Project Windless Studio Got the Reaction it Wanted With 9-Foot Tall Rooster Protagonist

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The first trailer for Project Windless surprised many viewers by featuring a nine-foot-tall rooster—called a rekon in the game—as the main character, battling enemies with different weapons. In an interview with PCGamer, creative director Patrik Méthé explained that the team at Krafton Montreal intentionally aimed for this kind of reaction.

We expected the hero’s introduction to be surprising, and I was amazed by how quickly people went from being confused to fully on board – even before the trailer was halfway through. That reaction was exactly what we were hoping for.

Krafton Montreal is developing Project Windless, a game based on the popular Korean fantasy novel The Bird That Drinks Tears by Lee Youngdo. The novel features a wide variety of races and creatures, giving the developers many choices for the game’s main character. They ultimately chose the Hero King, a historically significant but largely forgotten figure, which allows them greater creative freedom in telling the game’s story.

Méthé explained that they chose the Hero King because he’s a legendary figure. Since no one who actually knew him is still alive, they have more freedom to adapt the story. They wanted to avoid being too faithful to the novel if it meant compromising the gameplay experience.

It’s great that the Hero King, who is a rekon, also looks fantastic. Plus, rekons have unique abilities and traits that give players an advantage in the game.

The character is designed to be visually different from those usually seen in action RPGs, but its size – over eight feet tall and weighing 600 pounds – isn’t enough. It’s not simply a large human; it’s an entirely different race with unique abilities and characteristics that humans don’t possess.

I’m really excited about how much I can customize my character in Project Windless. They’re letting me shape the Hero King into exactly the kind of leader I want – whether that’s a super charismatic guy who inspires everyone, or someone who prefers to handle things solo. The creative director told me it’s all about adapting my gameplay to fit what I find most fun.

Méthé shared a few hints about upcoming features in Project Windless. He wasn’t ready to say if players will be able to customize their character’s facial hair. When asked about romance options for the main character, he remained tight-lipped, but hinted the game will focus on the story of a hero rising to power during wartime. Regarding the mysterious bird that drinks tears, Méthé explained it’s a metaphor for the burdens of leadership, confirming that players will indeed “drink tears” as they play – meaning they will experience hardship and make difficult choices.

Krafton hasn’t announced when Project Windless will be released, but they’ve stated that it’s being developed without using generative AI.

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2026-02-27 15:41