inZOI on Steam seems to be one of the most promising games for the year 2025. One of the developers of the game talked about how his son was the reason for his switch from MMOs to life simulation and how his experiences in MMOs have also helped him with inZOI.
The developer of inZOI, Hyungjun “Kjun” Kim spoke in an interview with PCGamer about his career. He has been developing video games for 20 years, but initially in a very different genre, namely MMOs. For example, he was involved in the development of Korean MMOs like Elyon or Aion.
The trailer gives you an insight into the gameplay:
Son as Inspiration for the Switch from MMO to Life Simulation
How did the developer come to the life simulation genre? The reason for the switch from MMO to life simulation is his son, says Hyungjun Kim. He has long liked the genre and has played many life simulations with his son.
One day, his son asked why there were not more games in this genre, which inspired the developer to start developing one himself. He wanted to enrich the genre with something new that could also sustainably remain in him.
The experience Hyungjun Kim gained from developing MMOs actually helped him in the development of inZOI. The design and creation of large worlds and detailed items are similar in both genres, allowing him to use his experiences.
Moreover, his skills in character customization or building integration have significantly contributed to how he was able to design inZOI as he wanted.
The parallels in development in these genres surprised the developer himself. So if some things in inZOI remind you of an MMO, it might be due to Hyungjun Kim’s previous experiences.
Finally, Hyungjun Kim mentioned what he hopes for the game: “I hope this game will be a source of beautiful memories for many people – just as it already is for me.”
The game inZOI impresses even before release in its trailers with a lot of realism. But not everything in the game is necessarily logical and realistic, as the game hosts ghosts: Whoever is too mean in inZOI on Steam will be punished by becoming a ghost and has to make amends for everything
