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Nexon closing North American Dungeon Fighter Online

Jef Reahard — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dungeon Fighter Online, Sunsets

Nexon is closing the North American version of Dungeon Fighter Online according to a post by CEO Min Kim on the title's official website.

"Sadly, Dungeon Fighter Online has not attracted enough player interest to properly service the game," Kim writes. "Internally, we struggled deeply with the popularity of DFO in North America as the title is immensely popular overseas. For more than three years, we went through many milestones and several pushes before we came to this very difficult decision."

Nexon will close DFO's cash shop on April 11th, and the game itself will sunset on June 13th. The company is also compensating players who purchased permanent and durational items over the past six months.

Nexon closing North American Dungeon Fighter Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 02 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: Dungeon Fighter Online

Beau Hindman — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Previews, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Casual, Dungeon Fighter Online, Rise and Shiny, Livestream, Miscellaneous

I'm glad that over the last week I found the time to finally get me some Dungeon Fighter Online by Nexon. I knew that it has quite the following, and I knew that it's supposed to be a blast, sort of like an 8bit Vindictus, but I was still surprised at a few things while I played. The game isn't what I thought it would be in several ways. NPCs have voices and hand out actual quests, the world is more open than I thought it would be, and the graphics feel snappy and fluid despite their primitive nature.

Don't get me wrong -- there is plenty that needs to be tweaked or fixed before the game smells of anything near perfection. Much of it is beyond the ability of the developers, but many of the problems with the game could be fixed relatively easy.

Click past the cut and I'll tell you what I thought during my time fighting in dungeons... online!

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Dungeon Fighter Online

Rise and Shiny recap: Dungeon Fighter Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rise and Shiny recap: Revisiting Mabinogi

Beau Hindman — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Video, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Casual, Humor, Mabinogi, Rise and Shiny, Livestream

If you've kept up with my columns for a while, it should be no secret that I think Mabinogi is still one of the best games out there. While it does have its issues, the game simply presents more sandboxy goodness to players (while keeping those systems coming) than almost any game I can think of. In fact, the game has added so much since I started this column that a returning player can get confused. A new player might even become lost.

I like to officially dip my toes into old, familiar games once in a while. Checking back on these games from my past is a great way for me to get my gamer's bearings and see how my opinions might have changed. Mabinogi has been calling to me for a while because I haven't really jumped into it for that long over the past few months. I figured now is the time.

Click past the cut!

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Revisiting Mabinogi

Rise and Shiny recap: Revisiting Mabinogi originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexon's Min Kim on the 'Free2pocalypse'

Jef Reahard — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Economy, Interviews, MMO Industry, News Items, Miscellaneous

Nexon bigwig Min Kim recently checked in with Gamasutra for a brief interview regarding the state of the company's global free-to-play initiative. In short, business is booming, and while MapleStory was viewed as an oddity when it launched with a F2P model eight years ago, it's now much closer to the norm. "A lot of people laughed at the business model, and now a lot of companies are starting to try to understand it or experiment with it. We've been calling it 'the free2pocalypse.' Every company is looking at it; the market is just way larger," Kim explains.

He also talks a bit about Nexon's new Live Games division, which consolidates the company's operations, marketing, and communications groups into a single entity under his direction. Finally, Kim explains the logic behind the decision to remove Nexon's name from its uber-successful retail store game cards. In a nutshell, the benefits of unifying the virtual item currencies across a diverse selection of games outweighed the name recognition afforded by the Nexon banner.

Nexon's Min Kim on the 'Free2pocalypse' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Gaming with Game of Thrones

Beau Hindman — Wed, 11 May 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Culture, Ryzom, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Casual, Humor, Alganon, Free for All, Vindictus

I have really been enjoying the new series Game of Thrones over on the HBO network. In fact, when I recently changed to a faster internet provider, I deliberately added on the exclusive channel just for the series. Even though I have never read the books, a 15-minute preview of the show was enough to convince me to watch it. While I am truly enjoying the break from fantasy that is chock-full of smart-alec modern-day references (all delivered by smirking hipsters with swords), I admit to still being a little afraid that the series will take a turn for the goofy or overly dramatic. If a single vampire shows up in this one, I am going to turn it all off and go on a long vacation.

So far, though, it's been a delightful romp into a cold, realistic world. After I watch a new episode, I avoid the internet for fear of random spoilers or the temptation to look at character bios. I simply do not want to know what's going to happen, so please do not tell me. Since the series has started, I have begun to notice how I enjoy the same basic entertainment in my gaming.

I want political intrigue, amazing landscapes, and the occasional epic, bloody fight. Join me past the cut and let's look at some games that provide those three things.

Continue reading Free for All: Gaming with Game of Thrones

Free for All: Gaming with Game of Thrones originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Perfect Ten: The movers and shakers of 2010

Justin Olivetti — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Age of Conan, Lord of the Rings Online, MapleStory, MMO Industry, Star Trek Online, Guild Wars 2, Mabinogi, Champions Online, DC Universe Online, Star Wars: The Old Republic, RIFT, Vindictus, Perfect Ten, Miscellaneous

Even though MMOs are the products of great teams of talented workers -- from sound artists to writers -- it's inevitable that a few of the people behind the curtain step out into the limelight. It's a smart move, really; it provides a personal face for people to associate with the game, it keeps messages consistent, and it draws any potential hate onto one person instead of the team at large.

It stands to reason that these public figures end up being some of the major movers and shakers in the industry because of their high-profile positions. From CEOs to community managers, these are the people with power to make decisions, the voice to change opinions, and the personalities to inspire millions.

Oh, that last sentence is pure poetry. Let's re-read it again, shall we?

So in our last Perfect Ten of the year, I've asked the Massively team to compile a list of the 10 biggest MMO movers and shakers of this year. All of these people now owe us cupcakes of gratitude. (Legal Disclaimer: This does not signify a binding cupcake-blogger contract.)

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: The movers and shakers of 2010

The Perfect Ten: The movers and shakers of 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDCO 2010: Running MMOs for the long haul

Justin Olivetti — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, EVE Online, Lord of the Rings Online, MapleStory, Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, Ultima Online

In a year that seems overshadowed by the premature demise of big-budget titles, the question on everyone's mind is just what does it take to not only successfully launch an MMO, but keep it going for the long haul?

At GDC Online this past week, several devs who find themselves struggling with this very issue got together for an informative panel entitled "Strategies for Successfully Running an MMO from Launch and Beyond." At the panel, Lorin Jameson (SOE), Nathan Richardsson (CCP), Jeff Hickman (EA Mythic), Jeffrey Steefel (Turbine), Rich Vogel (EA-Bioware) and Min Kim (Nexon) stepped up to the plate take a swing at the common pitfalls, the unseen consequences and the harsh realities of the industry.

So if you're curious about why some titles thrive while others fall apart or why a particular MMO makes it to launch and beyond while another fades into obscurity, hit the jump and see what these industry experts have to say about the enormous and complex task of getting an MMO to lift off -- and then keeping it soaring for as long as possible.

Continue reading GDCO 2010: Running MMOs for the long haul

GDCO 2010: Running MMOs for the long haul originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 09 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Three games to keep an eye on

Beau Hindman — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, MMO Industry, New Titles, Opinion, Free for All

There is so much to be excited about in the MMORPG world that I am always perplexed when someone claims lack of innovation in the market. I tend to think that this comes from an inability to play more than one game, or to support more than one idea in gaming, rather than from the actual state of the market. The fact is that there is so much happening in the world of gaming, and specifically free-to-play gaming, a player should feel almost overwhelmed.

I wanted to point out three games now in development (or very close to release) that I believe will do very well. Think of this as a list of predictions -- in fact I am going to have some fun with it and predict just how well these games will do. I have always enjoyed testing my gut. Concerning these three games, my gut is very, very excited. So, let's get right to the list.

Continue reading Free for All: Three games to keep an eye on

Free for All: Three games to keep an eye on originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexon Vice President discusses the company's future and the free-to-play market

Rubi Bayer — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play

Nexon has been putting quite a bit of effort into growth and expansion these days, and the newfound variety of games is a testament to that.

What is the goal behind all this work, though? What does Nexon see in the future? Vice President Min Kim recently spent some time chatting with Worlds In Motion about these and other subjects that affect Nexon. He discussed Nexon's planned amount of growth (a lot), the company's thoughts on expanding into the Western market, and the target audience for Nexon games.

Kim also spent a fair amount of time on the subject of the free-to-play market: Where it's been, where it's going, and how much room there is for more free-to-play games. The full interview can be found on Worlds In Motion.

Nexon Vice President discusses the company's future and the free-to-play market originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free for All: Accept envelopes full of cash

Beau Hindman — Tue, 18 May 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Casual, Free for All

Well, at least that was the advice that Min Kim, vice president of Nexon America gave would-be game developers and other audience members at GDC Austin last year. To be clear, he was not telling them, while rolling his evil mustache and laughing, to get their hands on kids money no matter what. He was simply suggesting to game makers that they accept as many forms of payment as possible, including envelopes full of cash.

And if you look at the Nexon website, Pay-By-Cash does allow you to send money through the mail. There are, quite literally, scores of ways to get your money into the hands of free-to-play developers. It's a little ironic, if you think about it, that the "free" market so easily fuels the addiction to pink dresses or limited-time mounts. So, are they enablers or just very smart?

Continue reading Free for All: Accept envelopes full of cash

Free for All: Accept envelopes full of cash originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 May 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Vindictus is not your kids' Nexon

Krystalle Voecks — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Vindictus

Nexon. The name probably conjures up brightly-colored free-to-play MMOs like their hits Maplestory, Mabinogi, or perhaps Dungeon Fighter Online to many people. But for those of you who missed our coverage of the Vindictus reveal at GDC 2010, then it's time to change your thinking. While the story is set as a prequel to Mabinogi, this game shares very little else with its cousin -- as the shiny new site that Nexon has just opened evinces.

Vindictus, described by Nexon America's Vice President, Min Kim, as "kind of like 300, except with sexy girls kicking the crap out of stuff as well. So, it's better than 300," is chock full of dark visuals, daring fights, and adventure. To better show off what players can expect in this upcoming f2p title, they've also released an updated video featuring some pretty freaking awesome-looking fights and locations, if we do say so ourselves.

What does this type of brutal, bloody MMO signal for Nexon's future? If we had to guess, it would probably involve even more people checking out their games than before. Check out the updated Vindictus trailer behind the break, or go have a look at the cool new site, and see if you don't agree.

Continue reading Vindictus is not your kids' Nexon

Vindictus is not your kids' Nexon originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free to Play: The value of zero

Beau Hindman — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Free-to-Play, Browser, Casual, Free for All

Recently I read about Min Kim, VP of Nexon America, commenting that he thinks that their new set of games might actually be looked over because of the lack of a subscription. Essentially, it is the same quandary that an artist gets into when he or she wonders how much to sell their art for. I used to be scolded by my fellow artists all the time for not charging enough for works of art, the argument being that something handed out for too low of a price is often seen as gimmicky or cheap. As Kim put it, if "someone were to pass you a gift card worth $100, and they say, 'Hey take this, it's free.' Initially you would clam up and go, 'Wait, what's the catch?'" He pointed out that many subscription based developers might have to start giving more bang for a player's buck in order to keep up with the new, higher quality games that are coming from the FTP market. It will be interesting to see if this happens or not.

But I can totally see what he means about pricing, or the lack of. My artist friends and I used to have those discussions about pricing for hours. I used to practically give the stuff away not because I thought it was bad, but because I just saw it as something I wanted people to enjoy. One of my friends told me he set his prices sort of high, and that this created a "value" for the item, something that the collector could claim that the piece was worth. If you look at the millions of dollars that some art brings, you have to wonder: is it only worth that amount because someone paid for it?

Continue reading Free to Play: The value of zero

Free to Play: The value of zero originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexon MMOs not coming to Mac or consoles any time soon

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: MapleStory, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Consoles, Mac, Vindictus, Dragon Nest

There's been quite a bit of talk coming out of Nexon from the time of the GDC -- revealing two games, more news on the venerable MapleStory, and even a developer initiative announced shortly before the conference. But if you were waiting for the other shoe to drop, there is one after a fashion, because the company still has no plans to develop anything for the Mac or for consoles. Both Vindictus and Dragon Nest are apparently popular choices for players to request on consoles, but according to Nexon America vice president Min Kim, neither one is planned for development for the console platform.

Kim went on to explain that his company's base of operations in Korea meant that Mac support was a distant afterthought at best -- the market for non-PC games in Korea is minimal. Of course, in both cases he said that the support is something they would like to expand to eventually, but for now there's just not enough reason to expand. Which is sad news if you're one of the many users who prefer a fruit-based computer, especially with more and more games expanding to be playable on any platform.

[Thanks Tracey!]

Nexon MMOs not coming to Mac or consoles any time soon originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC10: Dragon Nest hands-on

Justin Olivetti — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Events (Real-World), Dragon Nest

Ever since the Diablo franchise hit it big with gamers across the world, competing companies have attempted to replicate Blizzard's addictive click-and-loot gameplay with varying degrees of success. There's just something satisfying on a primal level when you wipe out entire armies of monsters with a mere 2,142 mouse clicks. Mega-MMO publisher Nexon (Mabinogi, Dungeon Fighter Online) is bringing over another contender in Dragon Nest, a fast and furious dungeon crawler (minus the Vin Diesel, unfortunately).

At GDC 2010, we were fortunate enough to nab a hands-on with Dragon Nest, a title could almost be considered a sibling of Nexon's Vindictus. Both games are action-oriented, twitch-based and include cutting through swaths of enemies for the glory of your inventory. However, while Vindictus is serious in tone and looks, Dragon Nest goes for a "cuter" feel. In markets where Dragon Nest and Vindictus exist simultaneously, such as Korea, each can co-exist peacefully while not undercutting one another.

Of course, Dragon Nest is more than a cute face and a mouse waiting to be worn out -- hit the jump after the gallery to chew through this colorful game with us.

Gallery: Dragon Nest

Continue reading GDC10: Dragon Nest hands-on

GDC10: Dragon Nest hands-on originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC10: Nexon's Vindictus revealed

Beau Hindman — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Galleries, Screenshots, Trailers, Video, New Titles, Vindictus

I'll admit to being somewhat of a Nexon fanboy, and someone that considers them to be in the toy business rather than in the MMO business. They manufacture joy in my eyes. Bright, shiny joy. But the recent announcement of their new title "Vindictus" shows us a game that we are not used to seeing from Nexon. While it will follow the same business model that other Nexon games do, it promises to be a "sexy" game: a game that will make players feel like a hero. It promises to be more of an action game, or as Nexon America's Vice President Min Kim put it when he sat down with us for an interview, "an mmoACTIONrpg, epic, fierce and intense."

Want to know more? Want to see the killer trailer? Join us after the jump.

Gallery: GDC10: Vindictus

Continue reading GDC10: Nexon's Vindictus revealed

GDC10: Nexon's Vindictus revealed originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC China 09: Social evolution and Eastern vs. Western dynamics

Seraphina Brennan — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, Culture, MMO Industry, News Items

Yesterday was the for the Game Developer's Conference in China, and one of the highlights included a speech given by Nexon America's vice-president Min Kim on Nexon's entry into the Western market and a call for more Chinese developers to make the leap across the ocean.

Kim, who was born and raised in New York City and took frequent trips to visit his grandparents in South Korea, sees a connection between the gaming cultures on both sides of the ocean. His speech cited the original links between the American and Asian markets when it came to arcade culture, but how both sides began to diverge when console video games rose to power in American and Japan but not in mainland Asia.

Kim's speech also goes into Nexon's first steps into the American market, the rise of social gaming, and Kim's interest in what he calls the "Penguin Army" -- the gamers who will soon out grow Club Penguin and move on to other games. For the full notes on his speech, check out the story over at Gamasutra.

GDC China 09: Social evolution and Eastern vs. Western dynamics originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexon revenues are up, largely driven by MapleStory

James Egan — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MapleStory, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play, Kids

One of the most successful companies operating in the free-to-play games arena is Nexon, which reported their July revenues are up 35 percent year-on-year, according to Worlds In Motion. Much of this good fortune can be attributed to MapleStory, which set a new max concurrent user record of over 70,000 users last month. While the number of registered users in a free-to-play MMO doesn't tell the whole story, Nexon recently announced MapleStory has 92 million registered users worldwide, six million of which are in North America.

Nexon America VP of Marketing Min Kim was quoted by Worlds in Motion about the company's plans for North America. Kim said, "We're heavily investing on all fronts -- in our games, our publishing platform, aggressive marketing efforts as well as customer service. The best news for Nexon America is that our success isn't just reflected in registered users, but in actual, dramatic revenue growth."

Nexon revenues are up, largely driven by MapleStory originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexon permanently increases the rate of experience gain in MapleStory

William Dobson — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MapleStory, Game Mechanics, Patches, Leveling, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play

One of the downsides of an ever-expanding game is the time it takes a new player to "catch up" to the majority of the player-base. Most people are kicking it in some groovy expansion while others might be stuck on old long-abandoned content. Nexon has identified the need to speed their players through certain areas of MapleStory and has taken one of the more common routes to do so: they have announced that the game's experience curve has been boosted. Players from level 11-30 will get experience 50% faster than before. From 31-200 the bonus is decreased slightly, down to a still-significant 25%.

The temporary experience boosts that were granted for recent events were apparently received very well by MapleStory players, and this approval is what led to the permanent increase. Nexon America's VP of Marketing Min Kim helped to make the announcement: "The world of MapleStory is considerably larger than when it was first released. Accelerating the EXP rates empowers old and new users alike to better explore the MapleWorld." The new exp curve is already in effect, so what are you waiting for? Go level a Cygnus Knight!

Nexon permanently increases the rate of experience gain in MapleStory originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Blizzard vets form new mobile MMO company

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO Industry, New Titles, Mobile

At this point, we're beginning to think there are more former Blizzard employees than current Blizzard employees -- and they all form their own companies! The newish Silicon Valley startup, entitled Booyah, was recently announced earlier this year from ex-Blizzard vets Keith Lee, Brian Morrisroe and Sam Christiansen. This company aims to create what they're calling a "playful life companion", marrying the qualities of an MMO, social network sites and Apple's iPhone. This new project aims for a public unveiling in late Spring of 2009. So... like a month?

What makes this project extra interesting is the fact that Booyah's advisory board consists of Blizzard's executive vice president of game design, Rob Pardo, and vice president of marketing for Nexon, Min Kim. Ok, now we're ready to take this project a bit more seriously. "We were immediately compelled by the promise of Booyah and the background of the founders," said Matt Murphy, one of the investment partners at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, who recently gave Booyah $4.5 million in Series A financing. "The iFund was created to help build the most promising and innovative businesses that utilize the discrete capabilities of the iPhone and iPod touch. Booyah is a terrific example."

Blizzard vets form new mobile MMO company originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 01 May 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Free to play pt. 2

Michael Zenke — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: MapleStory, Business Models, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage)

Live Teams
Launching is something like 10% of the overall effort. Keep your team small to start, grow when you prove your success. Don't keep on working on a second product until your first is growing and successful with its own team. Constantly check the vitals of the project, datamining and understanding what your players like and don't like.

This is a Social Experience
Develop great gameplay focused on social interaction. Encourage establishing identities and tying players to each other.

Free to play gaming isn't complicated math:

Subscription MMOs
Total Revenue = Subscribers * Subscription Cost
Paying Users = Subscribers (100% of Users)

Free to Play
Total Revenue = # of Active users * Paying Rate * average revenue per user (ARPU)
Paying Users = # of Active users * Paying Rate

Financial Upside to FTP MMOs
A minority of players pay, but you're likely reaching something like 10x more players generally. Average revenue per user (ARPU) is variable, with players paying above and below. That's inclusive, meaning players can pay what the game is actually worth to them. Players who don't pay can be monetized in other ways, without item sales. ARPU and paying rate can be greatly varied. Don't go for a crazy ARPU, go for something that's sustainable.

Continue reading Free to play pt. 2

Free to play pt. 2 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AGDC08: Why 'free to play' doesn't mean free or easy money

Michael Zenke — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: MapleStory, Business Models, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage)

Min Kim, the presenter of the talk, subtitled this event "A collection of thoughts on building and launching a Free-to-Play MMO." Kim has been around the world and back talking about his company, Nexon, and the business practice they're leading the charge on. Free to play games are bigger than ever in the MMO space, be they local titles like Runescape or imports like Nexon's own MapleStory.

As Nexon America's VP of Marketing, Kim generally makes for a compelling speaker. Still, it was hard not to be impressed at the specifics and knowledge he brings to a conversation on this topic. Essentially a guide to putting together a free-to-play business model from scratch, Kim's talk centered around hard-won lessons from the front lines.

Read on for details on everything from the benefits of selling to kids at Target, to the dangers and pitfalls of self-publishing a game.

Continue reading AGDC08: Why 'free to play' doesn't mean free or easy money

AGDC08: Why 'free to play' doesn't mean free or easy money originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Austin Game Developers Conference previews the evolving face of MMOs

Michael Zenke — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Events (Real-World), Academic

Worlds in Motion has continued to announce some of the highlights of the upcoming Austin Game Developer's Conference. We've previously talked about featured speakers like Nexon's Min Kim, and interesting events showcasing the collaboration between casual gaming and MMOs. These newest events continue to explore some topics we've returned to several times before here at Massively. The business side of massive gaming, for example, will be explored in a panel entitled Evolving Business for MMOs. Speakers will include Turbine Business Development VP Robert Ferrari, CCP CEO Himlar Veigar Pertursson, Funcom Business Development VP Nicolay Nickelsen, Nexon America director Min Kim, and ImaginVenture SA COO Jessica Mulligan.

Other talks will include tips for the changing face of MMO business models, focusing on free-to-play and RMT models. Another will discuss some of the challenges of running a Beta test, with hands-on knowledge from Keneva's Jonathan Hanna. Check out the full listing of MMO-related talks and panels over at the official AGDC website today.

Austin Game Developers Conference previews the evolving face of MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexon's new western targeted MMOG Sugar Rush in closed beta

Matt Warner — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Video, New Titles, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Casual, Sugar Rush

Nexon America's Min Kim dropped a hint in late May that an upcoming MMO title was in development in their Vancouver studio. The big secret is Sugar Rush, a new casual based MMO romp and stomp with coin collection mixed into the fray. It is the first MMOG from that studio that is intended specifically for North American audiences. While Sugar Rush is free to play, it will sustain development costs via a microtransaction model "item mall" similar to many other free to play MMOs. The game is currently in closed beta and Nexon America is not accepting applications at this time, but we hear it may launch in the very near future.

The development team working on Sugar Rush is based in Vancouver, Canada and includes former Electronic Arts Worldwide Studios Group vice president and creative director Steve Rechtschaffner, as well as studio Klei Entertainment. Headed by Jamie Cheng, Klei Entertainment previously developed and published Eets, a 2D puzzle game for PCs which was later revamped for Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade.

It will be interesting to see how Sugar Rush does in North America. MapleStory is unquestionably highly successful. It put Nexon on the global radar and shocked the naysayers when MapleStory earned 29 million dollars in revenue -- not bad for a free to play MMOG! The whole western and eastern MMOG market juxtaposition is fascinating; many have shunned a lot of eastern games in discussing the western market and vice-versa. A video from the closed beta showcasing game play is after the jump. Let us know what you think.

Continue reading Nexon's new western targeted MMOG Sugar Rush in closed beta

Nexon's new western targeted MMOG Sugar Rush in closed beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Austin Game Developer's Conference announces speakers

Michael Zenke — Sat, 31 May 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Events (Real-World), Academic

This year's Austin Game Developer's Conference, slated for early September, sounds like it will be a good one. Though the ION 2008 event was a fantastic MMO-focused design and development thinktank, AGDC traditionally fills that roll. CMP (the event's organizer) has announced some of the speakers that will be participating in the event. The list includes industry heavyweights like Nexon America's Min Kim, BioWare's Damion Schubert, and Cryptic's Gordon Wei.

We're particularly interested in Mr. Schubert's talk. Last year his Zen of Online Game Design discussion was one of the highlights of the conference, and his discussion for this year sounds equally engaging. Entitled "Endgame: How to Build High-End Gameplay for Your Most Devoted Players", it would seem to be tackling one of the issues that a lot of MMO players find very pressing. Make sure to check out the descriptions of the events, and if you're thinking of going make sure to register soon. Early registration is only open through the end of July. And, of course, you can look forward to extensive coverage from Massively.com; we'll be at the event in force!

Austin Game Developer's Conference announces speakers originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 31 May 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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An ION 08 interview with Nexon America's Min Kim [Updated]

Shawn Schuster — Wed, 28 May 2008 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, MapleStory, Business Models, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, Casual

In a recent interview at Ten Ton Hammer, Nexon America's Min Kim spoke out about some of the company's plans for upcoming games, including their online FPS entitled Combat Arms which will be entering closed beta next week. He also talks a bit about another upcoming MMO title being produced by their Vancouver studio, but details are still not available.

In addition, Min Kim speaks at great length about some of the existing titles they have have available in Korea, that they're hoping to port to the North American audience, including the wildly-popular Korean title KartRider. To garner interest with North American players, Min Kim realizes that the audiences are different, and social competition is where it's at. No other information was said about KartRider's introduction to North America, but he says more details will be available soon.

Update: Though we initially listed both Audition and KartRider as games Nexon was looking to bring to North America, Audition has been available to North American audiences for some time now, complete with a catalog of familiar songs!

An ION 08 interview with Nexon America's Min Kim [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 May 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nexon's Min Kim on the importance of Target to free to play gaming

Michael Zenke — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: MapleStory, Business Models, Culture, Interviews, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play

Today Gamasutra has up a massive interview with Min Kim, public face for the Korean gaming powerhouse Nexon. Kim has spoken on numerous occasions at various industry events on overcoming challenges for free to play gaming. Those challenges have translated into huge opportunities, with games like MapleStory, Kart Rider, Mabinogi, and Audition earning Nexon big money. According to Kim, the microtransaction business model the company uses across its titles is responsible for that success. Many other MMO developers have attempted to emulate that success, but their entrenched position 'since the late 90s', has made that difficult.

Some of Kim's most interesting statements surround their interactions with brick-and-mortar retail outlets. "We didn't really take off until we got the cards into Target and Best Buy and 7-Eleven. Over 50 percent of our player base doesn't have access to plastic, between 13 and 17. They just couldn't pay, so we'd effectively lose more than half our business. So that payment side is, I think, one of the biggest battles that people will fight." He goes on to discuss the possibility of Nexon games on the Xbox 360, the role of games in South Korea, and the misconceptions Western developers have when entering the free-to-play marketplace.

Nexon's Min Kim on the importance of Target to free to play gaming originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC08 Highlights: The future of Virtual Worlds and the end of GDC08

Dan O'Halloran — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 12:56:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Galleries, Screenshots, MapleStory, Business Models, Events (Real-World), Events (In-Game), Game Mechanics, Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, Previews, News Items, Free-to-Play, Browser, Hands-On, Casual, Massively highlights, Academic, Education, Virtual Worlds, Gaia Online, Kids

The Future of MMOs

The Future of MMOs panel liveblog

Team Massively was there to live blog one of the most anticipated panels of GDC08. On it were a few names you might have heard of, like Cryptic Studios' Jack Emmert, Nexon's Min Kim, BioWare's Ray Muzyka, and Rob Pardo (who has apparently worked on some sort of popular fantasy game). We blogged a blow-by-blow account of the jabs, cuts, and parries from these Massive genre heavyweights.

Gallery: GDC08: The Future of MMOs

Continue reading GDC08 Highlights: The future of Virtual Worlds and the end of GDC08

GDC08 Highlights: The future of Virtual Worlds and the end of GDC08 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 02 Mar 2008 12:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC08: Massively is Live at the Future of MMOs panel

Michael Zenke — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, MapleStory, Business Models, Culture, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, Opinion, Virtual Worlds, Events (Massively's Coverage)

Today at GDC Massively is liveblogging a sort of 'MMO Keynote', a panel entitled simply "The Future of MMOs". A simple title, perhaps, but probably the most anticipated event for Massive game designers and fans alike. On it are a few names you might have heard of, like Cryptic Studios' Jack Emmert, Nexon's Min Kim, BioWare's Ray Muzyka, and Rob Pardo (who has apparently worked on some sort of popular fantasy game). Moderated by MMORPG.com's Jon Woods, it's sure to offer some insights into the games of tomorrow.

Below the cut is our blow-by-blow account of the jabs, cuts, and parries from these Massive genre heavyweights. The last time I saw a get-together like this was at the Austin Game Conference, and the result was a spectacular confrontation. If ... you know ... you like MMOs. Otherwise it's a bunch of guys talking generalities about "those addictive games".

If the idea of the mind behind World of Warcraft talking about the games that he loves, along with observations from one of the founders of BioWare, combined with the insights of a tabletop gaming champion and a pioneer of Korean gaming doesn't interest you ... why are you here?

Read on!

Gallery: GDC08: The Future of MMOs

Continue reading GDC08: Massively is Live at the Future of MMOs panel

GDC08: Massively is Live at the Future of MMOs panel originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GDC08: MapleStory's road to the US marketplace

Michael Zenke — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: MapleStory, Business Models, Culture, MMO Industry, Events (Massively's Coverage)

Microtransactions aren't very well understood in the US, and so that was a big part of the massive subject that Nexon America's Min Kim delved into this morning at the Worlds in Motion conference. Beginning with a rundown on Nexon's ramp up to the RMT-based juggernaut it is today, he went into a great deal of detail about the tiny transactions that have built an industry (almost) overnight.

The rest of his talk centered on Nexon'f foray into the United States. If you've been wondering about those MapleStory commercials, the cards at Target and 7-11, or all that adorable art - Nexon is the source. Read on for a discussion of how a foreign title built in South Korea can become so integrated with our own culture that they can offer up a Vegas-style wedding ceremony.

Hail to the king.

Gallery: GDC08: Worlds in Motion summit day 2

Continue reading GDC08: MapleStory's road to the US marketplace

GDC08: MapleStory's road to the US marketplace originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The epic fight: Retail vs. Microtransactions

Michael Zenke — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Business Models, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play, Consoles, Casual

This past week's DICE event had several head-to-head events pitting warring concepts in the gaming industry against each other. The ongoing struggle between subscription fees and RMT/microtransactional business models was represented at the event by an excellent debate. And topical, considering that it appears questions over the business model may have in some way scuttled the Marvel comics MMO.

On the side of retail/subscriptions was Kelly Flock, a veteran of THQ and Sony. Min Kim, the director of operations for Nexon America, carried the banner for microtransactions. Most of their sparring centered over the economic benefits both sides offer. Kim focused on the cheap production costs of free-to-play games, as well as the appeal to casual gamers. "Once people start playing games for free, I don't know why they're going to start paying for one.", he said. Flock, meanwhile, offered evidence of a strong retail market and possible customer mindset problems in the US.

Both of them had some compelling things to say on the subject, but it seems from the writeup that Kim and RMT won the day. A sign of the times?

The epic fight: Retail vs. Microtransactions originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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