"Releasing across platforms and through multiple channels was an important part of our plans from the outset" - Lead Game Designer Ryan Fan on bringing Arknights: Endfield to Steam, Shattered Protocol, Switch 2, Xbox, PS5 Pro, coffee, and much more
Arknights: Endfield recently launched on Steam following its debut on iOS, Android, PS5, and PC platforms. Ahead of the Steam release, I had a chance to interview Gryphline's co-founder and lead designer Ryan Fan about Arknights: Endfield, game mechanics, launching on Steam, potential Switch 2 and Xbox releases, PS5 Pro support, coffee, and much more.
RPG Site: For those unaware, tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.
Ryan Fan: Hey everyone, I'm Ryan Fan. I'm the lead game designer on Arknights: Endfield, and I'm also one of the co-founders of GRYPHLINE. My main focus is on the game's systems and gameplay design.
Ryan Fan: Hey everyone, I'm Ryan Fan. I'm the lead game designer on Arknights: Endfield, and I'm also one of the co-founders of GRYPHLINE. My main focus is on the game's systems and gameplay design.
RPG Site: In a crowded space full of free-to-play games people already spend time with, can you discuss how you approached Arknights: Endfield's design and what aspects you thought would appeal to players the most?
Ryan Fan: I'm a player too, and I'm often short on time myself. So we didn't set out to compete for players' time with more repetitive content. We wanted to give them something fresh and distinctive to enjoy.
Our factory automation systems offer a rewarding alternative to repetitive grinding: you build a production line, and the resources keep coming in. With everyone's time so limited, that's the kind of experience we want to offer players. You venture through carefully designed environments, build ziplines and power grids across the terrain, and watch the automated production lines you've designed turn out a steady stream of supplies. It feels fresh and rewarding to use your ingenuity and planning to free yourself from repetitive work. We also designed combat around having all four squad members on the battlefield at once. This balances responsive real-time action with strategic decision-making and gives battles a distinctive look.
Beyond the gameplay, Endfield is also defined by our long-term commitment to worldbuilding and bringing its characters to life. Carrying forward the creative philosophy of Arknights, we treat Talos-II as a real world, with coherent ecosystems, competing factions, and a deep history. We want new players and longtime fans alike to find a world that feels alive, one they can return to for years to come.
Ryan Fan: I'm a player too, and I'm often short on time myself. So we didn't set out to compete for players' time with more repetitive content. We wanted to give them something fresh and distinctive to enjoy.
Our factory automation systems offer a rewarding alternative to repetitive grinding: you build a production line, and the resources keep coming in. With everyone's time so limited, that's the kind of experience we want to offer players. You venture through carefully designed environments, build ziplines and power grids across the terrain, and watch the automated production lines you've designed turn out a steady stream of supplies. It feels fresh and rewarding to use your ingenuity and planning to free yourself from repetitive work. We also designed combat around having all four squad members on the battlefield at once. This balances responsive real-time action with strategic decision-making and gives battles a distinctive look.
Beyond the gameplay, Endfield is also defined by our long-term commitment to worldbuilding and bringing its characters to life. Carrying forward the creative philosophy of Arknights, we treat Talos-II as a real world, with coherent ecosystems, competing factions, and a deep history. We want new players and longtime fans alike to find a world that feels alive, one they can return to for years to come.
RPG Site: We've seen other free-to-play games reduce friction or unique mechanics over time like Zenless Zone Zero's TV Mode. Arknights: Endfield is doubling down on what made it stand out. Can you discuss what you'd like to do with the factory simulation and base-building aspects in the next few updates?
Ryan Fan: I think every game has a particular core experience it's trying to deliver. When teams make trade-offs based on player feedback, they're trying to improve the experience. For Endfield, we want to keep innovating in management simulation and combat, and keep creating content with a distinctive style. At the same time, we're using player feedback to cut down on cumbersome interactions, so players can more readily enjoy what makes Endfield feel fresh and different.
Since launch, we've improved building controls, placement rules, and the way we guide players through those systems. In Sanctuary of Ink, for example, accessing and placing facilities is easier, and new facilities can automate some of the work involved in growing crops. In the next update, new mechanics will let players rebuild parts of the map. We're giving them extra construction space so they won't have to rework the facilities they've already built. We also won't be introducing new components, so factory requirements don't get in the way of character progression. We want players to be able to focus on their own plans. Changes like these also give us the confidence to take the game's management systems in more interesting directions in future updates.
The next region will bring new management sim gameplay, and we're continuing to make these systems easier to learn and smoother to use. We're hard at work on the final polish and will share more when the time is right.
Ryan Fan: I think every game has a particular core experience it's trying to deliver. When teams make trade-offs based on player feedback, they're trying to improve the experience. For Endfield, we want to keep innovating in management simulation and combat, and keep creating content with a distinctive style. At the same time, we're using player feedback to cut down on cumbersome interactions, so players can more readily enjoy what makes Endfield feel fresh and different.
Since launch, we've improved building controls, placement rules, and the way we guide players through those systems. In Sanctuary of Ink, for example, accessing and placing facilities is easier, and new facilities can automate some of the work involved in growing crops. In the next update, new mechanics will let players rebuild parts of the map. We're giving them extra construction space so they won't have to rework the facilities they've already built. We also won't be introducing new components, so factory requirements don't get in the way of character progression. We want players to be able to focus on their own plans. Changes like these also give us the confidence to take the game's management systems in more interesting directions in future updates.
The next region will bring new management sim gameplay, and we're continuing to make these systems easier to learn and smoother to use. We're hard at work on the final polish and will share more when the time is right.
RPG Site: Arknights: Endfield debuted on iOS, Android, PC, and PS5. It is now coming to Steam. Were you always planning on launching Arknights: Endfield for Steam within a year? Also, will it be fully supported on Steam Deck and Steam Machine?
Ryan Fan: Yes, releasing across platforms and through multiple channels was an important part of our plans from the outset. Preparing the game for a global, multiplatform release took more development and coordination than we initially expected, so we focused first on refining the PC experience before bringing it to Steam. It's taken a lot of work, but we brought the game to Steam this year.
We've adapted most of the core systems for Steam Deck and Steam Machine and optimized performance specifically for those platforms, so the game plays well on both. We want to give players the best possible experience across the Steam ecosystem, and we'll keep refining the supporting systems.
Ryan Fan: Yes, releasing across platforms and through multiple channels was an important part of our plans from the outset. Preparing the game for a global, multiplatform release took more development and coordination than we initially expected, so we focused first on refining the PC experience before bringing it to Steam. It's taken a lot of work, but we brought the game to Steam this year.
We've adapted most of the core systems for Steam Deck and Steam Machine and optimized performance specifically for those platforms, so the game plays well on both. We want to give players the best possible experience across the Steam ecosystem, and we'll keep refining the supporting systems.
RPG Site: Back in July, you added enhanced PS5 Pro support with upgraded PSSR upscaling. Do you plan on doing more to improve the PS5 Pro version?
Ryan Fan: We do plan to keep improving the experience on both the standard PS5 and PS5 Pro. Optimization is an ongoing process, and the team is currently focusing on two areas.
Performance: We've noticed some decline in performance as more content and visual effects have been added over successive updates. We're making some significant changes at the engine level that will deliver meaningful performance gains. That work is still underway, and the scale of the changes means it will take more time.
Loading times: PS5 is built for fast loading, but the way our assets are organized means we can't yet take full advantage of that. We plan to restructure the asset system across all platforms first, then optimize loading further for the PS5's architecture. Early tests have been very promising. But the volume of game content and the changes needed to our development workflows mean this will take more time.
Ryan Fan: We do plan to keep improving the experience on both the standard PS5 and PS5 Pro. Optimization is an ongoing process, and the team is currently focusing on two areas.
Performance: We've noticed some decline in performance as more content and visual effects have been added over successive updates. We're making some significant changes at the engine level that will deliver meaningful performance gains. That work is still underway, and the scale of the changes means it will take more time.
Loading times: PS5 is built for fast loading, but the way our assets are organized means we can't yet take full advantage of that. We plan to restructure the asset system across all platforms first, then optimize loading further for the PS5's architecture. Early tests have been very promising. But the volume of game content and the changes needed to our development workflows mean this will take more time.
RPG Site: Going back to the base building, what challenges did you run into when it comes to the various input options people use?
Ryan Fan: Base building is quite involved, with more actions than other parts of the game: placing different facilities, rotating them, laying transport belts, tweaking facility formulas, building pipeline networks, and so on. Players have a lot of steps to work through, and we have to find different ways to present all the information they need.
PC is relatively straightforward because a mouse and keyboard give us enough options. We've added plenty of shortcuts so common actions like rotating, deleting, and copying are a keypress away, without having to open a menu every time. But the more shortcuts you add, the more there is for players to learn and manage. They also can't conflict with the controls for combat, exploration, or other activities. A lot of information on PC appears when you hover the mouse over something, and that approach doesn't carry over well to mobile or console.
On mobile, we have all that complexity to fit onto a very small screen. There's limited space for information and touch controls. Your finger obscures part of the screen, and placing facilities involves dragging, rotating, and zooming within the scene. All those gestures and taps take practice, and they can be a lot to manage. Without the option to hover over things, we have to show details such as what you can place, or why something can't be placed, directly on screen. We have to show more information in less space than on other platforms. It's also much harder to be as precise with touch controls as with a PC mouse, which makes a big difference in base building. To work around these limitations, we've built a lot of automation and smart assistance into the controls.
On console, the biggest challenge is that controllers have fewer buttons than a keyboard. We need a layered control scheme to accommodate all the different actions, but the trade-off is that players have to go through more steps to perform them. We've tested a great many versions of the control scheme to find the right balance.
Ryan Fan: Base building is quite involved, with more actions than other parts of the game: placing different facilities, rotating them, laying transport belts, tweaking facility formulas, building pipeline networks, and so on. Players have a lot of steps to work through, and we have to find different ways to present all the information they need.
PC is relatively straightforward because a mouse and keyboard give us enough options. We've added plenty of shortcuts so common actions like rotating, deleting, and copying are a keypress away, without having to open a menu every time. But the more shortcuts you add, the more there is for players to learn and manage. They also can't conflict with the controls for combat, exploration, or other activities. A lot of information on PC appears when you hover the mouse over something, and that approach doesn't carry over well to mobile or console.
On mobile, we have all that complexity to fit onto a very small screen. There's limited space for information and touch controls. Your finger obscures part of the screen, and placing facilities involves dragging, rotating, and zooming within the scene. All those gestures and taps take practice, and they can be a lot to manage. Without the option to hover over things, we have to show details such as what you can place, or why something can't be placed, directly on screen. We have to show more information in less space than on other platforms. It's also much harder to be as precise with touch controls as with a PC mouse, which makes a big difference in base building. To work around these limitations, we've built a lot of automation and smart assistance into the controls.
On console, the biggest challenge is that controllers have fewer buttons than a keyboard. We need a layered control scheme to accommodate all the different actions, but the trade-off is that players have to go through more steps to perform them. We've tested a great many versions of the control scheme to find the right balance.
RPG Site: Are there any plans to add replayable modes like Arknights' Integrated Strategies into Arknights: Endfield with its own flavor?
Ryan Fan: This is one of the requests we hear most often from the community, and we really appreciate the enthusiasm and trust players have shown us. Arknights' Integrated Strategies taught us a great deal about designing modes that players can enjoy over the long term. Many of us on the team are avid fans of this kind of mode ourselves. We can confirm that we're developing a highly replayable mode specifically for Endfield: Shattered Protocol.
Shattered Protocol will build on Endfield's real-time 3D squad combat to create a distinctive experience of its own. We're hard at work refining it and hope to bring it to players as soon as we can.
Ryan Fan: This is one of the requests we hear most often from the community, and we really appreciate the enthusiasm and trust players have shown us. Arknights' Integrated Strategies taught us a great deal about designing modes that players can enjoy over the long term. Many of us on the team are avid fans of this kind of mode ourselves. We can confirm that we're developing a highly replayable mode specifically for Endfield: Shattered Protocol.
Shattered Protocol will build on Endfield's real-time 3D squad combat to create a distinctive experience of its own. We're hard at work refining it and hope to bring it to players as soon as we can.
RPG Site: What are your plans when it comes to boss fights and building on the current combat system?
Ryan Fan: We'll continue to update and refine the combat system. Future content will expand the ways characters and enemies interact, with more interesting combat keywords and mechanics. For future boss battles, we'll keep the production values high and aim for an epic experience. We'll also explore bosses of different sizes and shapes, along with different ways for players to interact with them. We want to give players a broader range of combat experiences.
Ryan Fan: We'll continue to update and refine the combat system. Future content will expand the ways characters and enemies interact, with more interesting combat keywords and mechanics. For future boss battles, we'll keep the production values high and aim for an epic experience. We'll also explore bosses of different sizes and shapes, along with different ways for players to interact with them. We want to give players a broader range of combat experiences.
RPG Site: I think the base-building and simulation aspects are perfect for portable play. I play a lot of Factorio on my Switch 2 for the same reason. Can you comment on whether the team is considering bringing Arknights: Endfield to Switch 2 or Xbox?
Ryan Fan: Since launch, our operations team has been actively exploring other platforms to bring the game to a wider audience. Both of the platforms you mentioned are under evaluation. We already have plans to bring Endfield to more platforms over time, depending on the team's capacity and how our business discussions progress.
Ryan Fan: Since launch, our operations team has been actively exploring other platforms to bring the game to a wider audience. Both of the platforms you mentioned are under evaluation. We already have plans to bring Endfield to more platforms over time, depending on the team's capacity and how our business discussions progress.
RPG Site: Final question. How do you like your coffee? Go into as much detail as possible.
Ryan Fan: Coffee is practically essential for game developers, and lately we seem to be drinking even more of it.
I really like my drip coffee plain, with nothing added. It keeps me going and has a rich, layered flavor. Most of the time, I buy a good-value blend of coffee beans or just pick up a coffee to go. Either way, there are plenty of inexpensive options. I usually choose a medium roast for its smoother flavor.
The cup matters too. I like an enamel mug with a handle. Maybe I should add a coffee mug as an item in the game... It would go perfectly with all those transport belts.
Ryan Fan: Coffee is practically essential for game developers, and lately we seem to be drinking even more of it.
I really like my drip coffee plain, with nothing added. It keeps me going and has a rich, layered flavor. Most of the time, I buy a good-value blend of coffee beans or just pick up a coffee to go. Either way, there are plenty of inexpensive options. I usually choose a medium roast for its smoother flavor.
The cup matters too. I like an enamel mug with a handle. Maybe I should add a coffee mug as an item in the game... It would go perfectly with all those transport belts.