Nexon’s mega-hit IP Dave to be launched as a console game

[Photo provided by Nexon]

South Korea’s game major Nexon Co., in collaboration with its Japanese peers Nintendo Co., is planning to bring a console version of Dave the Diver (Dave), a new hit game, as an opportunity for Korean game companies to break into the global console market, worth a total of 70 trillion won ($54.98 billion).

The Maeil Business Newspaper found on Sunday that Nexon is in talks with Nintendo to bring its popular Dave to consoles. The console version of the game is in its final stages of development and it is expected to hit the market later this year once the negotiations are concluded. Nexon plans to launch Dave on the Nintendo Switch console while also considering expanding the game to other console devices.

The recent collaboration is generating significant excitement in the gaming industry, as it could mark the first successful entry of a ‘K-console game’ into the global market. Dave’s recent achievements in North America, a region historically considered challenging for local Korean games, have also raised hopes for its success on consoles.

Dave, a thrilling marine adventure game, made its official debut on June 28 and swiftly claimed the top spot as the best-selling paid game on Steam, the largest game distribution platform in the world, within just one day of its release.

Its phenomenal success continued to soar, with the game surpassing 1 million cumulative sales as of July 8 and steadily establishing itself as a mega-hit title. Now, the upcoming release of Nexon’s console version of Dave holds significant importance as it serves as a litmus test for the company‘s competitiveness in the console gaming arena.

The global game industry is bifurcated into online and console games, with Korean game companies having a limited presence in the latter category. However, targeting Western markets such as North America and Europe, considered the heartland of the gaming industry, makes venturing into console games an inevitable and crucial move.

Therefore, the console version of Dave presents a remarkable opportunity for Korean game companies to gain a foothold in the lucrative Western console gaming market, which has been largely unexplored by them so far. The success of Dave on the Nintendo Switch, and potentially other platforms, could pave the way for future K-console games and open up exciting new prospects for the Korean game industry on the global stage.

The Korean game industry has been facing challenges, with weaknesses in game IPs, revenue models, and a concentration on mobile platforms in specific regions like Korea and China. Under the circumstances, Korean game companies are looking to diversify and target Western console markets, particularly North America and Europe.

As per the game industry’s insights, major Korean game companies like Nexon, NCSoft Corp. and Neowiz, have devoted considerable effort to developing new games, which are expected to be released in console versions starting from the second half of this year and continuing into the first half of the next year. This move marks a significant push by Korean game companies to enter the console gaming market, indicating a potential shift from their traditional focus on PC and mobile games.

Neowiz’s highly anticipated game, Lies of P, has the potential to become a worldwide sensation on console platforms. The game is set to launch in September, targeting platforms like PlayStation (PS) and Xbox. It received significant recognition at Gamescom in Germany, one of the gaming industry’s top events, where it became the first Korean game to win three prestigious awards last year.

The recent release of the demo version for Lies of P as of July 9 was met with tremendous enthusiasm, garnering over 1 million downloads on both PC and console platforms in just three days.

Throne & Liberty (TL), NCsoft‘s upcoming flagship IP, is set to make its debut on both PC and consoles later this year. NCsoft has inked a global publishing deal with Amazon Games. While NCsoft primarily caters to the Korean gaming market, the collaboration with Amazon aims to target Western regions such as North America and Europe, where domestic game companies have had limited influence. Leveraging Amazon’s robust presence in these markets is a strategic move to expand the game‘s reach. During the preliminary global test of TL, the Korean game maker made a conscious effort to include console users, seeking valuable feedback and insights from this demographic.

This highlights the company’s commitment to fine-tuning and optimizing the gaming experience for both PC and console players alike. With the backing of Amazon Games and the engagement of console users, ‘Throne & Liberty’ holds the promising potential to make a splash in the international gaming community upon its release.