DragonSword: Awakening Gacha Removal & Premium Model Guide

#The Removal of Gacha Mechanics

The game was originally designed as a gacha title. After Hound13’s contract with publisher Webzen was terminated, the studio pivoted to a package‑game format. In the May 2026 AMA, CEO Park explained: “After our contract with publisher Webzen was terminated, we pivoted to a package game format. Practically speaking, our team had also shrunk significantly, making a live service very difficult to sustain.” Hound13 officially states that the former gacha mechanics were removed, and the game is now sold as a premium package rather than a character‑gacha game.

One pre‑release reviewer reports that “everything gameplay related can be earned in game with the only paid extras as cosmetics,” and that the game “doesn’t constantly feel like it’s trying to squeeze money out of your wallet every 5 minutes.”

#The Premium Model: Editions and DLC

DragonSword: Awakening is sold as a one-time purchase on Steam, with an optional Deluxe Pack DLC:

• Base game – $29.99 in the checked US store.
• Deluxe Pack – $19.99 as a separate DLC containing a digital artbook, soundtrack and the exclusive Familiar “Brave Baby Dragon.”

Paid DLC currently includes costumes and selected Familiars:

• Costume DLC – Five costumes (for Ornette, Cerese, Theresia, Dana, and Kalsion), each with a dedicated weapon costume. Additional costumes, including two swimsuit costumes for Reina and Astria, are planned for post‑launch updates.
• Familiar DLC – Roughly one‑third of the game’s 30 familiars are sold as DLC; the remaining two‑thirds are obtainable directly through gameplay.

No other microtransactions exist. The Post‑Launch Roadmap Q&A confirms: “Aside from the Costume and Familiar DLC mentioned above, there are no separate in‑game microtransactions.”

#Core Content Accessibility

All playable heroes and core content are obtainable through gameplay. The Post‑Launch Roadmap explicitly states that the four new heroes planned for the second half of the year “are included in the full version — not paid DLC — and will be developed regardless of sales.” The AMA summary further confirms that playable heroes and core content are stated to be obtainable through gameplay.

The Steam page describes the game as a story‑driven action RPG with character collecting mechanics, dungeon content, and crafting systems, all accessible without additional purchases.

#Developer Philosophy and Future Plans

CEO Park noted that the team wanted DragonSword: Awakening to remain playable offline forever, avoiding the fate of online games that disappear when service ends. If the game performs well, Hound13 also plans to release their previous title Hundred Soul in package form. This philosophy underpins the removal of gacha and the shift to a premium model.

#What This Means for Players

Instead of gambling for characters or gear, players pay a single upfront price and unlock everything through normal progression. The only optional purchases are cosmetic costumes and a small number of familiars. This model removes character gacha from the base game. Optional paid Costume and Familiar DLC still exist, so claims about their exact gameplay impact should follow the current store description or reproducible testing.

#Sources

• Why DragonSword Awakening Will Surprise You – Honest Game Review
• DragonSword: Awakening on Steam
• DragonSword: Awakening – AMA Summary (May 2026)
• Post‑Launch Roadmap & Q&A – Stream #4 Recap