Nexen’s Q1 mobile sales grow 32%

Nexen posted strong performance for Q1, boosted by high mobile game growth and despite controversy over loot box items for Maple Story, its flagship game.

Nexen announced Q1 sales of 88.3 billion yen (around 927.7 billion) and operating income of 43.3 billion yen (some 455.1 billion won) on Wednesday, which is 7% and 4% growth year-on-year respectively. The growth was led by mobile games. Q1 mobile revenue grew 32% from the same period last year to reach 22.5 billion (some 236.8 billion won). Its mobile game V4, which was recently released 500 days earlier, drove the performance as it topped the best-selling game list on Q1 Google Play.

WeMade succeeded in turning a profit thanks to its new game, “Legend of Mir 4.” It posted Q1 sales and operating income of 76 billion and 27.5 billion won respectively, which is 147% and 755% higher from the same period last year and a record-high. “Legend of Mir 4,” which was launched in November last year, alone generated revenue of 45.6 billion won. Com2uS generated 90.9 billion

of total Q1 sales of 116.7 billion won from overseas, but operating income dropped 25% year-on-year to 17.7 billion won due to increase in labor costs.


Dong-Jin Shin shine@donga.com