-generation open-world action RPG from Netmarble, featuring a brand-new story and characters that connect the original Seven Deadly Sins and its sequel, Four Knights of the Apocalypse. When we began development, our biggest goal was simple: to create a game that both longtime fans of the series and newcomers could truly enjoy," said Koo.
Honoring the existing series was a high priority for Koo, who came to this project as a fan. "I constantly thought about how best to capture the vast and diverse world of The Seven Deadly Sins and its compelling characters," he said. "Bringing an anime IP to life as an open-world RPG was no easy process. We had to faithfully respect the original settings while making necessary adjustments and adding new elements to ensure the game itself would be fun. Because open-world RPGs are defined by their freedom, there was always a risk of undermining the original source material, so we put great effort into creating a world that would resonate not only with our development team but also with the many gamers who are fans of the original series."
The development team was able to find its own freedom with the creation of The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin by placing the game in a new timeline that splinters off between the end of The Seven Deadly Sins anime and Four Knights of the Apocalypse. "While respecting the original storyline, we’ve added a new timeline and events unique to the game, allowing players to expand the adventure themselves," said Koo. "In doing so, our aim was to deliver a story that feels both familiar and refreshing to longtime fans, while also providing newcomers with an original narrative that’s easy to dive into."
That said, don't worry about the OG fans being left behind. "We have expanded on events and backstories of characters that were only briefly mentioned in the original series, presenting them through side quests and secret dungeons," said Koo. "This allows fans to fill in the gaps of the lore and enjoy the thrill of new discoveries, while players unfamiliar with The Seven Deadly Sins can naturally come to understand the world as they explore."
A project like this doesn't work without meticulous attention to authenticity. Koo notes that collaboration with the author of the original manga, Nakaba Suzuki, has been vital to the creative process. "[Suzuki] has personally contributed to the design and illustrations of the original characters, and we are receiving his guidance on key parts of the story development. Through this collaboration, we’ve been able to preserve the authenticity of the original while adding our own unique interpretation to the game. The story of The Seven Deadly Sins beautifully brought one generation’s saga to a close, and The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin serves as a new starting point for the next," Koo said.
Explore Britannia
In a game like this, the world is a character in and of itself. The feedback loop of discovery can feel like magic with surprises around each corner. "We built a highly open system of exploration, collection, and combat so that even those who don’t know the IP can enjoy the game. Our aim has been to create a title that people can play for a long time, not just because they love the original series but because it stands on its own as a truly compelling RPG," said Koo. "We have prepared a variety of content that can be enjoyed freely, including exploration, puzzles, collection, capturing, life activities, and multi-events. Through this wide range of content, players will experience layered enjoyment that goes far beyond combat alone."
One of the great joys of open-world games is the ability to get lost. You see a spot on the horizon and go toward it, not sure what it might reveal. On a map as large as this one (approximately 30 km2 in size at launch, according to Koo), we were curious about some of those places players might stumble upon.
"We’ve brought to life not only regions that were briefly mentioned or shown in the background of the original series but also locations that existed only in the lore without ever appearing directly, as well as brand-new areas we created exclusively for the game. These places aren’t just backdrops to pass through; they are designed to spark surprise and wonder when players discover them," Koo said.
He also gave us a peek behind some of the environmental interactions we can look forward to. "To give you a little spoiler, there are special pets hidden across the map that only appear under certain weather conditions or at specific times of day. If you carefully explore the islands, you will find yourself unexpectedly encountering and collecting these unique creatures, adding yet another layer of discovery to the adventure," Koo said. Digital pet collecting? Say less.
Serving the players
As with any game of this scale, the dev team has been crafting this game for years. What is it like to helm a project like that? "Serving as the executive producer on this project came with an immense sense of responsibility and pressure," said Koo. "Even a small decision could significantly influence the overall direction of the game, so I always approached choices with great care and engaged in extensive discussions with the team. At the same time, having the freedom to fully exercise creative ideas was deeply rewarding. Building a new story atop the solid foundation of the original universe was both a burden and a challenge, but working with the team to refine ideas and directly shape the direction gave me a strong sense of accomplishment. In the end, pressure and freedom seem to coexist. Yet within that tension, we continue development with the hope that all of it will lead to a great result, one that players will truly enjoy when they finally get to experience the game."
With closed beta testing scheduled for the end of October, you can sign up for pre-registration for the game across a panoply of devices. It will be available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store for the mobile launch, and fans can also pre-register with their emails on the official website or add to their wishlist on PS5, and on Steam. You can start exploring this world in all its anime-inspired glory.
Koo made one thing clear at the end of our interview: This is only the beginning. "Even after launch, I will continue to stay in close communication with players and do my utmost to grow The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin together with all of you."
