NC

〈Lineage W〉 is a global one-build game that brings people together from a diverse set of backgrounds and cultures, and provides a field for entertainment and competition. It is filled with an atmosphere of communication. This led to a prominent question on how to provide a shared experience of entertainment for players with gaming experiences from different countries ever since 〈Lineage W〉 projected its name onto the global stage. Thus, 〈Lineage W〉 set a goal to bring famous IPs representing each country into its world. The first collaboration with Berserk, a Japanese manga with a vast worldview, opened the prelude.

〈Lineage W〉 continued to search for partners to collaborate with, to express specialty and differentiate from the first collaboration at the same time. Free of genre constraints in collaboration, 〈Lineage W〉 decided to partner with WONSOJU after a series of considerations. This is how 〈Lineage W〉 and WONSOJU teamed up. Discover more on how the Lineage W X WONSOJU collaboration was planned, and what was highlighted inside the collaborative project of the two brands.

〈Lineage W〉 selected WONSOJU in the course of planning a collaboration because of the following sentence.

“FOR THE PAST & TO THE FUTURE. A shot of prized liquor after minor and major accomplishments, after victory over myself.”

The phrase shares the value pursued by Lineage.

“Fierce rivalry over one and only supremacy and honor shared with 血盟WON(Blood Pledge WON) after victory.”

Therefore, it was expected that the values pursued by the two brands could be conveyed more clearly through collaboration.

WONSOJU, a leading brand in Korea's traditional liquor trend, has set its sight on the global stage. WONSOJU believed that the collaboration must produce captivating products, by extension, genuinely deliver the identity that the brand pursues. As WONSOJU strives to become the representative soju brand of Korea and to step onto the global stage, collaboration with 〈Lineage W〉 will be instrumental in opening the door to the world beyond Korea.

WONSOJU had been aspiring for collaboration with a new twist. The first field that came to mind was games. Most of all, 〈Lineage W〉 was deemed most suitable considering its powerful fandom and community. The two brands even shared similar brand identities (BI). After meeting NC and going through the materials only provided positive assurance. NC was a perfect match for the visuals, one ever possible.

“Looking at the preparation process and results, you can picture the internal reaction of WONSOJU. It was a dream team. Every idea we came up with during the preparation came alive in the game and in reality. Together we became a team, a true 血盟WON (Blood Pledge WON),” the WONSOJU official said.

Of course, the attempt to capture WONSOJU in a game and 〈Lineage W〉 in actual goods had challenges. It was of utmost importance to set precise criteria so that everyone could move towards a shared goal from the start, and close discussion had to be carried out with these criteria. Creating a new game and a new brand at the same time required closer cooperation with not only relevant departments in NC but also with WONSOJU.

The brand identity went through the most elaborate preparation for the collaboration of the two brands. In other words, merging the worldview of the brands was of primary importance. It also meant that it carried the most difficulty. The team tried to convey the image of 〈Lineage W〉 inside the BI of WONSOJU, an image of a drop of distilled spirit starting a ripple effect.

Monarch, the representative symbol of 〈Lineage W〉, was inserted into the label as part of the collaborative work. However, the original image of the Monarch could not be used because of the wheat in hand. As WONSOJU is a liquor brand made from Korean rice, wheat might impair the authenticity of the product. Therefore, the art team of 〈Lineage W〉 recreated the image of Monarch by replacing wheat with rice.

The design also combined the logo font of WONSOJU and the Divine Emperor's Blade of Execution. The collaboration was proposed by WONSOJU. The Divine Emperor's Blade of Execution is a design element that can clearly express the collaboration with Lineage IP. The Divine Emperor's Blade of Execution had to capture the style of 〈Lineage W〉 and the atmosphere of medieval times. Hence the Divine Emperor's Blade of Execution for this collaboration was fashioned separately by the UX Center which created the BI of 〈Lineage W〉.

The four symbols at the corners of the WONSOJU logo have been replaced with the class symbols in 〈Lineage W〉. Each represents Monarch, Knight, Mage, and Elf. This is how the main label for the ‘WONSOJU Classic 〈Lineage W〉 edition’ was designed. It became the basis of planning videos and in-game content. The design allows the carefully crafted brand identity to stand out in collaboration-inspired merchandise and in WONSOJU’s products.

The focus for producing the teaser video, ‘W X W,’ was set on revealing the common values the two brands pursue: success, victory, and hope for the future. It was to liven up by displaying the common attributes of the two brands. This is reflected in the video of a person marching toward the top of the world. Although 〈Lineage W〉 was hidden behind the veil in the teaser video, the throne and crown that have made regular appearances on 〈Lineage W〉 videos before offer hints in this teaser video.

The launching video, ‘TO VICTORY,’ trumpets the collaboration by adding the logo of WONSOJU over the battle scene, a scene that naturally comes to mind when one thinks of Lineage. The emblem of WONSOJU is also painted on the flag symbolizing victory. Also, a new soundtrack for the siege with added grandeur was composed by the sound center and has been inserted into the launch video.

〈Lineage W〉 meticulously embodies the atmosphere of medieval fantasy. Captivating the audience with such a unique tone and manner is one of its key tasks. 〈Lineage W〉 wanted to embody its key elements including the Blood Pledge and Monarch in this collaboration as well.

As the product for collaboration with WONSOJU was ‘WONSOJU CLASSIC,’ chess was most suitable for conveying a medieval and classic feeling. Since chess is a game where the players must fight over control of a square, its board and pieces are the best matches with 〈Lineage W〉 considering how the game runs cell/grid unit battle. The chess board and pieces are indeed frequently featured in 〈Lineage W〉. Therefore, it was deemed that crafting it into a real chess set would strike a note of relatability. All the components in the chessboard set were inspired by the representative heroes of 〈Lineage W〉 and were crafted with the solid and meticulous touch of craftsmen in Korea.

By the same token, an antique pewter cup was designed to convey the classic medieval style and to add a taste of Blood Pledge. A picture symbolizing the Blood Pledge and alliance is engraved on the pewter cup.

血盟WON(Blood Pledge WON), a pop-up shop for this collaboration will be open from September 15th to 18th.  血盟WON(Blood Pledge WON) is coined from ‘血盟(혈맹),’ a community in 〈Lineage W〉, and ‘WON’ from WONSOJU. A special edition of WONSOJU and a limited edition of merchandise that will only be available at the shop will be stocked at the shop. 血盟WON(Blood Pledge WON) exudes an atmosphere of medieval Europe, entertains visitors with various games such as darts and archery, and narrates the stories of Blood Pledge. 血盟WON(Blood Pledge WON) offers to be more than a shop or a showroom. It aims to become a place where people can feel free to enjoy a space that resonates with the "Blood Pledge Culture."

Aden World is based on medieval Western fantasy. It means that alcohol in Aden is only made of wheat or grapes, not rice. However, WONSOJU is distilled alcoholic beverage traditionally made from rice. Accordingly, introducing this unique drink to Aden would be special and refreshing. The special quest story for this collaboration was weaved with such imagination.

Players can learn the manufacturing and advantages of Korean traditional liquor while completing the story quest. Players can also collect ‘Oak Won Soju Barrel Morph Skin’ and ‘Won Soju Elf Won Magic Doll Skin’ from September 14th to November 9th by completing the event quests. Don’t forget to check out the specially designed chess board engraved with the WONSOJU logo in Morph and Magic Doll draw scene.

〈Lineage W〉 is constantly challenging itself so that the players can experience cultural diversity in its world-building. Hopefully, the Lineage W x WONSOJU collaboration will be a meaningful gift for the 〈Lineage W〉 players and WONSOJU enthusiasts.

〈Lineage W〉 is continuing to think of ways to present new entertaining experiences to its players in order to introduce diverse cultures and eventually build comradeship among players worldwide. Although details for the upcoming collaboration await behind the veil as a surprise, more unique collaborations will come in the future.