Court Orders Subcontractor Employee to Pay 100 Million Won in Damages for "MapleStory" Showcase Leak

Nexon takes legal action over MapleStory leak
"An act that deprived hundreds of thousands of their enjoyment"

An employee of a subcontractor and the company itself have been ordered to pay 100 million won in damages for leaking the contents of Nexon's popular online game "MapleStory" year-end showcase to an online community ahead of the official announcement.

Changseop Kim Nexon MapleStory General Director. Screenshot from YouTube channel MapleStory

On August 14, Changseop Kim, General Director of Nexon's "MapleStory," explained during a live broadcast, "It was confirmed that an employee of a partner company leaked core content externally before the official announcement." He added, "Nexon immediately proceeded with both a criminal complaint and a civil lawsuit for damages against the individual." Kim further stated, "Recently, the court ruled in favor of Nexon's claim and ordered the person responsible for the leak, as well as the company involved, to pay approximately 100 million won in damages."

Nexon: "An act that deprived hundreds of thousands of their enjoyment"

Director Kim pointed out, "Distributing information externally before it is released through official channels, or attempting to do so, is an illegal act that impedes smooth game service." He emphasized, "The 'MapleStory' showcase is not just an event to deliver information, but one of the most important services we share with many people. Leaking this content deprived hundreds of thousands of people of the enjoyment they were meant to experience." He added, "We will continue to respond firmly and without leniency to any similar acts of information leakage in the future."

Previously, Nexon held the "Maple Winter Showcase" event at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on December 7, 2024, to introduce major updates planned for 2025. However, before the event, key announcements from the showcase were leaked in advance through an online community, sparking controversy.

Nexon stated, "The employee in question had access to internal project materials, and it was confirmed that these were provided to third parties and external communities, prompting us to take action." The company added, "The criminal complaint is currently being processed by investigative authorities." Nexon also said, "In response to this incident, we are strengthening security training for both internal staff and partner companies, tightening controls on access to confidential information, and enhancing our log monitoring system, as part of comprehensive internal security measures."

Meanwhile, Nexon recorded over 1 trillion won in sales for the second consecutive quarter, achieving its highest-ever half-year revenue. On August 13, Nexon announced that its second-quarter sales reached 1.1494 trillion won. During this period, the company posted an operating profit of 364.6 billion won.