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Those Koreans know their online gaming. So when the Korea Game Industry Agency sit down to hand out the inaugural Global Online Game awards, the least we can do is check out the winners.
A couple of big Korean companies have floundered as of late — or at least, some of their games have been big disappointments — and it's raising interesting observations about how companies handle shutting down free to play games and what happens to the money (some) players have poured into it? Nexon is pulling its disappointing ZerA and taking an unexpected road: repaying the people who purchased virtual items for real money:
Funcom's Age of Conan MMO started off strong over in the states but quickly lost steam, due in no small part to not actually being a finished product. Developers are working hard trying to turn it around, but it could very well be too late for the game in North America. So where can a pretty yet not fully realised MMORPG go to find an audience in these rough times? Oh yeah, Korea! Korean online publisher Neowiz Games will be in charge of bringing Hyborian Adventures to the Korean peoples.
"Bringing 'Age of Conan' to Korea is something we have wanted to do for a long time now," says Funcom CEO Trond Arne Aas. "This is a very exciting and highly dynamic market, and we know that Korean gamers are amongst the most active online gamers in the world. With their solid legacy in online gaming, Neowiz Games is one of the most successful and knowledgeable companies in the market and we are very pleased to be working with them."
And you thought MapleStory was all fun and games. A Japanese woman has found herself in jail, potentially facing charges of illegally accessing a computer and manipulating data, after deleting the character of her in-game 'husband' who divorced her rather suddenly. "I was suddenly divorced, without a word of warning. That made me so angry!" she is quoted as saying:
A gold farming/money laundering ring in South Korea has been accused of moving somewhere in the neighbourhood of $61 million from Korea to China (with the help of real money transactions). According to PlayNoEvil, they made false purchases to a Hong Kong paper company to move the money, which is what eventually led to their arrest. In addition to the ring leaders, an additional 11 people were arrested:
With a quickly expanding domestic games market, and more companies thinking of making the leap to Western markets, Asian companies are facing some serious issues in the next few years: competition to become gaming 'hubs' for foreign companies, how to localize for foreign markets (something Japanese companies have historically done well, but in other areas, companies are lagging), how to keep up with a big, demanding market. ZDNet took a look at a few of the issues currently facing Asian games companies. On the issue of dealing with Western companies looking to make an entrance into the Asian market, there was this to say:
The great thing about Spore is all the stuff we can make. No, make that, the great thing about Spore is all the stuff really talented people can make. Check out these images from Korean site Ruliweb of in-Spore created Starcraft Terran faction buildings and vehicles. Check out the Vulture, Siege Tank, Goliath, Wraith and Battlecruiser! The attention to detail is astounding. There are three words for this and they are "only in Korea". Have a gander in the gallery below.
Sporecraft Gallery
PC 게임 화면 게시판 [Ruliweb Thanks, Torokun!]
The English translation of Korean MMO Atlantica Online has been in a closed Beta for a couple of months now, but is due to throw open the doors for any interested parties to come and have a go.
The game is set in alternate universe with a slightly steampunk bent and features a turn-based tactical combat system alongside real-time character movement and interaction.
The beta goes live at 6 p.m. Pacific Daylight Saving Time (PDT). It is a whopping 2GB PC download, so best get cracking now.
Atlantica Open Beta [PlayAtlantica.com via GamersHell]
Among everything else going on at the Austin GDC, an interesting panel took place on the issue of changing business models in MMOs — Free To Play has an easy to read, to the point summation of the panel, which included Robert Ferrari of Turbine (LOTRO), Hilmar Veigar Petursson of CCP (EVE Online), Nicolay Nickelsen of Funcom (Age of Conan), and Min Kim of Nexon (MapleStory). Unsurprisingly, it included discussion of the revenue models — subscription versus free to play — as well as potential audiences:
Do what now? This must be the season for 