South Korean gaming company NCSOFT is ramping up its global expansion through investments in game studios in Korea and Eastern Europe, targeting new genres beyond its traditional focus on massively multiplayer online games.
The company has taken an equity stake in Seoul-based Mistil Games, securing global publishing rights outside China for “TIME TAKERS,” a third-person time-survival shooter planned for release in 2025. The game, first showcased at G-Star’s G-CON event last year, marks NCSOFT’s push into the competitive shooter market.
In a separate deal, NCSOFT acquired worldwide publishing rights for “Band of Crusaders,” a medieval strategy role-playing game from Polish developer Virtual Alchemy. The agreement signals the company’s growing interest in Eastern Europe’s gaming sector.
Both target studios are relatively untested, having been founded in 2022. The deals follow NCSOFT’s recent investments in Sweden’s Moon Rover Games and Korea’s VIC Game Studios, suggesting an aggressive diversification strategy.
Co-CEO Byungmoo Park says the company aims to expand into new regions and genres, though specifics of the investments weren’t disclosed. The moves come as NCSOFT seeks to reduce its reliance on traditional MMO titles and capture market share in other gaming segments.
