- The first work by the university student development team Diving Studio… Officially released to mark Liberation Day
- To record the truth or to survive… The era’s choice captured in a single newspaper
The historical political simulation adventure “The Newspapers of the Day,” developed by the Korean university student development team Diving Studio, will be officially released on Steam and STOVE on August 14.
The game is set in Gyeongseong during the Japanese colonial period in the 1920s, a time rife with violence and oppression. The player bears the heavy responsibility of being a newspaper editor-in-chief and completes a single newspaper every day.
At every moment, one stands at a precarious crossroads of choice, wondering whether to uphold one’s convictions in the face of the sharp blade of censorship by the Japanese Government-General of Korea, or to compromise with reality for the survival of the newspaper.
The core of the game is to review the articles and testimonies coming into the newspaper and decide which articles to publish, which sentences to delete, and where to place them on the page.
Every single word and sentence determines a newspaper’s credibility, influence, and risk of censorship. Overly critical articles can lead to the closure of the publication due to censorship by the Governor-General, while conversely, being too cautious results in a loss of readers’ trust.
Reporting the truth can put someone in danger, while remaining silent means someone else will be forgotten in history. Every night, the player must complete the newspaper while grappling with the balance between survival and conviction.
From reporting to editing… every choice changes the fate of the newspaper
Reporting is not confined to the editorial office. Reporters visit the scene in person, meet people, and collect testimonies to get closer to the truth of an event. Sometimes, a single interview can change the course of an incident, and securing crucial clues may require taking risks.
During the reporting process, a dice roll system based on connections, eloquence, intelligence, and physical stamina is applied. Successful reporting allows for the writing of more in-depth articles, but overly ambitious reporting can endanger not only the individual reporter but also the entire newspaper.
In some cases, the editor-in-chief must personally evade the patrol and scour the darkness for clues.
The game also places importance on long-term choices. By connecting keywords collected over multiple issues, you can write groundbreaking scoops that shake the era, and the future of the newspaper depends on the perspective from which events are interpreted and reported.
Every reporter has different tendencies and beliefs. While there are reporters willing to stake everything on uncovering the truth, there are also those who prioritize the survival of the newspaper.
Repeatedly handling articles that contradict one’s beliefs leads to accumulated stress, causing reporters to undergo various changes—either collapsing or, conversely, becoming stronger. Determining which reporter to assign to which coverage is also a crucial strategic element.
The player’s choices accumulate over the time from 1920 to the liberation, determining whether the newspaper will survive, be shut down after censorship, or become a newspaper with only its name remaining in history.
The tension of the era emphasized by the red stamp of censorship
‘The Newspaper of That Day’ adopts a period drama-style visual style centered on restrained black-and-white tones. In addition, the red stamp symbolizing censorship creates a strong contrast, effectively expressing the tension of the society at the time.
The progression centered on text and dialogue, along with hand-drawn illustrations, further enhances the heavy atmosphere characteristic of political simulations.
The development team also transparently disclosed the details of how generative AI was used through the Steam page.
They explained that AI was utilized as an auxiliary tool in the production of some background images, key character concept art, additional character images, and UI icons, and that AI was also used to assist with newspaper articles, public opinion reactions, drafting and proofreading mini-game text, and reviewing localization.
However, they stated that all results applied to the game were completed after the development team personally reviewed and modified them.
The first project created by a group of university student developers
Diving Studio is a South Korean university student development team led by CEO Chan-young Jeong. ‘The Newspaper of the Day’ is the team’s first work, characterized by its exploration of the historical subject of press censorship during the Japanese colonial period through gameplay involving “editing a newspaper every night.”
The game was developed to support both Korean and English, allowing users both domestically and internationally to enjoy it together.
Release of free pre-launch demo, continuing to engage with the community
Currently, ‘The Newspaper of the Day’ has released a free demo version on Steam that allows users to preview about half of the total content. Through this, users can experience the game’s unique atmosphere and core systems firsthand before the official launch.
The development team, Diving Studio, is maintaining close communication with users by constantly sharing development progress through the official X (formerly Twitter) and Discord.
Attention is focused on how “The Newspaper of the Day,” which tackles the weighty historical subject of press censorship during the Japanese colonial period through unique gameplay involving “newspaper editing,” will be received by gamers both domestically and internationally following its official release on August 14.
Information regarding ‘The Newspapers of the Day’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer / Publisher | divingstudio (South Korea, university student development team) |
| Genre | History and political simulation adventure |
| Release platform | PC (Steam, STOVE) |
| Official release date | August 14, 2026 |
| Player count | Single player |
| Supported languages | Korean, English |
| core system | Article editing and censorship decisions, dice-based reporting, keyword-combined scoops, reporter stress management |
| Ending | Multiple endings based on choices from 1920 to 1945 |
| Steam rating | Pre-counting (Upcoming Releases) |
| Official Channel | X, Discord |
| Steam Page | Shortcut |
| Demo Page | Shortcut |
