Nexon Reports Record Quarterly Revenue of 1.42 Trillion Won in Q1

Operating Profit Reaches 542.6 Billion Won, Up 40% Year-on-Year

'MapleStory' and 'Arc Raiders' IPs Drive Growth

Nexon posted record-breaking results for the first quarter of this year, fueled by the strong performance of its flagship intellectual property (IP). Nexon plans to secure mid- to long-term growth momentum through the expansion of its existing IPs and the launch of new titles.

Nexon logo. Provided by Nexon

On May 14, Nexon announced that, on a consolidated basis, its first-quarter revenue rose by 34% year-on-year to 1.4201 trillion won (152.2 billion yen, with the first quarter's exchange rate at 932.8 won per 100 yen). Operating profit increased by 40% to 542.6 billion won during the same period. Net profit for the quarter was 533.8 billion won, marking a 118% year-on-year increase. Nexon stated that revenue, operating profit, and net profit all reached all-time highs for a single quarter.

Its flagship IP, MapleStory, drove these outstanding results. Total revenue from the MapleStory IP grew 42% year-on-year. Last year, Nexon expanded the MapleStory IP in global markets by adapting the PC original experience to mobile casual genres and user-generated content (UGC) platforms through titles such as 'MapleStory Idle' and 'MapleStory Worlds.' MapleStory Idle performed above expectations in North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and other regions, while revenue from MapleStory Worlds in Taiwan jumped 79% year-on-year thanks to the Lunar New Year update, according to Nexon. In addition, revenue from the original PC title also increased by 8% year-on-year in Western markets, attributed to the winter update.

Buoyed by the success of Arc Raiders, launched in October last year, Nexon's PC and console revenue surpassed the 1 trillion won mark for the first time in a single quarter. Arc Raiders sold an additional 4.6 million copies in the first quarter of this year, bringing cumulative sales to over 16 million units. Arc Raiders claimed five awards at global game ceremonies, including the Multiplayer category at the UK's BAFTA Game Awards.

By region, revenue in North America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and other regions increased by 310% and 111% year-on-year, respectively, setting new single-quarter records. Although growth momentum in China was limited, overseas sales accounted for 62% of total revenue, demonstrating consistent growth.

Nexon aims to restore growth momentum by strengthening the competitiveness of its core IPs. Along with the earnings announcement, Nexon also revealed that it has extended major partnerships to reinforce the competitiveness of two key IPs: FC and Dungeon & Fighter. It signed a long-term publishing agreement with Electronic Arts (EA) for the FC franchise in Korea. Additionally, Nexon extended its publishing contract with China's IT giant Tencent for Dungeon & Fighter in China by 10 years.

Nexon plans to apply the IP expansion strategy, proven with MapleStory, to the Dungeon & Fighter IP as well. The company has confirmed the launch of the mobile idle game 'Dungeon & Fighter Idle' within this year, and is developing new titles such as the 2D action RPG Dungeon & Fighter Classic and the open-world action RPG Dungeon & Fighter: Arad, targeting the global market.

Nexon is securing its mid- to long-term growth by identifying new titles through fresh partnership agreements. In March, it signed a publishing contract with Blizzard Entertainment to offer the global blockbuster 'Overwatch' PC version for domestic service within this year. The company also plans to launch new titles in the second half of the year, including the fantasy world RPG 'Azure Promilia' and the MMORPG 'Project T.'

Jeongheon Lee, CEO of Nexon Japan, stated, "We were able to achieve outstanding results in the first quarter thanks to the global success of the MapleStory franchise and Arc Raiders," adding, "We will secure growth engines for the mid- to long-term by strengthening strategic partnerships and building a robust new title lineup, and we will enhance profitability and global competitiveness through innovation initiatives."

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