At E3, MMORPG.com¡¯s Carolyn Koh dropped by the studios of Nexon America, the makers of MapleStory Mesos, to talk about that game¡¯s success and the most recent content update. Nexon America¡¯s first launched title was the very popular MapleStory Mesos, which is recognized as the most successful Korean MMORPG to be ported to the US market. MapleStory Mesos boasts 72+ million users worldwide and in the US alone, it gained over 2 million registered users in the first year. MapleStory Mesos is a free to play game that monetizes by micro-transactions. You can buy consumables as well as cosmetic items and one of the most popular items in their item mall is a 2x XP card. Yes, some people just love that leveling treadmill! Nexon America is in Los Angeles, and they were kind enough to invite me to meet with them at their studio. I first met with Nexon America¡¯s Director of Games Operations, Min Kim at the Ion Conference where he was on a panel moderated by Jason Wonacott titled: Creating a Global Marketplace for MMOGs: Can East and West Really Play Together? MapleStory Mesos is THE game that made Western game developers take a second look at a business model other than the monthly subscription. With some one on one time during E3, I was able to ask the question I¡¯ve always wanted to ask. Why is the game called MapleStory Mesos? Both Min and Product Coordinator, Sheloman Byrd had different stories. Nexon has announced the addition of the new Pirate class to Maple Story Mesos, along with a number of new maps, skills, and game-play options. Los Angeles, CA - November 12, 2008 - Nexon America Inc. invites gamers to step aboard the Nautilus ship in MapleStory Mesos and become a member of the game¡¯s newest class, Pirates. This game-changing addition assures MapleStory Mesos, one of North America¡¯s most popular online games, remains a great gaming experience for its six million registered users. The Pirate expansion provides Maplers with new gameplay features, which can be used throughout the entire MapleStory Mesos World. It also opens a variety of new maps, many of which are aboard the Pirate ship, Nautilus, the ultimate Pirate haven. Once a pirate, players can develop their characters and choose one of two paths through four tiers of job progression. Pirates can advance to become Brawlers, the masters of hand-to-hand combat, or Gunslingers, dynamic quick-draws that drown foes in a hail of iron lead, for a 2nd Job, Marauders and Outlaws as a 3rd Job and finally, Buccaneers or Corsairs as a 4th Job. As MapleStory Mesos players move through the ranks of the Pirate class, new skills can be obtained, including the ability to sneak past monsters in an oak barrel, sustain longer jumps and summon multiple sea creatures, including an octopus or seagulls, to boost attacks. Pirates can also earn a transformative power which gives a boost in strength, speed and jumping as well as summon dragon-like powers to attack multiple enemies at once. To celebrate this expansion, Nexon America will host several Pirate-themed events throughout the month. Players can compete for prizes by dressing like a pirate, earning the top rating in the Pirate class, creating Pirate-only guilds or developing user-generated content for a Pirates commercial. The event coincides with the launch of a brand new server, Demethos, which provides a fresh start for new and veteran players.
