Krafton unveils Project Windless with massive bird warriors slicing through entire armies solo
Krafton Montréal Studio revealed the first trailer for Project Windless – an open-world action RPG for PS5 and PS5 Pro that the team has been quietly developing for several years. The game is set in the universe of the acclaimed Korean fantasy series The Bird That Drinks Tears, distinguished from classic Western fantasy by its stranger, darker, and more tragic approach.
In this world, each race has its own worldview and complex history. Conflicts are never clean or heroic. The universe feels ancient and lived-in, full of places to explore. The developers quickly realized this universe naturally fits an open-world experience where players can wander, discover, and get lost in mysteries.
Instead of adapting the known story, the studio went back more than a thousand years before the events of the books, exploring a turning point the novels barely touch on. In this forgotten age, the land is divided, and as tensions rise, players step into the role of a mythical figure whose actions will shape the birth of a new kingdom.
From the start, Krafton Montréal wanted Project Windless to feel like the player's world, not the developers'. The open world is designed with minimal hand-holding – players are free to chart their own course, as the world rarely forces movement in a single direction.
Whether exploring solo, diving into hidden stories, or preparing for massive battles, the studio aims to make the journey personal and authentic, full of unexpected moments. Instead of step-by-step guidance, the world is designed to encourage curiosity, risk-taking, forging alliances, waging wars, and ultimately deciding what kind of legend the player wants to become.
One of the major early questions was choosing the protagonist. The team kept returning to one answer – the Rekons. Rekons are a nomadic warrior race of bird-humanoids, known for their immense physical strength and size. From the first prototype, everything clicked. Their speed, reach, and physical presence perfectly suited the one-versus-many combat fantasy at the game's core.
What truly defined them for the developers was their complexity. Rekons are powerful but also solitary, with strong personal beliefs and vulnerabilities, including a well-known fear of water. These traits made them more real and helped create a strong, memorable protagonist who isn't invincible.
As a Rekon warrior, players will fight dozens, sometimes hundreds, of enemies simultaneously. The crowds aren't just visual noise. Brought to life through innovative mass technology, enemies move, flank, surround, and react to player actions, turning each battle into a living, unpredictable spectacle.
Players can cut through swarms or fight giant creatures dominating the battlefield. Every encounter forces players to read the situation, adapt, and react in the moment.
Project Windless is in development for PS5 and PS5 Pro.
