Chrono Studio

30:09 Chrono Studio is the South Korean studio that develops Chrono Odyssey; its CEO is Bae Bong-gun and its executive producer is Yun Sang-tae, and Kakao Games publishes the game. Chrono Odyssey is the studio's first game. Its relationship to Npixel, the company that revealed the game in 2020, is described two ways: Korean and English press call Chrono Studio a subsidiary of Npixel (ZDNet Korea, TheGamer), while Yun Sang-tae told the creator Kanon in June 2025 that "we are not a subsidiary of NPIXEL", that Chrono Studio is "a newly established company" and "a separate and completely independent legal entity". The history of the game is on Development History.

Quick facts

Npixel

0:11 Npixel is the Korean company that first announced Chrono Odyssey, and its logo opens the 2023 gameplay trailer. It was founded in 2017 by co-CEOs Jeong Hyun-ho and Bae Bong-gun and is known for Gran Saga (Financial Today). Npixel revealed Chrono Odyssey on Dec 4, 2020, after raising 30 billion won that November (Inven). By the end of 2023 it had an accumulated deficit of 154.4 billion won and had restructured several times (Financial Today). Today every store page names Chrono Studio as the developer, and the copyright line reads Kakao Games Corp. and CHRONO STUDIO Co., Ltd. Wikidata still lists Npixel as the developer.

Bae Bong-gun

Bae Bong-gun is Chrono Studio's CEO and a co-CEO of Npixel (ZDNet Korea); Kakao's English release called him "Spike Bong-gun Bae". He is known for DK Online and Seven Knights (Inven). In March 2023 he said on X that he had worked on Chrono Odyssey for five years and that it is meant to be enjoyed for a long time, not to be pay to win (Financial Today). After the June 2025 beta he answered players directly: on the grotesque characters some testers made, "It was honestly heartbreaking" (MassivelyOP), and on a second beta, "we currently don't have a confirmed date, and we can't guarantee whether it will happen within this year" (MassivelyOP).

Yun Sang-tae

0:54 Yun Sang-tae is Chrono Odyssey's executive producer. Meeting Kanon at Chrono Studio in Seoul, he describes his role as "setting the direction during the development process, ensuring all developers share the same vision." He signs his Steam letters "Yun Sang Tae" (Steam); Kakao Games' English press release writes "Sangtae Yoon" (Kakao Games), and Korean press calls him the lead PD (iNews24). He answered player questions on Discord in February and May 2026 (Icy Veins, MassivelyOP). He promised that the game "will never have pay-to-win elements", with a shop of cosmetics and a battle pass; see Price and Business Model.

Other people

0:10 The studio's Developer Interview #1 (May 23, 2025) opens with its executive producer and with Don, "one of the product managers working on Chrono Odyssey", whom Korean press names as Kakao Games product manager Don Hudson (iNews24). Composer Cris Velasco (God of War, StarCraft, Overwatch) has scored the game since its 2020 reveal (Inven). The 2023 trailer credits named producer Samuel Seo, technical director Ken Kang and art director Tei Yoon (RPG Site); none has been named in a newer official post.

Team size

0:07 The only published team size comes from Epic's State of Unreal at GDC 2024, where a Chrono Studio presenter introduced the game on stage. MassivelyOP reported that the talk described it as made since 2021 by "over 120 developers" (MassivelyOP, Apr 2, 2024). No newer figure has been published, and no layoffs or new funding specific to Chrono Studio have been reported, as of Oct 21, 2026.

Kakao Games, the publisher

0:20 Kakao Games publishes Chrono Odyssey; the GDC 2024 trailer shows the Chrono Studio logo, then Kakao Games'. The deal was announced on Mar 20, 2024 (Mar 21 in Korea): Kakao Games holds the rights for Korea and worldwide except China and Russia and gives "comprehensive support" in localization, marketing and community (Kakao Games, ZDNet Korea). No financial terms were published, and no publisher for China or Russia has been announced. Kakao Games announces the release windows on its earnings calls: Han Sang-woo spoke for the game as CEO in 2024 and 2025, and co-CEOs Lee Si-woo and Kim Tae-hwan in 2026 (Inven Global). The current window is on Release Date.

32:50 The two companies aim for one global game. Yun Sang-tae tells Kanon that, "excluding certain countries", Chrono Odyssey aims for a simultaneous global launch with updates released at the same time in every region, and that the launch date "is something we can't officially discuss yet". Kakao Games said the same to MassivelyOP in June 2025: "a fully synchronized, simultaneous launch across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S" (MassivelyOP).

How the studio talks to players

31:19 Chrono Studio speaks mostly through Steam posts, Discord and X. Kanon notes that the developers held a Discord call with a translator after the test he played, which he calls the first time he saw Korean developers seek Western feedback that directly. Since the June 2025 beta the studio has published a community wrap-up and six Developer Notes, the newest on Sep 22, 2026, and has answered questions in two Discord Q&As (February and May 2026). The official Discord opened in May 2025 (Steam).

Frequently asked questions

Who makes Chrono Odyssey? Chrono Odyssey is developed by Chrono Studio, a South Korean studio led by CEO Bae Bong-gun with executive producer Yun Sang-tae, and published by Kakao Games.

Is Chrono Odyssey a Korean game? Yes. Chrono Odyssey is developed by Chrono Studio in South Korea and published by the Korean company Kakao Games, for a simultaneous global launch.

Is Kakao Games the developer of Chrono Odyssey? No. Kakao Games is Chrono Odyssey's publisher in Korea and worldwide except China and Russia; Chrono Studio develops it.

Is Chrono Studio part of Npixel? Press reports describe Chrono Studio as an Npixel subsidiary, and its CEO Bae Bong-gun is also co-CEO of Npixel, but Chrono Odyssey's executive producer Yun Sang-tae said in June 2025 that Chrono Studio is a separate, independent company and not a subsidiary of Npixel.

Who is the director of Chrono Odyssey? Chrono Odyssey's executive producer is Yun Sang-tae (he signs "Yun Sang Tae"; Kakao Games writes "Sangtae Yoon"), who sets the game's direction; Bae Bong-gun is Chrono Studio's CEO.

How big is the Chrono Odyssey team? The only published figure for Chrono Odyssey's team is "over 120 developers", from the GDC 2024 presentation as MassivelyOP reported it.

Sources

• Chrono Studio, Chrono Studio, read Oct 20, 2026
• Chrono Odyssey official site, Kakao Games, read Oct 20, 2026
• Chrono Odyssey on Steam, Valve, read Oct 20, 2026
• Letter from the Chrono Odyssey Producer, Chrono Odyssey on Steam, Aug 8, 2024
• Official Discord & Fandom Wiki Now Open, Chrono Odyssey on Steam, May 16, 2025
• Kakao Games to publish Chrono Studio's Chrono Odyssey globally, Kakao Games via Game Developer, Mar 20, 2024
• Chrono Odyssey closed beta confirmed for June 20th to 22nd, Kakao Games via Game Developer, Jun 6, 2025
• Npixel reveals Chrono Odyssey, Inven, Dec 4, 2020
• Bae Bong-gun on Chrono Odyssey, Financial Today, Mar 10, 2023
• Npixel's finances, Financial Today, Jun 19, 2024
• Kakao Games signs Chrono Odyssey, ZDNet Korea, Mar 21, 2024
• Npixel shares gameplay reveal trailer and screenshots for MMORPG Chrono Odyssey, RPG Site, May 4, 2023
• Chrono Odyssey pitches its time travel format, announces that it's coming to the Epic Store, MassivelyOP, Apr 2, 2024
• Chrono Odyssey developer interview, iNews24, May 23, 2025
• Interview: Kakao on Chrono Odyssey's global parity, opt-out PvP, and embracing MMORPGs, MassivelyOP, Jun 4, 2025
• Chrono Odyssey beta, TheGamer, Jun 20, 2025
• Chrono Odyssey confirms restrictions to limit strange and uncomfortable player-created characters, MassivelyOP, Jun 26, 2025
• Chrono Odyssey addresses combat and performance, says CBT2 may not happen this year, MassivelyOP, Jul 7, 2025
• Sang-Tae Yun Q&A, Icy Veins, Feb 12, 2026
• Chrono Odyssey addresses questions about its newly unveiled progression system and NPC helpers, MassivelyOP, May 19, 2026
• Kakao Games: Odin Q to launch next January, no delays, Inven Global, Aug 4, 2026
• EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW - My Full Interview with Chrono Odyssey's Lead (ENG/한), Kanon, Jun 9, 2025 (video)
• Chrono Odyssey | Developer Interview #1, Chrono Odyssey, May 23, 2025 (video)
• Chrono Odyssey | Official Gameplay Trailer (4K), Chrono Odyssey, May 3, 2023 (video)
• Chrono Odyssey by Chrono Studios | State of Unreal | GDC 2024, Unreal Engine, Mar 30, 2024 (video)
• Chrono Odyssey | State of Unreal | GDC 2024, Chrono Odyssey, Mar 20, 2024 (video)