Joystiq

Kim Jong-il has hackers farming MMOs for in-game coin (and, we assume, Aviators)

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST

It all makes sense now -- North Korea's infamously deluded dictator, Kim Jong-il, wants to be king of the castle in NCsoft's MMO Lineage, completely explaining his fetishes for extravagance and naked discos. Kim has hired a team of hackers to farm Asian MMOs for in-game coin, which they sell online for cash IRL, according to South Korean officials. Kim's hackers hail from North and South Korea, and work with operatives in Northern China, four of which were arrested last week in Seoul for organizing a hacking squad of 30 people, authorities said.

In less than two years, the organizers made $6 million, 55 percent of which went to the hackers, and some of that to Kim's agents in Pyongyang, Seoul police said. Officials believe the hackers report to a mysterious Communist Party agency named Office 39, which earns money for Kim through drug trafficking, arms sales and other illegal activities. Kim's slush fund is worth billions, American and South Korean officials said, and he uses it, in part, to fund a nuclear weapons program. This is truly upsetting, because the only thing more depressing than a nuclear attack is a nuclear attack funded by MMOs.

Kim Jong-il has hackers farming MMOs for in-game coin (and, we assume, Aviators) originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 07 Aug 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

NCsoft profits decline, limited marketing blamed

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 EST

MMORPG publisher NCSoft has reported a year-over-year decline in both revenue and profit during the first quarter of 2011. The company's revenues fell 7 percent from the same period a year ago to 155.4 billion Korean Won (about $143 million), despite increased sales from Lineage 2. Profits showed an even sharper decline, dropping 30 percent to 40.8 billion KRW ($37.5 million).

The company chalked up the losses to "soft sales promotions" of its other two key games, the original Lineage and Aion -- or, as we like to call them, "the one with all the castles" and "the one with all the angels." That's ... about all we know about the two games. You know, ahem, because of their limited marketing budgets.

NCsoft profits decline, limited marketing blamed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 May 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

NCsoft 2009 financials get high on Aion

Richard Mitchell — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:00:00 EST

Generally speaking, when a company can post a year-over-year growth in the double digits, it's doing pretty well. We write up a lot of financial news here at the 'Stiq, and it's not often that we can report that a company managed a 623 percent increase in its income. And yet, here we are, as GameSpot reports that NCsoft has done exactly that -- thanks in no small part to its latest MMO, Aion. Specifically, NCsoft reported revenues of KRW634.7 billion ($546 million) for its fiscal 2009, an 83 percent increase over the previous year. Actual income (profit, in other words) reached KRW185.4 billion ($160 million), a 623 percent increase over 2008.

Narrowing things down solely to the company's 4th quarter, income was actually up 1009 percent over the same period last year, with NCsoft reporting KRW72.1 billion ($62 million). Fourth quarter revenues, meanwhile were up 99 percent at KRW197.3 billion ($170 million).

Again, all this is mostly on the fantastic back of Aion, which brought in 43 percent of the company's game revenue for 2009, followed by Lineage II with 26 percent, the original Lineage with 23, City of Heroes with 4, Guild Wars with 3 and other titles with 1 percent.

[Via Edge]

NCsoft 2009 financials get high on Aion originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

NCsoft games get Steamed

Richard Mitchell — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:30:00 EST

NCsoft has announced that it's bringing its stable of MMOs to Valve's Steam distribution platform. Starting right damn now, you can download Lineage, Lineage II, City of Heroes and every flavor of Guild Wars. Lineage II and Guild Wars Game of the Year Edition are even on sale. NCsoft's upcoming MMO Aion will also be made available on Steam when it launches later this year. The press release notes that there will be more deals on NCsoft games in the coming weeks.

So, is it too soon for a Tabula Rasa joke?

[Via Massively]

NCsoft games get Steamed originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lineage II clan rivalry ends in real life murder

Griffin McElroy — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: PC, MMO

We've all faced off against some frustrating adversary in an online game; be it a sword-hogging, trash-talking, rabid teabagger on Halo 3; or a cocky member of a rival faction in an MMORPG. However, the boundaries established between virtual enemies are never impermeable, and when online rivals decide to settle their differences in a real world context, the result is almost always tragic -- as was the case for Albert, a 33-year-old Lineage II player who was allegedly beaten to death by a vindictive member of an opposing clan.

Albert is survived by his sister Albina, a fellow member of Albert's Platanium clan, who reports that she's received a number of death threats from members of her brother's alleged murderer's guild, the Coo-clocks clan. Considering this is Russia's second Lineage II related murder in one year, perhaps warring clans and other sparring members of the gaming community should momentarily cool their jets and firmly reestablish those necessary borders between video games and reality.

Lineage II clan rivalry ends in real life murder originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

NCSoft pledges Sony support, exclusive PS3 online games

Scott Jon Siegel — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:10:00 EST

Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Online, E3, MMO

During Sony's E3 2007 keynote, President and CEO Jack Tretton announced a new partnership with developer NCSoft, creators of online titles like Lineage, Guild Wars, and City of Heroes. As part of the partnership, NCSoft will begin developing exclusive online titles for the Playstation 3 and its Playstation Network.

This exclusivity can apply to both new and current IPs, although no specific games were mentioned. "Only the Playstation Network can support the types of games that NCSoft has become famous for" says Tretton. At the moment, it is unknown whether NCSoft will continue to support other platforms.

NCSoft pledges Sony support, exclusive PS3 online games originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

FBI raid brings down illegal Lineage II service

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 02:25:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Hacks, PC, Online, RPGs, MMO, Business

The FBI's cyber squad has unsealed details of a California man's bid to host an illegal emulation of NCsoft's Lineage II MMORPG. The scheme was simple enough: obtain a copy of the game's stolen source code, rent some servers to host the game, undercut NCsoft's subscription fee -- and watch the money pile up. Blinded by greed, hoisted up by his arrogance, the man would let NCsoft hate (all the way from South Korea). They ain't gon' do nothin' 'bout it...

When the man failed to shutdown his fraudulent site following a stern request, NCsoft turned to its Austin, Texas offices (didn't know about those, did ya?), which quickly contacted the FBI. Last November, agents raided the man's home and thereafter put an end to the crooked enterprise. The accused now faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

[Thanks, Froren]

FBI raid brings down illegal Lineage II service originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 09 Feb 2007 02:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Moscow's Lineage II meet up murder

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, PC, RPGs, MMO

The Moscow Times reports that according to Moscow police, a man attempting to break up a fight between two Lineage II players in the real world was killed when one of the men stomped him to death. Alexander Blyoskin, 22, died trying to stop members of two rival Lineage II clans from hurting each other during a meet up in a Moscow café Jan 12. The two men were allegedly posting negative statements about each other on Lineage forums and when meeting each other in person decided to take their differences outside.

Statements differ about what happened outside. Some witnesses say Blyoskin hit his head on the ground after being punched and others say Alexander Ponamorenko stomped on his head after he fell on the ground. Ponamorenko has been formally charged with the beating death of Blyoskin and faces 15 years in prison.

[Via Raph Koster's Website]

Moscow's Lineage II meet up murder originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Jan 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Nintendo holds key to franchise longevity, profitability

James Ransom-Wiley — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 18:23:00 EST

Filed under: Business

As noted earlier, a list published by UK newspaper The Independent reveals what many already assume; Nintendo's Mario is the best-selling franchise of all time. Coupled with the second best-selling franchise Pokémon (also a Nintendo property), the two series, which have sold a combined 348 million games worldwide, account for nearly 34% of the total sales of the top-twenty best-selling franchises; which include two additional Nintendo IPs ranked in the top ten, Donkey Kong and Zelda. So what's Nintendo's secret?

Cross-culture appeal, spin-offs (e.g., racers, sports titles, puzzlers), brand saturation (e.g., apparel, card games, TV shows), and E-ratings all appear part of a profitable formula built for the long haul.

Continue reading Nintendo holds key to franchise longevity, profitability

Nintendo holds key to franchise longevity, profitability originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Jan 2007 18:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

China online gaming trends

Alan Rose — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 15:35:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, PC, Online, RPGs, MMO, Business

BusinessWeek online recently ran an article that effectively summarizes major issues in the burgeoning Chinese gaming industry, including MMO addiction, Internet population growth, and the increasing quality of China's homegrown titles. Also, the horse armor debate may soon find new life overseas, as there are plans for several Chinese game operators to switch from a subscription-based revenue model to the sale of virtual goods and other downloadable content "needed to advance various games".

The article is supplemented by a slideshow that showcases China's hottest online games, one of which hails from the States -- Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach. This is consistent with vendors I visited during a recent trip to Shanghai who claimed that DDO was among their bestsellers.

See also:

China online gaming trends originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Aug 2006 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

NCsoft sued over identity theft

Jennie Lees — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: MMO, Business

In South Korea, people whose identities were stolen and used to register accounts on Lineage and Lineage II plan to take legal action against NCsoft. Despite the theft not originating with NCsoft, lawyers appear to have found a convenient target for the blame.

The lawsuit doesn't appear to be taking off, with only 100 plaintiffs paying the $1 fee to join; the suit is being filed on behalf of more than 230,000 people. It looks to be more scare-tactics than a valid lawsuit, but with $230m at stake, if it gets going it may become frightening indeed.

[via digg]

NCsoft sued over identity theft originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Mar 2006 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments