Posted in: Games, Indie Games, Interview, Video Games | Tagged: Demi Guan, New One Studio, Road to Empress

Interview: Road to Empress Executive Producer Demi Guan

We got a chamce to chat with New One Studio's Executive Producer, Demi Guan, about making their new game, Road to Empress

As we've previously covered, New One Studio is preparing for the release of their new interactive FMV drama title, Road to Empress, which will be released on September 8, 2025. Before the game comes out, we got a chance to chat with the company's Executive Producer, Demi Guan, about the making of the game and the work that went into the story.

BC: Hey Demi, first off, how have things been going for you and New One Studio this year?

DG: This year has been a time of growth for both me and New One Studio. Our new product, Road to Empress, will launch globally this September. Feedback from the market, reviews from our users, and the insights we gain after the launch will all be funneled into our next project. Our team will continue honing our skills in creating cinematic interactive drama, striving to deliver even better works in this genre.

How did the idea first come about of doing the game Road to Empress?

Our team at New One Studio has been researching cinematic interactive drama since 2017. Although this is still a relatively niche category globally, I believe there's a lot of room for exploration and development. Narrative games can offer rich storytelling, strong emotional impact, and immersion. Live-action filming can elevate the performance and authenticity of scenes to another level, providing players with a stage to control the story autonomously. In 2019, we released our first interactive drama, The Invisible Guardian, and were fortunate to receive support from many players. This encouraged us to search for new themes, which ultimately led to this new interactive drama, Road to Empress. This work is an interactive story about a woman's journey of growing up, based on the life of Wu Zetian, China's only female emperor. Players take on the role of the protagonist, personally experiencing this legendary story from the Tang dynasty's golden age, with the ability to decide the story's direction and ending.

We chose her story because it is unique. She possesses charisma and a multitude of breathtaking experiences. She is not only a symbol of power but also an outstanding representative of a woman struggling to survive in a patriarchal society. She is an iconic figure in Eastern culture with global recognition, providing a solid foundation for our series. The Tang dynasty—the era she lived in—was a time of peak Eastern aesthetics and cultural prosperity, offering a highly symbolic and visually appealing environment. 3. Her life experiences provide players with a "power fantasy" experience: starting as the lowest-ranking consort upon entering the palace, and through challenges and political intrigue, ultimately reaching the pinnacle of power as empress. This promises players an unforgettable experience.

At what point did you know this was going to be more of an interactive film than just a regular video game?

From the very beginning, we envisioned it as an interactive drama. We give players the power to shape the story's direction—their choices determine the ending. Every aspect of the game has been designed with the interactive drama experience as the ultimate goal.

How was it for the crew to come up with the story that mirrored parts of her life while also being engaging for players?

In Road to Empress, several key turning points in Wu Zetian's life are written with direct reference to her actual history. The major stages of her identity transitions, famous events, historical achievements, and other documented elements follow the framework of her real life. Certain unrecorded details and aspects of emotional development are imagined with artistic license. If players make choices consistent with Wu Zetian's original decisions, they follow storylines that align with history; if they choose differently, they unlock branches that diverge from the written record. This approach allows us to balance authenticity and entertainment.

How did you go about casting the principal actors for this, and what led you to choose them?

Speaking of casting, a friend in the industry once joked that we were the only production team without predetermined actors. I believe it's essential to have a high level of compatibility between actors and their roles. I had a rough outline of all the characters in my mind—I could almost see them standing in the distance. During the casting process, we screened over 2,000 actors, repeatedly comparing audition recordings. When the right person appeared, it felt as if the once-blurry outline in my mind suddenly became clear. For the female lead, for example, we didn't simply choose based on popularity or status. The most important criterion for me was that the actor had to be relatable, allowing players to easily project themselves onto the heroine without her personality being over-emphasized. At the same time, she needed strong versatility—the ability to embody youthful, girlish energy while also carrying the weight of the later court intrigue scenes. We were also fortunate that the main actors all performed so well. Even though it was their first time participating in an interactive drama, they demonstrated strong adaptability and understanding.

What was filming everything like, and creating so many different branching paths?

The workload for the story's numerous branches is actually concentrated mostly in the script-writing stage, where the logic needs to be clear, parallel storylines must align, and the butterfly effects of different choices must be carefully considered. This wasn't an easy task—it required a lot of time and effort to refine everything. During filming, the director, actors, and creative team all needed to fully understand the underlying logic of the different branches in order to perform accurately. What made this project most unique was that each creative team member had to be both logically rigorous and, at the same time, "schizophrenically" imaginative in portraying the different possible player states. It was both challenging and deeply rewarding.

Did you create any bonus content while making this for additional stories to explore later?

We've prepared some first-person perspective bonus content for the audience. After players complete all storylines and develop understanding and affection for the characters, they naturally want to interact with the NPCs. To accommodate this, we created purely first-person perspective story experiences that allow players to engage with their favorite NPCs.

Are there any particular moments from he game you're most proud of and hope players get to see?

There are way too many! What I'm most proud of isn't the big scenes, but the moments of emotional release. For example, the moment of revenge—we push players to an emotional climax so they can truly feel the satisfaction. Or when a good friend misunderstands the protagonist, players are confronted with heartbreaking scenes of betrayal and separation. These emotional touches give us great confidence that players will be fully engaged and immersed throughout their experience.

How has it been showing the game off and having players test it out and give feedback?

We held several closed, private tests before launch, inviting players to try the game and provide feedback and suggestions. Their input was extremely valuable, and we incorporated many of their insights to improve the game.

What do you hope players take away from this experience?

Players with different personalities and backgrounds may have completely different experiences and takeaways from our work. For example, they can experience historical moments and follow the protagonist's perspective to understand the lives and emotions of women in ancient China. They can also see how different choices in relationships—family, friendship, love, or marriage—can lead to different life paths, allowing them to reflect on their own lives. Each player may choose different branches and gain unique insights. Additionally, goal-oriented players can challenge themselves in the game, seeing how many episodes they can survive in the palace and competing with friends. This makes Road to Empress a fun and social experience as well.

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