NCSoft has released the quarterly figures for the 4th quarter of 2018. The MMORPGs played in Europe Guild Wars 2, Blade & Soul, and Aion have all reported losses in revenue. In the mobile sector, there was a slight upswing again.
The year 2017 was a record year for the Korean publisher. The reason for this was the release of Lineage M. In the third quarter of 2017, the game increased mobile revenue from 93.7 to 551 billion won. This amounts to approximately 410 million US dollars in additional revenue.
How 2018 went for NCSoft: Total revenue in 2018 decreased by 2% compared to the previous year, while net income fell by 5%. Nevertheless, sales reached a strong value of 1.51 billion US dollars.
Aion is the only winner in 2018
How 2018 went for the MMORPG Aion: NCSoft made changes to the monetization model for Aion. At the beginning of 2018, they switched to Free-2-Play in Korea. This resulted in a revenue increase of 35% compared to the previous year.
There were also major changes for European players in 2018. The Patch 6.0 allowed for an easier entry for new players. Additionally, there was new content in the form of an area and two dungeons.
A significant innovation for Aion fans came early in 2019. NCsoft released the mobile game Legion of War. The game incorporates many MMORPG elements and was well received by our author Jürgen.
How 2018 went for the MMORPG Blade & Soul: Blade & Soul has been declining for the last few years, and the trend did not stop in 2018.
For European players, there were at least some major updates last year. In September, a new class, a new story, and other small content were introduced with the Update Wardens Fury.
For 2019, another class and the transition to Unreal Engine 4 are planned.
How 2018 went for Guild Wars 2: While the previous year 2017 saw an expansion for Guild Wars 2, 2018 was completely focused on the Living World. The regular content updates, along with smaller quality of life improvements, provided a good mix.
Nevertheless, revenue decreased without the sale of a box. For 2019, they are also focusing on story updates. Following the Living World season 4, the fifth season will follow immediately.
Highlights from last year included the introduction of the Roller Beetle, the new raid, and the return of the Festival of the Four Winds.
NCSoft is planning new MMORPGs for PC, console, and smartphone
For 2019, NCSoft is focusing on a mix of mobile games and new MMORPGs for PC and console. This was announced at an event in November.
What PC games are planned? Specific projects have not yet been named by NCSoft, but the TL project, which has been in development for years, is expected to be released this year.
What mobile games are planned? In the mobile sector, they are focusing on well-known brands in a new guise. Besides the already released Aion Mobile, the following titles are planned:
- Blade & Soul 2
- Blade & Soul M
- Lineage 2 M
- Blade & Soul S
Initial information about the five planned games has already been provided.
