Hello, Agents!
Thank you for playing CLOSERS.
This is PD Lee Hyun Soo.
I’ve prepared this developer letter to briefly share the major features coming in the upcoming Winter Update.
The Winter Update content we previously announced, scheduled to begin on December 10, has already been reflected in the game step by step.
Through this letter, I’d like to explain the changes arriving in December and early 2026, both major and minor.
However, any content that may contain spoilers or has not yet been finalized in the development schedule will only be revealed closer to the update and will not be included here.
We ask for your continued support and love for Closers throughout this winter season.
Below are the key update details:
▶ December 23 Update Preview
1. Area Travel System Revamp
The existing Area Transfer UI will be revamped.
Previously, every time a new area was added, the placement of older areas within the UI shifted, the interface was narrow, and the information we could display was limited.
On top of that, marking designs varied by character, making it difficult for you to navigate intuitively.
With this revamp, we will provide a unified UI/UX across all characters and adopt a structure that can adapt flexibly even as more areas are added in the future.
2. Triss’s Solomon Costume
As mentioned during the online Q&A held on the KR server, Triss’s new Unique Costume, the “Solomon Outfit” is coming soon. A translated version of the Q&A will be shared soon on the World server website as well.
Please look forward to her new costume.
| Triss’s Solomon Outfit Illustration |
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3. New Facial Shadow Rendering
We will update the facial shading applied to playable characters.
This feature was attempted in the early stages of Closers’ development, but the results did not align with the natural, aesthetic look we aimed for at the time, so it was not applied.
The new shading will generate natural, animation-style shadows based on light direction.
We hope this system, designed to dynamically respond to various in-game lighting sources, will give your characters a greater sense of life and presence.
4. Changes to the Gear Crafting/Upgrading System
Before releasing the new area, we will completely remove material and credit costs from gear crafting.
I believe that acquiring and crafting gear naturally through gameplay, while only incurring costs when choosing to grow stronger, creates a more engaging gameplay experience for Agents.
Though the comparison isn’t exact, my intended direction is “simple to begin, challenging to complete,” and a move away from the current model of excessive entry fees.
▶ January–February Planned Updates
The first update of 2026 will be implemented on January 14, bringing a new area long awaited by our Agents.
Through new missions and gear, we aim to revitalize game progression and character growth, which has stagnated for some time.
Below are the major planned additions:
1. New Area ‘Incheon’
The 15th area will be set in Incheon.
In less than a month, you will be able to discover the story and battles unfolding in this new stage.
The new region will feature two Battle Programs.
You will encounter powerful bosses and take on new challenges.
Please look forward to the January 14th update.
2. New Area Gear
Through the two Battle Programs mentioned above, we will introduce:
- Six new Trinkets usable by each character
- New modules that can be upgraded to Extra
Regarding our previous mention to “preserve Extra’s value for two years”:
While this helped maintain value to some extent, it also required you to repeatedly play older areas to obtain specific items, which became inconvenient.
CLOSERS is now shifting toward lowering the barrier to both obtaining gear and maintaining its value, allowing everyone to focus more on the newest content.
As the game continues cycling through new content, we will shorten the gear value-retention period.
We believe that upgrading gear for character growth is one of the core joys of an RPG.
To support this, we aim to gradually introduce a structure periodically, to transit into a game where ‘newly acquired gear can be used immediately.’
3. Changes to New Area Gear – Automatic Applies the Shape Memory Device
Alongside adjusting the new gear cycle, we will also improve convenience by allowing new area gear to automatically preserve ‘Tuning’, ‘Chip’, and ‘Enhancement’ progress without requiring a ‘Shape Memory Device.’
Currently, crafted gear starts from the lowest tier, and the Shape Memory Device, a high-valued item, is required at certain stages to preserve enhancement and tuning values.
This forced you into choices that felt unnecessary.
To remove this inconvenience, we are considering a structure where enhancement and tuning values are retained upon acquiring the item itself, allowing you to focus more on changing and upgrading gear.
These changes will apply starting with the new Area, Incheon.
Gears obtained or crafted from older areas will continue to use the existing Shape Memory Device.
4. New Wave Dungeon
Along with the new area, we will also introduce a new Wave Dungeon involving Dimension Monsters from the ‘Incheon’ area.
Unlike the existing Flame Wave, which is a 4-player dungeon, the new Wave will primarily be solo player content.
This new Wave content will arrive with a fresh concept and allow you to obtain various currencies and consumables.
5. Unified Dungeon Entry Improvements
As the entry/reward selection methods differ from current dungeons, we have adjusted the system to resolve the inconvenience of not being able to select Wave Dungeons via the Dungeon Status Board.
Special category dungeons in the Unified Entry System will be improved sequentially, so that Wave content and other contents can be accessed from the dungeon interface.
We will continue working to ensure that everyone can enjoy CLOSERS in a more comfortable environment.
6. New Costume ‘Aura Pixies’
Coinciding with the new region, we are preparing a new costume for all characters: ’Aura Pixies’.
| Wolfgang Aura Pixies | Tina Aura Pixies |
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The Aura Pixies costumes will surpass previous sets such as ‘Holy Night Bunny’ and ‘Demonic Heartbeat,’ bringing an extra level of brilliance to this winter in CLOSERS.
In addition to a theme track, we are also developing new visual effects not previously used.
For the first time, these costumes will incorporate ‘holographic’ elements, which the costumes will reflect light or shift color depending on camera angle.
| Aura Pixies Hologram Effect |
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Character illustrations, including those featuring the winter theme song, will be revealed before the update.
7. Item Notice Revamp (Login / Character Change / Game Exit)
We will apply the updated UI for item and event notifications.
The previous item removal notices only displayed text, leaving you to manually search for items scheduled for deletion. With the improved system, you can check such items directly when logging in or exiting the game, reducing unnecessary hassle.
We have also added reminders for events nearing their end to ensure you don’t miss any rewards.
| Item Notice Revamp UI |
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At the same time, we will remove the full-screen buff notification overlays.
8. Shop Revamp (Contribution & Mileage Shops)
Adjustment to the Contribution and Mileage Shops is planned, as many of their items no longer align with the current game environment.
We are preparing to revamp the shops. Our goal is to offer necessary items for active Agents who are currently playing CLOSERS, as well as provide clear acquisition paths for elements that currently lack them.
These are the major planned updates for December through mid-February 2026.
Details for each feature will be announced separately ahead of their release.
There might be some changes to the shared plan, but we will provide updates as soon as the details are finalized.
We are also preparing additional content to ensure stable service going forward, and we ask for your continued support.
Winter has already grown cold here in Korea, but the entire development team will continue working hard to bring our Agents a warm and exciting season.
Thank you.