ARC Raiders is proof that Nexon can make a game that resonates with a global audience, said exec Patrick Söderlund at the company’s Capital Markets Briefing today.
Nexon is a huge online game company based in South Korea, and it has tried for years to succeed in global game markets. It finally did so with its small Swedish studio, Embark Studios, which made the game ARC Raiders with a small staff and budget.
Then it made Söderlund, CEO of Embark, into Nexon’s executive chairman. And today Söderlund briefed investors about strategy alongside Nexon CEO Junghun Lee, and CFO Shiro Uemura.
The presented plans for Nexon’s transformation, which includes redesigning game development processes, cost discipline, intellectual property portfolio management and franchise expansion strategy, as well as a new game pipeline targeted for a global audience.
Söderlund, a veteran industry executive and member of Nexon’s board, was appointed to lead strategy and creative direction told the audience of investors.
“This is not a turnaround story. In 2025, Nexon posted record revenue of ¥475 billion ($2.99 billion) , operating income of ¥124 billion ($781.2 million) and ended the year with more than ¥800 billion ($5 billion) in cash and cash equivalents,” Söderlund said in the briefing. “Importantly, we have built relationships that go far beyond the point of sale with communities of millions of players interested in exploring new experiences in their favorite game.”
Söderlund, who continues to serve as CEO of Nexon’s Embark Studios, also outlined a strategy for accelerating expansion in new markets, telling investors, “ARC Raiders is proof that Nexon can build something that lands with a global audience.”
ARC Raiders launched its major Flashpoint update today, and the game is getting a lot of attention for it on social media.
Nexon CEO Lee presented a detailed review of Nexon’s product portfolio, which included an update on the company’s initiative to grow established franchises – MapleStory, Dungeon&Fighter, FC, and Mabinogi – and a pipeline of new games.
“Our recent success in extending the 22-year MapleStory franchise with new games and experiences provides a blueprint for growing large established franchises like Dungeon&Fighter,” said Lee.
“Today, our Dungeon&Fighter pipeline includes four new games: Dungeon&Fighter: Idle RPG, Dungeon&Fighter Classic, and triple-A titles like Dungeon&Fighter: Arad and Project Overkill.”
The audience also heard insights on Nexon’s integration of artificial intelligence trained on the company’s database that includes decades of player interactions.
“Nexon’s massive database of player interactions offers a strategic advantage that few if any companies can match,” said Lee. “We’re training AI on billions of player interactions that give context to every decision our people make, from game design to live service support. Our methodology doesn’t replace creative people, it frees them to create with context. For developers, AI without context is just speed – an algorithmic race to a center where all games look alike.”
Pipeline
The event also featured an update on Nexon’s robust pipeline in development including:
- Dungeon&Fighter: Idle RPG: A new and highly accessible experience scheduled for release this year.
- Dungeon&Fighter Classic: A reboot of the original action-based experience on a modern UX, scheduled for release in 2027.
- Dungeon&Fighter: Arad: The second game in a series designed to introduce the Dungeon&Fighter franchise to a global audience.
- Project Overkill: Third in the series, an online action RPG for PC and console that fully modernizes combat physics and visuals. Early testing confirmed strong interest from players.
- Vindictus: Defying Fate: A modern PC and console action experience based on the Mabinogi franchise.
- Nakwon: Last Paradise: A multiplayer survival game set in a post-apocalyptic city, recently completed a closed-alpha test with more than 37,000 concurrent players – a significant achievement for an all-new game with no marketing.
A transcript of the briefing is available on Nexon’s Investor Relations website. A full video of the event will also be posted at a later date.