While its competitors turned in disappointing financial quarters, Nexon has actually seen a surprising resurgence in Q2: Its quarterly revenues were 12% higher compared to this quarter last year.
The company doesn’t point to a single cause for the bump but rather a whole raft of causes: a boost in players of Dungeon & Fighter (in China) and MapleStory (in Korea) owing to the studio’s “prioritizing long-term player engagement over short-term revenue), huge boosts in MAUs and incomes from FIFA Online 4, growth for Blue Archive, and even “better-than-expected player retention” for Wars of Prasia.
“MapleStory and Dungeon&Fighter are two of Nexon’s most resilient franchises, and illustrate Nexon’s unusual business model. Unlike other segments of the games business that require a publisher to replace declining title sales with new products, these franchises provide a stable base on which to build a growing business. They represent the gold standard of long-term live service community management, leading to consistent returns that so many entertainment companies strive to emulate. Prioritizing longterm engagement and community management over short-term monetization is one way we ensure franchises like MapleStory and Dungeon&Fighter will endure and grow well into the future.”
Pour another one out for MapleStory 2.
Nexon reminded investors that THE FINALS, ARC Raiders, Warhaven, The First Descendant, and Mabinogi Mobile are all still on deck too. According to the slides, the June beta for THE FINALS “showed improved retention” and will be followed by another beta before the eventual 2023 launch.
