“DokeV: Vaporware or Vision?” — A Tense Conversation With a Pearl Abyss Developer
“Is DokeV Still Real?”
It’s a question that’s just as important as “what am I having for lunch?” – it holds validity, merit, and a geniune concern for how your day will play out. For years, DokeV has lived rent‑free in the minds of players who fell in love with its vibrant gameplay reveal trailer back in 2021, and even further back with its announcement in 2019. Since then, the game has gone quiet — very quiet — sparking everything from genuine concern to full‑blown conspiracy theories about whether the project still exists at all.
To cut through the noise, we sat down with a developer at Pearl Abyss who agreed to speak with us about the game’s long silence, the team’s ambitions, and whether fans should still believe in DokeV.
Q: Let’s start with the big question the community keeps asking: Is DokeV actually real?
Developer: [Laughs] “Yes — DokeV is absolutely real. I know the memes, I’ve seen the comments, and honestly, we laugh at some of them. But the game exists, it’s being worked on, and we’re proud of what we’re building. The silence doesn’t mean cancellation; it means we’re deep in development.”
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Q: Fans worry because the game hasn’t been shown publicly in years. Why the long gap?
Developer: “The early trailer set expectations incredibly high. It was exciting, but it also created pressure. We didn’t want to show half‑finished systems or pivot publicly every few months. So we chose to go quiet and focus on making the game match the vision we teased. That takes time — especially for a game this ambitious.”
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Q: Is it ambitious because it’s an elaborate money-laundering scheme, or…?
Developer: “As much as it’s easy to poke fun, we promise it’s not some elaborate ruse at putting money in our pockets with fake investments. We very much want this to be a real thing just like anyone else, and we’re working hard at making it happen.”
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Q: Some players think the original trailer was ‘too good to be true.’ Was that footage representative of the primary vision?
Developer: “The trailer was captured from real development builds, but it was also a vertical slice — a polished snapshot. The final game will evolve, but the tone, the energy, the creature‑collecting focus… those are still core pillars. We’re not making vaporware. We’re making something we want to last.”
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Q: So what can fans expect going forward? Should they hold onto hope? A collaboration with Star Citizen?
Developer: “Hope is good. Patience is even better. We’ll show more when we’re confident the game reflects what we want players to experience. We know the wait has been long, but we’d rather deliver something meaningful than rush out updates just to prove we’re alive. As for a collaboration with Star Citizen… I don’t follow.”
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Q: Well, that game has also been in development since Pong, so we were curious if there were plans for a crossover event, where there could be some sort of DLC comprised of nothing, much like the game’s existence.
Developer: “We’ll take that into consideration.”
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Q: Final message to the community?
Developer: “Keep the memes coming — they keep us humble. And yes, DokeV is real. You’ll see it again.”
Despite the years since DokeV dazzled the world with its hyper‑stylized reveal trailer — years filled with silence, speculation, and a growing belief that the game might be nothing more than an expensive fever dream — there’s no denying that the concept of DokeV is consistently intriguing and refreshing, which is why fans have joked, debated, and outright accused Pearl Abyss of hiding the truth.
Some think the project was quietly rebooted. Others believe it was scrapped entirely. A few insist the trailer was a tech demo masquerading as a game.
So we came back the next day to meet up with Pearl Abyss as we weren’t satisfied the first time around to continue our heated interview and get answers. Real answers. No more vague promises. No more “we’ll share more soon.”
This time, we pushed back, fighting security guards in the process and now a lawsuit in court.
Q: I’m going to be blunt. I know we touched up a little bit on this yesterday, but people think DokeV is fake, and rightfully so. Not delayed — fake. Years of silence, no gameplay, no updates. What’s going on?
Developer: “I get the frustration. Truly. But the game is real. Development is ongoing. The silence isn’t meant to deceive anyone — it’s just the reality of building something ambitious without wanting to show half‑finished work.”
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Q: That’s the same line we’ve heard for years. Meanwhile, the community is convinced the trailer was smoke and mirrors. Some say it was a vertical slice that never turned into a real game (which you admitted to before). Others think the team left, the project collapsed, and no one wants to admit it. Are those theories wrong?
Developer: “They’re exaggerated. The trailer was built from real development assets, but yes — it was a polished slice. That’s normal. The team hasn’t vanished. No one’s having a mid-life crisis. The project hasn’t collapsed… We’ve reworked systems, sure, but that’s part of development, not evidence of cancellation.”
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Q: Then why the blackout? Why years of nothing? You know how this looks. Fans are joking that DokeV is the gaming equivalent of Bigfoot — blurry, elusive, and probably not real. Some even think Pearl Abyss is hiding the game because it doesn’t look anything like the trailer anymore.
Developer: “We’re not hiding anything. We’re protecting the process. Showing early builds can create confusion or disappointment. We want the next reveal to reflect the game as it truly is, not a moving target.”
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Q: Respectfully, players are tired of hearing that. They want proof the game exists. A screenshot. A dev blog. A single frame of gameplay. Anything. Right now, it feels like you’re asking the community to believe in a ghost, or, even worse, a new Prince of Persia.
Developer: “I understand. And I know it’s hard to trust silence. But we’re not asking for blind faith. We’re asking for patience. When we show the game again, it’ll be because we’re confident in what we’ve built.”
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Q: Are you Zak Bagans?
Developer: “No.”
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Q: You also keep saying “patience,” but the community is out of patience. They’re tired of being strung along. Some think Pearl Abyss is deliberately hiding the truth. Others think the game was rebooted so many times it barely exists. And honestly? Your answers feel like PR fog. Why should anyone believe you anymore?
Developer: “Because we’re telling the truth. I know it sounds like corporate talk, but we’re not trying to mislead anyone. The game is real. The team is real. The work is real.”
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Q: Kind of like how the Earth is flat.
Developer: “What?”
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Q: Show something real. Anything. You’re asking fans to trust a project they haven’t seen in years. You’re asking them to believe in a game that’s become a meme. People joke that DokeV will release the same day Half‑Life 3 does. They’re not laughing with you — they’re laughing at you.
Developer: “We’re aware of the jokes. We’re aware of the frustration. But we’re not going to rush out scraps just to silence people. That’s not how we work.”
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Q: Meanwhile you’ve had a full-blown sequel to a gigantic MMO in development and ready to launch with Crimson Desert, following up from Black Desert.
Developer: “It’s possible to split teams up between projects.”
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Q: Speaking of splitting up, didn’t you get divorced while “working” on DokeV?
Developer: “Who told you that? And no.”
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Q: Well, I would’ve left you with the constant lying.
Developer: “We never would have even been a thing. You’re hideous.”
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Q: At least I’m real. Tangible. Organic.
Developer: “I’d use the term ‘expired’”
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Q: Look, respectfully, going back to what you said earlier about “that’s now how we work”… isn’t that the problem? You’re not working with the community — you’re working around them. You’ve created a vacuum, and in that vacuum, conspiracy theories thrive. People think the trailer was pre-rendered. They think the engine can’t handle what you promised. They think the game was quietly gutted. And honestly? Can you blame them?
Developer: “…No. I can’t. Silence breeds speculation. We know that. But we’re not hiding a disaster. We’re trying to avoid creating one.”
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Q: You’re losing the room. You know that, right? Every month without an update makes the game feel less like a project and more like a myth. At this point, even a blurry screenshot would calm people down. But instead, you’re asking for trust you haven’t earned.
Developer: “We’re asking for trust because we’re building something worth trusting. And when we show it again, it’ll speak for itself.”
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Q: Then you’d better hope it does. Because right now, DokeV isn’t a game — it’s a question mark. And people are tired of waiting for an answer.”
Developer: “…Then let this be the answer: DokeV is real. And you will see it again.”
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Q: Just like Ray Charles.
Developer: [Silence]
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Q: You keep repeating the same lines, and honestly, it feels like you’re dodging. Fans aren’t buying it anymore. They think the project is a black hole — money goes in, nothing comes out. Some even think Pearl Abyss is embarrassed to show the game because it doesn’t look anything like the trailer. Are you even allowed to tell the truth right now?
Developer: “I’m telling you everything I can. There’s no gag order. There’s no secret disaster. We’re just not ready to show the game yet.”
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Q: But that’s the thing — you’ve been “not ready” for years. YEARS. At some point, it stops sounding like caution and starts sounding like an excuse. People are saying the engine can’t handle the game. They’re saying the team is stuck. They’re saying the trailer was a magic trick and the real game is nowhere near that level. And you’re sitting here giving me the same corporate lullaby.”
Developer: “It’s not a lullaby. It’s the truth. Development isn’t linear. Things change. Systems evolve. But the project is alive.”
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Q: Alive? It’s on life support. And every time someone asks for an update, you all vanish like you’re allergic to transparency. Do you understand how suspicious that looks? You’ve created a perfect storm for conspiracies. People think the game was rebooted three times. They think the studio shifted everyone to Crimson Desert and left DokeV to rot. They think the trailer was a flex piece to attract investors. And honestly? You’re not giving them any reason to think otherwise.”
Developer: “…I hear you. And I hear them. But speculation isn’t reality. We’re not abandoning the game. We’re not hiding a collapse. We’re building something that takes time.”
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Q: Time is one thing. Silence is another. You’ve let the community spiral into madness. They’re analyzing every pixel of the trailer like it’s the Zapruder film. They’re convinced there are hidden messages. They’re convinced the game was secretly downgraded. They’re convinced Pearl Abyss is terrified to admit the truth. And you’re telling me the solution is… more silence?”
Developer: “The solution is showing the game when it’s ready. Not before.”
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Q: Then you’d better pray it’s ready soon. Because right now, DokeV isn’t a game — it’s a ghost story. And the longer you wait, the more people stop believing in it altogether.”
Developer: “…Then let them doubt. When we show it again, the game will speak louder than any rumor. And it’ll shut your mouth up and everyone elses’s. We’ll let it speak for itself while you sit there in your feces, which I’m sure you would just refer to as a Tuesday”
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Q: You’re an asshole, you know that? This fake-ass project coming from your artificial, clearly Botoxed lips botched behind a Lotte Mart at 3AM. This game has gestated for so long it’s basically putrid rot that no one gives a shit about anymore. You gave up a tremendous opportunity for quick cash. Fuck you.
Developer: “First of all: Calm down. Secondly, Fuck you too. I will break your fucking neck right here right now as my wallet grows larger from these dumbasses who buy our Black Desert microtransactions, prick.”
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Q (furious, losing composure): You’re un-fucking-believable. This whole project feels like a scam wrapped in excuses. DokeV has been ‘in development’ for so long it’s practically fossilized. Nobody cares anymore. You had a golden opportunity, and you let it rot. I’m done with the PR dance — I’m calling it what it is: a failure. An absolute failure.
Developer (fuming, enraged): “You think we don’t feel that pressure every single day? You think we don’t know what people say about the game? We’re not sitting around twiddling our thumbs — we’re trying to build something that won’t collapse the moment it hits the public—we don’t aspire to be Anthem or Concord. You can call it a failure if you want, but we’re still here working. We haven’t walked away, even if everyone else has.”
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Q (snapping, unfiltered): “I’m done with the runaround. If you won’t show the truth, I’ll drag it into the light myself. No more dodging, no more corporate fog — I’m calling you out right here, right now. Enough.”
Developer (having lost it): “You think we’re hiding some forbidden vault of secrets? There’s no conspiracy bunker. There’s no locked room full of discarded builds. We’re not sitting on a lie — we’re trying to finish a game while the world screams that it doesn’t exist. You want honesty? Fine. We’re exhausted. We’re behind. We’re rebuilding things we thought were solid. But we haven’t given up, even if everyone else thinks we should.”
Shortly after this, our conversation came to an abrupt halt as security, with the help of S.W.A.T., had finally managed to break through the secluded office door we had locked and barricaded prior to the interview.
After being detained and questioned for roughly three hours, we were let go with a warning as all parties involved came to an amicable conclusion on how to proceed forward – including dropping the lawsuit.
With a much-needed breather, all parties concluded the interview over a nice cup of Maxim Mocha Gold, coming to terms that game development is difficult, and that we should all be more understanding that you can’t rush art - especially not when it’s a product of perfectionists.
Q: I just want to say that I’m sorry for the way that I acted. I had no right to call you names, disparage you, or criticize your lips. They’re actually quite lovely.
Developer: “No, no. Please. It’s okay. I led you on for quite a bit and poked back as well, and that was out of character for myself and I’m ashamed of it. I forgive you. As for my lips, I do agree they’re slightly botched.”
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Q: Thank God because that was a lie about them being lovely, but I was trying to be nice, so I’m glad you agree. [Laughs]
Developer: [Laughs] “It’s one of the many reasons my wife left me.”
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Q: So, it’s true! You did get divorced!
Developer (hands raised in defeat): “You got me!”
[Everyone laughs]
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Q: Let’s end on a high note, shall we? Last question — and I’ll phrase it the way the community does: Is DokeV vaporware? Should people stop hoping?”
Developer: “No. DokeV is not vaporware. The game is real, the team is committed, and you will see it again. The wait has been long, but it’s not without purpose.”
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Q: We’re all excited for it. And thank you for your time today and for being so gracious. I… I love you.
Developer (tearing up, smiling): “…I love you, too.”
[Everyone liked that]
This article is a work of fiction. The Gamer's Lounge, the author, nor anyone at Pearl Abyss and associated partners has any affiliation with what was said within. This piece is for entertainment purposes only.