Morefun Studios and Tencent are working on a new 3D Action Fighter that’s based on The Outcast series known as The Hidden Ones. This game will include a story mode to go along with a boss rush known as Trials and a PVP mode known as Duel. The lore, martial arts and the artwork are what’s key here, but we wanted to dig down with two of the developers for The Hidden Ones to pick their minds and find out how this entire concept came about. Both the Lead Game Designer Fox Lin and Senior Game Designer Stan Fan chimed in on these questions regarding the game design and direction. You can read our full previewhere.
[Hardcore Gamer] How did the idea of converting The Outcast series into a video game come about?
[Fox Lin and Stan Fan] We have seen Mi Er’s, the author of The Outcast manhua, ambition in telling a story about the concept of being ‘human,’ their origin and their destinations. Along with the philosophical discussion, many cool Chinese-style elements such as Taoism and Martial Arts are also presented in the original manhua, these altogether make the original series so unique and interesting to be made into a game. We have also developed a very close relationship with Mi Er, and his deep involvement in our scriptwriting help us both craft a narrative that expresses the true spirit behind the Outcast franchise and The Hidden Ones.
One of the trailers included art and dialogue from Bruce Lee. Will he be part of the story or does he factor in at all?
That was a one-time collaboration and we’re really pleased with how it turned out. As for now, we don’t have plans to develop content around Bruce Lee, but you may see in-game collaborations with other renowned titles in the future. Please stay tuned!
Why was the decision to go with a 3D arena fighter selected over a 2D fighter?
The team has accumulated abundant experience in developing 2D fighters in the past ten years, but found bottlenecks in their art expression. The producer, Roy Dou, likes to apply cinematic language in storytelling and battle action design, and 3D environment and free camera movement allow them to explore the potential of cinematic techniques. Therefore, the team transitioned from 2D fighter to 3D arena fighter development for their pursuit of cinematic art style and more-varied action designs.
The team has accumulated abundant experience in developing 2D fighter in the past 10 years but found bottlenecks in their art expression.
Since cinematics play a pivotal role in the game, will the game be more focused on the story elements or on the in-game action?
Both. On the story side, we use cinematic techniques to emphasize the moods of a scene and traits of characters, all essential aspects to best tell a story. In terms of in-game action, cinematic techniques are applied in the camera movement and animation to enhance the thrill of combat and immerse players in action-filled gameplay.
What are the online options for the game and how do those elements work?
The game will provide online updates of new content from time to time. Duel also provides different Online multiplayer battle gameplay. Besides the 1v1 gameplay showcased during the preview event, we will also test a 3v3 multiplayer gameplay where each person in a 3-person team will fight head-to-head with 1 person in the opponent team in order. We’ll announce more details about this multiplayer gameplay soon as we approach our test date.
The Hidden Ones will offer a free-to-play model. Can you explain how this will work?
We will provide continuous content updates and rotating seasons.
The Hidden Ones Brings True Martial Arts to 3D Fighter
Developer Morefun Studio and Tencent are getting in on the 3D Fighter action with a heavy passion stemming from a Chinese franchise, The Outcast.
Will the story be taken directly from The Outcast or is The Hidden Ones set in the same universe?
The stories of The Outcast and The Hidden Ones are set in the same universe, but The Hidden Ones does not simply reiterate the story of The Outcast.The Hidden Ones is a reinforcing story piece to the original franchise that provides an immersive experience and dives deeper into individual characters empowered by the medium of game itself. Also, since The Outcast manhua is still updating, and we maintain a close relationship with Mi Er, The Hidden Ones story is a good complimentary piece to the Outcast if you can’t wait to learn more about the lores.
The stories of The Outcast and The Hidden Ones are set in the same universe, but The Hidden Ones does not simply reiterate the story of The Outcast.
What kinds of fighting elements can players expect and how does it compare to other 3D action arena fighters?
In The Hidden Ones, we put more emphasis on reacting fast and strategically to the opponent’s move and observing their fighting pattern. It is actually an incarnation of the spirit of Martial Arts: you need to predict your opponent’s next move and attempt to counter each move. We also encourage you to discover your own fighting style by using game mechanics flexibly and allocating in-game resources wisely.
When will the Hidden Ones be available and on what platforms?
The Hidden Ones is estimated to be launched in Q3 2025 on PC and mobile.
