The Classic MMORPG 'LORDNINE' and the Future It Envisions from the Beginning 2024-11-12

Since its launch in July, “LORDNINE,” an all-class MMORPG, has steadily gained popularity. The latest addition, a brand-new world called Radiant, has brought fresh excitement to the game. We spoke with Han Jae-Young, Executive Director at Smilegate Holdings' Megaport division (SGP), who oversees publishing for the LORDNINE project, to hear about the game’s present and future. Han emphasized his desire to deliver a ‘classic kind of fun’ through LORDNINE.

Q. Hello, please start by introducing yourself. 

Hello, I’m Han Jae-Young, Executive Director in charge of Publishing Division 2 at Smilegate Holdings' Megaport division. It’s an honor to greet you through the company newsroom. Since joining Smilegate in October last year, I’ve been giving my all to ensure the success of LORDNINE (laughs).

Q. You joined Smilegate last year. How did your impression of the company change before and after joining?

I had always thought of Smilegate as a trendsetting game company — and after joining, I found that impression to be spot on (laughs). I still remember how excited I was on my first day.

These days, many game companies are striving to go beyond simply developing “products.” They’re working to create a culture by engaging closely with players and, in doing so, shaping new trends. But that’s easier said than done. It takes bold investments and the courage to take risks to succeed in both areas.

Smilegate is one of the few companies that has truly taken on that challenge. As someone in the industry, I had always wanted to be part of such a journey. So when the opportunity to join Smilegate came, I didn’t hesitate.

Now, having experienced the company from within, I can confidently say that Smilegate embraces challenges head-on. It reignited my passion for this work. I’ve felt a strong sense of purpose — not just in contributing to the business, but in helping shape a broader culture. And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing ever since.

Q. Why did SGP choose to service an MMORPG, and in particular, why LORDNINE?

Smilegate has built a strong reputation as a leading MMORPG developer with Lost Ark. So when it came to choosing a new MMORPG, the stakes were high — we couldn’t risk harming that image. We needed to maintain the trust built by our previous titles while also meeting player expectations. When I first saw LORDNINE, I thought, ‘The planning director really wanted to introduce something new to the market.’ These days, games within a genre often feel too similar, with features that players can predict. But LORDNINE felt different. There were clear efforts to deliver unexpected fun and unique value. Of course, to fully realize that fun and value, there were areas that needed improvement. That sparked my desire to create a more complete game, and I became even more determined. With high expectations come big responsibilities. LORDNINE today is an MMORPG that offers ‘classic fun’ — where the time players invest leads to honest, rewarding results. We chose LORDNINE because we wanted to offer a game worthy of the love players have shown to Smilegate and Lost Ark, and we’re working hard to prove that it was the right choice.

Q. After its launch in July, LORDNINE ranked No. 1 in both the Apple and Google markets. How has the game been performing since then?

In the beginning, most of the revenue came from mobile platforms, which is why we ranked high on the Apple and Google stores. Currently, however, 70% of total revenue comes from PC. Some people have expressed concern about the drop in mobile rankings compared to the early days, but we’re receiving strong support from PC users as well, so I believe we can continue to achieve great results. Above all, I’m especially grateful that many players continue to enjoy the game with consistent passion. Our peak concurrent users reached the mid-200,000s and currently remain in the high 100,000s. Considering it’s been about three months since launch, we think that’s a relatively stable performance. From a group-wide perspective, it’s significant that we’re achieving meaningful results in the RPG market following Lost Ark.

Q. Many players are curious about the future direction of the game’s operations. Are there any specific plans in place?

In the early days, there were some operational issues such as server instability. I deeply regret and apologize for the inconvenience players may have experienced. Fortunately, we were able to quickly identify and resolve these issues, and players can now enjoy the game without significant disruptions. Going forward, we plan to continue updating the game with diverse content based on the now-stabilized system. As mentioned earlier, LORDNINE delivers the classic fun of MMORPGs. Therefore, we are actively preparing content that allows players to come together and enjoy the game as a community. We are prioritizing PvE (Player versus Environment) content where multiple users can team up to defeat monsters. Additionally, for those who enjoy competition, we are preparing large-scale world content where all players can participate together, which we plan to update within the year. There’s a lot of preparation involved to smoothly carry out these projects. We’re working closely with the developers to ensure that many users can enjoy the unique fun that LORDNINE offers.

Q. Communication with users is becoming increasingly important in the gaming industry. Could you share your plans for engaging with players going forward?

The gaming industry should go beyond mere products to create culture. To do that, communication with users is essential. Lost Ark has done an excellent job in this area. While it’s a lot to live up to, it’s also reassuring to have such a successful precedent. Using Lost Ark’s approach as a foundation, we set the direction early on to create a game that actively communicates with players. We’ve been steadily delivering content aligned with this philosophy. For example, we launched a communication broadcast called Lord Talk alongside the game’s release. In this program, we shared upcoming updates and operational plans, and addressed player questions and concerns. In September, I personally participated in a live communication show called Lord Night with professional hosts and producers. It was a fun time where we were able to engage with more players than I expected. This made me realize that we need to continue working hard to communicate with our players. We’re also planning an offline event at the end of the year where we’ll invite players in person. We’ll keep pushing ourselves to deliver fresh and exciting experiences to all the players who love LORDNINE.

Q. While communication broadcasts are surely welcomed by players, they must also be meaningful for you, as you get to hear their thoughts firsthand.

Absolutely. While we try to listen to player feedback through as many channels as possible, there’s really nothing as effective as meeting and talking face-to-face. That said, I’m only human, so real-time reactions from players can be intimidating. (laughs) They do offer praise and encouragement, but sometimes their dissatisfaction is expressed quite strongly. Since players’ needs don’t always align, it’s difficult to accept every piece of feedback. However, our mission and duty are to deliver fun and joy to as many players as possible, so we always keep our ears open to diverse opinions. Within those opinions may lie answers to things we hadn’t considered—things we still need to improve.

Q. Besides Taiwan, Macau, and Hong Kong, do you have plans to expand into other global markets?

Absolutely. A dedicated team has been formed within our development studio to prepare for global service. Global players tend to differ from Korean players in terms of game preferences and various other aspects. Competitive MMORPGs in particular may feel unfamiliar to overseas users. So we’re adjusting various elements to reduce stress during gameplay for those users. If we align the gameplay style and tone of enjoyment in a way that allows global players to soft-land into Korean-style MMORPGs, I believe we stand a solid chance of success.

Q. Lastly, do you have any words for the players currently enjoying LORDNINE? 

We will do our utmost to develop and service LORDNINE in a way that earns even more of your love and support. Please continue to support LORDNINE in the future as well. Thank you very much.