凭借《天堂2：革命》大获成功的Netmarble如何寻找下一个大作

原作者：Iain Harris 译者：Willow Wu

今年对Netmarble来说是有喜有悲的一年。

根据Sensor Tower的统计，Netmarble热门游戏《天堂2：革命》在发行近20个月后收益突破了13亿美元。

尽管这个游戏在60多个国家都有上架，但成功主要还是靠本土市场——13亿的收入中有57%都来自韩国玩家。

事实上，《天堂2：革命》发行的首月，也就是只对韩国市场开放时，就挣得了1.76亿美元。虽然增长速度在后来有所放缓——这可以从Netmarble第二季度盈利报告中看出：营收4.44亿美元，同比降7.2%，利润滑落到5510万美元，同比下降40.8%。但据说《天堂2：革命》每月仍可以盈利3000万美元。

在8月8日的投资者会议上，Netmarble CEO Kwon Young-sig尽其所能地缓解股东的恐慌情绪，声称公司有更加长远的计划，关注的是全球竞争力而非短期利润。从遥远的Netmarble分公司传来的消息也在一定程度上验证了这句话，让人们对未来有了一点信心：2018年第二季度，《天堂2：革命》在海外市场的三个月总收入达到了3.13亿美元，同比增长3%。

在Gamescom大会上，Netmarble美国分公司总裁Simon Sim告诉 PocketGamer.Biz公司全球化策略是否能成功取决于他们是否能够针对不同文化、不同用户对IP进行定制。

“我们认为IP在吸引新用户方面能起到很好的帮助作用。所以我们为西方玩家带来了漫威改编游戏《漫威：未来之战》，这是我们规模最大的产品之一，”Sim告诉我们。

“在那之后，我们还投资了其它不同的IP。目前，我们正着手于万智牌IP。”

“我们一直在使用西方的IP，同时也融入了我们独有的机制，这样有助于赢得西方玩家的关注。”

除了某些家喻户晓的IP外，Netmarble也为目标市场用户打造了原创游戏。

就比如他们最近发行的新游戏《幻影之门》（Phantom Gate），为了吸引西方玩家，他们将北欧神话定为主题，还加入了平台元素。

“我们利用不同国家的IP来做游戏。Netmarble最近在日本发行了一款新游戏，日本玩家对这个IP肯定不陌生，” Sim说。

“而西方市场就像我之前说的那样，我们倾向于用使用西方IP，然后再加入特色，提升视觉效果。我们相信这些游戏会得到热烈的反响。《幻影之门》就像是一款典型的西方游戏，无论是视觉上还是机制上都对玩家很有吸引力。”

Netmarble收购、投资的那些游戏工作室也是他们实现全球化的助攻者。据Sim说，他们非常看重那些Netmarble不太擅长的游戏类型领域中的专业人才。除此之外，他们对西方市场的深刻理解也是帮助Netmarble打造个性化游戏的另外一个重要因素。

Sim不愿讨论公司正在筹备的投资以及合作项目，但是他明确表示公司一直在观望，也有一套首选方案。

“Netmarble在RPG领域的地位不是轻易可以撼动的，在midcore和超休闲领域我们也是一个强手，”Sim说。

lineage 2 revolution（from pocketgamer.biz）

“我们打算把万智牌IP打造成一个即时多人对战游戏。但同时，我们旗下的某些工作室也在开发其它类型的游戏。所以从这个角度来说，Netmarble的发展是非常多样化的，但是我们真正想寻找的是协同效果。

“比如，Kabam精于开发开发西方格斗游戏，这是我们的短板。”

虽然Netmarble在IP创造、改编方面动力十足，但他们从未冷落《天堂》玩家。

在这次谈话的不久之后，Netmarble出人意料地和Mixi联合推出了《天堂2：革命》x《怪物弹珠》的一系列活动，其中包含一个特别版本的地牢副本和坐骑。

“我认为《天堂2：革命》是智能手机平台上第一个真正意义上的高保真、高质量MMORPG游戏，”Sim说。

“所以当时我们面临着很大的挑战，但好在游戏成功发行而且很多人喜欢。

“我们还会继续增加新内容。下周我们会加入更多《怪物弹珠》的联名活动。

“11月也是我们的周年纪念，为了满足玩家的期待，我们还会在后续加入更多令人兴奋的内容。”

本文由游戏邦编译，转载请注明来源，或咨询微信zhengjintiao

It’s been a year of punchy highs and some calculated lows for Netmarble.

Its standout success Lineage 2 Revolution managed to break the revenue barrier of $1.3 billion near to 20 months after launching in December 2016, according to Sensor Tower.

While the title is available in over 60 countries, however, most of the success has come from home soil, with South Korea-based players making up 57 per cent of that $1.3 billion haul.

In fact, in Lineage 2’s first month, when it was exclusively available in South Korea, it made $176 million.

That pace may have slowed down somewhat since, but the title is still said to be racking up $30 million a month.

The slowing performance was felt in Netmarble’s Q2 earnings report, with revenue falling 7.2 per cent year-on-year to $444 million and profits dropping by 40.8 per cent year-on-year to $55.1 million.

During an investor conference call on August 8th, Netmarble CEO Kwon Young-sig moved to ease shareholder fears, stating that the company had the long-term in mind and was focusing on global competitiveness, rather than short-term profits.

The statement was backed up somewhat with Netmarble’s away form, which may provide some optimism regarding the future. For the three months ending June 2018, overseas sales yielded $313 million, which is a three per cent year-on-year increase.

All the marbles

Speaking to PocketGamer.Biz at Gamescom, Netmarble US President Simon Sim explains that the company’s global strategy comes down to its ability to adapt to different cultures by tailoring attractive IPs to the appropriate audience.

“We believe that IP is very helpful in appealing to new users. So there’s a reason why we brought a Marvel game to the Western market as one of our big games with Marvel Future Fight,” Sim tells us.

“After that, we’ve invested in other IPs too. Right now we’re working with the Magic: The Gathering IP.

“So we’ve been using Western IP but adding our unique mechanics which has been very helpful in appealing to western users.”

Outside of renowned IPs, Netmarble also tailors its original games to the audience that it hopes to serve.

Sim points to one of their recent releases Phantom Gate as a quintessential example of this, as it embodies a Nordic aesthetic and embraces platforming elements to make it appeal to Western players.

“We launch games with global IPs. So for example, in Japan we recently launched a new title which they were familiar with,” Sim says.

“In the Western market, as I mentioned before, it’s more Western IP with an appealing charm and visual.

“Those are the games we believe will do well. For example, Phantom Gate is more like a typical Western game that would appeal to players, visually and mechanics-wise.”

Co-op

Another aid to Netmarble’s global ambitions is the studios it acquires or invests in. According to Sim, Netmarble prizes developers that have a good expertise in genres that they may be lacking.

On top of that, their knowledge of the Western market is another facet that aids Netmarble in tailoring its games.

Sim wouldn’t be drawn into discussing any investments or partnerships in the pipeline but did say it was always on the lookout and that it had a preferred profile in mind.

“So, Netmarble is quite strong on the RPG genre, along with mid-core and hyper-casual,” Sim tells us.

“At the same time though, some of our studios are developing other types of titles, while we are also developing a real-time multiplayer battling game with Magic: The Gathering.

“So in perspective, genre-wise, it’s quite diverse but what we’re really looking for is synergy.

“For example, Kabam is very strong with the Western fighting genre and that was something we were missing.”

Of fine Lineage

While Netmarble may have a drive towards new and renowned IPs, the Lineage crowd is one it’s out to please and maintain.

Not too long after out chat Netmarble released a surprise collaboration with Mixi’s Monster Strike. It featured a special dungeon called the “Event Temporal Rift – Keep of Catastrophe,” alongside a special mount.

“I think Lineage 2 Revolution was the first true MMORPG to bring high-fidelity and high-quality visuals to the smartphone,” says Sim.

“So it was quite challenging at the time, but it’s had a successful launch and many people are enjoying it.

“We’re going to keep adding new content. For example, next week we’re adding more content in collaboration with Monster Strike.

“It’s also our anniversary this November, so to meet that expectation we’ll add more exciting content there too.”（source：pocketgamer.biz ）