NCSOFT Makes Strategic Equity Investment in US First-Person Shooter Game Studio ‘Empty Vessel’

Korean publisher and developer NCSOFT has completed a strategic equity investment in emptyvessel, an independent AAA development studio based in Austin, Texas. Emptyvessel, founded by industry veterans from Activision, Disney, id Software, Microsoft, and Naughty Dog, is currently developing Defect, a cyberpunk squad-based tactical shooter. The game, titled Defect, is being built in Unreal Engine 5 and was first revealed in a 2024 YouTube trailer, which quickly gained 1.9 million views. While the release date has not been announced, NCSOFT’s investment suggests a long-term partnership that could include publishing rights. You can wishlist Defect on Steam today!

Emptyvessel’s team brings experience from major global hits like DOOM, Quake, Call of Duty, The Last of Us, Borderlands, Tomb Raider, and Uncharted. Game Director Emanuel Palalic emphasized that Defect was born from a belief in small, empowered teams taking creative risks, and praised NCSOFT’s shared vision and support.

NC West, NCSOFT’s North American branch, led the investment earlier this week. NCSOFT Co-CEO Byung-moo Park described emptyvessel as a AAA studio with deep expertise in game art and sound, aiming to strengthen NCSOFT’s growing focus on genre-specific game development clusters.

This move is part of NCSOFT’s broader initiative to expand its global portfolio through both domestic and international investments. In addition to backing emptyvessel, the company has invested in studios such as Moon Rover Games (Sweden), Virtual Alchemy (Poland), Mistil Games (Korea)—currently developing Time Takers, a first-person shooter—and Vic Game Studio.

My Thoughts

It’s always great to see financial support for startup studios with the AAA caliber of emptyvessel. Considering the team’s pedigree, Defect looks poised to be a standout title and a top-notch entry in the FPS genre. Check out the trailer below and let us know what you think!