Netmarble's Most Anticipated Title 'Je2ui Nara' Launch D-4... Will It Succeed?

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] With the release of Netmarble's most anticipated title for the second half of the year, "The Second Country," just four days away, Netmarble is fully prepared for the game's success by unveiling new technology and launching aggressive marketing campaigns. Attention is focused on whether this can serve as a performance momentum for Netmarble, which posted below-expectation results due to a lack of new titles in the first quarter.

According to Netmarble on the 6th, The Second Country is a project involving the core development team behind "Lineage 2 Revolution," which brought significant changes to the mobile MMORPG market in 2016, and it will be released on the 10th after more than three years of development.

This game is a mobile reinterpretation of the fantasy RPG "Ni no Kuni," created through a collaboration between Level-5 and Studio Ghibli. Players can roam a world crafted in Ghibli-style art as if they have become the animation's protagonist, enjoying various content.

In The Second Country, a dense story unfolds as players travel between two worlds to save a nameless kingdom. The game’s soundtrack is supervised by Joe Hisaishi, who composed OSTs for Studio Ghibli animations such as "Howl's Moving Castle" and "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea," promising a unique atmosphere not seen in existing mobile RPGs. Joe Hisaishi was also selected as the advertising model for The Second Country.

Netmarble is also introducing new technology through The Second Country. They are applying AI (artificial intelligence) functionality to the "offline mode." The AI mode controls character AI through server logic, allowing characters to move within the server even when the player is not actively playing.

Characters can influence and be influenced by other players' actions. For example, they can hunt together with other players in high-difficulty fields or, in some cases, be subject to PK (Player Kill).

Park Beomjin, Head of Development at Netmarble Neo, said, "We developed the AI mode because we believe it is important for players to interact and influence each other in some form in The Second Country. Even when players are asleep, they will be able to see their characters living and moving in that world."

Players’ expectations are also high. Netmarble CEO Kwon Young-sik stated during last month’s earnings conference call, "We have never disclosed pre-registration numbers in the past, so it is difficult to reveal the pre-registration figures for The Second Country, but the current pre-registration trend is positively progressing as expected."

The live commerce event held on Naver Shopping Live on the 21st of last month surpassed 140,000 viewers.

In the securities industry, it is anticipated that the company’s value will vary depending on the success of The Second Country. Previously, Netmarble recorded sales of 570.4 billion KRW in the first quarter, a 7% increase compared to the same period last year. Operating profit also rose 7% to 54.2 billion KRW but did not reach market expectations (100.8 billion KRW).

If The Second Country establishes itself in key markets such as Korea, Japan, and Taiwan and sustains long-term service, it is expected that the current sales level, which remains around 500 to 600 billion KRW, will be upgraded to a higher tier.