Zenless Zone Zero Lead Artist "Atu Friend" Leaves miHoYo to Develop Farming Game Independently

Summary

On August 20, "Atu Friend," the lead artist for Zenless Zone Zero, announced on Bilibili that she has left miHoYo. She was responsible for designing many iconic characters in the game, including Von Lycaon, Ellen Joe, Yanagi, Billy Kid, and Trigger. In her post, she reflected on the project's growth from a team of about 20 people to its current scale, expressing gratitude to the team and producer Li Zhenyu. She revealed that after leaving, she plans to develop a farming simulation game independently. This idea stems from nearly two decades of love for games like Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley, a dream she has long harbored. Li Zhenyu supported her decision and offered encouragement and advice. The farming game is still in its early stages, and she is currently looking for initial teammates. The news has sparked heated discussion among players, who feel both regret over losing a core artist and excitement about her potential new work. From an industry perspective, this move highlights the accelerating talent flow in China's game industry and the growing appeal of indie development, potentially inspiring more professionals to pursue personal creative projects.