Business Week has an article up on Nexon, the Korean company responsible for MapleStory & KartRider, and other companies edging into the territory of more 'hardcore' MMOs with a different game structure (less complex! more casual! no need to kill stuff!) and a different fee structure - instead of paying monthly to play, the companies bet that users will spring for virtual items and make their money via virtual merchandising.
Seems like it's working so far - certainly in Asia, home of these games, and now in America, where "in February ... players spent $1.6 million on 600,000 virtual products within MapleStory."
East Asia in general has a lock on the "OMFG CUTE" aspect that much as you try and resist, tends to seep into your being. Or maybe it's just living here, surrounding by way cute things? Regardless, first thing I think when I check out Nexon's Taiwanese homepage is "Oooooh, CUUUUUUTE!" Cute goes a long way to selling things, I just wonder how long it can last in America (or can these Asian companies start a 可愛 revolution? We'll find out).
The New Avatar in Town [Business Week]
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