Nexon's proprietary intellectual property (IP) competitiveness, which continues to achieve double-digit performance growth every quarter, is drawing attention. The titles officially released this year, 'Dave the Diver' (hereinafter Dave) and 'Prasia Jeongi,' are being recognized as next-generation core IPs.
Dave made a name for itself as a K-game this year. On Steam, where more than 100,000 new games are released annually, it ranked first in global sales. Despite being a package game with an ending, it maintained steady sales figures. In September, total cumulative sales surpassed 2 million copies. This is the first and highest sales record for a single-player package game in Korea. Major foreign media such as The Washington Post reported on the achievements of Korean adventure games, and the game review site Metacritic awarded it the 'Must Play' badge.
The reason Dave could succeed in overseas markets lies in its genre characteristics. It does not simply end as a marine adventure but incorporates management simulation elements to complete Dave's unique gameplay. The preconceived notion of a 'light game' felt from 2D dot graphics was erased by continuously emerging content.
The charm of the characters is also one of the elements that lock players into the game. Instead of featuring characters with stunning appearances, the protagonist is a realistic character one might encounter in everyday life. Cutscenes that appear at unpredictable moments further enhance the characters' appeal, and the somewhat serious yet quirky settings drew positive responses from users.
Nexon's know-how in live game service is also a factor in its success. Since the official release, they have consistently carried out patches both large and small, and recently conducted the first update that reinforced various functions along with story missions. On the 26th, Dave expanded its platform from PC to Nintendo Switch. Optimization was carried out for a smooth play environment. The vibration felt through the Joy-Con enhanced the tactile sensation of hunting and the flavor of mini-games.
Hwang Jae-ho, Dave's director, said, "We wanted to deliver fresh fun by embedding the charm of twists and contrasts throughout the game, breaking away from existing frameworks. We are pleased to be able to convey Dave's unique gameplay and distinctive personality through the Nintendo Switch version as well."
Prasia Jeongi, which was refined over a long period to deliver the inherent fun of massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), also had a successful debut. Although MMORPGs occupy the largest genre among games released by domestic game companies, Nexon focused on the fact that MMORPG enthusiasts do not play just 'any game.' Instead of a stereotypical plot of character growth and large-scale wars, they sharply refined differentiated content unique to Prasia Jeongi. Given the RPG genre characteristic of projecting oneself onto the character, Nexon introduced creative narrative development to enhance game immersion. In the war structure between 'Elves' and 'Humans,' elves were set as the antagonists, and 'faction' content was introduced to allow players to experience diverse story developments.
In terms of game content, many diverse attempts were made. A territory called 'base' was set up so that anyone could become the owner of the 'castle,' a core MMORPG content. Additionally, by incorporating features of strategy simulation games (SLG), the game showcased the pleasure of directly managing and prospering a guild base. This naturally motivated players to build stronger guilds. Above all, by leveraging the vast seamless world, no separate instance dungeons were created, enhancing the fun of encountering many players and showcasing one's faction. The introduction of the 'Black Sword' wave dungeon content, which allows farming items that help character growth and equipment enhancement, also attracted attention.
Moreover, the 'Assist Mode,' introduced after analyzing MMORPG play styles, received positive evaluations from users. Assist Mode is an advanced feature that allows players to control their characters without logging in, including monitoring character status, automatic maintenance, designated hunting ground settings, and dispatching followers, supporting a burden-free play experience.
Prasia Jeongi currently maintains steady revisit rates, and guild communities are actively operated. Content expansion continues steadily, including 'Time Rift,' where players from different servers can meet and duel. In the large-scale update conducted on the 25th, a new region called 'Cron' was introduced, unveiling the 'Baekyaseong' fortress covered in ice and three types of garrisons. On the 27th, the third new world, 'Benart,' was opened.
Lee Ik-je, director of Prasia Jeongi, said, "We will continue to maintain originality and consistently present differentiated content, striving to accumulate various stories from users within the game."
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