Nexon’s wildly popular, cute and creative multi-user online game, MapleStory is celebrating its 5th anniversary here in North America, and is celebrating with a slew of events and player rewards! I recently had the opportunity to ask a few questions of the lead producer for Maple Story about the game itself, the big anniversary, and what’s on the horizon. Enjoy!

GA – Tell me a little bit about your position with Nexon, and specifically with MapleStory.
Crystin -Hi, my name is Crystin Cox, and I am the producer for global MapleStory at Nexon America.

GA – What was the inspiration behind MapleStory?
Crystin - MapleStory was inspired by classic, 2D game play and the desire to create a world where anything could happen; where fantasy archetypes can live beside pop-culture references and heroes can slay giant dragons and yeti-riding pigeons all in the same day. Most of all, MapleStory was just meant to be fun. The original developers threw in anything which made them smile and we’re been piling on the fun ever since.

GA – Where are most of the registered users from? Do people play with others from different countries or regions?
Crystin - Most of our users are from North America and Australia, but there is a version of MapleStory for almost every part of the world, each with slight differences to cater to a particular region. Allowing all 92 million Maplers worldwide to play in the same server would be really cool, but also really crazy!

GA – Does MapleStory you seem to reach more one type of player than another (i.e. more women than men)?
Crystin - MapleStory has attracted a wide variety of people, we’re always really astonished at how many different people log on. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly who a Mapler might be, but we like it that way; it means the in-game community is diverse and users can always find someone they’d enjoy playing with.

GA – What is the most popular character type?
Crystin - Right now, the Evan class is very popular. This class was just introduced to MapleStory this spring and allows the user to raise a dragon to fight alongside them. The dragon is the player’s constant companion and its skills and abilities grow along with the character. This adds a new dimension to combat and exploration that makes the class very appealing.

GA – This is the 5th anniversary for Maple Story. Are there many players that have been with it since the beginning?
Crystin - We are very lucky to still have thousands of players who have been with us since day one. After five years, that means while playing MapleStory many of our users have gone through huge milestones like graduating from high school or even college, which we think is awesome. Our players are the most important part of the game, and those who have been with us since the beginning have had a huge impact on the changes and growth we’ve experienced

GA – How often is new content released on Maple Story?
Crystin – Generally we update the game once a month. This can mean new maps, new quests, new dungeons, or new features. And we always have plenty of events to keep players busy in the MapleWorld!

GA – I see there are some events planned in the game. How is Maple Story celebrating its anniversary?
Crystin - We have all kinds of events planned to celebrate this major milestone. There are special quests, items, and even 12 hours in which users can level up twice as fast. We hope Maplers, old and new, will join in the fun, because we could never have gotten this far without them!

GA – Do you play Maple Story and/or any other games? Do you have a favorite character?
Crystin – I do play a lot of MapleStory, but unfortunately most of that play is in our internal test servers, so it’s a little lonely. I enjoy MapleStory the most when I get to play on the live server with lots of other Maplers. I also spend a lot of my free time playing other games, both online and on consoles. Gaming is definitely my primary source of entertainment.

GA – Did you play before working in the industry?
Crystin – Definitely! Gaming has always been very important to me and it’s a passion which drove me into this industry.

GA – Do you have any tips for Maple Story players – new and experienced – about how to get the most out of their Maple Story experience?
Crystin – My biggest piece of advice would be: play with friends. Whether you made them online, or brought them into MapleStory from some other part of your life, playing with friends makes any online game a lot more fun. Start a guild, complete party quests, form a family, or just hunt together. There’s a lot to do in MapleStory and a lot of Maplers out there, join in.

GA – Is there anything exciting on the horizon for fans of Maple Story, be it within the game itself or from Nexon in general?
Crystin – We have a lot of exciting additions and changes coming to the game this summer. New classes, more quests, more items, events, and big changes are all on the horizon. Players can check out our website and find us on Facebook and Twitter to get more details as these updates get closer.

GA – Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. Congratulations on the 5th anniversary of Maple Story! May it continue to be a fun and successful endeavor!
Crystin - Thank you!

Join the 95 million players on 11 world servers worldwide in celebrating with special anniversary events and giveaways! Be a pirate, knight, hero, warrior, magician, thief, or even dragon master! Explore Ludibium, Helios Tower, New Leaf City, Neo City, Kerning Square and Rien as you battle boss mobs and collect items, experience, and cash in this deceptively cute virtuality! Wouldn’t you like to be a Mapler, too?

NDOORS is best known for developing MMOs “Atlantica” and “GoonZu.” “Atlantica” won the “Korea Games Award First Prize” in 2008, and its consolidated revenue is around 40.5bil won. Overseas sales regularly accounted for 72 percent of the total profit. No word on how this will affect NDOORS’ operations in North America, if it will.

So far, it seems like Nexon’s little “take over the world” plan is going very well. I’m sure the Brain (of Pinky and the Brain) is wishing he’d gotten in on that one.

If selected by The Nexon iNitiative program, you will earn a share of the $1 million allotted for game development (not really sure how much of that share you actually get), and you also get a shot at a Nexon publishing contract. Finalists will be selected in June 2010.

What are they looking for? PC-based games that encourage community and social interaction. Oh, and broad appeal. That another important part. (Basically, make another Maple Story.) Flash, client-based games or ports from other platforms are welcome. No good ideas will be turned away, but you have to submit them by April 30, 2010.

The Web site will begin taking game submissions immediately. Members of the Nexon America business development staff will be available at the Game Developer’s Conference in conference room 220 on March 10, 11 and 12 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

This past week, Nexon America has released its new free, arcade style water balloon filled multiplayer battle, PopTag! I had the opportunity to ask some questions of Jaeho Hwang, the producer of PopTag to gain a little insight into this seemingly cute, but frantic game. Enjoy!

GA: Firstly, can you tell me a little bit about your role with PopTag!?
JH: Hi, my name is Jaeho Hwang, and I’m the producer of PopTag!. Mainly, I used to be in charge of BnB Crazy Arcade (PopTag!), the Asian service for Nexon Korea, and I’m glad that I have the opportunity to introduce this amazing game to US market

GA: What is the idea or inspiration behind PopTag!?
JH: Many people compare the game to Bomberman, but if you get your hands on it, you will quickly see the difference. Trapping players in bubbles makes the game more competitive AND cooperative. You can tag your teammates to save them, or you can tag your opponents take them out of the game. Besides the PvP mode, you can also team up with your friends and fight the NPC boss in Monster Mode.

GA: How important was it to put together a totally free multiplayer arcade game – and is it totally free?
JH: I guess the reason that PopTag! is loved all over the world is because the game really is free. Of course there are cash items that make you look better or give you a boost in the game, but all you need to play well is skill. Although its old-school looking game, it has been serviced in many countries for a long time so you won’t have to deal with lag or hacking. Basically, you can just casually hop into the game and enjoy it anytime you want, for free.

GA: What kind of games do you enjoy playing?
JH: I personally enjoy all types of games, from Starcraft to Modern Warfare2. Although most of these games look different, I think the core fun factor is pretty similar. The reason I like PopTag! is because it delivers a competitive and cooperative fun factor very well – if you’re really into it, you will experience more excitement than many other games.

GA: Having not played too much, and reading the character descriptions, I think I can relate to Diz, which is your favorite PopTag! character?
JH: My favorite character is Boz because I can relate to the fact that he is a very sleepy-looking character, but still fast in the game. I like decorating the character so that he looks macho and moves around like a maniac. Don’t mess with me if you see me in the game.

GA: Any insider tips for playing the game?
JH: Start with Monster Mode, and get used to the timing. If you can use the Dart and Canned Food items at the right moment, you are on your way to being a pro.

GA: I know that this is the launch week for PopTag!, but what can users look forward to in the future to keep the game exciting?
JH: PopTag! has a bunch of items and modes that will be added to the game in the future. We won’t hold them back to tease players. We will listen to our players and roll things out in a timely manner. Please enjoy the game and let us know what you want to see!

Known as BnB Crazy Arcade in Asia, PopTag! is a more casual multiplayer game that can be played in battle or cooperative modes – whether you are playing with or against someone who is right nest to you or across the country – and there is even a way for you to share your bonuses with a “sweetie.”

Head on over to Poptag.com and check out the game, the shop, and the characters. I love that the producers want feedback and ideas from the players. Start playing PopTag! today, and let them – and us – know what you think! Thanks for reading!

Players will get several abilities in the game like being able to attack other players and monsters, using non-attack actions like healing their HP (hit points), adding items to their character, and taking on side quests. Users can customize the starter decks that come with the game, and booster packs can be bought using in-game points they earn while playing. There’s also a trade lobby so users can trade cards in real time or just make a post saying what they are looking for.

iTCG has a facebook fan page that you can become a fan of to view artwork, meet other players, and talk about the game. The iTCG site is located here. It looks like a great game for anyone that wants to play a trading card game but can’t afford the costly packs and decks.

Nexon America announced their third quarter revenues and found that they have jumped by 36%. Which is huge in an economic downtown and probably a sign of gamer’s excitement about Dungeon Fighter Online, MapleStory, Combat Arms and Mabinogi.

“We are on the verge of having a very strong year,” said Daniel Kim, Nexon America’s CEO. “It’s a testament to the quality and accessibility of our free-to-play games and the amount of new content we have been delivering to our customers. Our hard work has earned us a level of loyalty among our player base that cannot be matched.”

Nexon America also just announced the upcoming beta test for BlockParty.com, its new game portal/social network site.

From the BlockParty page, players can access their game accounts, launch games from the page, and interact with other Nexon players. There is also an update feed that will be included that will post the player’s achievements via the Party Feed. Customizable player profile pages, buddy lists and search tools are also a part of the new service.

While the site is up, the service is still in beta.

From the official press release:

“BlockParty will be one part games, one part portal with a twist of social networking.  Nexon America’s goal for BlockParty is to create the biggest online party with great games and awesome gamers,” said Min Kim, Nexon America’s vice president of marketing. “BlockParty will allow Nexon to better serve our players by extending the community experience to a central web-based communication hub. BlockParty will also make it easier for players to access Nexon’s growing list of games, and at the same time, allow them to share their online gaming adventures with their friends.”

The BlockParty initiative has been underway at Nexon America for several years, and with its inception, will be the only complete service delivering high-quality free-to-play games through a portal with a robust social gaming network. New and current players will be able to access all the features of BlockParty by using a Nexon Passport, which can be signed up for in just minutes.

“Joining BlockParty and having a blast will be extremely easy,” added Kim. “Nothing is going to change about our games — still fun, still free.  The addition of the social network elements at BlockParty will be familiar to most Internet users and we expect current players to forge even stronger relationships with their in-game friends and new players to quickly make friends and dive into the community.  BlockParty is really about fun and friends.”

Combat Arms

Nexon America’s Combat Arms is getting infected. Quarantine Mode is brand new to Combat Arms and players can fight as soldiers or as infected zombies. The mission then becomes to either destroy the infected or infect as many as possible.

“This isn’t the usual zombies invading, eating your brains type of scenario,” said Min Kim, Nexon America’s vice president of marketing. “In Quarantine Mode, the fun doesn’t end with fending off zombies. Even if you get infected, you can continue playing as a zombie and spread the zombie bug to your friends and other soldiers. This makes for a messy, gooey fun fight with only the stoutest soldier able to avoid becoming a chew toy.”

Players can try out the game at Combatarms.nexon.net