NCSoft Invests in Emptyvessel to Bring Cyberpunk Shooter "Defect" to Market

South Korean gaming giant NCSoft has made a strategic investment in EmptyVessel, a Texas-based studio currently developing a cyberpunk tactical shooter titled "Defect." 

The move is part of NCSoft’s broader push to expand globally and diversify beyond its MMORPG roots.

Founded in 2023, EmptyVessel brings together industry veterans from Activision, Naughty Dog, id Software, and Disney—with credits on iconic titles like Call of Duty, The Last of Us, Uncharted, Doom, and Quake.

“We started working on Defect with a simple belief that great games come from focused, passionate teams who are empowered to take creative risks,” said Emanuel Palalic, Game Director at Emptyvessel. “NCSoft understands our goals and will help take both the game and the studio to the next level.”

The deal was led by NC West, NCSoft’s North American division, and is described as a long-term partnership.

While financial terms were not disclosed, the agreement includes discussions around publishing rights for Defect and potential future collaborations.

NCSoft’s co-CEO Park Byungmoo called Emptyvessel a “triple-A game studio founded by developers with proven success and expertise in the globally mainstream shooter genre.” He added that NCSoft is committed to “securing new global intellectual property and building development pipelines by genre.”

The investment aligns with NCSoft’s ongoing strategy to grow its footprint in genres beyond MMORPGs—particularly in the Western-preferred first-person shooter market, where the company has historically had limited presence. Known primarily for the Lineage franchise, NCSoft has increasingly looked to expand its portfolio internationally.

In recent years, NCSoft has backed several global studios, including:

• Moon Rover Games (Sweden, $3.5M investment)

• Virtual Alchemy (Poland)

• Mistil Games and Vic Game Studio (South Korea)

The publisher also holds global distribution rights to Virtual Alchemy’s upcoming RPG Band of Crusaders.

Source: GameDeveloper