Nexon & NC in competition in North America…Mutual growth targeted by ‘Pre launch’
Kim Soo Yeon | newsnews@ | 2017-08-07 10:03:30
[Digital Times, Kim Soo-yeon] Nexon and NCsoft, the so called `eldest brother` of Korean online games, are developing a strategy to launch new online games in North America first.
According to the industry sources on August 6, large game companies such as Nexon and NCsoft believe that it is difficult to make big profits in Korea even if new online games are given due to various regulations and already saturated market environment. Besides, it will be a strategy to raise the global awareness and lead the box office in the domestic market.
Korean online game market is not growing due to limitation of payment limit for adult game (KRW 500,000 per month) and shutdown regulation for youth-accessible games. There is a big difference in the size of the game market. In the game market, which is about KRW 145 trillion (USD 130.8 billion) as of 2015, Korea accounted for 22% of the world market with about KRW 33 trillion (USD 29.15 billion). In mid-June, NCsoft released its online action game `MXM` in North America and Europe. It is a game that teams up with a game character with various abilities. MXM is the first company to provide a game developed by NCsoft from overseas rather than domestic. It is attracting attention as it planned and targeted game material in the genre that is gaining favor in the North American market.
"NCM is similar in terms of genre to riot games` league of legends," said NCsoft representative. "We tested pre-tested in a number of areas, including in the US. It is a genre that has its own grounds, so we showed it to the North American market first.” The company plans to speed up the European market through providing visitors with an opportunity to experience MXM at the international game show `Gamescom` in Cologne, Germany from August 22-26.
Nexon launches its online shooting game `Lobrecurz` on North American market on August 8. It will also be available as a console version for the PlayStation 4. The online version is available from local PC game open market `Steam`. The console version is sold by Nexon America, a US corporation of Nexon. Earlier, Nexon invested in the US game Saboshi Productions, a developer of LowBreakers in 2014, to acquire stake in the North American market.
Nexon representative stated, "LowBreakers is the company that created the game itself is an American company. This game will be named after Nexon in the US market, which will boost the company`s awareness in the North American market.” LowBreakers is compared to Blizzard Entertainment`s ‘Overwatch’, which is a worldwide favorite for team-based first person shooter (FPS) games.
An industry representative said, "Domestic game companies have been carrying games that have been good in Korea in the past. However, it is difficult to expect huge profits from looking at the Korean market. It`s a similar strategy to soft launching (pre-release) the world`s major markets and launching games from the best local response."
By Kim Soo Yeon newsnews@
[ copyright ⓒ The Digitaltimes ]
According to the industry sources on August 6, large game companies such as Nexon and NCsoft believe that it is difficult to make big profits in Korea even if new online games are given due to various regulations and already saturated market environment. Besides, it will be a strategy to raise the global awareness and lead the box office in the domestic market.
Korean online game market is not growing due to limitation of payment limit for adult game (KRW 500,000 per month) and shutdown regulation for youth-accessible games. There is a big difference in the size of the game market. In the game market, which is about KRW 145 trillion (USD 130.8 billion) as of 2015, Korea accounted for 22% of the world market with about KRW 33 trillion (USD 29.15 billion). In mid-June, NCsoft released its online action game `MXM` in North America and Europe. It is a game that teams up with a game character with various abilities. MXM is the first company to provide a game developed by NCsoft from overseas rather than domestic. It is attracting attention as it planned and targeted game material in the genre that is gaining favor in the North American market.
"NCM is similar in terms of genre to riot games` league of legends," said NCsoft representative. "We tested pre-tested in a number of areas, including in the US. It is a genre that has its own grounds, so we showed it to the North American market first.” The company plans to speed up the European market through providing visitors with an opportunity to experience MXM at the international game show `Gamescom` in Cologne, Germany from August 22-26.
Nexon launches its online shooting game `Lobrecurz` on North American market on August 8. It will also be available as a console version for the PlayStation 4. The online version is available from local PC game open market `Steam`. The console version is sold by Nexon America, a US corporation of Nexon. Earlier, Nexon invested in the US game Saboshi Productions, a developer of LowBreakers in 2014, to acquire stake in the North American market.
Nexon representative stated, "LowBreakers is the company that created the game itself is an American company. This game will be named after Nexon in the US market, which will boost the company`s awareness in the North American market.” LowBreakers is compared to Blizzard Entertainment`s ‘Overwatch’, which is a worldwide favorite for team-based first person shooter (FPS) games.
An industry representative said, "Domestic game companies have been carrying games that have been good in Korea in the past. However, it is difficult to expect huge profits from looking at the Korean market. It`s a similar strategy to soft launching (pre-release) the world`s major markets and launching games from the best local response."
By Kim Soo Yeon newsnews@