The line between reality and virtual reality is becoming increasingly blurred in video games. New tools now allow us to go much further than simply customizing a character. An upcoming title leverages technology usually reserved for professionals to offer a surprising new feature.
Video games are increasingly incorporating technologies from cinema and animation. Thanks to advanced graphics engines, it is now possible to create detailed characters, realistic worlds, and more advanced interactions. Some studios want to go even further by using capture tools to directly connect the player to their avatar.
This is the case with InZOI, a new simulation game developed by the South Korean studio Krafton. Scheduled for early access on March 28, 2025 on PC, the title aims to rival genre benchmarks like The Sims. It offers a highly detailed open world and advanced creation tools. One of the most striking features is the integration of the player's face directly into the game, thanks to a live facial capture system. InZOI captures the player's expressions live with an iPhone and applies them to the avatar. To enable this feature, InZOI uses the "Live Link Face" application, developed by Unreal Engine. This tool is usually intended for professional studios to animate 3D characters in films or games. It was notably used in the series The Mandalorian, to coordinate in real time the movements and expressions of certain digital characters. It is also found in the game Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, where it allows capturing the expressions of the actress live.
In InZOI, this technology is adapted to the general public. The player places their iPhone in front of them, and all their expressions are analyzed and then reproduced on their virtual character. The face then becomes a true communication tool in the game.
However, this technology is currently only compatible with Apple iOS devices. Android and PC are not yet supported. This limits the use of this feature to only a portion of players. Krafton specifies, however, that it is developing other creative tools to allow advanced customization, even without facial capture. Despite this constraint, InZOI introduces a unprecedented level of interaction in life simulation games. Thanks to these innovations, it seeks to offer a more expressive approach and position itself as a credible alternative to the big names in the sector.
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