Nexon Achieves Record Q2 Performance... 'Dungeon & Fighter Mobile' Success in China (Comprehensive)

Sales of 1.0762 trillion KRW, Operating Profit of 397.4 billion KRW
Increased by 30% and 64% YoY respectively

Nexon recorded its highest-ever sales and operating profit for the second quarter, driven by the success of ‘Dungeon & Fighter Mobile’ in China.

On the 8th, Nexon announced that its consolidated sales for the second quarter of this year reached 1.0762 trillion KRW, with an operating profit of 397.4 billion KRW. These figures represent a 30% and 64% increase respectively compared to the same period last year, marking the highest sales and operating profit for a second quarter in the company’s history.

Nexon’s three major IPs (intellectual properties)?‘Dungeon & Fighter’, ‘MapleStory’, and ‘FC’ IP?contributed to the strong performance. The combined global sales of games released based on these IPs increased by 57% compared to the same period last year, and the proportion of overseas sales in total revenue rose to 60%.

First, the success of ‘Dungeon & Fighter Mobile’, launched in China, led to more than doubling the sales of the ‘Dungeon & Fighter’ IP (including ‘Dungeon & Fighter’ and ‘Dungeon & Fighter Mobile’) compared to the same period last year. The company explained, "After extensive preparation and thorough localization, ‘Dungeon & Fighter Mobile’ launched in China received explosive responses from Chinese users, proving its strength once again. Additionally, the PC version of ‘Dungeon & Fighter’ in China also contributed by achieving quarterly forecasts through stable operations focused on improving the in-game economy."

The ‘MapleStory’ IP, which is gradually increasing sales in the global market, also contributed to second-quarter growth. The PC online game ‘MapleStory’ set new sales records in North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and other regions during the second quarter, showing a clear growth trend. The mobile game ‘MapleStory M’ also saw global sales increase by 43% compared to the same period last year. ‘MapleStory World’, which officially launched in April, has also received positive responses, expanding the fan base of the ‘MapleStory’ IP.

The ‘FC’ IP, including ‘FC Online’ and ‘FC Mobile’, continued its strong performance. Although sales for both ‘FC Online’ and ‘FC Mobile’ decreased compared to the same period last year due to the record growth experienced in 2023, they still achieved strong results exceeding internal forecasts.

Nexon plans to accelerate its global strategy with a two-track approach of ‘IP expansion’ and ‘new IP discovery’. IP expansion involves extending well-established IPs like ‘MapleStory’, ‘Dungeon & Fighter’, and ‘FC’ through changes in genre and platform, as well as pioneering new markets to provide fresh experiences. New IP development is the process of challenging completely new IPs to discover titles that will become the foundation of another global franchise.

Currently, various new titles that have proven their gameplay quality and potential for success, such as ‘Dave the Diver’ and ‘The Finals’, are growing into next-generation IPs at Nexon. In particular, ‘First Descendant’, released last month, attracted attention by challenging the route shooter genre, which requires high-level development skills in Korea. It surpassed 220,000 concurrent Steam users on its first day, ranked 5th among the most-played games, and achieved the highest global sales, drawing significant attention.

‘Blue Archive’, which is enjoying tremendous popularity in Japan, the birthplace of subculture, expanded its fan base further by releasing an animation based on the IP. In terms of performance, it set a new sales record in Japan for the second quarter of this year and recorded double-digit growth compared to the same period last year in Southeast Asia and other regions, increasing its potential as a franchise IP.

The new lineup also draws high expectations. Nexon will showcase the action RPG new title ‘First Berserker: Kazan’ at Gamescom, the world’s largest game exhibition, on the 21st. This game is a single-package title that combines immersive storytelling with unique hardcore action.

The stealth survival game set in a zombie apocalypse, ‘Paradise: LAST PARADISE’, is also under development with the goal of conducting a second test within the year. ‘Paradise’ was recognized by users for its gameplay and potential during the pre-alpha test held in December last year. Set in a ruined Seoul, it adds realism to the game and strengthens the fun of item farming in the complex Seoul cityscape, building a unique charm.

Lee Jung-heon, CEO of Nexon (Japan), said, "It is very encouraging that both ‘Dungeon & Fighter Mobile’, launched in China, and the new IP ‘First Descendant’, which challenged the global market, have achieved good results. We will continue to pursue growth strategies through the expansion of existing IPs and the discovery of new IPs."

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