By Sagar V. Mankar South Korea’s gaming giant, NCSOFT has joined forces with Vietnamese tech unicorn VNG Corp. to establish a new joint venture called NCV Games.
This new company will be introducing NCSOFT’s gaming titles to six key countries in the region: Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
Starting with the release of Lineage2M, a remastered version of the iconic Lineage2 franchise, NCV Games is set to make a strong entrance into the market. The original Lineage2, launched in December 2021, was a massive hit, and its mobile adaptation is expected to captivate players across Southeast Asia.
NCSOFT’s founder and CEO, Kim Taek-jin, expressed his enthusiasm for a new market. He says:
“NCV Games will serve as a pivotal foundation for NCSOFT to deliver new, innovative experiences in the Southeast Asian market,” said NCSOFT founder and CEO Kim Taek-jin.
The Southeast Asian gaming market is valued at $4.5 billion in 2023, with over 100 million mobile game users, according to research firm Statista. With Japanese giants Sony and Nintendo leading the market, NCSOFT aims to establish its presence through VNG.
VNG, founded in 2004, is well-known in Vietnam for developing and operating Zalo, the country’s leading mobile messaging app. As Vietnam’s first tech unicorn, VNG has expanded its business beyond messaging, venturing into artificial intelligence, games, and technology.
VNGGames, the gaming arm of VNG, has developed and published around 130 titles in Southeast Asia, showcasing their strong influence in the region.
Le Hong Minh, the founder and CEO of VNG, highlighted the benefits of this partnership. He said:
“With NCSOFT’s rich history in the gaming industry and VNGGames’ publishing capabilities, we are poised to bring blockbuster Korean games to players in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.”
This partnership is not just about gaming; according to The Korea Economic Daily, it could also pave the way for NCSOFT to enter other sectors like mobile messaging, electronic payments, and entertainment in Southeast Asia.
Despite the joint venture, NCSOFT plans to continue operating its NCSOFT Vietnam Visual Studio, which was established in 2020. This studio has been instrumental in supporting design work for Throne and Liberty, another MMORPG released by NCSOFT last year.
NCSOFT already has a strong international presence with units in key markets, including the US, Europe, Japan, and Taiwan. The creation of NCV Games is a strategic move to solidify its footprint in Southeast Asia.
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