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Wuthering Waves version 1.3 Fully Embraces its Sci-Fi Roots - Tokyo Game Show 2024

Jason Rodriguez Posted:
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Interviews 0

Wuthering Waves, a massive free-to-play RPG from Kuro Games released back in May. When I initially tried it, I felt that it was just your average isekai story–a blank slate of a character with no memory of their past finds themselves in an unknown world; they ally with other heroes and fend off planet-annihilating threats. The narrative arc, at a glance, didn’t necessarily keep me enthused months ago. Then, version 1.3, To the Shore’s End, was released. All I can say is that I’m glad that Wuthering Waves is fully embracing zany and convoluted sci-fi themes.

As an aside, I should mention that I was able to play the Wuthering Waves version 1.3 build several days before its launch. I was also able to visit Kuro Games’ booth at the Tokyo Game Show, where I met with Fang Heqi and Li Zhongxi, part of the studio’s marketing department. Together, they helped me get in touch with the developers to help me understand the studio’s approach when making one of the biggest F2P games on the market today.

Tokyo Game Show Wuthering Waves

Wuthering Waves’ To the Shore’s End update has numerous new additions, including 5-star character Shorekeeper and 4-star character Youhu. There are also new 5-star and 4-star weapons, enemy echoes, events, and companion missions. However, it’s the Chapter I: Act VIII main quest, the eponymous To the Shore’s End mission, that takes center stage, as it leads you to the Black Shores.

The region, which is controlled by an organization with the same name, is shrouded in mystery, and is actually separate from other areas on the world map. What makes it particularly interesting is that it’s heavily tied to the backstory of the Rover, the player’s main character. From version 1.0 where you’re only given bits and pieces about your character’s past, akin to a puzzle that you had to piece together, you soon learn about the pivotal role that they played.

The Black Shores is also the home of many scientists and researchers who actively investigated phenomena in the region. Likewise, there are countless KU robots wandering around, many of whom pay their respects to the Rover or call them their master.

Wuthering Waves 1.3

Perhaps the most intriguing role is that of the Shorekeeper, an enigmatic entity who seems to have known the Rover for a very long time. It’s here where things took a turn from isekai story to full-on sci-fi shenanigans.

First, you’ve got sections that are formed by giant pillars of corrupted data, which you need to navigate; the camera even turns to follow you around, almost similar to a platformer in that regard. Then, there’s a segment where a KU robot assists you in creating wormholes, allowing you to pass through rooms and obstacles, a bit like the game’s own version of Portal’s mechanics. At one point, I even found myself in a distant location known as Tethys’ Deep, which became accessible once I crossed the open sea by way of a rather nondescript Aetherfin challenge (i.e. spectral blue fish that float along the coast).

Given that version 1.3 introduces a region that seems to be far more technologically advanced than other places on the world map, as well as a rather huge advancement in terms of the narrative arc, I sought to understand Kuro Games’ philosophy with this particular release.

MMORPG: Can you tell me about how the team conceptualized content in Wuthering Waves version 1.3? What made the team decide on the Black Shores as the new zone and what were the ideas that inspired upcoming locations?

Kuro Games: As developers of a long-term live-service game, our goal with each new version is to deliver fresh and high-quality experiences to players. Achieving this goal requires a coherent, long-term version development plan. Version 1.3, packed with rich content, is part of this larger roadmap. Following the Moon-Chasing Festival event in Version 1.2, Version 1.3 will introduce new main storylines, new characters, new maps, new Echoes, new weapons, new gameplay, and new events, etc. We hope players will be pleased with what this update brings.

As for the Black Shores becoming a new region, it can be said that the story naturally leads us there. The establishment of the Black Shores is one of the narrative threads we've been building upon. Back in Version 1.0, we already hinted that Rover would eventually arrive at the Black Shores. The upcoming new regions will also be closely tied to our evolving storylines and lore.

MMORPG: How do you find the right balance between sci-fi themes and adding traditional fantasy elements?

Kuro Games: We've already introduced a variety of characters and regions to players, but there's much more to come! From Jinzhou to the Black Shores, players can already experience how different styles of regions coexist within our game.

Regarding the various concepts we choose, the key is always to ensure that players can immerse themselves and feel connected to our world. We won't restrict ourselves by adhering to any specific theme or concept as long as we accomplish our goal.

MMORPG: Can you mention your top three team compositions and why you chose them?

Have fellow developers gotten into friendly debates on what makes their particular team composition better?

Kuro Games: Team composition is one of the joys of our game. As a core aspect of the combat builds, the team composition highlights the strategic depth of our battle system. We wouldn't say there's a "best" setup, as each character has their own unique strengths, and each team composition serves a different purpose. However, Verina has certainly earned her spot as a player-favorite healer. With the introduction of the Shorekeeper in Version 1.3, Verina can finally alleviate some of her burden.

As for debates among the dev team, they happen all the time. We believe that voicing opinions and fostering discussions are the best way to make the right decisions. Every developer has their favorite team compositions—though lately, it seems like everyone's been obsessively using the Shorekeeper.

MMORPG: Can you share with me one or two examples of feedback that you received from fans that made you think “Wow, this is a great idea” — but it’s ultimately not something that would be feasible or doable due to certain limitations?

Kuro Games: Player feedback is incredibly important to us, and we have a convincing record of listening to our community. Every time we see comments like "KURO listened!" in the player community, it reassures us that our efforts are being recognized. We will continue to maintain this approach in our future development process.

As for the feedback that made us say "Wow, that's a great idea" or "This player made an excellent point," we genuinely make an effort to implement those ideas and iterate on them. While some changes may not be immediate, we strive to incorporate them in future updates. To date, we've completed dozens of patches and fixes, implementing thousands of optimizations—such as improvements to targeting and camera angles, adjustments to activity tasks, and various tweaks to the progression system. Performance optimizations, 120 FPS support, and enhancing the controller experience are all ongoing efforts that we'll continue to refine in future versions.

If Wuthering Waves’ version 1.3 To the Shore’s End release is any indication, then we’re likely to see further advancement of the Rover’s arc moving forward, hopefully without too many fillers or segments where you get sidetracked. I, for one, am interested in seeing how Kuro Games handles the pacing of the story.


JasonRodriguezPH

Jason Rodriguez

Jason Rodriguez is a freelance writer from the Philippines. He primarily focuses on game guides and reviews. He's written for various sites, including GameSpot, Digital Trends, the Epic Games Store, PCGamesN, Polygon, and, now, MMORPG.com as well.