Neowiz to publish noir western RPG by Warsaw-based studio Zakazane

Neowiz has signed an $8 million global publishing rights partnership with Warsaw, Poland-based studio Zakazane to publish its debut title, the companies announced. The game is a single-player noir western RPG centered around a sheriff in a remote mining town tasked with solving a case that threatens to tear the community apart.

“Neowiz is committed to delivering remarkable, story-driven games that resonate with gamers worldwide, and we’re actively searching for talented developers with a passion for well-crafted narratives,” said Neowiz co-CEO Seung-Cheol Kim in a press release. “When we first met Zakazane, we felt an immediate kinship around their passion for developing projects that profoundly captivate audiences. Their upcoming neo-western RPG will be a key addition to our portfolio and reflects our ambition to build lasting franchises across PC and consoles. Together, we will create a brand that unites quality and storytelling for gamers to cherish for years to come.”

Zakazane CEO and co-founder Jan Barkowicz, “We found a great understanding of our vision with Neowiz, who got excited about our debut title the minute we showed them the demo. In conversations that followed, they never tried to steer us away from our principles but rather to make sure we stick to our guns. It’s clear both sides understand that games can become important to people on a personal level, making them both valuable works of culture and good business.”

Zakazane is led by Jan Bartkowicz, Piotr Chomiak, Radosław Gwarek, and Marta Sobek, and is made up of developers from prominent central European game companies, including CD Projekt RED and 11 bit studios. It previously raised $1 million in pre-seed investment led by The Games Fund to kickstart the development of their first game.