Roco Kingdom’s latest developer talk revealed how its Jinies shape the world and the player’s journey. Read on to learn how Morefun Studios is approaching the game’s global release and what players can expect from the upcoming beta.
Roco Kingdom Reveals More About Its Jinies and Story
Jinies Can React to Players and Their Environment
Roco Kingdom used its latest developer talk, published on the 7th of September, to reveal more about the Jinies at the center of its upcoming global release. The game joins the growing field of creature-collecting titles seen in games such as Pokémon and Palworld, with Morefun Studios explaining how the creatures were designed to shape the game's world and the player's journey through it. The presentation featured Xiaoye, Roco Kingdom’s narrative director and localization lead. He discussed the franchise’s history before introducing the new game’s story and the ideas behind its Jinies. The Dev Talk arrived ahead of the game’s first global closed beta, which is scheduled to begin on October 27.
Roco Kingdom began as a web game in China 16 years ago. Xiaoye said the original title attracted more than 300 million registered players within its first four years. He described the franchise as a part of many players' childhoods, with the original game serving as a place where they experienced adventure and formed friendships.
This legacy influenced the direction of the new game. "Carrying Roco Kingdom forward did not mean simply recreating the past," Xiaoye said during the presentation. The development team instead looked at what had kept players connected to the original world and used those ideas as the foundation for a new open-world experience.
"For us, the answer has always begun with the Jinies," he said.
The Jinies were described as living manifestations of magic that hatched from eggs. Their environments were said to shape them as they grew. As Roco Mages in the land of Carosia, players must then form bonds with these creatures.
The developers placed particular emphasis on the individuality of each Jini. Xiaoye said hundreds of them would await discovery, with differences appearing even among creatures from the same species. He added that a player could eventually become attached to a Jini they had never expected to favor.
The creatures were also designed to react to the world around them. Xiaoye said some Jinies could conceal themselves through magical disguises. Others gathered around music. Certain creatures reacted to gestures, performances, or photographs.
Those ideas were reinforced by comments Xiaoye shared in an interview with Pocket Tactics. "We make sure that for every Jinie we introduce, there’s a way to mount them or interact with them," he said. He explained that Jinies could respond to player emotes and treatment, with some becoming aggressive when mistreated while others could become frightened and flee. He also described behaviors that appeared in the wild, where Jinies followed their own routines and formed relationships with other species. "Some of them will care for their little ones," he added.
This also extends to multiplayer. Roco Kingdom was designed around a shared world where players could meet friends and spend time together. As such, players could visit one another’s Homesteads and bring their Jinies into shared activities. Morefun had also confirmed plans for cross-play across PC, console, and mobile through a unified global server outside China.
New Story Chapters Will Release Every Two Months
The Dev Talk also introduced the game's opening story. Players begin as newly admitted students traveling to Magic Academy by magical airship when a storm sends them off course. The storm affects the surrounding mountains and the Jinies living there, and its arrival signals the return of a force believed to have disappeared. Xiaoye said the story follows the player as they try to understand what happened and help the affected Jinies. He described the opening chapter as a story about "promises" and the importance of choosing to believe in someone.
"The adventure you are going to experience in the test is only its first chapter," Xiaoye said. He added that the developers intend to keep expanding the world as they listen to players worldwide.
In another interview with Inven Global, Xiaoye explained how Roco Kingdom’s story would continue after launch. "A new season will start every two months, with a new Battle Pass and story chapters unlocking weekly," he said. The larger expansions would arrive every six months. He explained that the weekly releases were intended to recreate the experience of watching animated shows and discussing new episodes with friends.
Roco Kingdom’s Quack Quack Test is scheduled to begin on October 27. Morefun said the test would also give the studio an opportunity to gather feedback from players around the world as it continues development. "Our promise is to care for this world, listen to the people who enter it, and continue making it richer, warmer, and more surprising," Xiaoye said.
For more on Roco Kingdom, check out our article below!
Source:
The World Where We Meet | Dev Talk
Discover, Fight and Collect! | Roco Kingdom Gameplay
Move over Pokémon, Roco Kingdom is the wholesome new creature collector of my dreams
Combining Creature-Collector RPG and MMO, Tencent's 'Roco Kingdom' Goes Global
