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Nexon America's pre-paid card empire
Nexon America CEO Daniel Kim tells an interesting story about how his company created one of the biggest phenomena in gaming retail lately: The pre-paid card. Nowadays, you can find rows of pre-paid cards for Nexon's microtransaction-based games like MapleStory or Vindictus lining the shelves of any 7-11 or Target. But a few years ago, both Target and its customers had to be sold on the idea. Kim and his company came up with a way to teach customers how it worked, right inside a browser-based MMO. "We had a quest in-game, to go to Target in-game, to the section where they had the game cards," Kim says. Target kept the cards not in the gaming section, but in the music section alongside iTunes gift cards. "So three months leading up to the actual release of the card, we actually had a quest in-game to go get allowance from an NPC, go to the Target store, go to the music section, go find a CD card." The training worked. "Day one," says Kim, "the cards were released, they were sold out in so many stores. They called us and said, 'We gotta print more cards.'"
MapleStory Europe's economy collapses due to currency exploit [Updated]
Despite its huge financial success, MapleStory Europe has had more than its fair share of problems. Last month, controversy hit MapleStory Europe when double-xp cards lasting for 90 days, instead of the intended 24 hours, were accidentally placed in the cash shop during the new year sale. The latest issue to hit MapleStory Europe has done serious and potentially irrecoverable damage to the game's economy. The exploit involved the Chief Bandit and Shadower classes, which both have a skill called "Meso Guard". This causes them to lose mesos, the game's currency, when hit instead of hitpoints. Packet-forging exploits have been used for some time to alter the damage players deal to monsters or receive from them. Combined with Meso Guard, hackers were able to fool the game into hitting them for -2,147,483,648 damage (the largest negative value a signed 32-bit integer can hold). Since the damage was a negative value, the Meso Guard skill then granted the player over two billion mesos. Hacking players used their ill-gotten gains to buy up practically everything in players' market stalls, massively inflating the game's economy by pouring untold billions into the hands of random players. Nexon attempted to patch the exploit last night and responded by permanently trade-banning countless accounts. Reports from players indicate that the exploit is still possible and that many of the offending accounts were not banned. To make matters worse, a large number of legitimate players who were traded ill-gotten currency were also allegedly trade-banned. The follow-up to another meso exploit found last year was similarly lackluster, with no server rollback performed in either instance. [Update: Scott Yoo from Nexon Europe got in touch with us to provide an update on the story. He had the following to say: "[W]e did 'trade-ban' suspected accounts temporarily in order to conduct an internal investigation but we also had to make sure no-more illicitly gained Mesos (in-game currency) are going out to the in-game market and contained in the meanwhile. We do admit that a certain amount of legitimate players can be included in the trade banned list and that's what we are going to reveal through the investigation carefully. [...] The reason why we didn't perform a rollback on our servers was because we detected the exploit too late which may make the players lose even more of their gains if we were to turn everything back. Another announcement that includes more details on this incident will go up live shortly (either today or tomorrow as the latest)."]
Gears 'n' glory: MapleStory unveils the Mechanic
Nexon's MapleStory has been to the brink of the world's end and beyond with its Big Bang overhaul. Spread out over three significant updates, Big Bang started out with a game mechanics renovation in phase one and a pair of original classes in phase two, not to mention the addition of several new zones. Today, Nexon is happy to announce the onset of the third and final phase to this literal game-changer. In phase three, titled "Birth of the Mechanic" in honor of the newest class in the game, MapleStory is rolling out one of the more unique MMO classes in the genre. Mechanics are pirate tank-drivers who ride into battle on their trusty mech steeds, unleashing robot minions and throwing out long-range damage while retaining the ability to heal themselves. Mechanics can also hit multiple targets at once, making the class an AoE-lover's dream. Players wishing to honor the valiant Mechanic can raise their wrenches high on January 22nd and log into the game at precisely 2:00 p.m. PST to receive an SP Reset Scroll and a chance at a few other goodies. Hit the gallery below to check out the Mechanic in all his high-tech glory, and get caught up on Big Bang with our Crystin Cox interview! %Gallery-16709%
Item-swap controversy hits MapleStory Europe
To celebrate the new year, MapleStory Europe recently launched a sale on various cash shop items. Among the discounted items was a series of double experience cards lasting for varying durations, each marked at 15% off the usual price. It wasn't long before players noticed that Nexon had listed the 24-hour double experience card with an expiry time of 90 days instead of of 24 hours. Players flocked to the item shop in droves to take advantage of this amazing deal, many suspecting that the item must have been a mistake. Sure enough, Nexon noticed the mistake after a week and removed the item from the sale. What followed next has had players in outrage on the MapleStory Europe forums. Nexon removed all of the 90-day double experience cards players had bought in the sale and replaced them with 24-hour versions set to expire the following day. Some players have been voicing their support for the decision, saying that it was obvious that the item had been mis-priced. Others have been less forgiving, pointing out that they wouldn't have bought the item had it not been such a fantastically good deal, and suggesting that Nexon has done this kind of thing before. The game's terms of use agreement has even been cited as an argument that items bought must be honoured up to their purchased due date. Nexon issued an official apology earlier today for the incident but has stood by its decision to remove the offending cards from the game and has not yet issued any refunds for the replaced items.
The Perfect Ten: The movers and shakers of 2010
Even though MMOs are the products of great teams of talented workers -- from sound artists to writers -- it's inevitable that a few of the people behind the curtain step out into the limelight. It's a smart move, really; it provides a personal face for people to associate with the game, it keeps messages consistent, and it draws any potential hate onto one person instead of the team at large. It stands to reason that these public figures end up being some of the major movers and shakers in the industry because of their high-profile positions. From CEOs to community managers, these are the people with power to make decisions, the voice to change opinions, and the personalities to inspire millions. Oh, that last sentence is pure poetry. Let's re-read it again, shall we? So in our last Perfect Ten of the year, I've asked the Massively team to compile a list of the 10 biggest MMO movers and shakers of this year. All of these people now owe us cupcakes of gratitude. (Legal Disclaimer: This does not signify a binding cupcake-blogger contract.)
Free for All: Twenty-five free MMOs for that shiny new laptop
So there you are, reading a column from your favorite Massively writer on your shiny new laptop. You might be stuck with your parents and family because of the snow, or you might simply want to find a new MMORPG to play on the device. Perhaps you broke down and bought that cute pink netbook at Target, and now you need something to do with it besides reading your favorite writer of all time? Don't worry, because I've taken the time to compile and test 25 MMOs that will work wonderfully on your new toy! Yes, there are real MMOs out there that are not dependent on the latest graphics card or six gigs of ram. These are fully realized worlds, complete with chat windows and socializing. I will make a note if the game might have some difficulty on the oldest of hardware -- or the least powerful -- so keep an eye out for that. Otherwise, download away! For the record, this is my new toy. I got it for work, but you know the first thing I had to do was try out gaming on it. Click past the cut to see the list!
The top indie and free-to-play stories of 2010
I have to admit to feeling slightly amazed when I read that someone thought of 2010 as a bad year for MMORPG fans. Then, when I think about it, I realize that he was talking about the year in "AAA" subscription gaming -- something almost alien to me. I just don't get turned on by huge-budget subscription games like I did seven or eight years ago. Well, it might be better to say that I am always suspicious of big-budget gaming. Gaming is a lot like movies, and look at how bad most blockbusters are. They are often silly, over-the-top, special-effects-laden bores. If those movies were the only ones I watched, I might be a little depressed about Hollywood as well. If you pay attention only to what the major publishers are pushing out, you are simply going to have a narrow view of MMO gaming. You will miss too much. The year 2010 offered more than any year before it, and 2011 will top that. Thanks to mobile technologies and the always-dropping price of computers, you will find that smaller or unknown games have much more of a chance of grabbing a gamer's eye than ever before. So, what were some of the high and low points in free-to-play and indie gaming this year? Click past the cut and let's take a look!
MapleStory developer destroys the world, then this interview
Cataclysm? Ha! A couple chunks of earth missing here and there and a nasty footprint left on the walls of a castle? That's not world destruction; that's moving the furniture around! Look no further for true heart-rending, life-altering, earth-shattering, massive destruction than MapleStory's new update. Well, I might be pushing it a bit far, but really -- it's pretty dramatic. If you're not familiar with the game, you either have an all-weather stone roof or this is your first visit to Massively. MapleStory boasts one of the largest playerbases in the world, despite offering more "primitive" graphics. The game's accessibility doesn't mean that it has no depth. Multiple classes and tons of quests as well as a robust cash shop offer something for everyone. Throw in the fact that this recent patch updated the graphics and added a new dimension to the game, and you will understand why the servers and website were crushed after the update. Well, we decided to interview Crystin Cox from Nexon to help make sense of all the changes. Join us past the cut to read the interview!
MapleStory hits more than 136,000 concurrent players
Concurrent users are one of those interesting things to track in MMOs -- while they're mostly an indication of how robust the hardware supporting the servers happens to be, they're also a decent look at how many players are enjoying the game at any given moment. MapleStory has managed to set a new record for itself, with 136,000 players simultaneously active in the North American version of the game. That's nearly double the previous high-water mark back in July of 2009. Daniel Kim, the CEO of Nexon America, issued a statement concurrent with the record: "This milestone represents a new high point for MapleStory and is a testament to the growing popularity of the game into its fifth year." Said milestone is also coming on the heels of the first two parts of the Big Bang update, with a third part set to hit the game in early 2011. That means a great deal of new content and two new classes for MapleStory players to enjoy, which turns out to be good news for Nexon.
MapleStory invites you to join the Resistance
If you thought that MapleStory's Big Bang update a week ago was impressive, just you wait. In a few days the dev team is going to roll out the second part of the game's overhaul, introducing a lot of new content: two classes, a faction and a zone. As the Black Wings cult rises in power, players will travel to the tech-savvy mining town of Edelstein to see what they can do on behalf of the Resistance. There they'll be able to try out one of the new classes to the game, either the Battle Mage or the Wild Hunter. Both are ranged fighters -- the Battle Mage flings long-range spells that hit multiple foes while the Wild Hunter fires arrows from the back of a jaguar mount. Don't mess with someone riding a jaguar, our momma always told us. Big Bang Part 2 is scheduled to hit MapleStory's servers on December 20th. Now it's time for you to make a choice: Do you want to read more about this update (head on over to MapleStory's site if so), or do you want to watch the promo video for it (hit the jump)?
MapleStory's Big Bang update takes a bow
There are updates, and then there are updates. MapleStory's Big Bang patch is most definitely the latter seeing as how it's the largest set of changes in the history of the game. It's so big, in fact, that the roll out is going to happen in three phases. Phase one began yesterday and includes overhauled graphics, a simplified UI, rebalanced skills, a faster leveling curve, and two new shards. "Big Bang is going to completely change the way players enjoy MapleStory. We've been listening to our players and this complete overhaul of the game will implement major changes based on their input, making the game more current and modern, allowing them to experience new adventures in a game they know and love," said Nexon producer Crystin Cox. Check out all the details on the game's official website, and don't forget to watch the trailer after the cut.
The Perfect Ten: MMO cataclysms
Today sees the launch of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, which represents a destructive "reboot" button on the world of Azeroth. The old has been made new by virtue of fiery explosions that have rent the very earth in twain, and WoW gamers will have to find their footing all over again. As you might imagine, it's made one big-ass mess, which is compounded by the fact that there are no janitor classes in the game to sweep it up (the next hero class, perhaps?). However, the notion of an in-game cataclysm is hardly the sole domain of Activision-Blizzard; on the contrary, large-scale apocalypses pop up all the time in MMOs. After all, nothing grabs the attention like the end of the world (but hey, you still feel fine)! In a list that in no way is meant to capitalize on any expansions that may or may not be on the market, we're going to strap on our Kevlar suits, slather our arms with 1000 SPF sunblock, and take a brief tour of 10 worlds that have dated cataclysms -- and lived to tell the tale.
Nexon changes everything about MapleStory in one Big Bang!
When darkness has covered the world, whom do you call? When everything you have seen on Victoria Island has been changed, is there a hero to save it? When the Black Mage unleashes his evil on the unsuspecting innocents, can he ever be defeated? Will the balance of power be shifted back to good? Will you, the greatest hero, stand up against the destruction and chaos? What are we talking about? Well, it is Nexon's side-scrolling, free-to-play MMO MapleStory, of course. Continuing a five-year tradition of constantly giving players new content, the developers will literally change everything you know about the world of MapleStory this winter in the game's newest story arc, Big Bang. In addition to crafting the new plot, the developers have seen fit to it to better the user interface, game resolution, and graphical textures. On top of that, players should expect a higher experience curve, updated maps, and brand-new character classes. Begin your new adventure by clicking after the break. We have stolen a glimpse of the exciting upgrades with a video trailer of Big Bang. Maybe you can be the one to save Maple World!
Free for All: Thirteen spooky free-to-play Halloween events
Ah, Halloween. The dark Xmas. Around our house, Halloween is king. Despite the fact that we have no kids to dress up and parade around the neighborhood, we will still hand out tons of candy to all the trick-or-treaters. Until that spooky night, however, we love to spend the time exploring different Halloween events in our favorite MMORPGs. MMOs are perfect for such events -- they have the players to fill them out, the ability to host whatever kind of event they want, and a lot of optional blood and gore. Some of the events fit perfectly in their game-world, and some stick out like a stock broker on D&D night. Either way, there is always a lot of fun to be had, and sometimes very cool loot to snag! (Like that sweet ride pictured above -- got it on my first try.) Read on for some of my favorite events -- none of them costing a dime.
GDCO 2010: Running MMOs for the long haul
In a year that seems overshadowed by the premature demise of big-budget titles, the question on everyone's mind is just what does it take to not only successfully launch an MMO, but keep it going for the long haul? At GDC Online this past week, several devs who find themselves struggling with this very issue got together for an informative panel entitled "Strategies for Successfully Running an MMO from Launch and Beyond." At the panel, Lorin Jameson (SOE), Nathan Richardsson (CCP), Jeff Hickman (EA Mythic), Jeffrey Steefel (Turbine), Rich Vogel (EA-Bioware) and Min Kim (Nexon) stepped up to the plate take a swing at the common pitfalls, the unseen consequences and the harsh realities of the industry. So if you're curious about why some titles thrive while others fall apart or why a particular MMO makes it to launch and beyond while another fades into obscurity, hit the jump and see what these industry experts have to say about the enormous and complex task of getting an MMO to lift off -- and then keeping it soaring for as long as possible.
Exclusive: MapleStory's Visitors arc entering stage four with new video
The Visitors story arc in MapleStory has been progressing steadily since its announcement at the end of August. Today ushers in the fourth and final installment of the arc, and The Visitors are pulling out all the stops for the last series of battles in what is the largest update of the series. Massively's exclusive combat video contains a look at a dual blade character fighting off OS4 Delivery Ships and OS3A Machines. The update includes some fun new attacks as well, such as Sudden Attack, which you can see in the video as an explosion of flames and shadow ninjas. This last installment is available to players today, so check out the video for yourself after the jump and prepare to finish off The Visitors once and for all!
Exclusive: New video brings unwelcome guests to MapleStory
The newest update to MapleStory is called The Visitors, but these visitors aren't the friendly kind. Alien ships have invaded and are abducting scientists. It's up to you to find out why in this four-part event, and we've got an exclusive gameplay video to help you prepare!. You'll travel through time, pick up quests from Dr. Bing, learn more about the alien visitors, and solve the mystery of the missing scientists. Completing Dr. Bing's quests will open up more stages of the event. Check out the schedule of events on the MapleStory site, as well as the list of all the new gear available with this update. If you'd like a closer look, follow along after the jump for the video. The update is live on MapleStory servers now.
Nexon grows as MapleStory hits 7 million registered users
It must be said that Nexon is having a good year. A very, very good year indeed. As free-to-play titles are on the rise in the MMORPG genre, Nexon is reaping the benefits of this trend as more people flock to its titles like Mabinogi. As a result, the company has seen a 26% jump in revenue for the second quarter this year, and its profits are trending up compared to the same time last year. Even for F2P MMOs, Nexon's games boast impressive numbers: MapleStory has crossed the seven million registered user line, Combat Arms four million and Mabinogi one million. "Our player base and revenues continue to expand, which tells us that gamers find that our free-to-play business model fits their play needs," said Nexon America CEO Daniel Kim. Nexon is also looking forward to releasing Vindictus, a promising title that we most recently previewed at San Diego Comic-Con last month.
Two blades are better than one: MapleStory announces dual blade class
When it comes to weapons, the general thought process in pop culture goes, "One is definitely good, but two is twice as good, not to mention really, really cool looking." Let's be honest -- if people had three hands, we'd be seeing Hollywood movies full of triple-wielding gunslingers, and we'd love it. MapleStory knows this, which is why their latest class strips away pretensions and plays it like it is. Dual blades are a subset of the thief class, specializing in melee weapons to lay down a double-whammy on the bad guys. The new class also comes with an interactive backstory, as they're accepted into an organization of secret thieves (as if thieves advertise) who are out for revenge against the Dark Lord. With a name like Dark Lord, you know he isn't just selling Girl Scout cookies, so he probably deserves what's heading his way. Nexon's set up a special site for the new class that includes a trailer, three contests for impressive prizes, and a handful of dual blade wallpaper downloads to spiffy up your desktop. You can check out all of MapleStory's double-wielding action here.
Nexon acquires controlling interest in GameHi
Earlier this month, Nexon acquired NDOORS Interactive, but apparently that's just the beginning of their acquisition spree. The company behind popular free-to-play titles MapleStory and Mabinogi has just acquired GameHi, makers of Dekaron among others. The deal reportedly took place for 73.2 billion won (nearly 60 million dollars in US currency), which looks to be higher than GameHi's overall revenue for 2009 (which was reported at 41.5 billion won). No word yet on how this will affect any services for GameHi's games. Considering the recent NDOORS acquisition, Nexon seems to be taking advantage of their dominant share to buy out several smaller free-to-play developers in both the Korean and American marketplace. All signs point to their acquisitions focusing on developers, which raises the question of whether Nexon is aiming in the direction of overarching companies such as NCsoft, with several owned studios working with the central company. It's food for thought, although the promise of the quick-approaching Vindictus certainly dissuades any notions that Nexon's own developers are sitting idle.
