Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Nexon's Daniel Kim talks demographics, pre-paid gaming cards]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/07/nexons-daniel-kim-talks-demographics-pre-paid-gaming-cards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/07/nexons-daniel-kim-talks-demographics-pre-paid-gaming-cards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/02/07/nexons-daniel-kim-talks-demographics-pre-paid-gaming-cards/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Our friends at Joystiq recently spoke with Nexon CEO Daniel Kim about the runaway success that is the company's pre-paid gaming card program. While Nexon is a well-established gaming powerhouse outside of the U.S., the company's American market is nothing to sneeze at either, with 12 million users spread across its portfolio (7.6 million of them in MapleStory alone).

A big part of Nexon's American success is the pre-paid gaming card, an ubiquitous fixture at retail outlets including Target and 7-11. Kim tells Joystiq that a key factor in raising pre-paid card awareness among consumers was the implementation of an in-game quest designed to train users to head for the music section of their local Target superstore. "So three months leading up to the actual release of the card, we actually had a quest in-game to go get allowance from an NPC, go to the Target store, go to the music section, go find a CD card," he says.

Kim also provides a bit of insight into Nexon's customer demographics, stating that "our median age is really 17, 18, 19." Many of the company's users weren't previously online gamers, and Kim says the microtransaction model is the key to customer attraction and retention. "There's no barrier to entry. If they have a computer and an internet connection, they can download the game and play for as long as they want," he says.

MassivelyNexon's Daniel Kim talks demographics, pre-paid gaming cards originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-11business-modelscasualdaniel-kimf2pfree-to-playgame-time-cardsin-game-questjoystiqmaple-storynexonnexon-americapre-paid-cardretailtargetvindictusMon, 07 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC09: Applied RMT Design with GoPets and Live Gamer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/28/gdc09-applied-rmt-design-with-gopets-and-live-gamer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/28/gdc09-applied-rmt-design-with-gopets-and-live-gamer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/28/gdc09-applied-rmt-design-with-gopets-and-live-gamer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Massively sat in on a GDC 2009 session this week titled Applied RMT Design which was part of the Worlds in Motion Summit. Andrew Schneider, Founder and President of Live Gamer and Erik Bethke, CEO of GoPets, Ltd. presented a case study on balancing a game's primary and secondary markets, using GoPets as an example of how it can be done.

The market for virtual goods in massively multiplayer online games and virtual worlds is worth billions. Not all of this is grey market, and more games are now being designed with microtransactions in mind. Live Gamer aims to bring greater legitimacy to microtransactions through a regulated secondary market providing benefits to companies as well as the players themselves. Thus far they've worked with EverQuest II, Vanguard, and GoPets, with Acclaim's 9 Dragons on the way.

Bethke and Schneider kick off their talk by explaining the fact that RMT in MMOs is inevitable, explaining how developers can be proactive about incorporating RMT into their titles rather than having it exist outside of the game. Live Gamer works with developers to create a legitimate system for trading virtual items for real money, one that's safe and secure. Of course, legitimizing RMT can also stir up controversy.

Gallery: GDC09: RMT Design panel

Continue reading GDC09: Applied RMT Design with GoPets and Live Gamer

MassivelyGDC09: Applied RMT Design with GoPets and Live Gamer originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-11andrew-schneiderbusiness-modelscase-studycasualeconomyerik-bethkeeventsfree-to-playgame-designgdcgdc-2009gopetslive-gamermicrotransactionsmmo-industryprimary-marketreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtsecondary-marketvirtual-goodsvirtual-itemsworlds-in-motionworlds-in-motion-summitSat, 28 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Midnight launch parties herald the Lich King's wrath]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/13/midnight-heralds-the-lich-kings-wrath/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/13/midnight-heralds-the-lich-kings-wrath/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/13/midnight-heralds-the-lich-kings-wrath/#commentsFiled under: ,

Wrath of the Lich King launched in numerous locations across the USA at midnight (albeit much of the rest of the world needed to wait until business hours). People queued outside Best Buy and Gamestop stores for hours beforehand (though 7-11 broke the street date and were selling copies a couple days early, we hear).

Several locations were particularly magical. A Best Buy in New York City and a Gamestop in San Francisco both sported particularly carnival atmospheres. Eurogamer says it was the UK's biggest launch and from the photos that's easy to believe. The French also had a blast with huge crowds and costumes.

All of the celebrations made one thing abundantly clear: We can all get in and enjoy our favorite MMOG with each-other -- even when we're not actually playing it. What the heck is gaming, if you can't celebrate it?

Gallery: Wrath of the Lich King Midnight Launch

Player in line at Los Angeles Midnight LaunchFangirl at Los Angeles Midnight LaunchSignage at Los Angeles Midnight LaunchFront of store at Los Angeles Midnight LaunchHot Dog on a Stick truck at Los Angeles Midnight Launch

MassivelyMidnight launch parties herald the Lich King's wrath originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-11best-buygamestopmidnight-launchworld-of-warcraftwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingThu, 13 Nov 2008 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Shopping list: Milk, bread, MMO game time cards...]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/28/shopping-list-milk-bread-mmo-game-time-cards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/28/shopping-list-milk-bread-mmo-game-time-cards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/28/shopping-list-milk-bread-mmo-game-time-cards/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,


Let's face it, getting time cards for your favorite game is a necessity. It's up there with the milk, bread, and eggs that you need for your daily survival. We have enough stories about MMO withdrawal to fill a shopping cart, so why not sell our addiction where we can easily grab it?

NCsoft got the message and is pushing their time cards out to the masses by partnering up with Target, Rite Aid, and Best Buy. Now you too can literally walk down the street to the drug store and pick up your favorite addiction -- more play time. More importantly, if you're a subscriber to City of Heroes/Villains, grab yourself a time card because it will unlock an in-game jet pack for you to use.

The approach isn't anything new, as Nexon has already been providing their cash cards to customers of 7-Eleven convenience stores for some time now. What all of this does show is a marketing push by more game companies to get their cards into the mainstream market of consumer products.

Lastly, as a friendly reminder, when you're running out to get those "essentials" at Rite-Aid or Target before that "big storm" hits, remember your desktop computer doesn't work when the power is out.

MassivelyShopping list: Milk, bread, MMO game time cards... originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-117-elevenbest-buycash-cardcity-of-heroescity-of-villainscohcovexteell2lineagelineage-2maple-storyncsoftnexonrgtrrite-aidseven-eleventabula-rasatargettime-cardtime-cardstrMon, 28 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Maple Story invites retailers into the game world]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/maple-story-invites-retailers-into-the-game-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/maple-story-invites-retailers-into-the-game-world/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/maple-story-invites-retailers-into-the-game-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,



Hot on the heels of the announcement that Nexon's MapleStory would be invading 7-11s, the company has passed on word that retailers are now being invited into the game world. In a twist that sounds almost too hilarious to be true, Nexon is going to be sending Maple players to virtual versions of the mega-retailers on themed quests that will promote both the retailers and the availability of Nexon Game Cards in these stores. The special quests will prompt users to complete various tasks and visit any of these chains to earn their own virtual Nexon Game Card, which will provide Maple Points, the in-game currency of MapleStory.

"We're now able to provide a new and unique avenue for major businesses to reach consumers," said John H. Chi, CEO and president of Nexon America. "Nexon creates the exclusive, branded content, retailers receive a powerful, direct line of communication and our players get a new, rewarding gameplay experience. High visibility through new content and interactive rewards makes it a win for everyone!"

While this may seem something like a joke, this is definitely news worth taking seriously. Best Buy and Target don't just hand around their brands to anybody; it's a testament to Maplestory's growing cachet here in the US that this partnership is going forward. For more on Nexon's virtual sales practices, Min Kim's keynote at this year's Austin Games Conference might be helpful. Next Generation has a close look at the American approach to Nexon's business model. The technical term? Microtransactions.

MassivelyMaple Story invites retailers into the game world originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-11advertisingbest-buymaplestorymicrotransactionsrmttargetTue, 04 Dec 2007 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[7-Eleven sells Nexon Game Cards]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/7-eleven-sells-nexon-game-cards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/7-eleven-sells-nexon-game-cards/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/30/7-eleven-sells-nexon-game-cards/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Worlds in Motion reports that you can now buy game cards for MapleStory and other Nexon games at your local 7-Eleven convenience store. The game cards -- which cost $10 or $25 -- can be used to purchase in-game items.

At first, this struck us as bizarre, but it actually makes some sense. A 7-Eleven representative is quoted in the Worlds in Motion article saying that the cards are perfect for the "tweens and teens" who enjoy MapleStory -- a demographic that also happens to frequent 7-Eleven. The representative calls it "the Slurpee-beverage crowd."

It's a strange world. Next thing you know we'll be buying EQ2 game-time cards at the gasoline pump!

Massively7-Eleven sells Nexon Game Cards originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-117-elevenauditioncash-shopconvenience-storegame-cardskartridermaplestorynexonretailstoreteenstweensworlds-in-motionFri, 30 Nov 2007 11:30:00 EST