Nexon USA claims continued growth in Q3

According to Nexon America, the MMO company saw revenue jump more than 36 percent in the third quarter, a sign, according to Nexon America, that customers are enthusiastic about the company’s slate of games and new content. What helped Q3 numbers the most were revenue numbers for September, which jumped 44 percent, compared to September 2008. This goes along with the company’s growth trend during this past summer when Nexon America’s revenues grew 35 percent in July and 32 percent in August compared to the same time frame last year.

Daniel Kim, Nexon America’s CEO, said that the positive revenue numbers reflect the activity of Nexon’s games — MapleStory, Combat Arms, and Mabinogi — which have all been in service for more than a year. Combat Arms, the most recent addition to Nexon’s service, launched October 1, 2008.

Let’s see how long the trend continues.

Nexon America prepares a BlockParty blowout

Nexon America today revealed BlockParty, an online games and social networking service designed for gamers that is completly free. Nexon America has begun its rollout of a new, free service initiative called BlockParty that will centralize all of Nexon’s games into one online portal and combine it with a social network designed to bring playerst together.

BlockParty, which will be online at BlockParty.com in the coming months, is currently being previewed at all of Nexon America’s game Web sites as well as at Nexon.net. The preview is set off by clicking on the animated “Blockheads” that launch into a short preview at the top of each Web page.

At its launch, players will be able to go to BlockParty.com and access their game accounts, launch games from their browser, and interact with other players from any of Nexon’s games. BlockParty will also provide players with customizable profile pages and a real-time news update that announces player accomplishments via BlockParty’s “Play Feed.”

No date has been set for the opening of BlockParty.com, though Nexon America will conduct beta tests throughout the remainder of 2009.

MapleStory goes mobile with AT&T

AT&T is now offering a mobile phone version of Nexon USA’s MapleStory at AT&T MEdia Mall, AT&T’s multimedia content store. AT&T is the first U.S. wireless carrier to launch a mobile version of MapleStory, which is the world’s most popular 2D side-scrolling massively multiplayer online role-playing game, with over 92 million worldwide registered users.

Just like in the PC version, AT&T customers will be able to take part in all of the MapleStory action from assuming characters to taking on challenges where they are called upon to protect the Maple World. The AT&T version of the mobile game also includes a special bonus: players who download the MapleStory mobile game from AT&T will be able to claim a special item for their MapleStory PC game.

Learn more about it by visiting maplestory.nexon.net.

Happy Birthday, MapleStory

MapleStory has been running in North America for four years, by Nexon USA’s count. I remember a former coworker of mine carrying on about how his niece had fallen in love with the game when it was still in beta. It was at that time that the game had taken off like a wildfire among the tween set, and then adults, intrigued by that fascination with the game, started to play it in droves. Obviously, the number of users since that time has dropped off considerably, but the game apparently still enjoys a fair share of subscribers. Of course, it’s no Runescape.

Nexon USA is celebrating this milestone - four years surviving in the rather vicious North American MMO market, by offering a number of items and events for subscribers. Some of the goodies being offered to subscribers include Fourth Anniversary Maple Weapons (Maple Hats, Maple Shields, Maple Earrings, or Fourth Anniversary Scrolls), weapons upgrades using Maple Leaf drops, a level up event (again, involving Maple Leaves), GM events, the ability to transform into a monster, 1,200 prizes over the next 40 days, a special Maple Quiz and a whole lot more.

Learn more by checking out maplestory.nexon.net.

Dungeon Fighter Online Character Classes

Nexon America released details today on five character classes you can expect to see in its new action MMO, Dungeon Fighter Online. Set to premiere later this year, Dungeon Fighter Online, is a free-to-play, free-to-download, arcade-style, and action adventure game set in a role-playing fantasy world. The classes, detailed after the jump, include the Gunner, Mage, Fighter, Slayer and Priest.

As your character gains levels, each class can specialize further into subclasses, opening up increasingly powerful skills. Detail information about the five character classes and their subclasses are explained on the new Web site.

Read the rest of this entry »