NEXON
AMERICA
LAUNCHES
NORTH
AMERICAN
VERSION OF
ITS
BLOCKBUSTER
CASUAL MMO
GAME,
MAPLESTORY
Company
Establishes
New Gaming
Category
with
MapleStory –
Casual
Massively
Multiplayer
Online Games
First of
Several
Games from
Nexon to
Receive
Marketing
Support
Across
Portfolio of
MTV Networks
Television
and Online
Brands
Los Angeles,
CA –
November 28,
2006 –
MapleStory,
one of the
world’s most
popular
massively
multiplayer
online role
playing
games (MMORPG)
is making
its official
debut in
North
America, it
was
announced
today by
Nexon
America
Inc., the
U.S.
subsidiary
of Asia’s
leading
casual
online games
company,
Nexon
Corporation.
MapleStory
is a global,
mass-market
phenomenon,
having
attracted 50
million
registered
users
worldwide
through its
ease-of-use,
award-winning
game play,
robust
community
and the
ability to
personalize
game
characters
in endless
whimsical
combinations.
MapleStory
will be the
first of
several
games from
Nexon that
will receive
marketing
support from
MTV Networks
(MTVN), a
byproduct of
the two
companies’
recently
announced
strategic
online
gaming
partnership.
Beginning in
early 2007,
marketing
campaigns
for
MapleStory
will run
across a
portfolio of
MTVN
television
and online
brands
including
MTV, MTV2,
mtvU, Comedy
Central,
The-N,
Neopets.com,
Shockwave.com,
Addictinggames.com,
Gametrailers.com
and Xfire.
Available
now via free
online
download at
intro.mapleglobal.com,
MapleStory
is
establishing
a new
category of
online games
in North
America
called
casual
massively
multiplayer
online
games.
Free-to-download
and
subscription-free,
MapleStory
utilizes a
cash shop
system, also
known as
micro-transactions
or
item-selling,
where
players can
purchase a
wide array
of items to
customize,
personalize
and enhance
their
characters
and game
play
experiences.
“MapleStory
is driving a
new market
segment of
casual
online games
that has
experienced
great
success in
Asia and is
ripe for
North
America,”
said Min
Kim,
director of
game
operations
for Nexon
America.
“Our game
combines
classic
console game
elements
with a
fantastic
massively
multiplayer
experience
that is both
easy to
learn and
fun to play.
With the
free-to-play
model, rich
content, and
highly
customizable
characters,
we think
MapleStory’s
pint-sized
heroes will
be a big hit
with a broad
range of
gamers!”
With
localized
versions in
South Korea,
Japan,
China,
Taiwan and
Southeast
Asia,
MapleStory
has achieved
great
success
throughout
Asia. The
game’s
mass-market
appeal has
led to
marketing
deals in
Asia with
top
companies
such as
Coca-Cola.
MapleStory’s
free-to-download,
subscription-free
service is
supported by
revenue
generated
through its
micro-transaction
business
model where
players can
opt to spend
real money
on character
customizations
and game
enhancements.
In 2005,
Nexon
Corporation
reported
$230 million
in revenue,
driven
primarily
from
millions of
micro-transactions.
Filled with
vibrant
backgrounds
and charming
characters,
MapleStory
is an online
adventure
game that
centers
around the
“Maple
World,”
allowing
players to
combat
monsters and
develop
their
characters’
skills and
abilities in
an immense
platform-inspired
persistent
world.
Players
interact
with each
other online
through
chatting,
trading, and
playing
mini-games.
Groups of
players can
also ally
together in
parties or
guilds to
socialize,
hunt
monsters,
and
adventure
through the
immersive
lands on
exciting
quests.
MapleStory’s
innovative
cash shop
offers
players the
option to
use real
currency to
pay for game
enhancements
-- from
cosmetic
items such
as haircuts
and plastic
surgery
coupons to
virtual pets
that can be
trained to
sit, stand,
and breathe
fire. This
feature is
purely
optional and
players can
try out
items prior
to purchase
in a virtual
dressing
room.
Through
avatar
customizations,
players can
create truly
unique
identities
in
MapleStory.
As a pioneer
in the
“item-selling”
arena, Nexon
has sold
millions of
virtual
items
worldwide
through
MapleStory
and other
hit titles
such as
KartRider,
BnB: Crazy
Arcade, and
others.
Providing
endless
variety for
its online
game
players,
MapleStory
offers
monthly
content
updates and
events. Free
monthly
patch
updates
provide new
items,
monsters,
quests,
maps, and
events to
keep the
experience
fresh.
In-game
events
supported by
dynamic
content
updates take
place
throughout
the year to
celebrate
holidays and
other
occasions.
Special
content is
being
created
specifically
for the
North
American
version that
reflects
gamers’
tastes and
pop culture
trends.
MapleStory
is available
exclusively
for Windows
PC via free
online
download at
www.nexon.net.
About MTV
Networks
MTV
Networks, a
unit of
Viacom
(NYSE: VIA,
VIA.B), is
one of the
world’s
leading
creators of
programming
and content
across all
media
platforms.
MTV
Networks,
with more
than 130
channels
worldwide,
owns and
operates the
following
television
programming
services –
MTV: MUSIC
TELEVISION,
MTV2, VH1,
mtvU,
NICKELODEON,
NICK at NITE,
COMEDY
CENTRAL, TV
LAND, SPIKE
TV, CMT,
NOGGIN, VH1
CLASSIC,
LOGO, MTVN
INTERNATIONAL
and THE
DIGITAL
SUITE FROM
MTV
NETWORKS, a
package of
13 digital
services,
with all of
these
networks
trademarks
of MTV
Networks.
MTV Networks
connects
with its
audiences
through its
robust
consumer
products
businesses
and its more
than 130
interactive
properties
worldwide,
including
GameTrailers.com,
IFILM,
Neopets,
Xfire, Y2M,
and online,
broadband,
wireless and
interactive
television
services.
MTV Networks
also has
licensing
agreements,
joint
ventures,
and
syndication
deals
whereby all
of its
programming
services can
be seen
worldwide.
About Nexon
America
Nexon
America is
the North
American
publishing
arm of Nexon
Corporation,
a pioneer of
interactive
entertainment
software and
the world’s
leader in
massively
multiplayer
online
games. Based
in Los
Angeles,
Nexon
America was
founded in
2005 to
bring the
best of
online
entertainment
to the North
American
audience.
The
company’s
library of
titles
includes the
world
famous,
smash-hit
franchise,
MapleStory,
and the new
motion-captured
dance battle
game,
Audition
Online. The
foundation
of all Nexon
America
titles is
the “item”
business
model, in
which users
access the
full game
for free and
can later
opt to pay
for game
enhancements.