Nexon has made a $685 million strategic investment in NCsoft Corp., becoming the online game developer and publisher’s largest shareholder with 14.7 percent ownership. The transaction was a private one with Taek Jin Kim, Nexon’s chairman, CEO and founder and values the company’s shares about about $213 each.
NCsoft develops massively multiplayer online role-playing games including Lineage and Guild Wars. Nexon, which recently raised $1.2 billion in a Tokyo Stock Exchange IPO, is best known for publishing and operating MapleStory (pictured), Vindictus, Atlantica Online and more than 50 other free-to-play games over 100 countries.
The companies said the deal unites NCsoft’s “strong pipeline of compelling IP” and Nexon’s “leading international platform and expertise in the operation of free-to-play online games,” propelling their continued international growth and success.
Related links:
Nexon – corporate site
Nexon – press release [PDF, in English]
Bloomberg – Nexon Buys $685 Million Stake in NCSoft, Becomes Biggest Holder
Wow! I’m happy for nexon 🙂 They have been greatly increasing their sales and making their free 2 play games amusingly fun. :O However, the only downside to nexon games is that it is basically Pay 2 Win.. which isn’t technically free 2 play, but only a way to make money so they can keep producing awesome games like maplestory and combat arms 😛