Exclusive Interview with MapleStory Universe: How Does the Childhood Classic "MapleStory" Revitalize Itself with Blockchain Technology?

On August 27th, Nexon, a South Korean gaming giant, announced the launch of the NXPC token for its NFT game project MapleStory Universe. The aim is to enhance users' in-game experience by allowing community contributors to participate in creating in-game items and to support the entire MapleStory Universe ecosystem. This comes as another major update and good news for MapleStory Universe, following the successful completion of the first game in the ecosystem, "MapleStory N," earlier this month.

As one of the most classic 2D side-scrolling games for gamers born in the 1990s, the MapleStory (冒险岛) IP has been around for over 20 years. In order to maintain the vitality of this IP that has attracted countless players, Nexon has made multiple attempts to create sequels to the game, including the sandbox-style game "MapleStory 2" and the mobile game "MapleStory: The Legend of the Maple." However, despite the nostalgia factor, these sequels have never gained the same reputation and popularity among players as the original classic game. In recent years, Nexon has turned to new technological fields to find answers, and the gaming giant is exploring blockchain and NFT technology in an attempt to bring a completely new upgrade experience to MapleStory Universe for gamers.

MapleStory Universe will not only release a blockchain version sequel "MapleStory N," but will also provide players with a new adventure platform, encouraging more developers to build diverse games and applications based on the "MapleStory" IP, creating an infinitely expandable ecosystem to keep "MapleStory" vibrant in the new era. Recently, PANews interviewed Anglela Son, the Business Director of Maple Universe, to discuss how the childhood classic "MapleStory" is revitalized with blockchain technology. The following is the content of the interview.

Interview with MapleStory Universe: How does the childhood classic "MapleStory" revitalize with blockchain technology?

PANews: Why did Nexon decide to enter the Web 3 field? Why choose a top IP like "MapleStory" to develop web games?

A: "MapleStory" has a 21-year history and has achieved tremendous success, especially in its combined gameplay and in-game economic system. As an MMORPG, the in-game economic system has always been one of the core motivations for players to continue playing, establishing community connections and an economic ecosystem among players.

Considering the glorious history of "MapleStory," we need to think about how to expand this experience in the next 20 years to ensure its sustainability and appeal to a broader audience. Our answer is blockchain, because "MapleStory" is originally an IP closely related to the economy, with items at the center of the game, making it very suitable for transformation into NFTs and for utilizing blockchain technology to truly connect various components of the IP, such as NFTs or characters, and make them interoperable and expandable in experiences outside the game. Therefore, we believe that the core of this game is highly compatible with the essence of blockchain.

Furthermore, in the process of game development, we also realized that the community is a crucial part of it. The community is the core of game culture and the driving force for game development and maintenance. We very much hope to acknowledge their contributions to the community through playing, creating "MapleStory" content, and even proposing game improvement suggestions, and we hope to reward them in a blockchain manner. Ultimately, we believe that blockchain is the perfect medium to achieve this goal.

PANews: Last year, you announced on Twitter that you received a $100 million investment, far exceeding most Web 3 game projects. Can we understand the current valuation of "MapleStory" and how the team plans to use these funds?

Anglela: Regarding the specifics of this investment, what I can reveal is that it comes from our parent company (Nexon) and is a form of equity capital investment, so it is not based on valuation. However, I can say something about the overall situation of the "MapleStory" series. In the 21 years that we have served "MapleStory," the total revenue of this series has exceeded $5 billion. I want to emphasize how amazing this number is; in fact, this revenue is higher than the box office revenue of the movie "Frozen," showing the scale of the "MapleStory" IP.

Receiving a $100 million investment from the parent company and having the right to use this IP, I think this signifies the company's confidence in this technology and shows the company's willingness to invest in this project. For us, these funds will mainly be used for the development of "MapleStory Universe," and will also be used to expand the ecosystem of this universe. We hope to use these funds to help the community and developers enter this ecosystem and further develop this project based on the foundation we have already laid. Ultimately, with the support of the parent company and the "MapleStory" IP, as well as the support of developers, we are fully prepared.

PANews: You chose to initially build "MapleStory" on Polygon, but later migrated to Avalanche. What were the reasons for this change? What were the key factors you considered when choosing a blockchain network? Will you consider deploying on other chains in the future?

Anglela: Regarding partnerships, I can confidently say that Polygon and Avalanche are both good partners, but their strengths and styles are slightly different. Polygon is very innovative and acts quickly, while Avalanche is more cautious, focusing on the gaming experience and experience in the gaming industry. Therefore, as the project develops, our needs and ideas are constantly changing. We gradually realized that we need a partner that is more game-centric and understands our needs, so we ultimately chose Avalanche.

As for whether we will deploy on other chains, I currently do not have specific information to disclose, but every technological choice we make will ultimately serve the best interests of "MapleStory Universe" and its users. If in the future we believe that a certain chain can better support our user experience, then we will consider this option.

PANews: As an IP with a 20-year history, how does MapleStory attract Generation Z players?

Anglela: This indeed requires some unique strategies and innovations. "MapleStory" is not just a game; it has spanned several generations of players, with a loyal core player base concentrated in the 20 to 30 age group. They have been playing "MapleStory" since they were young and have grown up with it, and even now, they are still playing the game. We also have many players who have moved on to marriage and starting families through "MapleStory." This generational impact makes "MapleStory" not just a game, but also a culture and a community.

To attract Generation Z players, especially for classic IPs like "MapleStory," our strategy is to expand the audience through diversified media and experiences. From collaborating with elementary schools to webcomics and to the web3 version of the MapleStory Universe, we are working to make the story of MapleStory relevant to every generation. Especially through educational projects, we aim to introduce the younger generation to MapleStory during their childhood and build emotional connections with them through these experiences. In addition, we provide more modern and content that suits their consumption habits for Generation Z through webcomics, ensuring that MapleStory continues to be attractive to the new generation of players.

Instead of simply attracting new users, we are more focused on organic growth. The core concept of MapleStory Universe is contribution and reward. We hope to reward community members and developers who join the ecosystem, build and expand NFT functionality with us. We cannot just focus on development; we must consider the entire ecosystem. We are also internally considering how to provide more support to the community and truly enable them to participate. This may involve support systems or rule-making, but we hope these rules will apply to everyone.

PANews: In addition to integrating the blockchain industry, what are the main content upgrades compared to the traditional web2 version?

Anglela: The core is MapleStory Universe. We see it as an ecosystem project based on the MapleStory IP. We will provide a blockchain version of MapleStory as the foundation, called MapleStory N. This is where players can experience the MapleStory IP for the first time and obtain characters or items. More importantly, we hope to attract more developers to build their own experiences based on MapleStory. Whether it's platform games or applications based on MapleStory, as long as it expands the MapleStory experience, we welcome and support it. This means that MapleStory Universe is not just a client game; it is an infinitely expandable ecosystem.

PANews: We noticed that you recently completed the pioneer test. How were the test results? Can you share some positive updates? Will the game be officially released this year or next year?

Anglela: The pioneer test was a huge success. We invited 1000 pioneers to participate in the test, but in reality, over 33,000 people applied to participate, showing great enthusiasm and love. Even though the users participating in the test were selected participants, the test results still exceeded expectations. For example, our average retention rate reached 82%, which means that over 82% of people continued to participate during the 10-day test period. This number is actually very amazing, as we have been serving Web 2 games for 30 years and have accumulated a lot of data, but an 82% retention rate is almost unprecedented. Therefore, we repeatedly checked the data to confirm that this result was not an error. This proves the genuine love of users for MapleStory.

We set up a task system to guide users on how to complete tutorials or defeat specific bosses, and rewarded them for their actions. But users in the game were not limited to these requirements; they spontaneously tested the game and were willing to continue participating during the test period. Additionally, nearly 200,000 transactions were completed during the test period, and there were no issues with blockchain and on-chain transactions, which is also a very positive signal for us. As for the official release date of the game, we hope to ensure that the game version is stable enough before releasing it and will provide more updates in the future.

PANews: Congratulations on the huge success of your test. I also wanted to ask, have you counted how many players are Korean and how many are from other countries?

Anglela: Actually, we did not count by country, but we did count by language. What we can say is that players come from all over the world, which is a very healthy phenomenon. MapleStory is very strong in certain regions, such as South Korea, Taiwan, mainland China, and Japan, as well as the strong markets of the United States and Europe.

What's even more exciting is that this is a global project, and we no longer need to focus on a specific region. We see users from South America, India, and other places we have not directly served before showing great interest in MapleStory, which is very encouraging for us. This may be a new entry point for them to experience MapleStory. We are also considering how to provide more language support for these users, so you can expect improvements from us in this regard.

PANews: Similarly, as a South Korean game company that turns its flagship IP into a Web3 game, WeMade's MIR4 has achieved success but also brought some controversy. Can Nexon and MapleStory Universe learn from this experience?

Anglela: We not only pay attention to games in South Korea, but also to games globally, to learn how to do things. But ultimately, we learn the most from our own experience. So we are more likely to refer to the experience of "MapleStory" and think about how to coordinate the Web2 version of "MapleStory" with the Web3 version of "MapleStory," which is our main source of inspiration.

But ultimately, our main focus is to create a sustainable gaming experience. We hope that MapleStory Universe can exist for 20, 30, or even 100 years, becoming a core product. Therefore, when developing systems, we consider this, such as controlling the quantity of items first, and then possibly enhancing functionality based on real-world supply and demand, so that it can self-regulate. These are the experiences we have learned from the original "MapleStory." Even in terms of the community, we are also considering how to enhance the experience of the original "MapleStory" community in the Web3 era, and how to do better globally, such as interacting with the community on Discord.

PANews: According to investment bank Drag Star's data, in the second quarter of this year, investments in Web3 games accounted for about 40% of the entire game market and 44% of total financing. Do you think this growth momentum will continue?

Anglela: It's difficult to predict the market's performance, but from the trend, more and more games are starting to consider how to use blockchain technology to create sustainable products. As more successful cases emerge, investment will also grow. I believe this will drive the continuous development of the entire industry.

PANews: Web3 games and NFT technology applications are still met with resistance from some traditional players, who are concerned about speculation and hype. How do you view these opinions, and how to create a sustainable Web3 game that can attract a large number of users?

Anglela: For players who are willing to abide by game client restrictions and just want to play the game and retain items within the game, I think they have a point. They can continue to play the Web2 version of "MapleStory," which also has a market system, as I mentioned, and we are happy that they can enjoy that experience.

But our consideration in bringing "MapleStory" into Web3 is how to extend this experience beyond the client. We hope to give more life to these NFTs and items, allowing characters to transcend the game client and continue the experience. Therefore, with the help of blockchain technology, we are making these items interoperable, expanding their utility, and making the entire ecosystem possible. This allows players to transparently measure their personal contributions, ensuring that everyone is working together. By doing this, we can better reward the community for their contributions to the ecosystem.

PANews: If some Web2 players switch to Web3 games, will they return to Web2, or will they continue to stay in Web3 games?

Anglela: I think they can play both types of games at the same time. The experiences provided by these two types of games are very different. If they want a more story-driven, casual experience, they can continue to play the Web2 version. The Web3 version provides a more strategic and competitive experience, where players need to think about more strategic issues. Both types of games have their own merits, and players do not have to choose between the two.

PANews: Games like Notcoin on Telegram have attracted millions of users, but many people believe that games driven by airdrop expectations are not sustainable. What do you think a sustainable Web3 game should be like?

Anglela: I think it ultimately depends on why you are doing this and what the ultimate goal is. If you are just based on short-sighted ideas about how a product can drive growth in the short term, I don't think it really makes sense.

For example, the task system of MapleStory Universe is broadly divided into two parts. One is the automated part, and the other is the non-automated part. The automated part is mainly to pave the way for players to join our platform more easily. For example, there will be a Medium article detailing the direction of the MapleStory Universe, and you will be rewarded for reading this content, as it is a mild form of participation. Not everyone can deeply participate in any type of activity, and this is the same for all game projects or any community projects. So we list these simpler tasks and experiences and reward them. Understanding what we want to do and discussing these contents at any time is a contribution in itself.

But we also want to reward community members for creating their own experiences. So we have a project called "MapleStory Legion" on Discord, which encourages anyone to become a KOL and create content they think is related to MapleStory. It could be fan art, or it could be a strategy guide about "I participated in the pioneer test and think this is the best way for beginners to get started." These are great content. Or someone can delve into the MapleStory Universe and discuss its operation. Discussing these contents is also helpful for us, as I think it not only enhances the community's understanding of the MapleStory Universe, but they are also building their own community. We hope to encourage more and more of this kind of content.

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