In recent years, the gaming market in Southeast Asia is heating up not only in the eSports sector but also in mobile and PC/Console gaming. This trend has attracted many investors, game developers, and publishers seeking opportunities in this region. Notably, the legendary name “dominating” the MMORPG genre is NCSOFT.
NCSOFT – A Game Developer Shaping the MMORPG Genre
Founded in 1997, NCSOFT Corporation is recognized as one of the two leading game development studios in South Korea that pioneered the concept of online gaming. Both NCSOFT and its competitor, Nexon, initially focused on developing MMORPGs, but while Nexon diversified into various genres, NCSOFT concentrated on refining its classic role-playing games.
Most of NCSOFT’s flagship titles, such as Lineage, Lineage 2, City of Heroes, Guild Wars, and Blade & Soul, belong to the MMORPG genre, each bringing new gameplay mechanics that have set standards in this category.
The Lineage Series – NCSOFT’s Classic and Iconic Legacy
Shortly after its establishment, NCSOFT quickly launched its flagship title, Lineage, in South Korea in 1998. The game became an instant success, marking a significant milestone in the MMORPG landscape.
Following this, Lineage 2 was developed, leveraging advanced 3D technology in 2003, alongside experiences from its predecessor. This title also achieved significant success and is regarded as a classic MMORPG. Its gameplay mechanics have become foundational elements in MMORPGs even today.
Over 26 years of development, the Lineage series has continued to evolve with numerous expansions and updates to its core games, significantly contributing to NCSOFT’s revenue over nearly three decades.
NCSOFT rarely discloses detailed revenue figures, but market research estimates the company’s total revenue for 2023 to be approximately $2 – $2.3 billion. Among this, revenue from Lineage and its spin-off games is estimated at around $500 – $700 million (making up 25 – 35%). Specifically, Lineage 2 accounts for about $400 – $600 million (20 – 30%).
NCSOFT’s Strategy to Tap into the Southeast Asian Market
NCSOFT openly expresses its interest in the Southeast Asian market. On its official website, as well as through press releases, Korean game companies have acknowledged the region’s significant potential.
And all signs point to NCSOFT’s serious commitment, as they recently announced a joint venture with VNGGames (part of VNG Corporation) by establishing the NCV Games alliance in August 2024. According to the announcement, NCV Games will be the entity representing NCSOFT’s strategic products in major gaming markets in the region, including Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
The CEO of NCSOFT, Kim Taek Jin, emphasized the importance of this collaboration as a foundation to bring innovative experiences to the Southeast Asian market, highlighting the strategic focus of the company in this region.
NCSOFT’s Official Presence in Vietnam: A Growing Gaming Ecosystem
Since 2020, NCSOFT has officially operated in Vietnam through the registration of its branch named NCSOFT Vietnam Visual Studio (NCVVS). Initially, this branch focused on 3D design for characters, game environments, and animations. Until the recent announcement of the joint venture with VNGGames in August 2024, NCSOFT continued to strengthen its presence in the gaming publishing sector through this strategic partnership.
It can be said that NCSOFT’s continued proximity to the Southeast Asian market and Vietnam is a clear indication, as related parties have recently announced public information. This is gradually breaking down the “barriers” that Vietnamese gamers have faced with high-quality games from South Korea and Japan.
The quality of MMORPG games from NCSOFT is now very close to Vietnamese gamers. The most prominent title at this time may be Lineage2M, which is currently one of the successful products from this game developer.
Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/lineage2mvng
NCSOFT is known as a leading game development and publishing studio in South Korea, with flagship titles such as Lineage, AION, Blade & Soul, Guild Wars. Established in 1997, NCSOFT’s gaming ecosystem currently serves hundreds of millions of users across 60 countries worldwide. In contrast, VNGGames is the leading game publisher in Vietnam and the region, with a catalog of over 130 titles, recording 78.7 million monthly active users (MAU) in 2023.
VNGGames has been a premier game publisher and developer in Vietnam and the region. Since 2005, VNGGames has successfully published over 200 titles in Vietnam, including iconic titles like Võ Lâm Truyền Kỳ, PUBG Mobile, Valorant, Play Together, and over 40 titles in the international market, while also developing more than 20 high-quality games for the global market. Consistently for two years (2023-2024), VNGGames has been honored as the “Best Game Publisher” at the Vietnam Game Awards organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications and VnExpress. In the international market, VNGGames has received numerous awards and rankings from reputable organizations like MMA Global, AppsFlyer, Data.ai, etc. VNGGames currently has offices in several major cities across Asia, including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, etc.
