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Nexon gains global spotlight with ARC Raiders’ blockbuster launch

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By Lee Gyu-lee
  • Published KST
  • Updated KST
A poster for Nexon's ARC Raiders / Courtesy of Nexon

A poster for Nexon's ARC Raiders / Courtesy of Nexon

ARC Raiders, an extraction adventure game developed by Nexon unit Embark Studios, is capturing global attention with its early success.

After its release on Oct. 30, the title reached a peak of 700,000 concurrent PC and console users. As of Nov. 11, just two weeks after launch, it had sold 4 million copies worldwide, signaling stronger sales momentum ahead.

ARC Raiders’ early global success is driven by accessible gameplay and player-friendly design that lowers genre barriers, making it easier for beginners to jump into combat, exploration and extraction.

By offering free starting loadouts and adopting an auto looting system, the game lowered entry barriers for new users. Its distinctive postapocalyptic setting and aesthetics drawing on 1970s and 1980s visions of the future also attracted users, with high-resolution graphics powered by Unreal Engine 5 and sophisticated sound providing an immersive experience.

The title’s success serves as a promising indicator that Nexon’s long-term global investment and development strategy is paying off.

Nexon acquired Swedish developer Embark Studios as a subsidiary in 2021 in a strategic move to secure its experience in developing high-budget games and expertise in cloud-based development tools.

An image of Mabinogi Mobile / Courtesy of Nexon

An image of Mabinogi Mobile / Courtesy of Nexon

Since then, the company has maintained the studio’s independence while providing ongoing long-term financial and personnel support. The two sides regularly collaborate on development, infrastructure and live operations through team exchanges.

Nexon attributed ARC Raiders' explosive success to this system, which brings together Nexon’s publishing expertise and Embark’s development talent.

Along with ARC Raiders, Nexon’s commitment to supporting development teams has also helped fuel the success of Mabinogi Mobile. The company spun off its core development studio, devCAT, into a separate entity in 2020 to ensure autonomy, while continually providing vital resources.

This laid the groundwork for Mabinogi Mobile’s long-term development, resulting in the game winning the top prize at the 2025 Korea Game Awards.

With the sales of ARC Raiders and Mabinogi Mobile on track for success, Nexon is seeking to extend its momentum with MapleStory: Idle RPG.

The newest release from its flagship franchise, MapleStory: Idle RPG has claimed the top spot in both major mobile app stores since its global launch earlier this month.