Nexon Developers Conference attracts record 71,100 viewers

Nexon Korea Vice President Kim Dae-hwon delivers a keynote speech at the NDC21 held online. Courtesy of Nexon Korea

By Kim Hyun-bin

Nexon Developers Conference took place from June 9 to June 11, drawing 71,100 viewers to the largest game information sharing event which was held online for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest turnout exceeded the previous record of 20,457 spectators in 2019.

NDC 21, which started in 2007, pinpoints the game industry's latest trends and interests. This year, the agenda focused on the game industry's direction in the fourth industrial revolution and the efforts and new attempts that need to be made within the field.

There was no prior registration required and anyone who visits the NDC homepage was able to view the event. The conference was pre-recorded and visitors could replay the lectures and sessions, drastically enhancing the convenience factor.

A side event was held at the NDC demonstrating the potential of showcasing art online. The “Art Exhibition” showcased 67 art pieces and also displayed videos of games and sound development procedures as well as soundtracks made by game producers. Also, video clips of interviews with game artists showcased their work.

“Being able to replay the parts we missed or re-watch the impressive lectures was a plus,” a viewer wrote through a survey.

“I am not able to attend the event in person due to work, but I was able to watch several lectures online that I was interested in,” another viewer wrote.

Nexon Vice President Kim Dae-hwon pointed out that the digital transformation and strengthening interactivity is breaking down the barriers between recreational activities and gaming. He emphasized that the industry needs to accept the changes and work towards introducing new forms of digital recreation.

Experts from Nexon, NCSoft, Krafton and SK Telecom took part in NDC 21 to explain the development background and information behind data analysis, servers, programming and cloud platforms.

There are also reviews of popular games such as Lineage, Cookie Run: Kingdom and Blue Archive.

“There were many tasks to deal with to transition the conference into the first online event, but it was encouraging to see many people viewing the lectures,” Nexon COO Kim Jung-wook was quoted as saying in a press release.