User:Natural codi/NEOWIZ

NEOWIZ is a South Korean game company that was established in 2007 through the corporate division of NEOWIZ Holdings. It operates various genres of games such as FPS, Sports, RPG, and more through its game portal 'Pmang' and also through PC and Console platforms as well. NEOWIZ focuses on securing outstanding intellectual properties (IP) through in-house development and utilizes them to explore international markets. It also collaborates with potential development studios to introduce a wide range of online and mobile games in different genres.

History
NEOWIZ Corporation (currently NEOWIZ Holdings) was founded in May 1997. In 1998, it introduced the program 'One Click,' which allowed users to access the internet with just one click. Following that, NEOWIZ started its web-based chat service 'Say Club.' In June 2000, the company was listed on KOSDAQ.

In August 2003, NEOWIZ launched the game portal 'Pmang' (www.Pmang.com), marking its official entry into the gaming service sector.

In 2004, the company signed a joint development and publishing contract with the global game company EA (Electronic Arts) to release the online services FIFA Online 1 and FIFA Online 2.

In April 2007, through a corporate division of NEOWIZ Holdings, NEOWIZ Games (now NEOWIZ) was established, and in July of the same year, it was listed on KOSDAQ. In the same year, NEOWIZ acquired the Japanese game company 'GameOn' and made a significant global expansion by launching publishing games such as 'A.V.A,' 'Crossfire,' and 'S4 League' in the Chinese, Southeast Asian, North American, and European markets.

In 2010, NEOWIZ acquired the online game developer 'CR Space' (renamed NEOWIZ CRS), which led to the release of 'Asker' in 2015. In 2016, NEOWIZ released their self-developed game 'Bless'. Besides these, NEOWIZ also provided various online games such as 'Diesel,' 'Cheongpung Myeongwol,' 'Raiders,' 'Kingdom Under Fire: Age of Storm,' 'Core Masters,' 'Black Squad,' 'Iron Sight,' and others, both domestically and internationally.

Starting from 2013, NEOWIZ also ventured into mobile games, offering titles like 'Masung's Plus,' 'Mawangjeon,' 'Finger Knights,' 'Slugger Mobile,' 'RIO 2016 Olympic Games,' 'TAPSONIC TOP,' 'Jump Arena,' 'Lava Match,' 'Kingdom of Hero,' 'Beyond Memory,' 'Samgukdaenantu,' 'With Heroes,' and more. NEOWIZ formed a partnership with Naver Webtoon and released adaptations of popular webtoons such as 'Maeumui Sori,' 'Tower of God' Season 2, and 'Noblesse.'

In 2016, NEOWIZ formed a partnership with MBC Plus and launched the idol app service 'Idol Champ.' In 2021, after being incorporated as a subsidiary, the service was transferred to T&K Factory, focusing on trot artists under the name 'Celeb Champ.'

In 2017, NEOWIZ Games changed its name to current NEOWIZ and released mobile games 'Brown Dust' and 'DJMAX Respect' for PS4, and in 2019, the PC version 'DJMAX Respect V' was launched on the global gaming platform 'Steam.'

Starting from 2019, NEOWIZ began publishing various indie games on 'Steam' and console platforms. To support the promotion of indie games, NEOWIZ initiated the online indie game festival 'BIGS'.

Continuing its endeavors in console games, in 2020, NEOWIZ globally released the MMORPG 'Bless Unleashed,' and in 2021, the PC version was also launched on Steam.

In 2021, NEOWIZ acquired mobile game developers 'StickyHands,' 'Gameplete,' and 'Hidea,' and in 2023, the mobile MMORPG specialized developer 'Fow Games.'

In August 2022, NEOWIZ entered the blockchain business through a partnership with the global blockchain company 'Polygon' and is preparing the gaming platform 'Intella X' in collaboration with various partners.

Business areas
NEOWIZ is a South Korean game company primarily focused on game development and PC/mobile game publishing. In recent times, it has expanded its business into the cutting-edge field of blockchain technology. * Game Development: NEOWIZ has been concentrating on creating high-quality games based on its own intellectual properties (IP).

Since 2016, it has been improving its capabilities as a game developer and releasing self-developed games across various platforms such as PC, mobile, and consoles. Some of their titles include 'Lies of P’, 'Brown Dust’, 'DJMAX' series, 'Master of Knights’, 'Guitar Girl’, and others. Additionally, NEOWIZ has been investing and acquiring companies to strengthen its internal development capabilities.

In 2020, NEOWIZ incorporated mobile game developers 'Quest Games' and 'SuperFlex,' releasing 'Druwa Dungeon' and 'Death Night Level Up' to the global market. In 2021, they continued their expansion by acquiring 'StickyHands,' 'Gameplete’, and 'Hidea’, securing competitive new IPs. Notably, the mobile healing game 'Cats & Soup' developed by Hidea recorded over 40 million global cumulative downloads as of April 2023, with a daily active user (DAU) count surpassing 1.2 million. In May 2023, NEOWIZ further strengthened its mobile game lineup and global competitiveness by acquiring the mobile MMORPG specialized developer ‘FOW Games.'

NEOWIZ's focus on developing games with its own IPs led to success in the console market, which is considered challenging in South Korea. The action RPG 'Lies of P' is a representative example. Developed by NEOWIZ's subsidiary studio 'Round8,' 'Lies of P' is a reinterpretation of the famous Italian fairy tale 'Pinocchio' as a dark fairy tale. It gained attention as a self-developed console title and the relatively less-known 'soul-like' genre among South Korean gamers. The game received acclaim, winning three awards at 'Gamescom 2022' in Germany: "Most Anticipated PlayStation Game," "Best Action Adventure Game," and "Best Role-Playing Game." Before its global release on September 19, 2023, the demo version garnered over one million cumulative downloads within three days, validating global players' anticipation. * PC/Mobile Game Publishing: NEOWIZ actively seeks and nurtures unique IPs that cater to diverse global user preferences and engages in publishing activities. The company provides comprehensive support, including game services, promotion, marketing, video production support, and accounting, allowing developers to focus solely on game development. NEOWIZ maintains close communication with various global companies such as Microsoft, Sony, Valve, and Steam, building a robust network.

As of June 2023, NEOWIZ has been discovering and publishing indie games that have garnered attention both domestically and internationally. Titles like 'Skul,' 'Metal Unit,' 'Blade Assault,' '8Doors,' 'Dandy Ace,' 'SANNABI,' and 'Unsouled' have shown remarkable performance. 'Skul' became the first Korean indie game to surpass one million copies sold, 'Cats & Soup' surpassed 40 million cumulative global downloads as of April 2023 and became the first Korean game to be listed on Netflix. 'SANNABI' won the Indie Game Award at the 2022 Korea Game Awards, and 'Akka' also won two awards at the Indie Arena Booth Awards at 'Gamescom 2022.'

Leveraging its expertise in game publishing since its inception, NEOWIZ has been supporting domestic indie game developers by organizing the online indie game festival ‘BIGS' since 2020. Over the past two years, the festival has attracted significant interest, with more than 400 unique and diverse domestic game developers participating, establishing itself as a representative indie game festival in South Korea. * Blockchain Business: Adapting to the Web3 era, NEOWIZ made its first foray into the blockchain game market with 'Intella X’. The Singapore-based subsidiary 'Intella X' established in April 2022, oversees NEOWIZ's blockchain business and is developing a user-friendly platform based on the Polygon network. NEOWIZ aims to build an ecosystem responsible for not only Web3 games but also blockchain networks, security, NFT markets, NFT launchpads, and decentralized exchanges (DEX). As of June 2023, the soft launch of 'Intella X Wallet (IX Wallet)' for Android and web versions was completed, indicating readiness for ecosystem expansion.

Intella X actively collaborates with more than 30 investors and partners to establish a global Web3 game ecosystem. In various areas such as game, platform, security, and investment, Intella X puts effort into enhancing technology, service quality, and user value.

NEOWIZ is also proactive in global activities to announce the transition to Web3 games. In March 2023, as a "Flagship Partner" of Polygon, NEOWIZ showcased its game lineup, including the first-person shooter game 'A.V.A,' the PFP NFT project 'E.R.C.C' based on the 'Cats & Soup' IP, and the MMORPG 'EOS GOLD' at 'GDC(Game Developers Conference) 2023.' In June 2023, NEOWIZ participated in 'IVS Crypto 2023 Kyoto,' engaging in a panel discussion on 'Major Web 2 Game Developers Entering Web3,' introducing the values and vision of 'Intella X.'

Subsidiaries

 * Hidea
 * FOW Games
 * Sticky Hands
 * NEOWIZ Sports
 * TNK Factory
 * NEOPOP
 * SUPER FLEX
 * Gameplete
 * GameOn(Japan)
 * NEOWIZ Santa Monica(North America)

PC/Console

 * Lies of P
 * DJMAX RESPECT V
 * A.V.A
 * Slugger
 * 1003b
 * Skul: The hero Slayer
 * SANABI
 * Aka
 * Unsouled
 * Dandy Ace
 * Blade Assault
 * Metal Unit
 * 8Doors
 * Plebby Quest

Mobie

 * Cats and Soup
 * BraveNine
 * BrownDust2
 * Magic Stone Knights
 * BrownDust Story
 * Idoly Pride
 * Master of Knights
 * Guitar Girl
 * Golf Impact
 * Baseball Clash
 * Kingdom: Flame of War
 * PristonTale M
 * Merge Survival
 * Triple Fantasy
 * Tenkei Paradox
 * Pmang: New Matgo
 * Pmang Poker
 * Pmang Sudda
 * NEW PMANG VEGAS