Nexon achieved a record revenue of 2.56 trillion won in the first half of 2026, marking its highest performance for a half-year period. Both revenue and operating profit exceeded expectations in the second quarter, following a strong first quarter. The growth was driven by the expansion of the MapleStory franchise and the global success of Arc Raiders.
Nexon reported a revenue of 2.56 trillion won (273.3 billion yen, with an average exchange rate of 936.8 won per 100 yen) for the first half of 2026, along with an operating profit of 837.9 billion won (89.4 billion yen) and a net profit of 813.7 billion won (86.9 billion yen). Compared to the same period last year, revenue and operating profit increased by 17% and 13%, respectively, while net profit surged by 102%. All figures represent the highest performance for a half-year period.
In the second quarter, revenue reached 1.139 trillion won (121.1 billion yen, with an exchange rate of 940.7 won per 100 yen), with an operating profit of 294.3 billion won (31.3 billion yen) and a net profit of 278.8 billion won (29.6 billion yen).
In the second quarter, the MapleStory franchise achieved its highest quarterly revenue to date. Nexon is enhancing the competitiveness of the PC original while broadening the genres and user base of its intellectual property (IP) through user-generated content (UGC) and mobile casual role-playing games (RPGs).
The PC version of MapleStory saw balanced growth in South Korea, North America, and Europe, bolstered by a major summer update in June. Domestic revenue increased by 7% year-on-year, driven by the popularity of new jobs and seasonal servers. In North America and Europe, content tailored to local user preferences also performed well.
Revenue from the UGC platform MapleStory World surged by 123% compared to the previous year. Content reinterpreted by creators from past gaming experiences, such as Maple Planet in South Korea and Maple Star in Taiwan, contributed to this growth. The mobile casual RPG Maple Growing also maintained solid performance in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, ahead of its six-month anniversary update.
Targeting the Western market, Arc Raiders surpassed 16.3 million copies sold within nine months of its release. Nexon plans to introduce the largest update to date, Frozen Trail, in October to enhance engagement among existing users and attract new players.
Thanks to the success of these two games, Nexon's revenue from Western markets more than tripled compared to the same period last year. Revenue from other regions, including Southeast Asia, also increased by 76%, resulting in record overseas revenue for the half-year period. Revenue from the PC and console segments rose by 27%.
Nexon aims to sustain its growth in the second half by enhancing the competitiveness of its long-standing IPs and adding new titles. The expansion of Nexon's enduring IPs is part of its mid- to long-term IP growth strategy announced in 2024. The company plans to extend proven franchises like MapleStory, Dungeon & Fighter, and FC to new platforms and regions, using the revenue generated to invest in next-generation IPs. In March, Nexon also outlined a blueprint to apply the expansion successes of MapleStory to other long-standing IPs.
In China, Dungeon & Fighter Mobile achieved results exceeding second-quarter forecasts following its two-year anniversary update in May. The Chinese PC version of Dungeon & Fighter also saw improved engagement metrics among its core user base after a June update.
Dungeon & Fighter Growing is set to launch within the year, while Dungeon & Fighter Classic is scheduled for release in 2027. Mabinogi Eternity will enter domestic alpha testing in September, and Mabinogi Mobile will begin services in Japan in the fourth quarter. The mobile version of Dave the Diver is also set to launch globally in September.
Additionally, Nexon plans to release Tempball: Overgeared and Azure Promilia within the year, along with several self-developed titles including Paradise: LAST PARADISE, Project RX, Durango World, and Uchi the Wayfarer.
Lee Jung-hun, CEO of Nexon Japan, stated, "The strong growth of the MapleStory franchise and the steady contribution of Arc Raiders led to solid results in the second quarter. Starting in the second half, we will diversify our pipeline with new titles across various genres and expand our steady-selling IPs, while strengthening growth drivers through major updates of key titles."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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