The headquarters of Nexon in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province / Korea Times file
Nexon reported record first-quarter earnings, driven by strong global demand for its flagship franchises and accelerating growth outside traditional East Asian markets.
The game giant posted revenue of 152.2 billion yen ($960.82 million) and operating profit of 58.2 billion yen, up 34 percent and 40 percent year-over-year, respectively. Its net profit jumped 118 percent to 57.2 billion yen, marking all-time quarterly highs across the three metrics.
The results reflect Nexon’s push to expand globally, a strategy outlined in its Capital Markets Briefing (CMB) event in March.
Revenue from North America and Europe surged 310 percent year-over-year, while other regions, including Southeast Asia, grew 111 percent, both reaching record growth. Overseas sales accounted for 62 percent of total revenue, offsetting weaker momentum in China.
Growth was led by the MapleStory franchise and the extraction shooter title ARC Raiders, which helped diversify its revenue base.
MapleStory franchise revenue climbed 42 percent from a year earlier, supported by robust global user growth for its newer titles, including MapleStory: Idle RPG, which exceeded expectations in North America, Europe and Southeast Asia after launching globally last year.
MapleStory Worlds also saw a 79 percent increase in revenue, boosted by a holiday update in the Taiwan region.
A poster for Nexon's MapleStory: Idle RPG / Courtesy of Nexon
ARC Raiders, launched last October, has rapidly emerged as a key global franchise. The title sold an additional 4.6 million copies in the first quarter, bringing cumulative sales to 16 million within six months of release.
Source: Korea Times News
