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Nexon Corporation should not be confused with KRU Interactive (Formerly Nexon Inc.)

Nexon Corporation

Type
Founded	1994
Location	Seoul, South Korea
Industry	Game developer and Publisher
Website	http://www.nexon.com/
Korean name
Hangul	넥슨
Revised Romanization	Nexon

Nexon Corporation (Korean: 넥슨) is a Korean Gaming corporation, and a developer of online games and MMORPGs. Its headquarters are located in Seoul, Korea.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Partnership with Nintendo 2 NEXON Cash 3 News 4 Company Divisions 4.1 NEXON America 4.2 NEXON Europe 4.3 NEXON Japan 4.4 NEXON Korea 4.5 NEXON Games 5 Release History 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

Nexon Corp. published their first title, Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds, in 1996. In 1999 Nexon released Dark Ages: Online Roleplaying which was loosely based off the Korean game Legend of Darkness, using the same server technology. The North American version of Dark Ages was developed by David Kennerly

Nexon has also released a few unsuccessful games to the North American audience in beta form which have since been dropped. They include Elemental Saga, QuizQuiz and Elancia. QuizQuiz never left beta stage in North America but was later released through the Singapore division of Nexon, NexonAsia in an English version. QuizQuiz has since evolved into the exclusively Korean and Japanese online game Q-Play, while Elemental Saga was eventually canceled. Nexon has several games exclusively available to Korean players such as Mabinogi, Elancia, and Crazy Arcade.

In 2003, WIZET created a hugely successful game called MapleStory, which eventually had clients in Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Southeast Asia, North America and Europe. Nexon then bought out 51% of the shares in Wizet and now control MapleStory.

It has produced several online video games, primarily MMORPGs and online action games. Most games have used a 2D perspective, including side-scrolling, top-down, and isometric perspectives. Newer 3D titles are currently being published. Although most games are available for free, various gameplay enhancements can be purchased.

NEXON announced that they have made a partnership with Nintendo^[1], though they will continue games for the computer as well. Together, they are currently working on Maple Story DS for Nintendo's handheld console, Nintendo DS.

Commonly referred to as 'NX Cash'or 'NX', the NEXON Cash system was one of the first systems to use the Virtual Asset Sales (VAS) model. The Nexon Cash system was first introduced in the Korean version of MapleStory. The NEXON Cash system allows users to purchase NEXON cash with real money. The NX cash can be used to obtain virtual game items that other users normally wouldn't have. Players can use this virtual cash to buy items for their characters in games that support a "Cash Shop." The NEXON Cash system has appeared in other games to generate additional funds for their company and keep their games free to play.

On January 11, 2007, NEXON America announced the release of NEXON Prepaid Cards. The prepaid cards contain amounts of 10,000 ($10 USD) or 25,000 ($25 USD) NX currency that can be redeemed for NX Cash. As of September 17, 2007 the prepaid cards are available in North American Target stores, 7-11 stores, Duane Reade, and recently, CVS, Best Buy, and Rite Aid stores in the US. Future Shops and Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada just released.

• October 2005 - Nexon Corp. publishes Global MapleStory under the name NXGames from Wizet.
• March 2006 - Nexon America hires a CEO named John Chi and will be starting a major marketing campaign.
• June 2006 - Nexon disclosed it is set to launch a game portal service in the U.S., with the company planning to unveil "Audition," a hit online dance game enjoying phenomenal success in Taiwan and China as well as in the home market.
• June 7, 2006 - KIPA (Korea IT Industry Promotion Agency) listed Audition Online to be launched in America.
• August 25, 2006 - According to an interview published on GameSpot Korea, an PC English version of Mabinogi is under development/translation for North America market. Estimated release is scheduled for late 2007.^[2]
• November 3, 2006 - Alex Garden, co-founder of Relic Entertainment, joins Nexon and will run Nexon's North American game development studio, Nexon Publishing North America.^[3]
• November 7, 2006 - Nexon America has launched with Global MapleStory under Nexon America.
• July 27, 2007 - Nexon Corp. announces a partnership with Valve Software to publish Counter Strike Online in Asia.

[1]

• September 17, 2007 - Hong Kong players from Maple Global banned by Nexon America.

[2][3]

• December 19, 2007 - Mabinogi announced in the North American market by Nexon America.

NEXON America first started as NXGames in October 2005. By partnering with Wizet, NEXON America cosigned and acquired publishing rights of MapleStory in North America. On November 2, 2006, NXGames began marketing their business as NEXON America and dropping the NXGames name. On November 9, 2006, NEXON America had announced its partnership with MTV Networks to promote NEXON games and enhance the Neopets services.^[4] NEXON has also announced that they will market MapleStory, Kartrider, and Audition Online with MTV Networks. NEXON America currently leads the American Online Gaming Industry with the North American MapleStory version recently reaching almost the 5-million player mark.

NEXON Europe is one of the new online game portals in Europe. NEXON Europe first opened in April 9, 2007, when NEXON Europe released the Open Beta of MapleStory Europe. On May 31, 2007, NEXON Europe officially released MapleStory Europe and opened the cash shop. The release also marked the official grand opening of MapleStory Europe and the game will be removed from its beta stages.

NEXON Japan is one of the most successful online gaming companies in Japan. NEXON Japan was first started with MapleStory, which turned into a synonymous online game.

NEXON Korea is one of the South Korea's gaming industry's larger companies.^{[citation needed]} NEXON Korea started with MapleStory in their lineup. NEXON Korea received a large influx of users migrating to the Korean version because of the Tespia Test Server and their more up-to-date patching. To combat this, NEXON Korea now requires a Korean Social Security Number to register.

Main article: List of NEXON Games

Main article: Nexon Corporation/Release History

• Asiasoft
• Gamania
• ijji, Nexon's main competition in America.
• MapleStory
• Shanda
• Wizet

1. ^ Nintendo to invade Korea; teams up with MMORPG dev. Destructoid (2006-12-26). Retrieved on 2007-07-09.
2. ^ 마비노기, 북미 진출 노린다 (Korean). GameSpot Korea (2006-08-25). Retrieved on 2007-02-09.
3. ^ "‘Warhammer’ Creator Joins Nexon", The Korea Times, 2006-11-05. Retrieved on 2007-02-19. 
4. ^ MTV Networks and Nexon Partnership. Nexon Notice Board (2006-11-09). Retrieved on 2007-02-09.

• Company Website http://company.nexon.com/english/
• (English) www.nexon.net
• (Korean) www.nexon.com
• (Japanese) www.nexon.co.jp

v • d • e Nintendo developers
First-party	Brownie Brown • Intelligent Systems • EAD • NST • Retro Studios • SPD
Second-party	AlphaDream • Ambrella • Game Freak • Genius Sonority • HAL Laboratory • Monolith Soft • Noise
Former second-party	Left Field • Rare • Silicon Knights