[NEWS] Nexon hires Avalanche to develop "MapleStory"

On the 11th, South Korean gaming company Nexon announced that it will partner with Ava Labs, the developer of the Layer 1 blockchain AVAX, to create an on-chain version of MapleStory, a 2D multiplayer online RPG that has been popular for 20 years.

Following this announcement, AVAX, the cryptocurrency issued on Avalanche, rose by about 17%.

The partnership aims to improve the gaming experience by utilizing Avalanche's technical advantages. This will result in a blockchain game version of MapleStory being developed on Avalanche.

In March last year, it was announced that the game would be built on Polygon (MATIC), but it was decided to move to Avalanche due to its track record and technical advantages.

Nexon emphasized that Avalab's track record of supporting various Web 3.0 games for many years was an important factor in choosing Avalanche.

MapleStory is a free-to-play RPG game launched in 2002. In its 20-year history since its release, the game has servers in the United States, Europe, Japan, China and other regions, and has attracted more than 180 million users worldwide.

The subnet for the on-chain version, MapleStory Universe N, will use AvaCloud, Avalanche's decentralized cloud service. This will promote its incorporation into Web 3.0 games.

What is MapleStory Universe N?

In MapleStory Universe N, users can use NFTs to create their own in-game worlds. Details of the rewards generated in the game have not been revealed, but NFTs are expected to be at the core.

The PC version of MapleStory Universe N will be built on Avalanche and is scheduled to be released this year.

In a statement, Nexon said, "MapleStory will build an ecosystem centered on NFTs and develop IP together with participants. By combining the advantages of blockchain with Nexon's long-term live service capabilities, we aim to provide a service that allows users and game companies to continue to grow healthily."

Reference:Announcement
Image: Quoted from the announcement

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