MMOCrunch.com was lucky enough to be able to grab an interview with Nexon Marketing Associate Chris Van Hook. Nexon is the developer behind such popular and upcoming titles as Maple Story, Dungeon Fighter Online, Dragon Nest and Vindictus. Chris let us in on some exciting news both concerning Nexon and the possible future of free-to-play MMOs.
MMOCrunch.com: How did Nexon feel its E3 showing went?
Chris Van Hook: It was a great success and we are elated to welcome more gamers into our fold. Considering it was Nexon’s first time as an E3 exhibitor and our first party at E3, we are really humbled with how much excitement our games attracted. After all the hard work to setup the booths and the party, seeing the crowds of people enjoying the projects and the press attention we garnered was extremely rewarding. Looking back, it motivates us to be bigger and better at the next opportunity.
MMOCrunch.com: Nexon’s “Future of Free” is primarily focused on three games, Dungeon Fighter Online, Dragon Nest and Vindictus – what can we expect from these 3 free-to-play titles to set them apart from the pack?
Chris Van Hook: These three titles all offer hardcore action for gamers. There’s no point-and-click, timed attacks, or time to wait. Players can enjoy a thrilling, online action-based experience. Each game offers a unique take on the traditional action MMORPG as well. Dungeon Fighter Online harkens back to classic arcade fighting with its popular PvP mode. Vindictus, which we’re planning to launch later this year, offers physics-based realism to its gameplay. And Dragon Nest, a game we’re looking to deliver to North American gamers in 2011, feels more like a shooter with its combat reticule and fast pacing.
MMOCrunch.com: Many of Nexon’s titles premier overseas in Asia first before North American and European audiences get their hands on them. Why is this?
Chris Van Hook: Nexon was founded in Seoul and not only publishes games, but also developed each of its current titles in Korea. Dragon Nest was also created by a Korean developer, Eyedentity Games. So Nexon America works hard to localize the titles for a Western audience. We strive to shape the game to better suit the tastes of players in North America.
Dragon Nest.
MMOCrunch.com: Nexon seems to have many genres of MMO, be it shooter, brawler or more traditional MMORPGs. Why has Nexon branched into so many different kinds of games?
Chris Van Hook: We want to offer a full suite of games to offer something to all different types of gamers. We’re already delivering tremendous services which offer a lot of fun and a great social experience. Whether someone prefers to hop into a quick game of Combat Arms during their lunch break or get together with friends to tackle a dungeon on DFO after school, come to our website and we’ll provide it free of charge with even more games coming in the future. Nexon hopes to keep diversifying and adding to its roster so gamers know they’ll have plenty of great free games to choose from when they come to our portal.
MMOCrunch.com: Congrats on being featured on the BBC with Maple Story. How did that come about?
Chris Van Hook: Nexon has PR teams working with media all over the globe. We’re proud of any story written by the media which offers an objective view of Nexon and its games.
MMOCrunch.com: Free-to-play Online games are often stated as “simple, but compelling” – is this a fair assessment of free-to-play MMORPGs or a naïve one? Added to this, what do you think draws gamers to these kinds of games over all the other product out there – compared to consoles, compared to other MMOs, even other free-to-play MMOs?
Chris Van Hook: It’s a little naïve, considering there are plenty of free-to-play games which offer all the depth of a $60 boxed product and Nexon strives for games that are on par with any console. As for the allure in Nexon games, there are several reasons. Nexon treats its games like services, updating them constantly and really making sure it can improve the game experience on a regular basis. Our community team has done a terrific job setting up Facebook fan pages to interact and establish relationship with game players. On the topic of social networking, our games are especially fun when playing with friends. That goes to the core of free-to-play games. Almost everybody has a PC so if you ask your friend to play a Nexon game with you – you’re not asking them to spend a lot of money to have fun with you.
Dungeon Fighter Online.
MMOCrunch.com: What challenges does Nexon see in its near future to getting more gamers playing their titles, and how will they overcome these challenges?
Chris Van Hook: We see more and more gamers trying Nexon games and loving them. So our main challenge is to make sure we can keep up with the demand. That means more customer support, more game content, and more community features. We are constantly challenged to raise the bar for each and every game. Every game is updated frequently to keep the experience fresh so our game teams work hard to incorporate new content and events for players to enjoy.
MMOCrunch.com: More generally, where does Nexon see itself in the gaming industry in the future and why?
Chris Van Hook: As more gamers get to know about Nexon and our games, we believe more people will see the value in playing a game before spending a dime on it. With that, Nexon will keep growing and maintaining a leadership role in the online space. Free to play is here to stay.
MMOCrunch would like to thank Chris Van Hook and everyone at Nexon for speaking with us. Head on over to Nexon’s website to check out their list of games and news that’s “here to stay.”