SK Telecom and Nexon Forge 'Ultra Cooperation' in Gaming Sector

Kim Hyun, Vice President of Business at Nexon (left), and Jeon Jin-su, Head of 5GX Service Business Division at SK Telecom

[Asia Economy Reporter Joeslgina] SK Telecom and Nexon are launching an 'all-out super collaboration' in the gaming business. It is expected that the realm of immersive content that 5G users can enjoy, such as virtual reality (VR) games, will expand significantly.

On the 13th, SK Telecom and Nexon announced that they signed a mutual cooperation memorandum of understanding (MOU) to conduct joint marketing and investment targeting the content and product services each company owns. This super collaboration is the first result of the gaming sector super cooperation announced by SK Telecom CEO Park Jung-ho at last month's shareholders' meeting.

First, the two companies will intensify cooperation starting with joint marketing for the upcoming release of the game 'KartRider Rush Plus.' 'KartRider Rush Plus' is a mobile racing game developed in line with the latest trends to allow users to enjoy the fun of Nexon's representative popular game 'KartRider' on mobile devices. It is scheduled to be serviced globally, including South Korea, in the first half of this year.

The two companies also agreed to cooperate for the successful launch of VR games and cloud games utilizing Nexon's intellectual property (IP). Earlier, they beta-serviced the 'Crazy World VR' game, jointly developed with Pixelity Games using the IP of popular Nexon KartRider characters 'Dao' and 'Bazzi,' through Oculus in February, and plan to release it in the future. Additionally, starting with sponsorship of the '2020 SKT JUMP KartRider League,' the two companies will also collaborate in the 'e-sports' sector.

This super collaboration was carried out to create synergy by combining the industrial capabilities of SK Telecom and Nexon, leaders in the domestic telecommunications and gaming industries. SK Telecom, which has operated cloud gaming and Oculus VR in partnership with Microsoft (MS), Facebook, and others, plans to accelerate the development of world-class 5G-based content through cooperation with Nexon. This is expected to strengthen game industry content and expand immersive service experiences for 5G users.

Jeon Jin-su, head of SK Telecom's 5GX Service Division, said, "With the emergence of VR games and cloud games, the gaming sector is facing a new turning point," adding, "We expect challenges and achievements in the global gaming market through the technology and marketing cooperation between the top game company Nexon and SK Telecom."

Kim Hyun, Nexon's Vice President of Business, also said, "The partnership with SK Telecom is meaningful as it is an opportunity to further enhance Nexon's competitiveness and contribute to creating a 'super gap,'" adding, "We will strive to provide users with new fun and experiences."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.