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Chrono Dispatch - June 20, 2025

『Chrono Dispatch』 has linked to your timeline.


Hello, Ascenders!

Welcome to the third Chrono Dispatch.


[h3]◼ Next Fest Has Concluded![/h3]



During this Next Fest, more Ascenders than ever joined us in-game!

Thanks to all the valuable reviews you left, we even achieved a recent rating of "Overwhelmingly Positive". We sincerely appreciate your support!


Some of our most enthusiastic Ascenders know that we ran a survey to gather your thoughts on future development. That survey gave us a clear picture of which content you want most!

In this Dispatch, we’ll revisit those results and talk about the path ahead.



First, strengthening the systems for item farming and crafting was the top request! We were thrilled to see it aligns perfectly with the direction we’ve been heading.

Requests for new stages and sustainable content came in second. We’ll keep adding diverse areas and challenges to ensure your adventure never grows stale.

There were also features that received more—or less—interest than expected, which we found intriguing. But fewer votes doesn’t mean an idea gets ignored! Based on your detailed feedback for each item, we’ll be reshuffling our long-term development priorities.

Thank you to all Ascenders who played passionately and took the time to complete the survey.



[h3]◼ Optimization Update News[/h3]

While Next Fest gave us clues about our future roadmap, it also highlighted some performance bottlenecks that were getting in the way of smooth play. Thank you again to everyone who reported issues and shared feedback!

In this update, we’ve resolved various performance bottlenecks across the game so you can enjoy a smoother experience.




◼ Projectile Handling Optimization

We’ve partially mitigated the frame drops caused by firing many projectiles at once.

Previously, you may have noticed major drops when multiple projectile hits triggered simultaneously. Now, we’ve simplified collision detection for high-hit attacks and removed unnecessary updates to reduce the computational load.


◼ Enemy Entity Optimization

We’ve also addressed the frame drops that occurred when enemy counts surged after entering Stage 2.

While we already limited updates to active combatants, performance still lagged when too many enemies appeared. We’ve introduced new logic to drastically lower update frequency, so you’ll see more stable performance even amidst large hordes.


◼ Terrain Collision Optimization

We minimized the calculations for interacting with collision objects placed throughout the map.

In the past, moving around would trigger excessive collision checks; now the overall collision complexity is simplified to reduce the processing burden.


◼ Unnecessary Update Minimization

We’ve tightened restrictions on update calls for objects that aren’t visible or affecting gameplay.

By variably adjusting execution frequency for background object updates, AI logic, and other repeated computations, the CPU can focus on core tasks.



It’s not perfect yet, but you should notice a clear step up in performance!

Next up, we’ll tackle graphics rendering optimizations to eliminate more bottlenecks and improve stability on additional hardware—so stay tuned!



[h3]◼ Keep Journeying With Us![/h3]

Your passion and feedback during Next Fest have been a powerful driving force. We’ll continue listening to every Ascender’s voice and repay you with even more polished updates!

Thank you.


『Chrono Dispatch』 has unlinked from your timeline.

Demo Update - June 20, 2025

Hello, Ascenders!

Here are the detailed changes coming in the June 20 update:


[h3]⚪ Optimization Updates[/h3]

  • Simplified collision detection for certain projectiles that were causing performance drops, optimizing the amount of computation required.
  • Optimized the update frequency of non-engaged enemy entities to ensure stable performance during combat.
  • Simplified collision complexity for map terrain to improve performance.
  • Optimized updates for non-impacting objects during play for better performance.



[h3]⚪ Bug Fixes & Additional Updates[/h3]

  • Improved an issue causing temporary freezing when defeating certain monsters in the Desert Zone.
  • Enhanced the visibility of some VFX.
  • Remastered the internal terrain of the Dimensional Portal.
  • Partially remastered the appearance of enemies in Stage 2.
  • Fixed an issue allowing invalid resolutions in fullscreen mode.
  • Fixed an issue where some gadget uses would not trigger weapon attacks.
  • Fixed an issue where Elite and Boss enemy icons sometimes remained after death.
  • Improved an issue where the game would not progress from a black screen after relaunching.




[h3]Play Now![/h3]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3279910/

Thank you!

- Ascend to ZERO Team

Demo Update - June 13, 2025

Hello, Ascenders!

With Next Fest now underway, Ascenders from around the globe have joined us in droves! Thanks to your unprecedented enthusiasm and response, the festival is more vibrant and fun than ever.

Riding this wave of excitement, we have some additional news and updates to share!


[h3]⚪ Participating in the KRAFTON Publisher Sale![/h3]



Ascend to ZERO is featured as a demo in this KRAFTON Publisher Sale event!

Following our appearance on various game streams and at Next Fest, you can now find the Ascend to ZERO demo during the KRAFTON Publisher Sale as well. We’d greatly appreciate your support—please try the demo and leave your valuable feedback to help shape future updates.

More news is on the way, so stay tuned!



[h3]⚪ What’s New in This Update[/h3]

Meanwhile, we’re working hard to quickly address improvements and fixes discovered through playtesting. With this patch, we’re pleased to share that several issues have been resolved:

  • Improved handling of enemy attacks that triggered immediately upon time stop release.
  • Enhanced visibility of item drop effects.
  • Reduced delays on certain actions for a smoother control feel.
  • Optimized parts of the inventory UI for better performance.
  • Added health value displays to help you predict boss HP more easily.
  • Fixed an anomaly that occurred when damage numbers exceeded a certain threshold.
  • Corrected an issue where unlock hints for equipment slots sometimes appeared even when conditions weren’t met.
  • Improved sound layering to prevent abnormally loud overlapping audio.


[h3]Some Crash Issues & Recommended Workarounds[/h3]

We’ve identified unexpected crashes on certain setups and are investigating root causes. In particular, some graphics driver versions have shown a potential for conflicts.

If you’re experiencing persistent crashes, we recommend updating your graphics drivers to the latest version—or rolling back to a stable previous version. If the problem persists, please report it in our Steam discussion board or on Discord. We appreciate your reports!



We remain committed to refining your game experience and will continue gathering your feedback to make Ascend to ZERO shine even brighter.

Enjoy the events and content we’ve prepared, and thank you for staying with us throughout the festival!


[h3]Play Now![/h3]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3279910/

Thank you!

- Ascend to ZERO Team

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Special Voice Actor Update! – June 11, 2025 Demo Update

Hello, Ascenders!
As we teased last time, we can finally reveal our special guest!

It’s Akari Kito joining the world of Ascend to ZERO.


[h3]⚪ Hear the Voice of Akari Kito![/h3]



Akari Kito delivers captivating Japanese CV performances for six different avatars. Experience each character’s unique emotions brought to life through her delicate acting!

Plus, brand-new exclusive voices for the Next Fest special avatar skin have also been recorded. Immerse yourself even deeper with this voice package prepared exclusively for the festival!

Play now to check out the new Japanese voice content that comes with the limited-time skin.


[h3]⚪ Additional Update Details[/h3]

Beyond the voice update, this patch also includes bug fixes and various improvements.


  • Fixed an issue where some effects appeared to play while time was stopped.
  • Adjusted the UI update cycle to improve performance.
  • Corrected abnormal DPS readings when the value exceeded certain thresholds.
  • Improved visibility of the stamina UI display.
  • Fixed an issue where items were difficult to pick up in certain high-drop scenarios.
  • Addressed a bug where acquired skill chips would sometimes disappear unexpectedly.
  • Fixed abnormal skill chip activations during time stop.
  • Resolved an issue where some summoned boss minions would continuously respawn.
  • Reduced the duration of drone weapons, increasing their damage to enhance usability.
  • Aligned weapon-application UI displays for skill chip effects to match actual weapon effects.
  • Nerfed projectile-related effects on certain gadgets.
  • Improved monster spawn logic to prevent spawning in incorrect terrain.



[h3]⚪ The Next Fest Heat Is On![/h3]



Thanks to your enthusiastic play and valuable feedback, the Next Fest is shining brighter than ever.

Look forward to upcoming new content and special events!

If you haven’t grabbed the Next Fest exclusive avatar skin yet, don’t miss your chance!

We sincerely thank all Ascenders who continue to enjoy Ascend to ZERO. We hope you’ll join us for the adventures ahead!


[h3]Play Now![/h3]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3279910/

Thank you!

- Ascend to ZERO Team