Nexon Report: Operating profit increased by 43%, but The First Berserker: Khazan earned less than expected at launch
The first three months of 2025 were a mixed bag for Nexon. In the report for the quarter ending March 31, the company announced both revenue and operating profit growth, but also missed forecasts for several games, including The First Berserker: Khazan.
The First Berserker: Khazan
- Nexon's revenue for January-March 2025 was 113.9 billion yen ($769 million), a 5% increase from the previous year.
- The company's operating profit surged by 43% to 41.6 billion yen ($281 million).
- However, net profit fell by 27% to 26.27 billion yen ($177 million), which Nexon attributed to losses from the impairment of certain investments.
- This time, South Korea, not China, was Nexon's most profitable region. The company earned 54.25 billion yen ($366 million, -5%) there. In China, revenue was 1.4 times less at 37.58 billion yen ($253 million, +29%).
- North America and Europe (10.8 billion yen or $73 million, +9%) and Japan (3.9 billion yen or $27 million, +9%) also ranked among the top markets.
- Revenue distribution by platform was as follows: 68% from PC and consoles, and 32% from mobile.
- The main growth drivers for the company remained the Dungeon & Fighter and MapleStory franchises. In particular, revenue for the former grew by 60%, and the latter by 8%.
Revenue dynamics of Nexon's key franchises from 2013 to 2025
- However, the quarterly DAU and revenue for Dungeon & Fighter Mobile were below Nexon's expectations.
- Released on March 27, The First Berserker: Khazan earned less in its first four days than the company anticipated. Although exact figures weren't disclosed, Nexon noted positive feedback from both critics and gamers.
- The quarterly revenue for The First Descendant also fell short of forecasts, attributed to an underperforming second season. Nonetheless, the number of active users in the game increased.
- On the other hand, the second public test of ARC Raiders in late April to early May "significantly" exceeded Nexon's expectations. For example, the game was added to the Steam wishlists of 50% more users than anticipated. The shooter performed particularly well in the West.