[Edaily Reporter Ahn Yu-ri] #Krafton’s creative studio Neon Giant presented a case study on the implementation of “Port Desire,” an open-world city built using Unreal Engine 5, at “Unreal Fest 2026,” a game development event held in the U.S. from the 16th to the 18th.

Tor Frick, Creative Director at Neon Giant, introduced the approach to creating the city in the upcoming title “NO LAW” during a presentation held on the 17th (local time). Neon Giant is a small, elite studio composed of about 20 veteran developers. Adopting “Density Over Scale” as its development principle, the studio brought to life “Port Desire,” the port city that serves as the main setting for “NO LAW.”

The city was brought to life using the studio’s proprietary tools alongside various technologies from Unreal Engine 5. “Nanite” was used to incorporate hand-crafted details and high visual density into a city that transitions seamlessly without performance degradation or loading screens. By combining “Lumen” and “MegaLights,” the team implemented a real-time lighting and weather system featuring hundreds of active light sources simultaneously; this lighting goes beyond mere visual effects to directly influence the movement of enemy AI and the player’s gameplay. Combined with “Mass Framework” and “MetaHuman,” the streets are filled with over 3,000 diverse citizens, completing a detailed and realistic city.

The presentation also revealed how the city’s lighting and environment influence gameplay. If a player shoots a streetlight, plunging a specific area into darkness, enemies react differently based on the changes in light, shadows, and sound. Furthermore, the development team combined PCG, Niagara Data Channels, and Chaos Physics to create a living world where thousands of environmental particles and destruction effects react instantly to player actions.

Thor Frick said, “Thanks to the latest technology in Unreal Engine 5, we were able to overcome the limitations that had previously hindered development and create the world we’ve wanted to build for years without compromise,” adding, “We look forward to the day when players can experience Port Desire for themselves.”

NO LAW is an immersive open-world FPS game set in the cyber-noir-style port city of Port Desire. Players take on the role of “Grey Harker,” a former soldier, and can navigate the city in various ways, from stealthy infiltration to head-on assaults. NO LAW is currently in development for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, and will be published by Krafton.