Nostalgia Revival... 3N Games Also Catching the 'Newtro' Wave

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] "Oh no~ I'm being overtaken, block it!" Office worker Son Daejin (32) recently played a 'KartRider' match with friends at a reunion after 10 years. Since KartRider, a game popular during Son's college days, was released on mobile, there was a suggestion to relive old memories. Unlike the past when everyone had to visit a PC bang to play, they could now enjoy the nostalgic game on their smartphones right where they sat, receiving a positive response. The 'Newtro' trend is also blowing through games. Newtro is a combination of New and Retro, meaning enjoying retro sensibilities in a new way.

◆ 3N releasing nostalgic IPs = According to the gaming industry on the 17th, Nexon’s KartRider Rush+ released last month on the 12th ranked 2nd on Google Play and 1st on the Apple App Store as of that day. The global cumulative user count also exceeded 12 million. KartRider Rush+ is a mobile adaptation of the PC game KartRider released in 2004. The recent 'Newtro' craze contributed to KartRider’s success. Newtro involves reinterpreting or modifying items that were popular in the past to fit modern times. For the older generation, it evokes nostalgia, and for the younger generation, the novelty of the old creates the Newtro craze, which is clearly reflected in games as well.

For KartRider, it became a 'healing game' by reviving school memories for the 30s and 40s age group. For the 10s and 20s generation, in a mobile market dominated by MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games), KartRider’s cute retro-style characters offer a fresh appeal, gaining popularity. A Nexon official explained, "If the PC version of KartRider is retro, then KartRider Rush+ with added 3D graphics embodies the Newtro sensibility."

Following Nexon, Netmarble and NCSoft are also joining the Newtro trend. Netmarble plans to release the mobile game 'StoneAge World' in 172 countries on the 18th. StoneAge is an intellectual property (IP) launched in 2000 and a nostalgic game enjoyed by 200 million people worldwide. It is a game where users become trainers who directly capture and collect over 250 pets. NCSoft also announced the release of the mobile version of the martial arts genre PC game 'Blade & Soul' called 'Blade & Soul 2' in the second half of the year. Nexon plans to release the mobile version of 'Baram-ui Nara' (The Kingdom of the Winds), originally launched in 1996, in the second half of the year following KartRider.

◆ Riding the 'Newtro' wave, strong performance in Q2 = Newtro games are expected to positively impact the Q2 performance of the 3N companies. Nexon, which had a sluggish performance in Q1 due to declining Dungeon & Fighter sales in China, is expected to see revenue growth thanks to KartRider’s success. According to Nexon, Q2 revenue is projected to increase 10% to 19% year-over-year, reaching between 668.7 billion and 724.9 billion KRW.

For Netmarble, the effect of new releases like StoneAge is partially reflected, and securities firms forecast Q2 revenue to increase 13% year-over-year to 593.9 billion KRW. NCSoft is expected to post 650.5 billion KRW in revenue, a 58.3% increase year-over-year, and if Blade & Soul 2 succeeds, it could achieve annual revenue in the 2 trillion KRW range. Experts see the Newtro trend as a long-term driver of revenue growth. Professor Wi Jeong-hyun of Chung-Ang University said, "In a situation where similar games are flooding the market, users nowadays tend to look for games they are already familiar with rather than trying new ones," adding, "Initially, the 30s and 40s who have experienced the games ignite interest, and when the 10s and 20s join, it can secure future consumers in the long term."