SEOUL — NCSOFT Corp., a prominent South Korean game developer, has announced the establishment of a joint venture with VNG, a leading Vietnamese IT company, aiming to extend its reach into the Southeast Asian gaming market. This strategic move is part of NCSOFT's broader effort to enhance its global presence in a rapidly growing region.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the new joint venture, named NCV Games, will be responsible for distributing NCSOFT’s games and managing services throughout Southeast Asia. VNG, known for operating Vietnam's top mobile messenger service and its gaming unit, VNGGames, which publishes around 130 game titles in the region, brings significant local market expertise to the partnership.
NCSOFT CEO Kim Taek-jin expressed enthusiasm about the venture, stating that NCV Games will serve as a crucial platform for NCSOFT to introduce innovative gaming experiences in Southeast Asia. The joint venture is set to launch several NCSOFT titles, including the massively multiplayer online role-playing game Lineage 2M, in countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines later this year, with plans to develop additional services for the long term.