Earlier this month, Final Weapon had the opportunity to attend a preview event in Los Angeles hosted by GRYPHLINE for Arknights: Endfield. We went hands-on with the for around seven hours, walking away “impressed by the potential” of the project. In addition to our hands-on time, we had a chance to interview Producer Light Zhong and Endfield‘s Lead Designer, Ryan.
In our discussion, we spoke about the initial departure of Endfield from Arknights, development hurdles, and whether or not Endfield is a good entry point for the series.
Get all the details in our exclusive interview below:
Arknights: Endfield seems like a pretty big departure for the series. What was the team’s approach in finding a balance between old and new in order to bring in new players, but also not alienate those who are already invested in Arknights?
As a title within the Arknights IP, Endfield naturally includes elements that long-time players will find familiar, so they might grasp certain aspects more quickly. But from the very beginning, our goal has been for both new and existing players to enjoy the game without barriers and to come together as one unified Endfield community. That said, Endfield differs greatly from Arknights in terms of gameplay. In fact, players familiar with action, strategy, or factory-style games might have a slight advantage. We’ve also put a lot of effort into onboarding and tutorials to help newcomers get comfortable quickly and simply enjoy the experience.
Were there any roadblocks you ran into during development that ended up being a welcome learning experience for the team?
We definitely ran into some challenges during development. One clear example was the transition from 2D cutscenes to a fully 3D presentation. In the original Arknights, story elements were primarily 2D illustrations and text, but with Endfield, our goal was to bring everything to life in 3D, including character animations, camera work, and cinematic storytelling.
At first, this created quite a few hurdles, and we went through a lot of trial and error to get it right. However, these challenges became a valuable learning experience. They pushed us to elevate the visual presentation, giving the cutscenes and combat a strong cinematic feel, while also refining character designs to balance anime style with realism and improve overall immersion.
Overall, it was a lot of trial and error, but those experiments helped us discover the cinematic style we preferred and gave us valuable insights for further optimization.
How much did Hypergryph’s experience with tower-defense mechanics play into the base-building aspect of Endfield?
Hypergryph’s experience with tower-defense games definitely influenced the base-building system in Endfield. In tower-defense games, players think strategically about placement, resource management, and efficiency, and we applied a similar mindset to Endfield’s factory and base systems. Players plan production lines, automate processes, and organize their layouts, making the system intuitive yet deep.
Even in the test version, players can see echoes of tower-defense mechanics in the factory construction. We designed outpost defense gameplay so that base-building isn’t just about progression or rewards—it’s also part of the combat experience.
How much more of a focus on narrative will Endfield have?
Endfield places a strong focus on narrative. The story is brought to life through full 3D cutscenes, animated character performances, and environmental storytelling woven directly into gameplay.
We added new cutscenes, lively character interactions, and detailed environments like Wuling City to create a more immersive and cinematic experience. The team learned a lot from iterating on story delivery, balancing visual style, realism, and narrative flow, and we’ll continue refining this as the game evolves.
Would you say Endfield is a sign of where you would like to take Arknights, or do you plan on further experimentation with the IP?
Endfield is our way of exploring new possibilities for the Arknights IP. It brings a more next-gen, stylized visual presentation and gameplay experience. But I believe Arknights as a universe has great depth, inclusivity, and potential—it can connect with many different forms of content, even beyond games. Just like how every year we see both amazing indie titles and major releases coexist, Arknights can also continue to grow in diverse directions.
Would you say that Endfield is a good jumping-in point for the series for newcomers?
Our goal has been for both new and existing players to enjoy the game without barriers and to come together as one unified Endfield community. That said, Endfield differs greatly from Arknights in terms of gameplay. In fact, players familiar with action, strategy, or factory-style games might have a slight advantage.. We’ve also put a lot of effort into onboarding and tutorials to help newcomers get comfortable quickly and simply enjoy the experience.
