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Nexon: Q1 revenues up 59 percent

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Free-to-play/Microtransaction based games maker Nexon is reporting that it’s North American business unit, Nexon America, grew a healthy 59 percent in year-over-year first quarter revenues. Traditionally a slow season for the gaming industry, Nexon has beat the odds, making this growth particularly notable. The secret sauce behind Nexon’s impressive showing? A steady release of new content, resulting in increased user engagement and sales of microtransaction based items.

“Our success is the result of our ability to deliver engaging content that our players find valuable, whether they are playing for free or purchasing items in our games,” said Daniel Kim, CEO of Nexon America. “The substantial growth we are experiencing in North America is a reflection of how well Nexon is doing globally. We are growing our traditional MMOG business as well as expanding into other platforms such as the mobile and social games, which will help to expand our global reach and the number of people playing our games.”

In addition to their currently available Atlantica Online, Combat Arms, MapleStory, Vindictus, Dungeon Fighter Online, Mabinogi, and PopTag!, Nexon plans on a second appearance at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, and will showcase Dragon Nest, Nexon’s yet-to-be-released offering, as well as Vindictus. Dragon Nest is slated for a summer release for free-to-play PC gamers in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. According to Nexon, the title will combine fast-paced action alongside an engaging storyline and a the distinctive Nexon art style. Naturally, the title will be free-to-play, and microtransaction supported.

Likewise, as we recently reported, Nexon is teeing up a Facebook version, MapleStory Adventures, of the long running MapleStory franchise. And while Q1’s numbers are certainly impressive, with a Facebook launch of a perennial favorite, as well as a new “full” game, Nexon’s Q4 numbers should be poised to be off the charts.

Tags: atlantica online, combat arms, Dragon Nest, dungeon fighter online, Magbinogi, maplestory, Nexon, vindictus
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Nexon: How to make Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list two years running

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

After accomplishing a global spread of their innovative idea, free-to-play, Nexon is looking to the next generation of success, and has recently been named to Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in Gaming for the second consecutive year.

We’ve covered Nexon’s various achievements this year, but a quick rundown sees the company diving head first into Mobile, Social, and Console gaming congruently.

On the mobile front, Nexon produced a special “Thief Edition,” of their bread-and-butter, side scroller, Maple Story for iOS devices in 2010, while March of this year saw the arrival of their “other” top seller, Kart Rider which counts a massive 200 million registered users worldwide. Within it’s first week of availability, Kart Rider clocked over 1 million downloads.

Socially, Nexon has been a bit late to the party, however they’re making up for it with a significant partnership with A Bit Lucky which focuses on cross-platform social gaming. Not putting all their eggs in one basket, Nexon has also founded the iNiative program which selected both Antic Entertainment and onetribe to receive $1 million in capital to put towards developing games for social networks. It’s still unclear as to who exactly is driving development, but Nexon has announced a Facebook bound version of MapleStory, aptly titled MapleStory Adventures.

And finally, on the console front, just last month, Nexon announced plans to bring their popular fighter, Dungeon Fighter Online to Xbox 360 users, available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Chinese.

Obviously, with so many plates spinning, Fast Company has, yet again, taken notice. Dungeon Fighter Online with it’s 200 million global registrants, and MapleStory (90 million worldwide registered users) are leading the charge, and the gleam of Fast Company’s eye. But it’s not just Nexon’s actual gaming titles that have garnered a nod from Fast Company. The organizations’ innovative business model surrounding their Game Cards which carry pre-determined amounts of NX, Nexon’s virtual currency, are available at more than 70,000 retailers across the US in 7-Eleven, Toys ‘R Us, and Gamestop outlets.

“While Nexon has had great success in Asia and North America, our efforts to expand our platform reach is a push to make Nexon a global gaming power,” said Nexon America CEO Daniel Kim in a statement. “To be named on the Fast Company list of Most Innovative Companies in Gaming two years in a row is truly such an honor for the entire organization. We look forward to many more years of offering the best gaming experience to our fans, whether that be PC, mobile or social network platforms.”

Tags: dungeon fighter online, Kart Rider, maplestory, Nexon
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Nexon North America reports a 42 percent jump in Q4 revenues

Friday, January 28th, 2011

Nexon America, the North American publishing arm of Nexon global, is reporting a healthy revenue jump of 42 percent in the fourth quarter of 2010. Nexon is pointing to a strong showing in December, when Nexon reports a 60 percent increase in revenues YoY when compared to 2009’s revenues.

Nexon North America’s microtransaction based revenue generators include their highly successful FPS Combat Arms, classic MapleStory, Vindictus, Dungeon Fighter Online, Mabinogi, and PopTag! While now available for consideration on the “classics” list, Nexon’s one-that-started-it-all, MapleStory continues to drive revenues and expansion at Nexon North America, as the “Big Bang” expansion was a large driver of late 2010 revenues, bringing in not only a host of new players, but perhaps more importantly, pulling back lapsed players. As a point of reference, in mid-December, Nexon reports a massive 136,000 concurrent MapleStory players, a number that shattered the title’s previous record, in fact, nearly doubling the former record.

“It was a tremendous fourth quarter and year for Nexon and MapleStory’s Big Bang had a lot to do with it,” said Daniel Kim, Nexon America’s CEO in a statement. “Nexon has perfected a formula for gameplay with a business model that attracts players and keeps them loyal. Players don’t have to pay a cent to enjoy Nexon’s games, but our players who do pay to enhance their gameplay experience tend to spend more than the typical social gamer or subscription-based game player. Evidence of the success of this formula was seen with the release of the Big Bang expansion and the resulting increase in concurrent players and revenues.”

And although Nexon has been at it for some 10 years now, first introducing the world to the free-to-play, pay small bits of money in the game, aka microtransaction, model, the company doesn’t show any signs of resting on it’s collective laurels. 2011 hold a new title in store for Nexon America, the anticipated Dragon Nest – a fantasy based action MMOG. Initially unveiled at the 2010 E3 expo, Dragon Nest has been received with fervor in Korea and elsewhere.

“Dragon Nest will continue to raise the bar for microtransaction-based games and should energize the North American market with stylized graphics, fast action and immersive gameplay,” Kim said.

Tags: combat arms, dungeon fighter online, Mabinogi, maplestory, Nexon, PopTag!, vindictus
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Nexon’s newest, Dungeon Fighter Online gears up for beta

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

Building upon the success of their recent worldwide hit, Combat Arms, it looks like the Nexon train just keeps a rollin’ along. Yesterday they sent over a note announcing that they’ve opened the doors on the closed beta signups for their newest title, Dungeon Fighter Online. Signups close on the 6th of July, and no word has been given as to when the beta will commence.

Looking to kill two birds with one stone, Nexon’s newest free-to-play combines classic arcade style ‘shoot ‘em up’ action with elements of RPGs that make them so addictive fun to play. Set in the mythical world of Arad, a peaceful land that’s somehow managed to piss off some pretty nasty baddies, beta testers will be among the first in North America to explore, quest, and raid in this upcoming freebie from Nexon.

Players can choose from five different character classes: Fighter, Gunner, Mage, Priest or Slayer, with each naturally displaying unique attributes, traits, and attack combinations. From here on out, the RPG elements come to the forefront, with characters venturing off through the world, exploring and discovering new towns, areas, etc. Dungeon Fighter features a plethora of quirky NPC’s handing out quests and tasks (thousands, according to the official website) to further the storyline. And as with all Nexon titles, there’s plenty of room for character customizations, weapons, armor, and new duds, at a price of course.

Again, as with all modern day online gaming experiences, Dungeon Fighter Online features an integrated chat and messaging system. Party quests and dungeons are also thrown into the mix. In game communication may also be used to trade and auction items.

Item equipping is limited to ten gear slots, with some limited to class, and naturally, level (what, no twinks allowed?). Raid, or Party play features up to three other Dungeon Fighter Online players, and a PvP system is included for those wishing to fighter other players instead of the game itself. Rounding out the ‘must haves’ in a modern online RPG, Dungeon Fighter Online includes a guild system.

In the increasingly crowded online space of free-to-play fantasy MMORPG’s, there’s nothing about Nexon’s newest effort that really makes me stand up and cheer. Dungeon Fighter Online seems to have all the necessities, but again, nothing really outstanding that makes me think, ‘Oooo…I need to get on this one’! I think what’s made Combat Arms a true success is that it is in fact different from the vast majority of free-to-play titles out there, both in concept and style, as well as the level of quality. Who knows, I could be way off the mark on this, as I’ve not yet received my beta code, and this is after all, Nexon we’re talking about here, so hopefully there’s a wonderful surprise waiting for me that I haven’t quite found yet.