NHN is set to target the global gaming market with the shooting role-playing game (RPG) 'Darkest Days.' Once prominent with its web board 'Hangame' and casual genre 'Line Disney Tsum Tsum,' NHN has recently faced criticism for its underperformance in the gaming market. In response, it is broadening its genres, including shooting and subculture, to improve its business structure.
At the center of this change is Kim Sang-ho (45), Deputy Minister of Game Business. He graduated from Yonsei University with a degree in business administration and joined NHN through a public recruitment in 2003, where he has contributed to NHN's game business growth by serving as branch manager of its U.S. subsidiary and representing its subsidiaries. During his early years, Hangame was in its prime in the web board sector, and he later worked as the head of the game business team at the North American branch, gaining insights into trends in the overseas shooting and first-person shooter (FPS) market.
On the 2nd, at the NHN Pangyo headquarters, Deputy Minister Kim said, 'We have established top-level capabilities and achievements domestically and in Asia in web board and casual genres over the past 20 years' and noted, 'While our speed was somewhat slow during the initial mobile transition, we are now preparing to rebound by leveraging our strengths to expand genres and boldly launch new titles.'
The work that will serve as the signal flare is the shooting RPG 'Darkest Days,' which is set to enter open beta at the end of this month. Deputy Minister Kim explained, 'This is a project we have devoted more than five years to, developed by a team that worked on 'Counter-Strike Zombie Mode' and 'Combat Arms,' and is designed as an open-world shooting RPG that retains the emotion and impact of traditional zombie narratives. In the global test, we saw participation from 57,000 players from countries like Brazil, the U.S., and China.'
He continued, 'Darkest Days is designed to allow seamless transitions between single and multi-content, and the combat and reward structures are configured to connect naturally with user preferences,' adding, 'Unlike Chinese games, we have no limitations on realistic expression, which is our competitive edge.'
NHN is also preparing to launch the subculture RPG 'Abyssdia' and a puzzle game based on the popular animation intellectual property (IP) 'My Favorite Idol.' Deputy Minister Kim stated, 'We are developing 'My Favorite Idol' to highlight the original work's brighter aspects, and 'Abyssdia' is aimed at Japan's subculture enthusiast audience, considering marketing collaborations with vocaloids (virtual singers created using voice synthesis technology) and utaite (amateur singers who perform vocaloid songs).' Below is a Q&A with Deputy Minister Kim.
─What is NHN's vision for the game business?
'I believe NHN has produced top-level capabilities and achievements in web board and casual genres over the past 20 years in South Korea and Asia. In the Japanese market, we also have outstanding capabilities compared to local mobile gaming companies in terms of production and operational know-how. Internally, we have continuously attempted and failed to expand genres and diversify the market. We are preserving the know-how and experiences gained in that process at the organizational level and creating a structure and culture that can lead to our next success.'
─What is the current proportion of game revenue within the group?
'The proportion of revenue from the game business is about one-fourth of the total. Other institutional sectors, like payments, advertising, and cloud services, are larger, so this may appear relatively small. This year, we aim to increase the revenue share to at least 25% or more, as many new titles, including 'Darkest Days,' will be released.'
─What kind of game is the key new title, 'Darkest Days'?
'Darkest Days' is an open-world shooting RPG set against a backdrop of a zombie apocalypse. The development took 5 to 6 years, with about 50 to 60 key staff in the main studio and around 80 people involved company-wide. It is being created by 'Now Studio,' led by PD Kim Dong-seon, who developed 'Counter-Strike Zombie Mode' and 'Combat Arms.' In terms of impact and the depiction of zombies, its quality is comparable to competing titles. Content-wise, single and multi-contents are organically consolidated so that players can enjoy the game in a way that suits their style.'
─What differentiates it from other zombie genre games like PUBG?
'While PUBG focuses on specific modes, 'Darkest Days' adopts a structure that allows free transitions between single and multi-content. The average playtime exceeds 90 minutes, which is considerably longer. The most notable difference from other games is the realism of zombie portrayals. Chinese games face many restrictions in content review, limiting impact and depiction in zombie genres. We capitalized on this aspect to maximize realistic zombie portrayals.'
─How do you plan to address the issue of illegal programs like 'aimbots' that automatically assist aiming in shooting games (commonly referred to as 'cheats')?
'Given the characteristics of the shooting genre, the risk of hacking is always present. NHN has operational know-how accumulated from past web board games and is utilizing its own security programs alongside NHN Cloud's security solutions. When necessary, we also respond with external technical expertise.'
─What are the responses from the global test and areas for improvement?
'We recently conducted a global test on Steam, with over 57,000 participants. Players accessed the game from various countries, including the U.S., Brazil, and China, with Brazil showing a high preference for shooting genres, yielding meaningful responses. However, there was significant feedback regarding the delayed opening of multi-content, so we are easing the open conditions. There were also comments that the UI/UX is optimized for mobile, so we are in the process of improving it for PC.'
─What are the characteristics of the other new titles, 'Abyssdia' and the 'My Favorite Idol' puzzle game?
'Abyssdia' is a subculture RPG developed by Ring Games, known for making 'King's Raid.' It features a music universe, high-quality 3D battles, and harmonic strikes that link character actions. There is also content called 'Let's Eat Together,' themed around dining dates. The puzzle game based on the 'My Favorite Idol' IP is being developed with a focus on a bright and cheerful image.
─What is the strategy for the Japanese market?
'NHN has NHN Playart in Japan, where more than 300 production and operational personnel work. Their understanding of subculture is profound, and their localization sense is excellent. We are leveraging elements of subculture within Japan, such as vocaloids, utaite, and VTubers, for marketing. The VTuber 'Skaya' is set to debut in April.'
─To what extent is artificial intelligence (AI) integrated into game development?
'AI is actively used in design areas such as art and concept design. Previously, we would generate 3 to 4 character drafts, but now we can create dozens for comparison and analysis. It is also being introduced in QA, balance testing, and marketing image generation. However, it is not yet applied to NPC dialogue or in-game content. In the case of 'Darkest Days,' there are plans to use AI for the function of turning user photos into zombies and for character customization.'
─What are the global target markets beyond Japan?
'Aside from Japan, key target markets include Taiwan and Thailand. Brazil is considered important for expanding the user base, while we are also approaching the U.S. and European markets in the long term. India and China have not yet reached full-scale entry stages.'
─If you were to define NHN's unique game DNA.
'By challenging various genres including web board, casual, shooting, subculture, and puzzles, we have enhanced the organization's flexibility and execution capability. I often tell new employees that, 'While inheriting the excellent organizational culture of Hangame, let us create new legacies together.'