PengPong News

[p]Hello everyone, I hope you’ve all been doing well.[/p][p]We’ve met a wide range of players and gathered diverse feedback through events such as G-STAR and BeaverRocks in Korea, and G-EIGHT in Taiwan. Through that process, we received thoughtful and constructive feedback, and have gone through a number of meaningful improvements and revisions.[/p][p][/p][p]This patch includes a substantial amount of changes, including some system-level updates.[/p][p][/p][h3]Patch notes:[/h3][p]\[Add][/p]

• [p]Wave Event system: previously, three waves would run back-to-back and the game would then force the player into a room with the shop and roulette. Now, after each wave, the player can choose which direction to go from two available options. (We showcased this in a beta build at demo events and confirmed that player satisfaction was noticeably higher than before, so we decided to make it a core feature.)[/p][p][/p]
• [p]In the Wave Event, you can currently encounter the following types of content:[/p]
  • [p]Shop: Works the same as the regular shop. You can spend the chips you’ve collected to exchange for items.[/p]
  • [p]Devil’s Shop: Similar to the regular shop, but you must sacrifice max HP as the cost. In return, you can obtain special items that do not appear in the normal shop.[/p]
  • [p]Elite Battle: The next wave will feature a special enemy type. The difficulty is higher, but you can earn unique items that are exclusive to Elite Battles.[/p]
  • [p]Contract: You will take on a contract (quest) that grants special rewards when you meet certain conditions.[/p]
  • [p]Gambling Room: A room that taps into your instincts—use your chips to either multiply them or lose everything.[/p]
  • [p]Large Chip Bonus: Start the wave with a large amount of chips.[/p]
  • [p]Large EXP Bonus: Start the wave with a large amount of experience.[/p]

[p][/p][p]\[Improvements][/p]

• [p]We’ve prepared several improvements to help you enjoy a much faster-paced gameplay experience.[/p]
  • [p]We’ve adjusted Hyper Capacity from the previous unlock levels of 7 / 14 / 21 to 5 / 10 / 15.[/p]
  • [p]As a result, the overall run time has been reduced from 565 seconds to 510 seconds, while significantly more enemies now spawn within each wave.[/p]
• [p]The leaderboard scoring formula has been updated—roulette jackpots are no longer a one-size-fits-all solution. That said, the scoring system still doesn’t perfectly represent player skill yet, and we’ll continue improving it. (As a result, the leaderboard will be reset with this patch—please note!)[/p]
• [p]We improved the UI so you can check your Hyper Capacity obtained and current score by pressing \[Tab]. (Hovering over Hyper Capacity should show its details, but this will need to be fixed in the next update.)[/p]
• [p]Cover objects now properly block enemy projectiles.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where certain mechanic-based monsters would attack the player immediately upon spawning at specific cooldown timings.[/p]
• [p]Added a countdown and effects to make the end-of-wave sequence clearer.[/p]
• [p]Added effects and a slow-motion animation to make the level-up sequence clearer.[/p]
• [p]After the game ends, you will now be taken to the Stage Select screen instead of the main menu.[/p]

[p][/p][p]\[Bug Fixes][/p]

• [p]Fixed an issue where the mouse cursor would not stay in the foreground in certain situations.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an intermittent issue where the Interact (\[E]) tutorial would not complete properly.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where the weapon descriptions for Recoil Jones and Snapedge Alpha were identical.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where Recoil Jones’s Hyper Capacity “Double Dealer” did not apply immediately.[/p]
• [p]Updated the visual effects for Snapedge Alpha’s Hyper Capacity “Shadow Blade.”[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where, while pulling a weapon, continuously keeping the mouse cursor near the character’s center would cause the weapon to gradually drift farther away from the character.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue where Auto Retrieve at Wave End during upgrades should collect some of the remaining EXP and chips on the ground, but only some chips were being collected.[/p]
• [p]Fixed an issue on the results screen where the rank and leaderboard percentage could become out of sync.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][p]With this update, we’ll be pausing further patches for a short while as we prepare a major update.[/p][p]We’re aiming for early February, and it will include a full overhaul of the item system—along with new characters and weapons.[/p][p][/p][p]Since we’re saying goodbye for a bit, we promise to come back with something exciting.[/p][p]Thank you, as always, for playing and supporting us![/p]

[p][/p][p]We’re excited to announce that PengPong will be showcased at G EIGHT 2025.
Visit us at Booth ER 09 and play the latest PengPong build 🎮[/p][p]Join us December 12 to 14 2025 at the Taipei Expo Dome in Taiwan.
Come say hi try the game and have fun with the team.[/p][p]Also don’t miss your chance to get a limited edition PengPong trading card available only at the event. (This is a special reward for players who join us on site!)[/p][p]If you enjoy the game please consider adding PengPong to your Steam wishlist to stay updated on future news and the full release![/p][p]We look forward to seeing you at the booth.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p][/p][p]We’re celebrating the PengPong demo with a FREE Steam key giveaway!
👉 Apply through the link!
https://gleam.io/IXCw9/get-your-pengpong-steam-key[/p][p]
Jump in, enter now, and 50 lucky players will get their key on launch day.
PengPong launches in 2026! (Just around the corner!)
So stay tuned, and don't forget to add PengPong to your wishlist PengPong Prologue: [/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink] PengPong: [/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

[p]Hello everyone, this is the PengPong Team.[/p][p][/p][p]Jong:[/p][p]It has been a while since I last greeted you through a devlog. I am Jong, the leader of the Pengpong Production Team.[/p][p]PengPong has been progressing smoothly according to our internal milestone schedule, and the team is continuing to improve the overall quality of the game. Although the game is not yet widely known, we are genuinely excited to see the wishlist numbers for both the prologue and main game gradually increasing. The curiosity and feedback we hear through this demo also give our team both motivation and a strong sense of responsibility to deliver an enjoyable experience.[/p][p]Today, we would like to share the insights we gained from the recent global Focus Group Test on the G.ROUND platform, as well as the valuable feedback we received at G-STAR, the largest gameshow in Korea. Based on these, we will explain the direction we plan to take for future improvements.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Hwang:[/p][p]Hello, I am Hwang, responsible for the main development and game direction of PengPong. I would like to briefly introduce the feedback we gathered and share what you can expect from the upcoming demo.[/p][p]Across two Focus Group Tests, a total of 269 players from 36 countries played PengPong and provided very positive, constructive, and productive feedback.[/p][p]Many players highlighted the satisfaction of actively deflecting pucks or weapon objects with a hockey stick and controlling the angle and trajectory. They felt this system broke genre conventions and required engaging interaction, providing both tactile fun and a meaningful learning curve.[/p][p]Players also praised how intuitive the core controls feel. Many commented that the game is easy to understand immediately with only a short tutorial, and the in-game control hints helped lower the entry barrier.[/p][p]Fans of roguelike and bullet heaven genres shared that they would comfortably recommend the game. Many recognized it as a light and clearly structured experience, making it suitable for quick runs during short breaks.[/p][p]We also received important feedback regarding improvements. Some players felt that upgrade values are too small and that progression within each run does not feel impactful. Because the system relies heavily on elements such as the shop and roulette, players wanted a clearer sense that they were improving through their actions. Others pointed out that the early phase lacks the immediate excitement often seen in similar genres. A number of players also mentioned that the gameplay structure feels simple, that variation between runs is limited, and that long-term motivation is weakened by the lack of clear rewards or meta-progression.[/p][p]We discussed these points internally and decided on several major updates. Young will now describe these ideas in more detail.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Young:
Hello, I am Young, the artist of the PengPong Team.[/p][p]We would like to share several major updates we are preparing based on the feedback from G-STAR and the Focus Group Test. Written text may not fully capture everything, but we hope this helps explain our direction. If you have additional ideas, please feel free to send them through Discord or any of our other communication channels.[/p][p]Regarding the camera position and HUD size, some players felt that the HUD was too small. Since we preemptively optimized for devices like the Steam Deck, we realized that the experience could be uncomfortable for players using very large or ultrawide monitors. In the next demo, we plan to allow players to adjust the HUD size directly.[/p][p]Regarding growth and progression speed, we agreed with the feedback that gameplay feels limited during waves and that growth is only noticeable at wave intervals. To address this, we are improving the system so that leveling up happens immediately within a wave. We are also preparing special events for each wave, offering new gameplay elements beyond the shop and roulette. Through this, we aim to make progression feel more dynamic and rewarding.[/p][p]Regarding the diversity of monster patterns, we are aware that boss stages currently feel quite underwhelming. We have always wanted to create more exciting and meaningful bosses, but as various gameplay systems evolved, some parts could not keep up. We can confidently say that the February demo update next year will feature significantly more enjoyable and diverse monster and boss patterns. We are actively exploring new ideas, so we ask for a little more patience.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]The PengPong Team will participate in the BeaverRocks Indie Game Festival in Korea this December, as well as G-EIGHT in Taiwan, an exciting event we are very happy to attend. You will be able to play the latest builds at both events, and our developers will be on-site to showcase the game. Interpreters will also be available, so please feel free to visit, play, chat, share feedback, or even discuss potential opportunities.[/p][p]We always welcome your thoughts on Discord, and the PengPong Team will respond directly.[/p][p]We look forward to returning next month with even better updates.[/p][p]Thank you.[/p]

[p]Hello everyone,[/p][p]Thank you for continuing to play the PengPong demo.[/p][p]Once again, we’ve made the following adjustments based on the feedback, bug reports, and comments we’ve received so far.
Please keep sharing your gameplay experiences, impressions, and opinions with us through the various channels available.[/p][p][/p][p]Patch Notes:[/p]

• [p]Adjusted the behavior so that when the weapon returns, it attaches to the player’s weapon rather than directly to the character’s body.[/p]
• [p]Changed the movement logic of the healing drone monsters.[/p]
• [p]Fixed a bug where healing drone monsters were also restoring the player’s HP.[/p]
• [p]Updated the appearance of the starfish monsters to make them look more intimidating.[/p]
• [p]Changed the color of the experience orbs.[/p]

[p][/p][p]We’ll continue to patch and update the game based on your feedback.
Please keep the comments and support coming![/p][p][/p][p]Thank you! Pengpong Project Director, Jongchang.[/p]