Tencent is rumored to be interested in the acquisition of game developer Nexon: Is it looking at the Web3 transformation of MapleStory?

South Korean game company Nexon, known for its flagship title "MapleStory (", has recently been active in the encryption sector, integrating with blockchain and conducting airdrops that have caught market attention. Reports suggest that Chinese tech giant Tencent is considering an acquisition of Nexon, which could become a key strategy for its expansion in global gaming and Web3.

When tech giants meet classic games: Tencent discusses acquisition of Nexon

According to a report by Bloomberg, Tencent has approached Nexon founder Kim Jung-ju's family regarding potential acquisition discussions. However, no concrete agreement has been reached yet, and there is no guarantee that the deal will materialize.

Nexon is South Korea's most representative game developer and publisher, with well-known games including MapleStory, Puzzle Fighter, and KartRider. Since its launch in 2003, MapleStory has accumulated tens of millions of players and is one of the early representatives of MMORPGs. In recent years, the company has actively integrated Blockchain, reigniting players' imagination about its future development potential.

For Tencent, known for its investment and ecosystem integration, the acquisition of Nexon not only further strengthens its position in the global gaming industry, but could also become an important step in its expansion into the Web3 space.

MapleStory on the Blockchain: Classic IP Explores New Possibilities

Last month, Nexon officially launched a new title integrating Blockchain technology: "MapleStory Metaverse )MapleStory N(," continuing the classic gameplay in the direction of Web3 Play2Earn )P2E(, while introducing an NFT asset system that allows players to obtain valuable virtual items and rewards in the game.

Through the transparency and ownership of Blockchain, Nexon hopes to transform MapleStory into a "collectible, tradable, and cross-platform" digital asset universe, gradually shifting the past purely entertainment experience into a digital activity with economic value.

This series of actions has also attracted more non-crypto native players to enter the market, and is expected to make traditional gamers start rethinking the meaning of "owning a game character and assets."

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Is quality still a bubble? The threshold for Web3 games and player culture remain the biggest challenges.

The DappRadar report in February this year pointed out that blockchain game activity surged by 368% in January, revealing a glimmer of market recovery signals. However, another report also indicated that after entering the second quarter, the daily active wallet count for Web3 games has decreased by about 10%, showing that while the potential for Web3 games is significant, it still faces considerable resistance in moving towards the mainstream.

First of all, for most traditional players, opening an encryption wallet, purchasing tokens, and understanding NFTs is still a high wall; secondly, the excessive binding of games to earning money also makes many people feel repelled.

For companies like Nexon or Tencent, balancing "entertainment" and "economics" will be the key to whether Web3 games can continue to thrive.

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MapleStory may become a template for the gaming industry's shift to Web3.

Whether this acquisition is successful or not, the interaction between Tencent and Nexon reflects a deeper trend: "The traditional gaming industry seems to be gradually showing interest in Blockchain, attempting to create a new model that combines assets, entertainment, and community."

As a cross-generational game, "MapleStory" has evolved from a horizontal MMORPG to an NFT game universe, and its development path may become a Web3 template for many established games. On this road, whoever can master the balance of users, technology, and assets will have the opportunity to become the protagonist of the next digital economy era.

This article Tencent is reported to be interested in the acquisition of game developer Nexon: Is it looking at the Web3 transformation of MapleStory? First appeared in Chain News ABMedia.