Korean game makers to tap global markets with major new releases in 2018

Korean game makers to tap global markets with major new releases in 2018

South Korea’s gaming industry closeda successful year in 2017, with mobilerenditions of “Lineage” raising recordsales while online games like“PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” shot their way to the internationalspotlight.

Stepping into 2018, Korea’s leadinggame companies are once againpreparing to entice overseas users withan array of new games, looking to newmarkets beyond their home turf.

Nexon is kicking off the new year withtwo new mobiles games -- martial artsrole-playing game “Yulgang M” slatedfor release in Korea on Jan. 11 and“Durango: Wild Lands,” a massivelymultiplayer online role-playing game setin a primitive land inhabited bydinosaurs.

Expectations are particularly high for“Durango: Wild Lands,” which has beenmeticulously developed with a globalaudience in mind by Nexon’s in-housedevelopment studio What!Studio. Themobile game’s development was ledby Lee Eun-seok, who previouslydirected the development of 2004’s “Mabinogi.”

Since July, Nexon has been running a beta test for the game in 14 countries, including Thailand, Russia, Brazil, Malaysia and Indonesia. It plans tolaunch the game this month first inKorea, and later bring the game to othermarkets.

Meanwhile, mobile game maker Gamevilis betting big on blockbuster mobileMMORPG “Royal Blood.” The firm plansto release the game first in Korea onJan. 12, and later to other globalmarkets from March, it said.

“This is the first Korean-made MMORPGto be serviced under a ‘global one-build’ strategy. Leveraging our global officesand service expertise, we willsuccessfully tap into overseas marketsincluding North America and Europe,” said Gamevil Vice President Song Jae-jun during the game’s showcase event.

Another highly anticipated release isPearl Abyss’ “Black Desert M,” a mobileremake of MMORPG “Black Desert.” Theoriginal game has proved successful inJapan, Russia, Taiwan and regions inEurope and North America since itsrelease in 2014.

Local analysts have set forth a rosyoutlook for “Black Desert M,” as thegame prepares for its Korean launch thismonth, with more than 2