Nexon, a leading gaming company, has teamed up with Polygon to create an NFT game based on its popular MapleStory Universe. The partnership marks a significant move for both companies as they aim to tap into the growing market of blockchain-based games. This move is expected to create exciting new opportunities for players as they engage with immersive, interactive experiences in a secure, decentralized environment. With Nexon’s experience in gaming combined with Polygon’s expertise in blockchain technology, the NFT game is expected to create a new wave of excitement for players and investors alike. This collaboration is an indication that the future of gaming is indeed heading towards blockchain-based ecosystems, and companies that are quick to adapt will undoubtedly gain a competitive edge.
Nexon Ventures Into Web3 Gaming With MapleStory Universe Private Supernet
Nexon, a major game publisher in Asia, has announced its latest venture into the world of Web3 gaming with the launch of a private Supernet for its upcoming game MapleStory Universe. MapleStory, a popular pixelated 2D role-playing game, was launched in 2003 and has generated over $4 billion in revenue to date. The game has also amassed more than 260 million total players, making it a long-running success story for Nexon.
The private Supernet for MapleStory Universe will be launched on Polygon, an Ethereum scaling network that enables faster and cheaper transactions than Ethereum’s mainnet. This Supernet will allow Nexon to have its own “dedicated app chain,” which will provide some customization options while insulating decentralized apps and games from potential performance issues on the broader public network.
According to Hwang Sun-young, the MapleStory Universe Group Leader, the game aims to expand the NFT ecosystem and allow players to earn items as NFTs simply by playing the game. The game is an NFT-centric game, meaning that tokenized assets will play a major role in the game itself and can be traded or transferred via the game’s marketplace.
Nexon plans to issue its own unique coin for MapleStory Universe, but no details on that have been finalized yet. The game is currently still in development, and no confirmed release date has been announced.
Nexon is not the only South Korean game studio leaning into Web3, with eight out of ten of Korea’s top gaming companies publicly stating that they are building something on the blockchain. South Korean game publishers NCSoft and Netmarble are working on Web3 projects on the upstart blockchain network Sui, while Krafton, creator of the popular PUBG: Battlegrounds shooter series, is working on various blockchain initiatives, including in partnership with Solana Labs.
In a statement, Ryan Wyatt, President of Polygon Labs, affirmed that South Korea is “a critical market” for Web3 gaming. With the launch of MapleStory Universe and the private Supernet on Polygon, Nexon is poised to make a significant impact in the world of Web3 gaming.