{"rewrite":{"id":"r_70194d179dc757dfb5a3a20f","clusterId":"c_27b9fe00fb226b0e35796be4","slug":"dragonsword-awakening-steam-release-delayed-after-review-not-completed","model":"deepseek-v4-flash:free","headline":"DragonSword: Awakening Steam Release Delayed After Review Not Completed","summary":"Hound13 announced on July 23 that the Steam release of its open-world action RPG 'DragonSword: Awakening' has been delayed. The game was originally scheduled to launch at 7:00 AM JST on July 23, 2026, but the developer said the Steam app review process has not been completed. In a statement posted to Steam News, producer JYJ apologized for failing to account for the review schedule and said all responses to Steam's feedback have been submitted. The game is now awaiting final review results, and a new release date will be announced once confirmed. 'DragonSword: Awakening' is a buy-to-play title with no gacha elements, set in an anime-style open world built with Unreal Engine 5. It features a tag-action combat system where players switch between three characters from a roster of 19 heroes. The main story spans eight chapters with an estimated 20 hours of playtime, plus endgame content including a high-difficulty tower, puzzles, and mini-games. Online co-op is supported, but the game can be played fully offline. The standard edition is priced at 3,480 yen, with a Deluxe Edition including a digital art book, soundtrack, and exclusive Familiar also planned. A launch celebration event offering the 'Abyss Dire Wolf' Familiar DLC for free until August 31 was also announced. The developer did not comment on a contract dispute with former publisher WEBZEN.","whyItMatters":"The delay shifts attention from the game's unusual buy-to-play, no-gacha model in a genre dominated by free-to-play gacha titles to the operational hurdle of Steam's review process, which the developer admitted it underestimated.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eHound13, led by former Eyedentity Games co-founder Park Jong-sik, originally planned to release \u0026#39;DragonSword: Awakening\u0026#39; on Steam at 7:00 AM JST on July 23. The game was positioned as a buy-to-play alternative to free-to-play anime-style open-world RPGs, with all 19 characters obtainable through main quest progression or in-game currency and no gacha mechanics. The developer had previously stated it was preparing for a July 2026 launch as planned. In the Steam News announcement, producer JYJ wrote that the team had completed all responses to Steam\u0026#39;s feedback and is now awaiting the final review results. The statement did not address a contract dispute with former publisher WEBZEN, which the developer did not comment on this time. The game\u0026#39;s standard edition is priced at 3,480 yen, and a Deluxe Edition including a digital art book, original soundtrack, and exclusive Familiar \u0026#39;Brave Baby Dragon\u0026#39; was also set to launch simultaneously. Post-launch DLC such as costume sets and additional Familiars were planned to roll out sequentially. The launch celebration event offering the \u0026#39;Abyss Dire Wolf\u0026#39; Familiar DLC for free until August 31 remains announced, though its timing depends on the new release date.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Hound13 delayed DragonSword: Awakening's Steam launch on July 23 because the app review wasn't done. The developer apologized for not accounting for the review schedule.","twitterPost":"DragonSword: Awakening, a buy-to-play open-world ARPG with no gacha, missed its July 23 Steam release. Hound13 says it's waiting on final review results.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Hound13 delayed the Steam release of its open-world action RPG 'DragonSword: Awakening' on July 23 because the Steam app review was not completed. The developer apologized and said it is awaiting final review results. The game is a buy-to-play title with no gacha, priced at 3,480 yen.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/07/23/169607.html\",\"title\":\"Anime-style open-world buy-to-play ARPG 'DragonSword: Awakening' launches on Steam today, July 23! Combo battles using three characters, no gacha\"},{\"source\":\"Game Spark\",\"url\":\"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/07/23/169615.html\",\"title\":\"Anime-style open-world ARPG 'Dragon Sword: Awakening' official release delayed - Steam review not yet complete. Originally scheduled for July 23 at 7:00 AM\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":5993,"outputTokens":1155,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1784760109,"createdAt":"2026-07-22T22:32:25.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-07-22T22:35:45.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-22T22:32:25.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_27b9fe00fb226b0e35796be4","canonicalTitle":"アニメ調のオープンワールド買い切りARPG『ドラゴンソード:アウェイクニング』本日7月23日Steam配信へ！3人のキャラを使い分けるコンボバトルで、ガチャはなし","representativeArticleId":"a_182e98f1b5cd3ab7c8e14919","sourceCount":1,"writtenSourceCount":1,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"Dragon Sword: Awakening\"],\"studios\":[],\"people\":[],\"type\":\"release\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-07-22T15:05:02.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-07-22T22:22:17.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-22T22:35:45.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/07/23/169615.html","title":"アニメ調オープンワールドARPG『ドラゴンソード:アウェイクニング』正式リリース延期―Steam審査が完了してない。本日7月23日7時にリリース予定だった"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["Dragon Sword: Awakening"],"studios":[],"people":[],"type":"release","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Hound13 delayed the Steam release of 'DragonSword: Awakening' on July 23, 2026, because the Steam app review was not completed.","The game is a buy-to-play open-world action RPG with no gacha elements, priced at 3,480 yen for the standard edition.","The game features a tag-action combat system where players switch between three characters from a roster of 19 heroes.","The main story consists of eight chapters with an estimated playtime of about 20 hours, plus endgame content including a high-difficulty tower, puzzles, and mini-games.","Online co-op is supported, but the game can be fully played offline."]}