Nexon Expands 'KartRider' Business with LINE Friends

Nexon-LINE Friends Form Strategic Partnership

[Asia Economy Reporter Jin-gyu Lee] Nexon announced on the 13th that it has formed a strategic partnership with LINE Friends to expand the KartRider intellectual property (IP) business.

Through this partnership, Nexon and LINE Friends will collaborate across the entire KartRider IP business. The two companies plan to broaden their cooperation scope from joint marketing using KartRider and LINE Friends characters to launching collaborative character products and expanding global licensing business.

Kim Hyun, Nexon's Vice President of Business, said, "This is a strategic collaboration to capture the MZ generation, which has emerged as a new central axis in the content market," adding, "We will maximize the synergy of both companies, which have global influence and marketing expertise in the gaming and character fields."

Kim Kyung-dong, Vice President of LINE Friends, stated, "We plan to further solidify our IP business influence in the gaming sector and strengthen our global content competitiveness."

Meanwhile, KartRider, launched in 2004, is a mega-hit brand with 380 million global users. The mobile game 'KartRider Rush Plus' surpassed 10 million cumulative subscribers just 17 days after its release in May, gaining tremendous popularity. Following mobile, a multi-platform project based on PC and console, 'KartRider: Drift,' is also under development.