[KRD] Kart Rider Dash Closed Beta Begins March 28

The closed beta for Nexon’s anticipated social racing MMO Kart Rider Dash begins on Wednesday, March 28 at 5:30PM Pacific (8:30PM Eastern). At that point closed beta applications will be closed so be sure to check out the game page to sign up! Also, click the thumbnails below for previews of Kart Rider Dash!

http://www.facebook.com/kartriderdash

[NXFB] [KR] Nexon Taking KartRider To Facebook

An Inside Social Games Exclusive

After a tentative start on Facebook that includes MapleStory Adventures, Zombie Misfits and Wonder Cruise, Korean free-to-play giant Nexon is ready to launch its popular KartRider franchise on the platform.

KartRider is an online multiplayer racing game that has racked up over 270 million registered since its 2004 launch. Players control a single kart and can race against human and computer controlled opponents in various gameplay modes. Nexon Mobile released an iOS version last year that topped 1 million downloads in a little over a week; Nexon reports that the game is now over 6.7 million. The Facebook version, KartRider Dash, is due out in March.

Nexon has taken its time finding footing on Facebook. Aside from launching MapleStory Adventures in 2011, the Korean publisher experimented with different ways to engage with the platform throughout the last year — including investing in developers A Bit Lucky and 6waves Lolapps and co-developing or publishing new IP for the platform. Results have been mixed with MapleStory Adventures performing well while Zombie Misfits struggled to find an audience and Wonder Cruise has yet to really set sail. Speaking to Inside Social Games, Nexon EVP of Social Games Aron Koh acknowledges the learning curve — but says “we can do better than what we’re doing now.”

[BPBB] [Kart] Masteria and Kart Rider Hints in Blabber Box?

This has to be one of the most interesting days I’ve had in a while when it comes to Nexon. The BlockParty Blabber Box was great, but what secrets did it hold within? Let’s take a look at any hints that the Blabber Box may have revealed…

[BPBB] BlockParty Blabber Box is Here!

Nexon America has today released Episode 1 in their brand new web show, BlockParty Blabber Box. In my opinion this is Nexon’s best idea since Vindictus. It’s funny, entertaining, informative and finally gives Nexon a way to communicate with us a slightly less than professional and more comical way which in some cases (like this one) is a good thing. Blabber Box will feature updates on all of Nexon’s games from the producers themselves, sketches, animated shorts and a whole lot more.

Great job here, Luis and… uhh… hmm NICE shirt. I can’t wait for next month’s episode!

Oh, and another thing people. During the interview with Daniel China there was one of those old Kart Rider teaser playing the background. Could the most fun online game ever created finally be coming back to America after more than 2 and a half years? Let’s hope…

[Kart] Russia Welcomes Kart Rider with Innova Systems

The world’s most popular online game with over 230 million players worldwide will begin service in Russia this December through publisher Innova Systems. The closed beta on Kart Rider Russia began on December 7 and this closed beta ended on December 14. Open beta is expected to be opened later on December 14.

“It is an honor to open Kart Rider this year which is the 20th year of establishing diplomatic relationship between Russia and Korea. We hope Kart Rider works as a positive medium for interchange between two nations,” said YongKyu Park the director of development team of Kart Rider.

Still, the French service of Kart Rider remains awaiting an official launch after a year and a half.

Nexon has also partnered with Innova Systems to take BnB Online (Crazy Arcade in Korea, PopTag! in America) to Russia.

[NX] History Lesson 1: Nexon’s Influence on Gaming

It may be because I work in game development, or maybe it’s because my online gaming career is as old as online gaming itself, but I recognize and appreciate the hard work that Nexon puts into their games all over the world and their influence on online gaming. Despite the belief of many that Nexon has had a small influence on gaming, the fact is that the entire online game world would not be where we are today if it weren’t for Nexon, especially not the free-to-play games.

In 1996 Nexon released the world’s first MMORPG, Nexus: The Kingdom of the Winds, Nexus TK for short and known as Baram in Korea. Yes, the world’s FIRST. As in, there were no MMORPGs before it.  Developed by Nexon from 1994 to 1996. Released in Korea in 1996 and in America in 1998. So for all of you who come to me with a long list of things that Nexon has “copied” from other companies, I say to you that every other MMORPG developer “copied” Nexon. Nexus TK is free-to-play with a pay-to-play option with pay-to-play becoming mandatory for leveling above 49. The North America service of the game was being published by Nexon Corp. until Nexon pulled out of North America in 2005, Nexon Corp. changed its name to Kru Interactive, became independent and continued service of Nexus TK to this day. Since then, of course, Nexon has reentered the North American market, but did reclaim publishing rights of Nexus TK in North America. Nexon also released Dark Ages in Korea in 1998 and in North America in 1999.

Shattered Galaxy Screenshot

In 2001, Nexon released the world’s first real-time strategy online game. It is known as Tactical Commanders in Korea and Shattered Galaxy in North America. Once again, yes, I said THE WORLD’S FIRST.

In 2002 the online gaming world would once again be changed forever, when Nexon announced the released of the bomberman-style Crazy Arcade, now known as PopTag! in North America. Crazy Arcade would be released using a new business model. A business model that attracted heaps of controversy

Crazy Arcade Logo

and negativity from the wider gaming community. It’s the free-to-play with microtransactions business model. Crazy Arcade launched in Korea in June 2002 as the world’s first free-to-play online game. The idea of games being free was bashed by the majority of the gaming world until people started seeing the success of Crazy Arcade, and other Nexon games that were being released soon after. Crazy Arcade has a playerbase of over 60 million and is still live today in Korea. The game has recently been released in North America as PopTag! under Nexon America.

In 2003 the world’s first 2D side-scrolling online game, MapleStory was first introduced to the world. Now, the world’s largest 2D adventure game, MapleStory was brought to North America in 2005, after Nexon pulled out of North America, by an English-speaking team at Korea-based Wizet. This English service of MapleStory was named as Global MapleStory in order to service any area of the world that did not already have a localized service of the game.

MapleStory Logo

By Global MapleStory’s official launch, the team changed their name to NXGames and became the North American publishing arm of the Nexon Corp. NXGames did not yet have an office in North America, but instead operated remotely out of Korea. Following jaw-dropping growth of MapleStory in Global markets, having reached 3,000,000 players in less than a year, NXGames changed its name to Nexon America in November 2006 and launched its game portal. In 2007 Nexon America set up an office in North America and Nexon’s North American branch was officially founded in September 2007. Nexon America became North America’s first publisher of free-to-play titles. Currently MapleStory is the world’s most popular side-scrolling game with over 95 million players worldwide.

Okay, what do you think of when I say… “world’s most popular online game”? World of Warcraft? No. Starcraft? Nuh uhh. A game from the Counter-Strike series? Never. RuneScape? lolno. Let me give you the stats.

World of Warcraft: 11.5 million players
Starcraft: 11 million players
Counter-Strike Source: 2.3 million players
Kart Rider: 230 million players
Dungeon Fighter Online (Dungeon & Fighter in Korea): 200 million players

Those games that people call “the most popular” are far from it. Kart Rider and Dungeon Fighter are the world’s two most popular online games.

Kart Rider was released in Korea in June 2004 as the world’s first online racing game. Over 230 million people play Kart Rider worldwide, vast majority of which play through the Chinese servers. With over 30 million players in Korea alone, it is estimated that one third of the Korean population

Current Logo of Kart Rider Korea

have played Kart Rider actively at some point in the past. Kart Rider is the national game of Korea and is the world’s most popular online game. Kart Rider was launch into open beta in North America in 2007, but was never officially launched.

Dungeon Fighter Online, Dungeon & Fighter in Korea, actually wasn’t developed by Nexon, but by Neople, which was, at the time, an independent studio. Nexon published the game which was the world’s first 3D side-scrolling online game.

Dungeon Fighter Logo

It was after Dungeon Fighter’s overwhelming Asian success that Nexon acquired Neople, and Neople became an internal development studio of Nexon Corp. Dungeon Fighter Online has over 200 million players worldwide, with a world record 2 million concurrent users in China. Dungeon Fighter is published in North America by Nexon America since June 2010.

Nexon’s DevCat studio has developed the world’s first physics based action online game, Vindictus, or Mabinogi Heroes in Korea.Vindictus

Vindictus Logo

was released in Korea in January 2010 and already become a force to be reckoned with in the online gaming world. The game is currently in open beta in North America through Nexon America as the one of the most anticipated online games of all time.

Let’s recap, shall we.

The world’s first MMORPG
The world’s first MMORTS
The world’s first free-to-play MMO
The world’s first 2D side-scrolling MMORPG
North America’s first publisher of free-to-play titles
The world’s first online racing game
The world’s first 3D side-scrolling MMORPG
The world’s first physics based action online game

Can you say huge influence on online gaming? I never want to hear anyone say “without Nexon we would be right where we are today” again. If I do, then I’ll direct them here. Next history lesson coming soon.